When
Hugo Chavez died in early 2013, Bolivia’s Evo Morales was deeply shocked. He
accompanied the coffin of his mentor and Bolivia, like Venezuela, held 7 days
of mourning after Chavez’ death (Pulsamerica, 11 March 2013).
With Chavez, Morales did not only lose a mentor for his “Socialism of the 21st century”, but also the guarantee for economic and international political support (Al Jazeera, April 2013). The important social programme “Evo Cumple” – “Evo keeps his promise” was funded by Venezuelan sources (ibid.). After Chavez’ death, the continuation of all these aspects of support was uncertain (ibid.).
Elections
were called in Venezuela, and despite protests from the opposition regarding
unfair elections, Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as the new president in April
2013 (BBC, 19 April 2013). Maduro, a former bus driver, functioned as foreign
minister under Chavez (Huffington Post, 19 April 2013).
And
Maduro has shown that Venezuela’s support for Bolivia will be kept up:
bilateral contracts were continued in May 2013 (Eju, 31 May 2013). Maduro also
declared that “who messes with Bolivia messes with Venezuela” (El Imparcial, 4
July 2013).
Thus,
Morales has found a new ally in Maduro. But the money that keeps flowing from
Venezuela is not a present; it is an international debt that Bolivia keeps
accumulating (Eju, 31 May 2013). And it is money that the people of Venezuela
that suffer from the scarcity of even the most basic goods like toilet paper or
milk would need urgently themselves (Eju, 15 June 2013).
REFERENCES
Al
Jazeera (April 2013). Bolivia without Hugo
Chavez. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/04/20134764150239799.html
BBC
(19 April 2013). Nicolas Maduro sworn in
as new Venezuelan president. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22220526
El
Imparcial (4 July 2013). ‘Quien se mete
con Bolivia se mete con Venezuela’: Maduro Retrieved from http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/04072013/723398-Quien-se-mete-con-Bolivia-se-mete-con-Venezuela-Maduro.html
Eju
(31 May 2013). Venezuela flaquea y
Bolivia se endeuda. Retrieved
from http://eju.tv/2013/05/venezuela-flaquea-y-bolivia-se-endeuda/
Eju
(15 June 2013). Nexos entre Evo y Maduro.
Retrieved from http://eju.tv/2013/06/nexos-entre-evo-y-maduro/
Huffington Post (19 April 2013). Nicolas Maduro to be sworn in as Venezuelan president. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/nicolas-maduro-sworn-in-venezuela-president_n_3115289.html
Pulsamerica (11 March 2013). Bolivia: Morales mourns Chávez. Retrieved from http://www.pulsamerica.co.uk/2013/03/11/bolivia-morales-mourns-chavez-kidnapped-mennonites-oruro-airport-controversy/
