BOLIVIA AFTER CHAVEZ

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 21^st 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/