Venezuela

Dante Espinoza takes a look at the available data on Venezuela’s economy and communes to see how well claims the Maduro government is progressive and anti-imperialist stack up.

Steve Ellner — The issue in debate is not Maduro’s mistaken policies but his demonisation, which undermines the task of opposing US sanctions on Venezuela.

Pedro Eusse outlines the Communist Party of Venezuela’s position on the Maduro government and responds to statements made by Steve Ellner about his party.

Gabriel Hetland — The immense harm caused by US sanctions should not mean leftists give Maduro's repressive and predatory government a free pass.

John Brown & Atenea Jiménez — Under an increasingly authoritarian government, Venezuela’s Chavista project faces stark challenges and dilemmas. 

Yoletty Bracho and Manuel Sutherland discuss Venezuela’s situation almost a year after Maduro’s “re-election”.

Steve Ellner — Failure to contextualise errors and transcend binaries when it comes the Maduro government leads to underestimating the US sanctions and undermines solidarity.

Marea Socialista — Venezuelan workers must reclaim their political independence and forge an agenda for struggle against bureaucracy and capital.

Emiliano Teran Mantovani argues Steve Ellner’s defence of Venezuela’s Maduro government reflects a tendency on the left to defend decaying regimes rather than chart out alternative paths rooted in popular struggles.

Steve Ellner — Gabriel Hetland’s article “Capitalism and authoritarianism in Maduro’s Venezuela” presents a one-sided and decontextualised view of Venezuela under Maduro. 

Gabriel Hetland — Maduro’s authoritarianism has garnered significant attention, but there has been less notice of the transformation in Maduro’s class base.

Steve Ellner — During his first term, Trump exerted a “maximum pressure” campaign against perceived US adversaries in Latin America. But how committed is Trump to fighting Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua? Today, it is anyone’s guess.