An Empty Revolution The Unfulfilled Promises of Hugo Chávez

Francisco Rodríguez

From Foreign Affairs, March/April 2008 Article Tools

* Email to a Colleague
* Print Article

Summary: Even critics of Hugo Chávez tend to concede that he has made helping the poor his top priority. But in fact, Chávez s government has not done any more to fight poverty than past Venezuelan governments, and his much-heralded social programs have had little effect. A close look at the evidence reveals just how much Chávez s revolution has hurt Venezuela s economy -- and that the poor are hurting most of all.

FRANCISCO RODRÍGUEZ, Assistant Professor of Economics and Latin American Studies at Wesleyan University, was Chief Economist of the Venezuelan National Assembly from 2000 to 2004.