The Foreign Policy of Hugo Chávez

Since Hugo Chávez took office as president, Venezuela’s foreign policy has been characterized by constant confrontation with the United States, the politicization of relations with other Latin American countries, selective cooperation and the subjugation of trade policy to ideological criteria. According to Salazar Elena, this style of conducting relations with other countries not only distances Venezuela from the majority of its Latin American neighbors, but strays from Venezuela’s traditional practices. This policy, argues the author, stems from Chávez’ desire to minimize multilateral intervention in light of the democratic shortfalls of his administration, coupled with a need to round up international support to offset internal opposition to his government. Salazar Elena concludes that there are three factors that have enabled Chávez to follow a foreign policy of this kind: a) his control over institutions that act as a counterbalance to presidential power; b) a climate of favorable opinion, and c) the recent hike in international oil prices.