Chávez, The Venezuelan Petro State and Foreign Policy

This book explores the behaviour of Venezuela within the international state system. What explains Venezuela's recent international protagonism? Is it Hugo Chávez and his '21st Century Socialism'? Or is it simply a matter of high oil prices and Washington's hostile stance towards center of left regimes in Latin America? Dissatisfied by traditional theories on International Relations and The Natural Resource Curse, Remi Lehmann analyzes Venezuelan foreign policy since 1989: from the neoliberal oriented governments of Carlos Andrés Pérez and Rafael Caldera to Hugo Chávez. From FTAA tot ALBA, from OAS to UNASUR, the Argentine bailout and the reinsertion of Cuba into Latin-American politics. Taking into account the country's political framework, its dependendence on oil rents and the controversial regime of Hugo Chavez, an explanation is offered for both differences and similarities in Venezuelan foreign policy over time.

Autorentext

Remi Lehmann (1984) graduated with distinction at the University of Amsterdam in 2010, majoring in Political Science. In 2007 he studied Latin-American politics at USAL in Buenos Aires and at CEDLA in Amsterdam in 2008. In 2009 he worked as an intern for the Dutch Embassy in Caracas, where he developed his fascination for the petro state.