Richard Melson
October 2006
Braudel Institute
Braudel Papers:
Oil and Democracy in Venezuela - Fernand Braudel Institute
Rubens Ricupero
Dear reader:
We take pleasure in sending you, together, two new editions of Braudel
Papers, the newspaper of research and opinion of the Fernand Braudel Institute
of World Economics, on "
This two-part essay is the fruit of ten months of meticulous research in which the author, also editor of Braudel Papers, analyzes in depth the polarizing figure of Hugo Chávez and his "Bolivarian Revolution."
The essay contained in these two editions also explores the long-term processes in Venezuelan economy and society, activated by social marginality and oil revenues, that resulted in what we are seeing today. In the opinion of Venezuelan and international specialists, this essay is possibly the most complete and penetrating study yet published on the Chávez phenomenon.
Norman Gall, a New Yorker by birth and a paulistano by choice, developed an intimacy with this theme during 45 years of research on Latin America, six of them residing in Caracas. The
Fernand Braudel Institute offers with satisfaction to our friends and collaborators this valuable effort at interpretation, destined to become a benchmark reference on this controversial phenomenon.Sincerely,
To access the publications go to
www.braudel.org.br33Braudel Papers: Oil and Democracy in Venezuela - Fernand Braudel Institute
Instituto Fernand Braudel de Economia Mundial contato@braudel.org.br
Wed, 4 Oct 2006
Braudel Institute