How did Chavez come to power?
Chavez was an unknown colonel in the Venezuelan paratroopers when he led a 1992 military coup against President Carlos Andres Perez. The coup failed, and Chavez spent two years in prison, steeping himself in the Bible, Karl Marx, and other writings on social justice. By the time he got out, he had resolved to pursue a popular revolution through the ballot box.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Chavez, invoking the name of the South American liberator Simón Bolívar, promised
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 – 21 NovemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Can the UK do more on climate change?Today's Big Question Labour has shown leadership in the face of fraying international consensus, but must show the public their green mission is ‘a net benefit, not a net cost’
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
