28. Hugo Chávez’s rotten legacy

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21573106-appeal-populist-autocracy-has-been-weakened-not-extinguished-hugo-ch%C3%A1vezs-rotten

On March 9^th, an article was posted on the Economist stating the consequences and criticizing the actions of the recently deceased Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chávez, while he was in power. The author begins by describing how Chávez feigned democracy by “mixing state socialism and populist redistribution with a residue of capitalism ... and nationalism” and helped communist Cuba abstain from capitalism. The instruments used by Chavez, according to the author, were his ability to “empathize with ordinary Venezuelans” and the money from the oil boom which was used “to buy himself popular support, with social programs and handouts”. The author says how Chávez’s legacy has followed through and is being used by his successor Nicolás Maduro to delude the Venezuelans. However, with his passing, his influence has weakened in other countries that used to be like Venezuela and the author cites examples of other Latin American countries. The author says that chavismo has prevented the Venezuelan government “from fulfilling its potential and uniting behind democracy and open markets” but that Latin American democrats will have an easier task to integrate the continent.

The author’s purpose in writing this article was to inform his readers that Hugo Chávez’s ideas have been weakened but still persists and through this he tries to persuade his audience that his intentions were to satisfy his own ends. The choice of words and selection of detail used by the author shows how he appeared to be against Hugo Chávez. Many words used to describe his administration were related to manipulation, delusion, cunning as if he was pretending to help the people, but actually wasn’t. Also, the author only states the negative side to his rule while he was in power to emphasize on his inaptitude to truthfully govern the country. Other countries are used to exemplify the weakening of Chávez’s influence and Brazil is used to exemplify a true democracy.