Publication

This brief reviews Venezuela's diplomacy from 1999 to 2013 under its former President Hugo Chavez. The author claims that Venezuela’s international influence was overestimated during Chavez’s rule as a result of the influence projected by Caracas' oil diplomacy. He then explains that Venezuela’s failure to end its dependence on oil as a commodity rendered both its foreign policy and domestic programs hostage to fluctuations in oil prices. Chavez's inability to address rampant violent crime and its economic mismanagement also undermined Venezuela’s soft power.