Sanctions in Latin America

As in the case of Cuba, US sanctions against Venezuela have a deeply ideological background. Venezuelan political leader (and army lieutenant-colonel) Hugo Chávez (1999-2013) who had previously led military rebellions but was ultimately put in office by democratic elections, proclaimed a “Bolivarian revolution” which rejected what he described as US imperialism and followed a radical programme based on redistributing oil revenues to favour the poor while nationalising and expropriating leading private sector companies, including many from the US. Despite its democratic mandate the new government rapidly did away with checks and balances, modified the constitution, and consolidated tight and dictatorial political control of the country.

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