WHO: American University Venezuela/Latin America Experts
WHAT: Available to analyze and comment on post-Chavez Venezuela
WHEN: March 5-ongoing
WHERE: American University, in studio, or phone interviews
Washington, D.C. (March 5, 2013) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s death leaves Venezuela's political future hanging in the balance since the ailing Chavez was never officially sworn into office after his election win last fall. The legacy of Chavismo may also be on life support since Chavez never groomed a successor in his populist image. High inflation, spiraling crime, political polarization and authoritarianism will also make it harder for Chavismo to survive the man. Will Miranda state Gov. Henrique Capriles convince Venezuelans it’s time for a change and succeed in a snap election following Chavez’s death? Can Vice President Nicolas Maduro replace Chavez in an election or without an election? What and who will the military support? What are the implications for Venezuela's declining oil industry, for Cuba, for Latin America, and for the United States? American University experts are available to discuss post-Chavez Venezuela.
Venezuela/Latin America ExpertsRobert Pastor, School of International Service professor of international relations and director of the Center for North American Studies, served as the U.S. National Security Advisor on Latin America (1977-1981), was a consultant to the State and Defense Departments during the Clinton Administration, and was the founding director of the Carter Center’s Latin American and Caribbean Program. Pastor is the author of The North American Idea: A Vision of a Continental Future (Oxford, 2011).
Eric Hershberg, director, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, focuses his research on the comparative politics of Latin America, and on the politics of development. Hershberg’s current research focuses on the state of democracy and emerging development strategies in South America, and the ways in which elites exercise power in Central America. He has served as a consultant to numerous development and educational agencies. (Available for interviews in Spanish)
U.S. – Venezuelan Rapprochement?Ambassador Anthony Quainton, diplomat-in-residence and a professor of U.S. foreign policy at American University’s School of International Service, served as Ambassador of Peru(1989-1992). During his long and distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service, Quainton served as Ambassador to Nicaragua and Kuwait and the Central African Republic. President Clinton named him Director General of the Foreign Service (1995-1997). Amb. Quainton is available to discuss what possibilities may exist from rapprochement between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Geopolitics of Oil Impact Post-ChavezJeff Colgan, assistant professor, is an expert in the geopolitics of oil, international security, and international trade. Colgan can speak about how oil money has supported the Chavez regime. He is the author Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War (Cambridge University Press, 2013).
Impact on CubaPhilip Brenner, has published widely on U.S./Cuba relations, on contemporary U.S. foreign policy, and on the Cuban Missile Crisis. His most recent book is A Contemporary Cuba Reader: Reinventing the Revolution. Brenner can address the impact of Chavez’s death on Cuba.
Regional Impact Post-ChavezMatthew Taylor, assistant professor in the School of International Service, focuses on Brazil and more broadly Latin American political economy. Taylor can comment on how the Venezuelan election results could affect the largest stakeholder and powerbroker in the region. He has lived in Brazil for more than a decade and most recently served as an assistant professor at the University of São Paulo. Taylor co-edited Corruption and Democracy in Brazil:The Struggle for Accountability (University of Notre Dame Press, 2011). (Available for interviews in Portuguese)
Economic, Financial Impact on Venezuela and Region Post-ChavezManuel Suarez-Mier, economist-in residence, has had four decades of experience in Venezuela where he was involved in the negotiations of the Latin America Economic System (SELA) which was the first attempt of Latin American nations to have a multilateral economic and political institution which specifically excluded the United States. Suarez-Mier possesses a long career working on Mexico’s financial system and in its foreign service where he served as chief of staff of the Governor of the Bank of Mexico and the top economic diplomat in Washington at the time of the negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement. More recently, he represented the Attorney General of Mexico in the United States when the Mérida Initiative. (Available for interviews in Spanish)
Arturo Porzecanski, distinguished economist-in-residence, is an expert in international finance, emerging markets and Latin American economics. Porzecanski carries out and publishes research in international finance; provides consulting services to legal and financial firms, as well as to U.S. government agencies and multilateral institutions. Among the positions he held before entering academia was chief economist for emerging markets at ABN AMRO Bank; chief economist for the Americas at ING Bank; chief emerging-markets economist at Kidder, Peabody & Co.; chief economist at Republic National Bank of New York; senior economist at J.P. Morgan Bank. (Available for interviews in Spanish)
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