Venezuela: Revolution in Progress

Venezuela: Revolution in Progress Synopsis

Truth in Venezuela becomes a relative term as an increasingly polarized population struggles to come to terms with Chavez's agenda.


Venezuela has been a democracy for forty-five years - and during this time it's been a strong ally of the U.S., delivering a steady supply of about a third of the all petroleum imports into the US. But in 1998 when Hugo Chavez was elected President, things in Venezuela began to change. Wearing his red beret, Chavez commands chanting crowds with revolutionary rhetoric against "U.S. hegemony" most Americans assumed died with Che Guevara in the Bolivian Jungle. His loyal constituency is Venezuela's poor, some 80% of the country's 24 million people. He continues to inspire them with dreams of a unified South America and a more equitable distribution of wealth. Few modern Latin-American leaders have been as provocative as Hugo Chavez or harbored such grandiose dreams.

However, Venezuela oil production has been reduced to a trickle. The country has teetered on the brink of all out civil war. Chavez has steered the nation on a course of Cuban style land reform and state control that has stirred up a broad-based opposition coalition of traditional political parties, trade unions, and business leaders. Despite a successful but short-lived coup in April 2002 and a massive national strike that paralyzed the economy, Chavez has managed to cling to the reigns of power. Down but not out, the opposition coalition, headed by Gustavo Cisneros, have begun to regroup and plan for binding referendum in August 2004 that could require Chavez to step down if he loses.

Gustavo Cisneros, who allegedly bankrolled the coup of April 2002, is the wealthiest man in South America with major stakes in four Venezuelan TV Stations and a vast portfolio including oil companies. He enjoys fishing trips with Jimmy Carter and GHW Bush. Cisneros argues that Chavez is becoming a classic Cold War dictator and must be stopped. He eagerly repeats his pledge to not to rest until Chavez is dead or out of office.

For a nation where 70% of the economy is directly based on petroleum, oil is the link to power for which Chavez and the opposition thirst. Political machinations focus on the national oil company and its employees or the thin center of the electorate that could swing the August referendum. This film brings insight to the social divisions in Venezuela and how they relate to President Chavez - who has promised a "revolution" for Venezuela that would redistribute the country's oil wealth to the poor. As the White House talks about democracy marching around the world - it's important for Americans to pay attention to whose drum is setting the beat in Latin America.