Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's President
US-Backed Coup in 2002 Contributes to Chavez' Denouncement of Bush
Mar 21, 2007
Hugo Chavez is President of Venezuela, a country with large oil reserves and strategic location in the middle of Latin America. Hugo Chavez is usually labeled as a Venezuelan populist/socialist who besides being ideologically opposed to the United States—especially the right-wing, big business-oriented Bush administration—also has reasons for a personal grudge against the U. S.
In 1998, Chavez was elected president of Venezuela, and took office in 1999. In April 2002, he attempted to gain control of the Venezuelan state oil company because its wealth was not being distributed throughout the society, but military officers with the approval of the U. S. State Department staged a coup attempt against Chavez.
Upon hearing Chavez was deposed, masses of his poor and lower class supporters spontaneously came to his defense. With the national palace surrounded, factions within the military revolted against the officers who had led the coup, and Chavez was restored to power.
After surviving such a dramatic moment, Chavez is now is a stronger position than ever. Bush's recent highly-publicized trip to several Latin American countries also signals the U. S.'s attempt to regain influence in the region.
