Table of Contents

I. Venezuela before Oil (General Background, History, Major Figures)
II. The Era of the Gusher, 1914-1989
III. Electoral Revolution: The Rise of Hugo Chavez
Domestic Politics
Social Policy
Economics
The Opposition
U.S. and Venezuela
Venezuela and Latin America
Venezuela and the World
The Future

About the Author

Miguel Tinker Salas is Farmer Chair in Latin American History and Professor of History and Chicano/a Studies at Pomona College. He is the author of The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture and Society in Venezuela.

Reviews

"In this broad, accessible overview of the country's political history, Salas finds the roots of most, but not all, of today's problems in the rule of Hugo Chavez, who served as Venezuela's president from 1999 until his death in 2013." --Foreign Affairs
"This new entry in Oxford's ongoing series [is] an especially timely and valuable resource...Using a question-and-answer format that aids in scanning and searching, Salas offers an informative overview of his native country's history...Key context on a political hot spot." --Library Journal
"This is not just a reference book; it is an easily accessible history of the country of Venezuela. Formatted into questions and answers, Salas has written a fair-minded text for the reader interested in knowing more about the country's history and politics or the researcher looking for an up-to-date reference work. Every popular movement, every coup, and every major economic influence important to the nation of Venezuela is discussed here."
--Counterpunch
"Tinker Salas brings to life the political, economic, and social foundations of the three political regimes that organized Venezuelan political life between 1948 and 2015." -- David J. Myers, Latin American Research Review