Table of Contents

Part I. The Political Assault to State Powers through an Elected but Exclusionist Constituent Assembly and the Framework for Authoritarianism: 1. The 1999 constitution making process as an instrument for framing an authoritarian political regime; 2. The 1999 constitution: from an exclusionist constitution making process to its distorting implementation; 3. The endless and illegitimate transitory regime preventing the effective enforcement of the constitution; 4. The outcome: the consolidation of authoritarianism defrauding democracy; Part II. Institutional Developments for the Consolidation of Authoritarianism: 5. The reinforced centralization of the federation; 6. Powers' concentration and authoritarian government; 7. The catastrophic dependence and political subjection of the supreme tribunal of justice; 8. Statization, nationalization, expropriation and confiscation of private assets; Part III. The Constitutional Reforms Proposals Designed to Consolidate Authoritarianism: 9. The failed attempt to consolidate an authoritarian, socialist, centralized, repressive and militarist state in the constitution; 10. The alternate principle of government and the 2009 constitutional amendment on continuous reelection.

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This book examines the process of dismantling the democratic institutions and protections in Venezuela under a Hugo Chávez regime.

About the Author

Allan R. Brewer-Carías has been Professor at the Central University of Venezuela since 1963 and currently is an adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia University Law School. He is Vice President of the International Academy of Comparative Law in The Hague, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, and Member of the Venezuelan National Academy of Political and Social Sciences, where he served as President from 1997–9. In Venezuela, he is a former Senator for the Federal District, Head of the Presidential Commission on Administrative Reform, and Minister for Decentralization; he was also elected Member of the National Constituent Assembly in 1999. Since 1980, Brewer-Carías has been the Director of the Revista de Derecho Público (Public Law Journal) of Venezuela and has published numerous books and articles on constitutional and administrative law.