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Venezuela's Collapse

The Long Story of How Things Fell Apart

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How did Latin America's exceptional democracy become a nearly failed state? Why would a leader firmly in control lead one of the planet's richest countries into a humanitarian crisis?

Conventional wisdom blames the madness of a populist leader who squandered an oil fortune. In Venezuela's Collapse, Carlos Lizarralde offers an alternative account that places race, ethnicity, and the struggle over resources at the center of the Hugo Chavez story.

The book chronicles 500 years of demographic and economic strands that came together in 1998 with the election of a dashing new President. By following Chavismo's dismantling of the liberal state, the ransacking of public enterprises, and the appearance of a feudal world of violence, hunger, and disease, Venezuela's Collapse offers a compelling argument about what happened in the country.

Venezuela's uncertain future will be determined, for better or for worse, by the fractured and conflicted past that fueled the Bolivarian Revolution. Carlos Lizarralde's account will become a key road map in the years ahead.

©2024 Carlos Lizarralde (P)2025 Carlos Lizarralde Americas Politics & Government South America Capitalism Socialism Latin American Imperialism Liberalism Taxation Social justice Africa
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Would recommend if you want to understand Venezuela's recent history, particularly topical given current event.

The book looks at the uncomfortable hard truths about Venezuela's society and economy, including the deep ethnic and tribal divisions within Venezuela and how these were exploited by Huge Chavez and Nicholas Maduro to lead their country to ruin.

Excellent book about Venezuela's recent history

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This is hands down the worst written book I have listened to in my 60+ audiobook collection. It jumps all over the place and repeats its self so often I thought I had accidentally skipped back a chapter at one point. If you are thibking of buying this due to recent events, I recommend literally anything else.

Horrendously Written

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