How strong has populisms appeal been across Latin America since Chávez was elected?
There’s been a significant move in that direction. But I think what is important is that we do not equate “the left” with populism. That is fundamental. There is a new left that has been very prominent in Latin America, and the three main representatives of that left are President Lula [of Brazil], President Bachelet and President Lagos, who preceded President Bachelet in Chile. There is a modern left and a populist left, and the modern left is as anti-populist as the right. If we limit ourselves to the issue of ameliorating poverty in Venezuela, has Chávez been successful? This is the type of question that makes the social sciences interesting and challenging, and sets it apart from mere journalism. There’s no doubt that poverty has been reduced in Venezuela very significantly, but it’s not clear how much he has achieved. When Chávez came to power, oil was below $20 a barrel, and it got to $147 a barrel. It’s now hovering around $80. When you have that order of magnitude of increase i
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