Why are Venezuelans turned off especially from national politics?
Our problem is a tremendous gap between expectations and reality. Because we have oil, people feel we are rich, but governments have not delivered. In many areas, public services don’t work properly. The idea that corruption is rampant in Venezuela — which I think is true, but exaggerated — has a large audience because people don’t see why oil income doesn’t get to them. The only way to explain it is corruption. Q: Why is Venezuela different from Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, where democracy is strengthening? A: It’s different because Venezuela had a democracy while most of these countries went through dictatorship. As they came out of dictatorship, a new political leadership emerged. Venezuela had a democracy for over 40 years but did not renew leadership except, in the last 10 years, at the local and regional level. So we’re paying the price right now. Q: President Alberto Fujimori shut down Peru’s Congress for a time and rules with military support. Is Chávez like him? A:
