The hybrid regime of Hugo Chavez in transition (2009-2013)

Abstract

Scholars disagree about the nature of the political regime that Hugo Chávez established in Venezuela after he came to power in 1999.But in the last few years, despite existing disagreements, it has become more common to see the regime as a hybrid, meaning that it combines elements of democracy and autocracy, with separate authors placing different emphases on either of these two aspects. In this paper, we update our view on the nature of the regime. We continue to view the regime as a hybrid, but one that has become more competitive-authoritarian. Our paper i) shows that autocratic rules and practices have become more salient in the 2009-2013 period; ii) explains why popular support for the regime has declined, while it has improved for the opposition ; and iii) discusses how Chávez’s death will affect the future of the regime and the continuity of his movement.