Hugo Chávez: Oil, Politics, and the Challenge to the U.S.

by Nikolas Kozloff

Audacious, provocative, and bombastic, few world politicians are as colorful as Hugo Chávez, now making international news for his plans to nationalize U.S. owned businesses and his bold opposition to Washington's economic and trade policies. As Venezuela gains importance as the fifth largest oil exporter in the world, this firebrand leader is quickly moving to the public spotlight by uniting much of South America against the Bush administration and wielding oil as a "geopolitical weapon." To create this rich and objective portrait, Nikolas Kozloff--one of the few American journalists who has spent years in the Andean region--has profiled Chávez's top advisors, leaders of his movement, and other key figures in both Venezuela and the U.S. The result is a timely, exhaustive analysis of Chávez as a political leader, and a nuanced examination of the president moving to the center of the global stage. Includes a new afterword by the author, with insights into Chávez's reelection in relation to wider hemispheric politics.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kat Lynch]

Very well-researched, and interesting detail about Chavez's allies. But I prefer biographies that stick to a more orderly chronology.

[Lorena]

Kozloff offers facts. He challenges the demonized caricature that has been created of this man. It's history in a bit more than 200 pages. If you're looking for a book that further demonizes Chavez, this is not the book for you.

[C.]

I learned a lot about the recent history of South America, Chavez is really pulling the folks together.

You can't argue with the initiatives, but perhaps some of the methods and retoric.

[Geo]

i've only read bits because it's so crap it's not worth finishing. manages to be self-serving and boring at the same time. and kozloff doesn't know his shit, either.

[Tyler]

Not as deep or informative as a book on the subject should be. The glossary was almost as long as the book, and the book was no more than 120 pages.