Dos espías en Caracas

by Moisés Naím

En una Venezuela convulsionada por la revolución de Hugo Chávez, Moisés Naím teje una novela de espionaje y amor que nace de dos décadas de minucioso trabajo de documentación.

A través de las historias de Eva, espía de la CIA, y Mauricio, agente del servicio de inteligencia cubano, el lector se sumerge en una adictiva trama de thriller que es, al mismo tiempo, la crónica de una realidad que, a veces, supera a la ficción.

La crítica ha dicho...
«Una novela que muestra la cara más cruda del populismo, y que llega más allá de donde un ensayo político podría llegar.»
Arturo Pérez-Reverte

«Una novela que solo podía escribir alguien que sepa todo de Venezuela y de las relaciones de poder en el mundo global.»
Héctor Abad Faciolince

«Un relato picante y veraz en la línea de Tirano Banderas, El otoño del patriarca o Yo, el supremo.»
Fernando Savater

«Moisés Naím traza en clave criminal un certero retrato del desastre chavista.»
Babelia

«Una lúcida y combativa novela donde [Moisés Naím] elabora un afilado perfil de Hugo Chávez y retrata las sórdidas entretelas de su régimen, manejado desde las sombras por Cuba.»
El Cultural

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Mystery Thriller, Novels, Suspense

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2019

About the author

Moisés Naím is an internationally-syndicated columnist and best-selling author of influential books. In 2011, he launched Efecto Naím, an innovative weekly television program highlighting surprising world trends with visually-striking videos, graphics and interviews with world leaders which is widely watched in Latin America today. Dr. Naím gained international recognition with the successful re-launch of the prominent journal Foreign Policy and, over his fourteen years (1996-2010) as editor, turned the magazine into a modern, award-winning publication on global politics and economics.

Author of books:
* Paper Tigers and Minotaurs: The Politics of Venezuela's Economic Reforms (1993, economics)
* Altered States: Globalization, Sovereignty and Governance (2000, economics)
* Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers and Copycats Are Hijacking the Global Economy (2005, economics)
* The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being in Charge Isn't What It Used to Be (2013, social studies)

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 "enjoyable, educational, plot driven" stars !!!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Amazon Crossing for an e-copy. I am providing my honest review. The original Spanish version was released in 2019. This English version was released in August 2021.

First of all I want to acknowledge that I enjoyed this book to a four star degree. The author very deftly is able to entertain and teach the reader a great deal of recent history in Venezuela with the rise, reign and demise of Hugo Chavez. This is presented in a clear and epic fashion and the author's interpretation of events is fascinating, grand and sweeping. In the background we have the manipulations of the CIA, Fidel Castro, master criminals, corrupt generals and even the Mossad. The story is told through the points of view of both an American and Cuban spy and their various friends, lovers, allies and enemies. This made for a riveting and enticing read.

The prose is rather middling and the romantic aspects are very Harlequin or telenovela which I feel detracted a moderate amount from what was a really interesting and exciting historical fiction (more than espionage).

Well worth my time and the enjoyment and knowledge gleaned were excellent.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 3.75* of five, rounded up because the pages flipped

I RECEIVED THIS DRC FROM AMAZON PRIME'S FIRST READS PROGRAM. THANK YOU.

My Review: Spying? Romancing? Weeelll...not quite as much as I'd been expecting based on the title. What there was of espionage was centered on the mechanics and motivations for spying on one's neighbors. The Americans have this corporately-coveted giant lake of petrochemicals close to them...the Cubans need the fuel...and the Venezuelans need food, medicine, the basics.

No one gets what they expected to get because Hugo Chávez (quite obviously the author's bête noire) steps in the big, fat middle of things out of nowhere and shits all over the players. He's nobody in the hierarchy's opinion. He comes from nowhere. He's got no family pull. He's got a crap education. The author posits that he's a mentally ill striver. As he's dead, and was considered an enemy by the US Government's right-wing intelligence community, I'm inclined to put that down to politically motivated retrospective diagnosis.

Whatever! I didn't mean to get so bogged down in the material I think surrounds the story. The on-the-page story is heavy on Hugo, light on spies, and still manages to be about the reasons spying happens in a way that was very interesting to read. The role of Pablo Escobar and his money in Chávez's rise, the massive betrayals that are inherent in any leader coming to power and seeing the perspective from inside instead of outside, and the hilarious (if terrifying) reality that "we" know about 5% of what is actually going on when "we" are making our decisions, all made the read worth my time to pursue. I'm afraid the prose wasn't lulling me into turning the pages:

"I'm warning you, the president's ambitions are no longer local or regional. He wants international influence. He already has the oil production in his hands. and he'll spend whatever is necessary to make the world pay attention. This black gold will finance his socialist expansion. Hugo's narcissism is global now!"

A spy reporting to her Washington-based boss wouldn't be terribly likely to use an exclam. Or to be so bluntly undiplomatic. She wouldn't be employed for long.

"The moment is approaching for you to serve the revolution. When {the thing happens}, it's essential for Cuba that you, comrade Nicolás Maduro, {do the thing}."

The future {doer of the thing}, as anointed by Fidel, smiled yet said nothing; both men knew he had nothing to say. And there was no need.

So, does the author think Cuba runs the show or does he think Cuba runs the show. I mean, there was no time at which socialism and Cuba and Fidel and Hugo weren't all presented in the dimmest, dankest dungeon-light.

The world spins on, though, and the focus of the story leaves the international stage to light on the two spies in Caracas. They've met, fallen in love, and begun to weave a tissue of lies that looks like a life together if you squint at it just right. Iván, the Cuban scion of a powerful political family, and Cristina, an illegal Mexican immigrant whose life prepared her for a career in espionage with the CIA, fall *whomp* in love. I don't know why, and the author doesn't tell us. They just do.

While they're reassessing their loyalties to their respective agencies, they watch History take its inevitable course. Crappy people and dreadful deeds and a giant choking cloud of misery finally envelop the two, already unsettled in their minds by Love, and cause them to try to...unofficially retire, let's say.

This does not go well.

Betrayal. Back-stabbing from many angles. Lots of terrible things are about to happen to Iván and Cristina, when she decides that she doesn't want to die screaming. She pulls out her trump card, plays it...and that's when the ugly turns mean. The ending of the book involves the worst, least excusable sort of cruelty to both of them. And it's not like there was no way it could happen. It has already, earlier in the book, in slightly different form.

What? It's a spy story! You were expecting the characters to take Pilates together and Iván to knit a baby blanky for their first-born while Cristina solves the mysteries of sourdough? This book's author might have a lot of right-wing axes to grind, but the book has its head on straight when it comes to Realpolitik! Henry Kissinger got nothin' on Author Naím in that regard.

I've given it three-and-three-quarters stars. In my world, that is quite respectable. I don't keep reading books that aren't rewarding me. There are too few eyeblinks left to waste 'em. So, while I'm not yodeling the praises of this gorgeous artifact of genius, I'm here to tell you that I didn't even once think, "you know what? Pearl-Ruling this bad boy now."

Considering my Pearl-Rule pages-to-read count is down to thirty-eight, that should tell you all you need to know.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just finished reading Two Spies in Caracas, by Author Moisés Naím.

This political thriller by a bestselling Author is a storyline taking place in Venezuela in the 1900’s. It is about rival spies, political upheaval, love, and power.

It was an enjoyable read for me, and I thought the translation was well. done.

There is so much government corruption, and power changes with an unknown Colonel Hugo Chávez in the limelight, and an ill-fated coup.

The country, which is oil rich, and yet the people very poor.

I would recommend this book as a good read for those enjoying this venue

Thank you to Goodreads, Author Moisés Naím and AmazonCrossing for my advanced copy to read and review.

#TwoSpiesinCaracas #NetGalley

3.5 Stars

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Spies in Caracas is a compelling tale of espionage and love wrapped up inside a debut political thriller by Venezuelan journalist Moises Naím. It serves as a stark warning about growing populist pressures and a reminder of the volatile socialist Bolivarian revolution led by Venezuelan army colonel Hugo Chávez that still impacts the country and wider region to this day. After an unsuccessful coup d’etat in 1992, political prisoner Chávez managed to win the 1998 election and become president taking a once-rich democracy through to a dictatorship on the very brink of collapse. The coup took the world by surprise, drawing the attention of Fidel Castro who posited that Chávez could be a viable asset and economic partner; the United States had its eyes drawn to the area too as it grew increasingly more concerned with the present political situation and regional instability of the country located on the northern coast of South America.

After Chávez’s sudden rise to power, he finds the country imploding and whereas he resides in luxury behind the walls of the presidential palace, for most ordinary citizens, life has become a perpetual struggle for food, medicine and electricity and against the riptide of violence, a large percentage of which is state-sponsored in nature. The regime that had once been the gold standard and had held the hope of the people on its shoulders had swiftly become its downfall. The country that was once the prosperous model for the whole of Latin America with its democratic and economic stability was a shining example up until it collapsed into anarchy and despotism and became one of the greatest human tragedies of the 21st century. Through the stories of Eva, a CIA spy, and Mauricio, an agent of the Cuban intelligence service, the reader is immersed in an addictive thriller plot that is, at the same time, the chronicle of a reality that, at times, surpasses fiction.

This is a fast-paced, compulsive and enthralling thriller and a work born from two decades of meticulous research exploring the politics of populism and how it fared in the time of Chávez. Set in Venezuela under the charismatic, larger-than-life leader, this steamy spy thriller is a delightful way to visit a fateful and fascinating time in the beautiful, troubled South American country. Some of the characters are made up, like the rival spies and intrepid reporter who end up in a complicated love triangle; some are inspired by real people, like Prán, the mafia boss who runs a successful black-market business out of prison. And then there is Hugo Chávez himself—an unforgettable and intriguing character whom we get to know very well. Known the world over for his articles on politics and power, Naím uses all his experience and knowledge about how authoritarian governments work to write an unputdownable and atmospheric story full of exciting, complex and colourful characters. Highly recommended.

[Valorie Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know if I can read books starring women written by men anymore. Our female super spy here, Cristina, doesn’t “boob boobily” anywhere, but make no mistake—she’s got a “yoga-toned” body that her suit can’t hide, never mind that this book is set in the early 1990s, when baggy fashion absolutely hid everything.

Technically, this book passed the Bechdel test (two named women spoke to each other about something besides a man) but it sure felt like it scraped by with a C-. I gave up after 50 pages because I couldn’t read the conversations she had about yoga anymore. Isn’t there a revolution happening somewhere? Shouldn’t the super spy be, I don’t know, spying on someone doing something?

And on a historical fiction note, from a historian, there’s a lot of easily verifiable mistakes here. Our female spy did infantry combat as a Marine in the 1980s? Hilarious. The first female Marine assigned to a combat role was Lt. Sarah Deal in 1993. https://marineparents.com/marinecorps... Also, Chavez couldn’t have watched DVDs in prison as DVDs hadn’t been invented yet.

[Alex Cantone · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the hardest things is to review a book you didn’t particularly like, and the hype around this one is as deceptive as they come. First and foremost it is about President Hugo Chávez’s “revolutionary experiment” that took Venezuela from one of the richest countries in South America to economic basket case. Chávez, a Lt Colonel in the Venezuela army, was a fantasist, obsessed with Simon Bolivar, and after an unsuccessful coup against President Carlos Andrés Pérez, spent two years in prison where he was ‘cultivated’ by druglord Yusnabi Valentín, known as Prán, who ran his empire from a luxurious cell.

By thirty, at the height of his criminal career, Yusnabi Valentín retired from killing. He left that to the contingent of hit men…From prison he bought politicians, lawyers, police officers, workers, and security guards. He had government employees on call — politicians, ministers, judges, and generals. But that wasn’t enough. He wanted more. A president.

On his release Chávez goes on a charm offensive, gathering support for the Presidential campaign, “to return the country to its people” – supported by none other than Fidel Castro.

The “two spies” in the title bookend his rise – Mexican-American, Cristina Garza, for the CIA which seeks to contain Chávez, and Cuban Iván Rincón, who seeks to control him, both deeply embedded, with false identities, charged with discovering and eliminating each other. A fourth person in this charade is outspoken TV presenter, Mónica Parker, befriended by both.

I really found this a dull read, dominated by a single personality, big on self-promotion with little in the way of economic skills – or any skills – to run a country, answering to his Cuban and criminal overlords

At times dystopian – a succession of rigged elections and referendums, each delivering more power to the incumbent, declaring himself “President for life” (sound familiar?), voices of dissent dealt with severely. Add corruption at all levels, successful landholders expropriated without compensation, the poor bused in from the barrios to cultivate the lands with little in the way of training or tools, the newly-rich throwing wildly extravagant parties while the poor dig through landfill for rotting food to survive. It came as a relief when Chávez is diagnosed with cancer and the Cubans go in search of a suitable successor.

Before this, the only book I had read set in Venezuela was “The Deserter” by Nelson DeMille. That, and The Cuban Affair also by him, both with a descent storyline, gave vivid descriptions of the countries – the landscapes, climate, infrastructure. None of that here, just “noise” – but I suppose you cannot have a “quiet’ revolution.

If I gained anything from this book, it was an appreciation of the Australian preferential voting system, which, for all its flaws, is a better alternative.

[Alejandro Teruel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esta es una obra que le va a gustar a unos y a decepcionar a otros -Moisés Naím trata disfrazar una crónica, con algunas intuiciones interesantes de novela pero, en mi opinión, el resultado no cuaja.

Para quienes hemos vivido y sufrido los años de gobierno y desgobierno de Chávez es un recordatorio bastante eficaz de su montaña rusa. Probablemente la crónica, algo disfrazada y simplificada en cuanto a los participantes, que forma el grueso de la novela, enganche mejor a quien por una razón u otra -edad, distracción, incredulidad, encandilamiento, obnubilación o desconocimiento- no siguió los eventos relatados o a quien requiera un rápido refrescamiento de los mismos. Se han simplificado y cambiado de nombre a algunos personajes claves del régimen -por ejemplo llama la atención que del entorno chavista sólo aparezcan por su nombre Lina Ron y, en las páginas finales, muy caricaturescamente, Maduro y Cilia Flores -cambiando de nombre a Baduel y a Marisabel de Chávez y desapareciendo fichas como los hermanos Rodríguez y Diosdado Cabello entre un largo etcétera.

Es interesante que Naím haya planteado inicialmente la novela como una competencia para aprovechar el fenómeno Chávez entre el G2 cubano, el mundo de la delncuencia organizada representado por un pran que gobierna su imperio desde una cárcel y -en mucho menor grado-la CIA. Desafortunamente el planteamiento se desmorona rápidamente -en particular me decepcionó que el autor del destacado estudio Ilícito, le sacara tan poco jugo a sus conocimientos de este campo en la novela. El rol ingenuo y permanentemente desinformado y descolocado asignado a la CIA es muy poco convincente dentro del marco de la novela aunque quien sabe si, salvo la ingenuidad que habría que trocar por poco interés, no tan alejado de la realidad. De hecho el rol más convincente e interesante, es el asignado a la intervención cubana que, en la novela, parece adelantarse o esbozar el camino a la nueva generación de manipulaciones sociopolíticas reales y cibernéticas que, según algunos analistas, han venido planteando potencias como Rusia. Interesante también, aunque breve e incompleta, es el trasfondo geopolítico hipotetizado para la alianza con Irán.

A pesar que Naím muestra tener una excelente y muy amena pluma en sus obras serias, en esta primera incursión en el género, su andamiaje novelístico es débil y poco convincente. Como muestra, uno de los espías quiere aparentar ser un James Bond cubano, y en las escenas iniciales Chávez se pasea como El Cabito por la páginas de Pío Gil. Graham Greene trató de distinguir, no siempre con mucho tino, entre las novelas que escribía con intención seria y las que consideraba entretenimientos. Más de una vez, Moisés Naím logra recapitular de manera convincente y emotiva la crónica trágica de la Venezuela de la era de Hugo Chávez; es una lástima que estos aciertos tengan que luchar por sobreponerse a un entretenimiento al que ha agregado personajes, tramas y situaciones que, siento decirlo tan crudamente, en su gran mayoría son de cartón gris y reciclado.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical fiction aspect of this novel was stronger than the espionage component; I learned a lot about Hugo Chávez and could really understand his rise, his relationship to the Venezuelan people, and his eventual downfall, through the eyes of author Naím. I didn't feel like the spies represented anything larger in the story - ideology, or even their own nations - especially well. But I could definitely see the parallels with current populist movements that the author was trying to make, and perhaps warn the reader about. It made for a very thoughtful examination of South American history and geopolitics, if not for the best spy novel. Also, the narration was excellent - I listened as I read along - although I was nitpicky about the narrator reading "bourgeoisie" for "bourgeois" repeatedly. Would recommend to those looking to learn more about this time period in Venezuela, but not to those seeking a riveting, action-packed, fully plausible thriller.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: Two Spies in Caracas
AUTHOR: Moises Naim
TRANSLATED BY: Daniel Hahn
PUB DATE: 08.01.2021

I found reading about history, especially political history exciting and entertaining so when I came across this book, I definitelyBeas intrigued. The story involved an exciting plot line of one of history's most dangerous revolutions in Venezuela, and about two rival spies - from Washington, and the other from Cuba. The writing was immersive and intense - quite the read I enjoyed.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Two Spies in Caracas by Moisés Naím
Length: 348 Pages
Genres: Political, Espionage, Fiction
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

I've recently become interested in South America, especially the politics, after becoming obsessed with Netflix's "Narcos" (Pablo Escobar even gets a small shout-out in the beginning of this novel), and I just thought this would be a perfect choice. Unfortunately, this was a very middle of the road book for me, and I think some of the blame is on the synopsis. It promised an exciting dynamic between two spies - one for the CIA, the other for Cuba - that might turn into a dangerous romance, hinted at by the cover, all against the backdrop of Hugo Chávez's rise to power. But this book is more a biography of Chávez than anything else, with our spies taking the role of window dressing. It is not until about 60% in that they actually talk to one another, and then at about 82% they finally kiss, falling into an unbelievable whirlwind romance where neither cares that the other is a spy for the enemy.

I've given this book 3 stars, just because I found much of Hugo's life so fascinating - from his belief in Santería, and brash, womanizing ways, to his exhuming of Simón Bolívar's body, partly to gather a bone to put on a pendant. Naím is an award-winning journalist and I think that is painfully obvious. He's a fine writer, just not a novelist.

[Kent Babin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read like a docuseries in book form. I imagined a narrator's voice describing historical details spliced with scenes from those who lived it. There was very little depth to any of it. Just a superficial chronicle of a period in history.

Curiously, the author notes in the beginning that the book isn't about Chavez, yet pages upon pages are dedicated to him. I also can't help but wonder if the top CIA agent in Venezuela would be operating under deep cover as opposed to diplomatic immunity.

The crux of the problem, I suppose, is that you come in thinking that this is going to be a novel of espionage, when in reality it's not that at all. It's a love story that happens to involve spies.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

TWO SPIES IN CARACAS

Excellent spy novel set during the dictatorship of Hugo Chavez. A touch of romance, with a terrific amount of information on the Venezuelan government and on the political influence of Cuba and the US.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the title and GR shelvings I thought this was a mystery or mystery thriller. It is not either of those. It is the telling of the rise and presidency of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. The author served in the administration of Perez, Chavez's predecessor and watched this story unfold in real time. Naím writes in a note preceeding the novel that all of the characters except the obvious historical figures are fictional. Interestingly, he also says he played with time, collapsing real time into a fictional time. The novel doesn't mention dates often and so this collapsing of time was barely noticeable.

The opening line of the book is: There is no sound more annoying to a couple making love than the ring of a telephone. It turns out that one of this couple is a female CIA operative and she will be sent to Caracas. Not the other half of the couple making love, the other spy of the title is a male Cuban G2 operative. We are also given his back story before he is sent to Caracas. Much of this story, but certainly not all, is told from one or the other's point of view.

This is not a pretty story, but sometimes history is not at all pretty. I don't know how it is in Europe or other countries mostly settled by Europeans, but many of us in the US pay scant attention to the nations in our own hemisphere. Of course we know the Caribbean and South America are there. The news did cover Chavez of course and his name in the novel was far from unknown to me. But I, at least, paid little attention during his years in power, allowing what happened there to skirt the periphery of my consciousness. I learned much in this novel.

The story is well told, the writing itself is interesting. Naím is a journalist and this is his first novel. I felt the style fell somewhere between realistic fiction and the best of creative nonfiction such as Erik Larsen, Timothy Egan or Hampton Sides. There are a lot of characters. I think none are well drawn, but that is forgiveable in this type of novel.

This is not 5-stars for me, but falls somewhere in the middle of the 4-star group.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: death, incarceration, military coup, political corruption, espionage, torture, violence, natural disaster

2.5 stars.

I picked this up purely because it's set in Venezuela and it was available on Kindle Unlimited, so I could cross something off my Read Around the World challenge for a whopping zero dollars. And it definitely achieved that for me.

But this book somehow seemed to drag on FOREVER, and I didn't love the way it took actual people, like Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, and turned them into characters in this book. There was also a strange emphasis on romantic relationships in a book that - yes, has a cover with romantic vibes - is essentially about two rival spies (one Cuban and one American) living in Caracas from the 90s until Chavez's death in 2013.

It essentially didn't feel like time was passing in the story, and it certainly didn't feel like the characters were undercover for the better part of TWENTY YEARS. But whatever. The spy story itself was...something of a let down? I mean, I get that a lot of the time, undercover espionage *IS* extremely boring, but this felt like it was more about yoga and going out to eat grapefruit salads than it did about actual espionage.

So ultimately, this was a reasonable (if fictional) overview of the Chavez era, but it wasn't exactly a riveting story.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un magnífico recuento de lo ocurrido en Venezuela durante el gobierno de Hugo Chávez, desde el punto de vista de lo que ha podido reconstruir y elucubrar Moisés Naím, venezolano insigne, siempre preocupado por entender y explicarnos muy amenamente como se manejan los hilos del poder y, en el caso venezolano, las desastrosas consecuencias para el país. Pone en evidencia lo que se oculta detrás de este “gobierno”: Cuba, la delincuencia organizada y el terrorismo, oscuros propósitos muy lejanos a la “propaganda oficial” de socialismo e igualdad.

Un libro muy bien escrito, que hace un retrato descarnado de Chávez y su evolución en el poder, de su magnetismo y capacidad de seducción de las masas, sin ninguna propuesta o profundidad:

”En unos años Hugo dirá que el fracaso se debió a la traición de uno de los suyos. Pero los suyos saben —aunque sólo se lo dicen entre sí— que el fracaso se debió a que el jefe del golpe no golpeó. Hugo los dejó solos, nunca atacó.”

“… el carismático líder de voz seductora que hace sonreír a los desamparados.”

“… alimenta de mil maneras su imagen de libertador posmoderno.”

“Y Hugo juega su nuevo papel a la perfección porque, muy sinceramente, él mismo se lo cree … Lo de él es más teatro que gestión de Estado.”

Aunque es una realidad que conocimos, porque la vivimos, la metódica manera en que Naím reconstruye los diversos capítulos de la historia y el deterioro progresivo del país, bien vale la pena la lectura y reflexión posterior. Moisés Naím escribe muy bien, es un maestro de la palabra.

Lo mejor del libro es la picardía que asoma en cada una de las líneas, el tongue in cheek de Moisés Naím, un libro lleno de chismes:

”Nicolás Maduro, uno de los ministros más cercanos al presidente de Venezuela. Fidel lo conoce bien. Sabe que no es un hombre inteligente, pero sí muy leal y obediente. Uno de «los suyos». Ésas son las principales cualidades que debe tener el hombre que él va a necesitar en Venezuela cuando Hugo no esté.”

Es imposible no imaginarse como se divertía Naím mientras escribía la supuesta historia de amor de dos espías, cubano y americana, en la Venezuela contemporánea.

Es un libro positivo, una lección a aprender:

”Estoy convencido de que las maravillas de ese país son permanentes, mientras que la devastación que sufre en estos tiempos es transitoria. El país se recuperará y podrá acoger a nuevas generaciones que le darán el amor que tanto le ha faltado.

[Judith von Kirchbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been ruminating on this review for a while now talking about my thoughts with my son at breakfast and carrying them around with me.
This political spy thriller/ historical fiction was deeply personal for me. I lived in Caracas, Venezuela till 1991 and even though I was only 14 turning 15 when we moved away it has shaped me. This book took me down memory lane especially since Hugo Chavez’ coup, democratic rise to power and his administration and it’s fallout until today with his successor Maduro have been a topic of discussion at my parent’s dining table just as they are at ours, suffice to say I am not an objective bystander but I have been reading Venezuelan current events during all those years that the book cover and in my view Moises Naim does it exceptionally well. As he should as a former contributing editor to The Atlantic and prize winning journalist. With an eye for all sorts of issues, the real poverty in Venezuela before Chavez, the corrupt government of an oil rich country, the hopes and expectations of many but also the extreme narcissism of a populist leader. It would be hard to fit all issues touched in this little post but the book sent me to google and YouTube and I learned additional tidbits and it was simply wonderful to revisit the Caracas of my past with this book. The continuation of the Cold War spy thriller part featuring a CIA spy and her Cuban counterpart did seem realistic and well plotted given Venezuela’s proximity and natural resources.

It was a little hard to enjoy this as a light fun spy thriller-y read for me since it reminded me of the sad demise of a country I left. I am still happy to see a book about Venezuela.

Thank you to NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review !

[Judith von Kirchbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been ruminating on this review for a while now talking about my thoughts with my son at breakfast and carrying them around with me.
This political spy thriller/ historical fiction was deeply personal for me. I lived in Caracas, Venezuela till 1991 and even though I was only 14 turning 15 when we moved away it has shaped me. This book took me down memory lane especially since Hugo Chavez’ coup, democratic rise to power and his administration and it’s fallout until today with his successor Maduro have been a topic of discussion at my parent’s dining table just as they are at ours, suffice to say I am not an objective bystander but I have been reading Venezuelan current events during all those years that the book cover and in my view Moises Naim does it exceptionally well. As he should as a former contributing editor to The Atlantic and prize winning journalist. With an eye for all sorts of issues, the real poverty in Venezuela before Chavez, the corrupt government of an oil rich country, the hopes and expectations of many but also the extreme narcissism of a populist leader. It would be hard to fit all issues touched in this little post but the book sent me to google and YouTube and I learned additional tidbits and it was simply wonderful to revisit the Caracas of my past with this book. The continuation of the Cold War spy thriller part featuring a CIA spy and her Cuban counterpart did seem realistic and well plotted given Venezuela’s proximity and natural resources.

It was a little hard to enjoy this as a light fun spy thriller-y read for me since it reminded me of the sad demise of a country I left. I am still happy to see a book about Venezuela.

Thank you to NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review !

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

De este libro me gustó el resumen histórico. Aunque por ser ficción, se mezcla la realidad y la fantasía y no se sabe cuál es cuál. Se cambió el nombre de algunos personajes, pero no todos.

La puntuación baja que doy a este libro, se debe principalmente a que fue difícil leerlo desde el punto de vista literario. Está lleno de clichés y lugares comunes. El libro se llama Dos espías en Caracas, pero los supuestos personajes principales no se desarrollan, son muy básicos y predecibles. La historia de amor raya en la cursilería.

[Ken Hulse · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an entertaining read about Venezuela and Hugo Chavez's role in bringing a lot of harm to the country. His speeches and grandiose bellicosity remind me a bit of certain x president . The story is told with two spies. One is CIA and the other is Cuban who have opposite goals but fall in love. I enjoyed the history . It was easy to read. The romance part was a bit underdone. Two top notch spies who weren't recognizing the other's occupation was a bit unbelievable but I am glad I read it.

[Amanda Hupe]

"History buffs rejoice!"

Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:

http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/...

[Nancy Gilreath · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5. The history of Hugo Chavez was fascinating, and I would be interested in knowing more about the influence of Fidel Castro and the role of the CIA, as well as more about Venezuela. The fictional narrative that held it together wasn’t particularly strong. The characters lacked subtlety. I also was frustrated by how ineffective Cristina/Eve (woman CIA agent) seemed to be and by the stupid choices made by both main characters. Some of the small things irritated me - a woman putting on makeup and spraying her perfume in the elevator and Chavez having DVDs in jail in 1992 when they weren’t invented yet. I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway, and it was worth reading for the introduction to Chavez.

[Deece de Paor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately another book I couldn't get into even though I'm interested in South America, and thought a spy story would be gripping and well paced. It was neither. The writing dragged and even though I gave it a good 100 pages, I couldn't tell the characters apart. There seemed to be no humanity behind them and I don't mean that they were monstrous humans, just that they acted and spoke and reacted like robots. I'm amazed this isn't the author's first book and that he has had bestsellers before. I really wanted to like this and I'm sorry I didn't. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

No lo pude dejar de leer!

Desde que empece a leerlo, no lo pude dejar. Es una lectura rápida y sumamente entretenida. A pesar de que ya sabemos lo que iba a suceder, pues es una novela basada en hechos reales, el suspenso de la historia es genial. Pinta una perspectiva de Chavez intima y muy distinta. Realmente increíble lo que ha sucedido en ese país. Gran libro. Muy recomendado!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 2 out of 5]

History buffs rejoice! This book is for you! Seriously, this book could almost double as a Hugo Chavez biography.

Read full review in the 2021 Summer issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Richard Winston · Rating 1 out of 5]

Slow Boat To Nowhere

This book did not work for me. I found it tedious. Given the turmoil I Venezuela, I was hoping for something with a lot more action and higher stakes. A bore.

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good idea the rise of Chavez in Venezuela, but the main characters are boring. I don't recommend this novel.

[Leer Sin Cesar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me apasionó muchísimo leer esta novela (o crónica, pues hay mucho de facto) para entender ese movimiento generado por Chávez y ver el declive de un país tremendamente hermoso y admirado por otros en épocas pasadas.

Leer este libro me permitió conocer mucho acerca de Venezuela, ese país vecino que aún hoy asombra la decadencia de un estado que desencadenó tantos infortunios sociales como la violencia, la corrupción, la trasgresión a los derechos humanos a manos de una dictadura que aún hoy me cuesta entender.

La novela narra todo el ascenso del poder de Chávez junto con su revolución bolivariana, y paralelamente se dan las movidas de 3 poderosos intereses que se mezclan y buscan hacerse mínimamente con el poder, o en su defecto neutralizar a sus rivales. A partir de ese súbito estallido generado en Venezuela gracias al famoso "por ahora" de Chávez luego de su fracasado golpe de Estado se despliega la inteligencia cubana del G2, la CIA y una mafia criminal bajo el mando del temible "Pran". Además el libro también tiene como protagonistas Eva (CIA) y Mauricio (G2), líderes de los centros de inteligencia en Venezuela, quienes se ven entrecruzados por el espionaje, el asedio e incluso por vínculos amorosos

Es impresionante como a medida que avanza la novela, también se observa de forma latente el torbellino político y el debacle de Venezuela, pasando por el golpe fallido de Hugo Chavéz en 1992, la toma del poder de este por medio de los votos, la aceleración de una revolución orquestada e impulsada por Cuba (con su amigo Fidel como mentor) ante una posibilidad excepcional como sustento económico, la alianza de la izquierda con países (quizá cuestionable) como Irán, Libia, Rusia, etc, el exacerbo hacia el imperialismo estadounidense, la hostilidad hacia la libertad de expresión, la impotencia que embarga la expropiación, el misticismo sobre la exhumación de Simón y la desolación ante la inminente muerte de Chávez y la sucesión de su revolución.

Además, a través de esta lectura he podido adentrarme en la psicología de Chávez un personaje con muchas aristas: charlatán, déspota, narcicista, demagogo, ambicioso, iracundo, amante, mentiroso, cuasi "redentor" y hasta humorista.

No saben la recapitulación que hice de muchos de los hechos que narra este libro, lo cual, son fiel reflejo de la realidad entorno a la revolución venezolana con sus consecuencias y sus desencantos. Mis hermanos me molestaban dado que día y noche andaba hablando de Chávez y todo lo que provocó la actual situación de Venezuela.

Es increíble cómo hoy se mantiene una dictadura que oprime, carcome y violenta a millones de venezolanos en medio de la impunidad.

Así como el escritor confiesa al final del libro, también espero una nueva luz de esperanza y reconstrucción de un país que merece un gobierno que brinde garantías sociales y privadas, y no un Estado que coopte los entes institucionales, disemine la pobreza y destruya el anhelo de vivir democráticamente.

[coty ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

(1.5) reads like the author thought about writing a history book, thought it wouldn't be engaging enough, and added ocs just for fun. unfortunately it's not fun at all. there are long stretches of passages where the "main characters" are either absent or entirely irrelevant; when they are on page, they get no sort of development. the writing is void of absolutely any emotion and i'm not going to chalk it up to something being missed in translation; i've read a few translated books at this point, and i feel like the problem here lies fully in the original work. it offers Nothing. the main plot about "rival spies in love" doesn't even really happen until ~75% and it also is just so boring! it doesn't help that they have no personalities on their own but it's just the worst sort of insta-love between them with no passion or heart. i didn't expect much going in but i was still disappointed. i don't know how you manage to make such a tumultuous point in history so Boring

[Hani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot about the turbulent times in Venezuela under the presidency of the dictator Hugo Chavez.

Unqualified leaders in either the third world or the so called “advanced” countries continue to surface in spite of the meteoric advancement in technology and easy access to information!

The following statement, among many, hit home:

“Land that gets expropriated is land that’s made unproductive,” said the grandson of one of the founders of Agrícola Canarias into the camera. “A firm that’s expropriated is a firm that gets plundered and shut down.”

Seems that history keeps repeating itself!

[Marie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book - kind of an espionage/historical fiction type book if there is such a thing. Nice to read about something other than WW II in historical fiction. Learned a lot about Hugo Chavez, Venezuela and Cuba!