Editing Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

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| official_languages            = Spanish

Venezuela has been the target of hostility from the [[United States imperialism|US imperialists]] due to its significant reserves of [[Petroleum politics|oil]], as well as its recent trend of electing left-leaning progressive governments which prioritize [[Bolivarian missions|social programs]] and the implementation of what some observers describe as [[Socialism of the 21st century]].<ref>https://pt.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Resolucoesdo3oCongressoPT.pdf</ref> In 1960, Venezuela produced 30% of the world's oil.<ref name=":122" />^:184

In 1895, a boundary dispute between Venezuela and [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|Britain]] emerged. The United States asserted the imperialist [[Monroe Doctrine]], which considers the Americas to be territory for colonization by the USA rather than colonization by [[Europe]], causing Britain to back down in the dispute. The affair was an early instance of the Monroe Doctrine being invoked and the U.S. asserting itself as an imperial power.<ref>[https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/venezuela “Milestones: 1866–1898 - Office of the Historian.”] 2023. State.gov. 2023.</ref><ref name=":0">Wilkins, Brett. [https://www.telesurenglish.net/opinion/The-History--and-Hypocrisy--of-US-Meddling-in-Venezuela--20190128-0016.html “The History - and Hypocrisy - of US Meddling in Venezuela.”] Telesurenglish.net. teleSUR. 2018. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230307033238/https://www.telesurenglish.net/opinion/The-History--and-Hypocrisy--of-US-Meddling-in-Venezuela--20190128-0016.html Archived] 2023-03-07.</ref>

During the [[Dutch-Venezuelan crisis of 1908]], the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] helped Venezuelan Vice President [[Juan Vicente Gomez]] seize power in a coup. Gomez endeared himself to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] and [[Wall Street]] by granting highly lucrative concessions to foreign oil companies including [[ExxonMobil|Standard Oil]] (ExxonMobil today) and [[Royal Dutch Shell]].<ref name=":0" />

Oil production increased after [[Mexican United States|Mexico]] nationalized its oil in 1938, doubling in the 1950s. The dictator [[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]], who ruled from 1952 to 1958, used oil revenues to fund construction projects that did not help the workers. In 1958, a new progressive government led by the [[Democratic Action (Venezuela)|Democratic Action]] party planned to nationalize the oil industry.<ref name=":122" />^:176–9 [[Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso|Juan Pérez]] helped establish [[Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries|OPEC]] in 1960.<ref name=":122" />^:184  

[[Carlos Andrés Pérez]] ruled Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. He implemented the [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] Great Turnaround in 1989, causing [[Caracazo|mass protests]]. His successor, [[Rafael Caldera]], continued neoliberal rule and allowed foreign [[Imperialism|imperialists]] to own the economy. In 1992, [[Hugo Chávez]] and the [[MBR-200]] attempted to overthrow the neoliberal governemnt and start a socialist revolution.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:CastroChavez.jpg|thumb|Chavez, right, with Cuban leader [[Fidel Castro]]]]

The Bolivarian Revolution refers to a left-wing [[Populism|populist]] social movement and political process in Venezuela led by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez who founded the [[United Socialist Party of Venezuela]]. The "Bolivarian Revolution" is named after [[Simón Bolívar]], an early 19th-century Venezuelan and Latin American revolutionary leader. According to Chávez and other supporters, the "Bolivarian Revolution" seeks to build a mass movement to implement [[Bolivarianism]]—[[popular democracy]], economic independence, equitable distribution of revenues, and an end to political [[corruption]]—in Venezuela. They interpret Bolívar's ideas from a populist perspective, using [[Socialism|socialist]] rhetoric.<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/bolivarianism-vs-fake-us-democracy/38258/</ref>

In 2004, Venezuela began the [[Bolivarian missions|National System of Missions]] to address [[poverty]], [[illiteracy]], and health and housing problems. It also formed the [[Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America]] with [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]].<ref name=":1" /> The Venezuelan and Cuban governments also teamed up for [[Operation Miracle]], which provided treatment for people with eye problems in the [[Global North and South|Global South]]. The [[Great Housing Mission Venezuela]] has constructed over 4.2 million homes for poor and working class Venezuelans, with a goal of 5 million by 2025.<ref>https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelan-Government-Has-Built-4.2-Million-Homes-So-Far-20221028-0002.html</ref>

On March 5, 2013, Chavez died after 14 years in office. His vice president [[Nicolás Maduro]] took over the office of the presidency.

[[Category:Global south]]