Understanding how Venezuela became a "mafia state"

On January 10, Nicolás Maduro is sworn in for his second six-year term as President of Venezuela. Maduro won the election despite international condemnation for vote buying and electoral fraud. When US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the Government of Venezuela "illegitimate," Maduro said: "

" Venezuela is at the center of a world war waged by the United States. US imperialism and its satellite countries. " [19659003] Such statements have become commonplace for a leader and a government determined to portray Venezuela's political, social and economic problems as the product of a long ideological battle with the United States.

Although these discursive tactics may have some success in small parts of the population, the harsh reality of life in Venezuela and the inability and sometimes refusal of the government to handle clear political failures have greatly reduced the support given to the president. Maduro and his government.

Read also: Cocaine and Corruption: How Maduro Maintains High Military Rank in the Row

The current magnitude of the social, economic and political crisis in Venezuela is so severe that it is difficult to understand. Hyperinflation has decimated the national currency and paralyzed the economy. Oil production – which accounts for 95% of the country's export earnings – has halved since President Maduro took office in 2013 and the industry has been further weakened by the fact that it has been weakened. oil price collapses in 2014.

In 2018, the economy contracted by 18% and by the end of the year, inflation had reached 1 million percent. The IMF predicted that inflation would reach $ 10 million in the second half of 2019. These figures are staggering but reflect only part of the complex situation facing Venezuela.

Across the country, there are power cuts, food shortages and solutions, growing national security problems, rising homicide rates, and widespread malnutrition. According to the UN, these factors have resulted in the flight of three million people from the country since 2015, the largest exodus in the history of Venezuela.

How did the country come to this point?

The foundations of President Maduro's current problems date back to the death of Hugo Chávez in 2013. The spectacular rise in popularity of Chavismo, which promoted the cult of Chávez as the liberator of the Venezuelan people, became the vehicle in which Chávez Consolidated legitimacy and important political changes occurred during his term in power from 1999 to 2013.

Chavez used a style of charismatic leadership that placed him as a man of the people and not as a member of the elite. He used transformation and transaction tactics to govern and maintain his legitimacy. He was an excellent speaker and used his weekly television program to connect with the mbades. Chavismo is based on socialist values ​​and calls for a Latin America independent of the United States.

Although Maduro shares the same policy – and was Foreign Minister under Chávez – his problems are related to his inability to emulate Chavez's leadership style to generate the kind of popular support and legitimacy of his predecessor . .

As a result, Maduro is increasingly seeking to centralize executive power and systematically eliminate political opponents and members of the Venezuelan opposition from democratic participation. For example, he led the creation of a Constituent Assembly to bypbad the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

His controversial changes in the 2018 presidential election, how to reduce the time allotted to the opposition to hold a vigorous six-month campaign, as well as allegations of election manipulation shed light on the trends more and more authoritarian regime.

However, during the reign of Maduro, Venezuela went beyond the simple transition to a more authoritarian style regime. Venezuela has now become what has been called the "mafia state".

Venezuela: Mafia State

A mafia state refers to an effectively criminalized state. Here, criminal entities have managed to infiltrate and undermine government institutions at all levels. At present, more than 100 representatives of the Venezuelan government – including the Departments of the Vice Presidents of Defense, Defense, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and the National Guard – have been involved in various activities. criminal.

The clearest example of the complex link that unites crime and the Venezuelan state is the emergence of a powerful Venezuelan drug trafficking organization, known as Cartel. of the Suns. The name of the organization refers to the gold stars of the military generals' dragons, but it further symbolizes the direct links that unite government officials with the organization of drug trafficking.

Former Vice President Tarek el-Aissami and the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, would be involved in the Siles cartel and are part of a litany of Venezuelan authorities sanctioned by the United States.

The first lady of Venezuela, Cilia Flores, is also involved by badociation. His nephews have been convicted of trafficking cocaine in the United States and, according to the Insight Crime Foundation, Flores' son is also under investigation for drug trafficking.

Beginning with Chavez and continuing through Maduro, Venezuela evolved into an unbridled kleptocracy. The systematic suppression of transparency and accountability in Venezuela's political system has allowed tens of billions of dollars to disappear from the treasury over the past two decades. Who is the "godfather", the chief of the army and the right arm of Maduro in Venezuela

For example, in November 2018, a former bodyguard of President Chávez, later became Treasurer of Venezuela, pleaded guilty to receiving more than a billion dollars of tips.

The perspective of Venezuela is bleak. The opposition remains divided but continues to challenge the legitimacy and right of President Maduro to govern, and it seems almost impossible for the opposition to pressure President Maduro to negotiate while enjoying the support of the military Venezuelan.

At this stage, the parties are at a standstill and if current trends continue, the situation in Venezuela will worsen a lot before it can improve.

* Anthea McCarthy-Jones teaches at the University of New South Wales, Australia

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