Venezuelan Students and Others Sound Off on the Growing Authoritarianism of Hugo Chavez

In 2007 Paris-based sociologist Elizabeth Burgos, a native of Venezuela, filled twenty-six cassette tapes with interviews of student and other critics of the increasing authoritarianism and regressive “twenty-first century socialism” of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Traditionally, student movements in Venezuela have actively opposed authoritarian governments. By 2007 many students had turned on Chavez. At that time a student opposition emerged that was both non-violent, often in direct contrast to the government, and included students from both state and private universities. Many students are interviewed here as are members of other groups and individuals. Among the former are leaders of SUMATE, a pro-democracy movement founded in 2002 that has been constantly harassed by the Chavez government. Among the latter is Teodoro Petkoff, a leader of the Venezuelan Communist Party until it supported the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and then a founding member of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) until that originally social democratic party supported the presidential candidacy of Chavez. He is now editor of the outspoken anti-Chavez paper Tal Cual. Also films of discussions and debates on education and politics involving former Communist, guerrillas and other personalities.