March 2019 - Venezuela's leadership crisis heightens its economic and political issues
March 11, 2019
Venezuela's leadership crisis heightens its economic and political issues
Since January, there have been dueling claims from Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó for the Venezuelan presidency. Johns Hopkins SAIS experts delve into how the country’s leadership crisis is impacting ongoing economic and political issues.
Senior Research Professor of International Economics Anne O. Krueger wrote in Project Syndicate that Venezuela needs to “restore a stable macroeconomic environment and business climate while simultaneously improving the lot of Venezuelan citizens, so that they will continue to support political reforms.” Read more
Adjunct Lecturer of Latin American Studies Benjamin N. Gedan said on Voice of America’s Encounter that economic sanctions issued by the U.S. are risky “because you’re guaranteed to negatively affect humanitarian conditions that are already dire, but you are not guaranteed to have the result you seek in dislodging Nicolas Maduro.” Listen here
Riordan Roett Chair in Latin American Studies Monica de Bolle expects strong market reforms in Venezuela, telling Voice of America, “You have to get rid of that [government intervention] and just allow the market to reappear, which doesn't really take very long if the situation on the ground is stable.” Read more
Foreign Policy Institute Senior Fellow Hafed Al-Ghwell wrote in Arab News that “activity surrounding Venezuela is just another reminder of yet another cycle of U.S.-led regime change that will probably end in disaster — this time in Latin America, not the usual Middle East.” Read more
Majid Khadduri Professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs Vali Nasr assessed the prospects for regime change in an interview with Bloomberg, observing that “Venezuela looks more like Egypt in 2011 than Syria.” Read more
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