Foreign Policy Blogs

FPA Video Interview: Former Venezuelan Diplomat Diego Arria on Chavez's Venezuela

FPA Video Interview: Former Venezuelan Diplomat Diego Arria on Chavez's VenezuelaThe Foreign Policy Association and The European Courier in February 2008 produced a Video Interview on Chavez's Venezuela and the future of democracy in the country in a frank discussion with former UN Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations for Venezuela Diego Arria. In the interview, Arria describes how Chavez's actions in the last few weeks and over his term as President have done nothing but to hinder the progression of rights and erode the political structures which exist in Venezuela. Chavez's recent actions in accusing Colombia of working with the United States in order to assassinate him and his support of FARC rebels in recent political statements will only hurt Venezuela in the long run, according to Arria. The question of Democracy and Freedoms are compared with the legality of Chavez's political actions in the recent loss a referendum to extend his Presidential powers and his suppression of Venezuelan media and the rights that oppose his Presidency. Arria also goes into how Chavez is keeping Venezuela out of the recent political and economic progress in Latin America that started in many nations of South America and offers his views on the possible outcomes of Chavez's time leading Venezuela in the near future. Please take the time to listen to Arria's sobering interview!

To see the FPA/European Courier interview with Diego Arria, click here.
To see Diego Arria's Interview Video see below or click here:

[kml_flashembed movie="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-4729776611207362647" width="400" height="326" wmode="transparent" /]

 

Author

Richard Basas

Richard Basas, a Canadian Masters Level Law student educated in Spain, England, and Canada (U of London MA 2003 LL.M., 2007), has worked researching for CSIS and as a Reporter for the Latin America Advisor. He went on to study his MA in Latin American Political Economy in London with the University of London and LSE. Subsequently, Rich followed his career into Law focusing mostly on International Commerce and EU-Americas issues. He has worked for many commercial and legal organisations as well as within the Refugee Protection Community in Toronto, Canada, representing detained non-status indivduals residing in Canada. Rich will go on to study his PhD in International Law.

Areas of Focus:
Law; Economics and Commerce; Americas; Europe; Refugees; Immigration

Contact