Summary: Two years after the death of Hugo Chavez, this week Latin Pulse reviews the legacy of this polarizing political figure and what policies from the Chavez era still affect the current state of affairs in Venezuela. The program includes analysis on the handling of politics and economics by the government of President Nicolas Maduro and whether that government is now slipping into authoritarianism as it jails members of opposition groups. The news segment of the program tracks the successful arrests this past week in Mexico and Bolivia of both drug cartel leaders and those in government working with illegal organizations. The program includes in-depth interviews with: Hugo Perez Hernaiz* of the Universidad Central de Venezuela & the Venezuelan Politics & Human Rights blog; and Dan Hellinger of Webster University. Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Producer: Jim Singer; and Production Assistant: Gabriela Canchola. (To download or stream this podcast, click here.) *Hugo Perez Hernaiz is also the author of the Venezuela Conspiracy Theories Monitor blog. (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcast news Latin America diplomacy Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Antonio Ledezma Leopoldo Lopez Hugo Chavez repression Mexico politics Bolivia Argentina Drug War protest United States corruption Zetas cartel Central America cocaine imperialism justice Chavismo coup economics COPEI democracy poverty economic crisis conspiracy theories elections Honduras violence media oil OPEC military authoritarianism dissent Knights Templar cartel Barack Obama economic sanctions economic equality El Salvador Bolivarian Revolution drug cartels
