Interviews

In an interview with William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, University of California at Santa Barbara, Robinson analyses the US strategy of intervention in Venezuela, the changes in Venezuelan society since Chavez came to power, and if the Bolivarian revolution is maturing.

Three years ago, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez caused a stir when, in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, he called then-US President George W. Bush a "devil." "I can still smell the sulfur," he said, standing at the same podium where, a day earlier, Bush had given his own address. Last week, Chávez once again followed a US president in the UN podium, but this time he caught a whiff of something different--"the smell of hope."

CECOSESOLA is a network of cooperatives in the state of Lara in Venezuela. Their biggest enterprise is a large food cooperative located in the city of Barquisimeto, which has recently been receiving attention from leftist activists and independent media all over the world.

Interview with Josh Simpson and Benji Lewis, two ex US soldiers who fought in combat in Iraq and now publicly oppose Washington’s Global War on Terror during their first visit to Venezuela as part of an anti-war, pro-peace delegation from the Portland Latin America Solidarity Coalition.

Lizardi Prada is a homemaker, the founder and general coordinator of Venezuela's first Homemakers Union, and an elected municipal council member in the city of Merida. In this interview with Venezuelanalysis.com, Prada gives unique insight into the fight for women's rights in the Venezuelan context. Prada speaks about the union's creation and day-to-day functioning, it's agenda for homemakers' rights, it's relationship to the Catholic Church, the role of class, the balance between autonomy from and support for the government, men's and women's reactions to the union, and abortion.

In the Municipality of Libertador, where the capital city of Mérida state, Venezuela, is located, the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) are running separate candidates for mayor in this Sunday's local elections. Venezuelanalysis.com interviewed Fredys Terán, the Communist Party candidate for mayor.

An interview Pedro Álvarez, the candidate for mayor from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Álvarez spoke about his vision for a new type of local government in which the communities have more direct involvement in the decision making process.

An interview with Carlos Lanz, one of Venezuela's main socialist intellectuals and leaders, who pioneered worker management in one of Venezuela's largest state-owned companies, the Aluminum processing plant Alcasa. He talks to Michael Albert about how the workplace of the future would be organized, among other things.

Gregory Wilpert discusses what his recently released book, Changing Venezuela by Taking Power, is about and how and why he wrote it.

Former Vice-President José Vicente Rangel returned to his interview program after eight years of absence and interviewed Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez on dictatorship, assassination, and the burdens of the presidency.