Editing Hugo Chávez (section)

=== Opposition to capitalism and neoliberalism ===
{{Quote box
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| quote = Democracy is impossible in a capitalist system. Capitalism is the realm of injustice and a tyranny of the richest against the poorest. [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau|Rousseau]] said, 'Between the powerful and the weak all freedom is oppressed. Only the rule of law sets you free.' That's why the only way to save the world is through socialism, a democratic socialism&nbsp;... [Democracy is not just turning up to vote every four or five years], it's much more than that, it's a way of life, it's giving power to the people&nbsp;... it is not the government of the rich over the people, which is what's happening in almost all the so-called democratic Western capitalist countries.
| source = —Hugo Chávez, June 2010<ref name="Hard Talk"/>
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Both before and during his presidency, Chávez spoke out against "savage capitalism," neoliberal capitalism and simply capitalism in various speeches. During his first electoral campaign, as noted by one observer, Chávez made clear his rejection of what he called "savage capitalism," using the words of [[Pope John Paul II]]. Chávez wanted greater state intervention in the economy, but "built bridges to the private sector to promote the development of national industry." According to Eduardo Semtei, a political scientist considered close to the ideas of Chavez, "From the beginning he had the idea that the classic capitalist model is a model contrary to the development of society."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220129202433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/specials/2009/chavez_10/newsid_7844000/7844514.stm La revolución del discurso de Chávez Carlos Chirinos Martes, 27 de enero de 2009]</ref>

In 1999, Chávez argued that a new constitution drafted by an assembly packed with his allies would distance Venezuela from "savage capitalism."<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-20-mn-35583-story.html New Charter Shuns ‘Savage Capitalism’ L.A. TIMES ARCHIVES NOV. 20, 1999]</ref> He reiterated this position on 28 September 2001, when Chavez spoke negatively of neoliberal capitalism and the economic measures of the [[Carlos Andrés Pérez]], {{Ill|El Gran Viraje|lt=El Gran Viraje|es}}, one of the causes of the [[Caracazo]] riots.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221004211023/http://todochavez.gob.ve/todochavez/2027-alocucion-del-ciudadano-presidente-de-la-republica-bolivariana-de-venezuela-hugo-chavez-frias-en-sesion-especial-de-la-asamblea-nacional-con-motivo-de-la-presentacion-del-plan-de-desarrollo-economico-y-social-de-la-nacion Alocución del Ciudadano Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías en Sesión Especial de la Asamblea Nacional con Motivo de la Presentación del Plan de Desarrollo Económico y Social de la Nación]</ref>

In various interviews conducted in 2002, Chávez shared his views on capitalism, saying that the Bolivarian Revolution was an alternative to neoliberalism, saying that capitalism was "sown ... in the marrow" of Venezuela and the rest of the world, stating that his revolution and its missions were more humane.<ref name="marxists.org">[https://www.marxists.org/espanol/harnecker/97068.pdf ENTREVISTA DE MARTA HARNECKER HUGO CHÁVEZ FRÍAS UN HOMBRE, UN PUEBLO Publicado en España por Editorial: Tercera Prensa, San Sebastián, noviembre 2002, P.69-70]</ref> Ultimately, Chávez said that the Bolivarian Revolution was "an alternative economy to dehumanized capitalism."<ref name="marxists.org"/>

In 2003, Chávez argued that the Soviet Union disappeared when it failed in its efforts to dismantle "the devastating logic of capital," stating that it is the "alternative model" that he promoted was the one now confronting "neoliberalism and savage capitalism."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210227135826/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_2990000/2990549.stm Nueva medición de fuerzas en Venezuela Jueves, 01 de mayo de 2003 Escribe desde Venezuela, Aldo Rodríguez Villouta, para BBC Mundo.]</ref> While at the World Social Forum on 26 January 2003, Chávez criticized the idea that capitalism and neoliberalism "won" following the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], saying that some individuals raised "the thesis of single thinking, there are no more alternatives, ... socialism is over, and communism is over and long live neoliberal capitalism and all this fairy tale."<ref name="web.archive.org">[https://web.archive.org/web/20190421083237/http://www.todochavez.gob.ve/todochavez/1481-intervencion-del-comandante-presidente-hugo-chavez-en-el-encuentro-solidaridad-con-la-revolucion-bolivariana-con-venezuela-en-el-marco-l-foro-social-mundial Intervención del Comandante Presidente Hugo Chávez, en el encuentro Solidaridad con la Revolución Bolivariana con Venezuela en el marco l Foro Social Mundial 26/01/2003]</ref>

Chávez noted in a 2005 interview that "At one time I came to think about the Third Way. I was having trouble interpreting the world. I was confused ... I spoke and wrote a lot about 'human capitalism'. Today I am convinced that it is impossible ... I became convinced that socialism is the way."<ref name="bbc.com" />

Chávez arguably did not fully talk openly about the [[socialism of the 21st century]] until 3 December 2006, during a speech after his reelection in the [[2006 Venezuelan presidential election|2006 presidential elections]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Torres |first=Ana Teresa |author-link=Ana Teresa Torres |url=https://www.anateresatorres.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/LA-HERENCIA-DE-LA-TRIBU.pdf |title=La Herencia de la Tribu |publisher=Alfa |year=2009 |isbn=978-9803542849 |pages=146–147 |language=es |quote=Con diferentes matices estas ambigüedades del discurso se mantuvieron hasta el triunfo en la reelección presidencial de 2006, siendo su contrincante Manuel Rosales, gobernador del estado Zulia. En el discurso del 3 de diciembre, desde el llamado «Balcón del Pueblo» del Palacio de Miraflores, el socialismo apareció expuesto con toda claridad.}}</ref>