Author Archives: Juan Cristobal Nagel

Capriles drops a “C” bomb

Posted on June 19, 2013

Henrique Capriles held a press conference yesterday, which he duly posted on his new Internet TV Channel (is there such a thing?) capriles.tv. In it, he let slip a significant piece of information: the transition away from chavismo is going … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 18 Comments

Caracas-one-can-only-dream-of Chronicles

Posted on June 18, 2013

As long-time readers know, traffic in Caracas is one of our favorite topics. This video I caught today reminds me that we haven’t written about it in a while. So on the day when Maduro signs what is, more or … Continue reading →

Posted in infrastructure | 38 Comments

S&P to Maduro: down you go

Posted on June 18, 2013

Standard & Poor’s downgraded Venezuela’s debt from junk to useless junk. Why should you care? Because the lower our debt rating, the higher the interest rates we have to pay when we take out loans to pay for election binge … Continue reading →

Posted in Bonds | 34 Comments

Tremendo rollo

Posted on June 17, 2013

My take on the toilet paper crisis in a post that proved very difficult to write, over at the Transitions blog. The value added: Venezuela actually can’t afford to lavish on its citizens like other petrostates, but it tries to … Continue reading →

Posted in The Economy | 30 Comments

Is El Chigüire Maduro’s new press secretary?

Posted on June 14, 2013

After reading news items like this one, I can only conclude that the trolling of our public sphere is now state policy. In it, we learn that Maduro, the head of Misión Cadivi, – thinks people who want dollars are … Continue reading →

Posted in The Economy | 60 Comments

Venezuela’s funniest legislative videos

Posted on June 13, 2013

And the trolling continues…

Posted in Politics | 44 Comments

The small print

Posted on June 12, 2013

You know the story that ran a few days ago about the Maduro government signing agreements with Chevron and the CNPC to develop some oil fields? Well, according to Caracas Capital Markets, the fine print says that PDVSA is getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Oil | 38 Comments

The H1N1-mitable Minister of Health

Posted on June 12, 2013

(A guest post by loyal reader Aquiles) The Venezuelan Ministress of Health Isabel Iturria has weighed in on the outbreak of H1N1 virus across Venezuela, the critical shortage of vaccines in the country, and the complete inadequacy of distribution mechanisms … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care | 19 Comments

The first casualty

Posted on June 12, 2013

(Something about this short piece by Héctor Torres really touched me. I guess it stirred up the conservative that lives within me. I’m taking the liberty to translate it. These are the real Caracas Chronicles – read it and weep) … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 38 Comments

Graph of the day

Posted on June 10, 2013

Accompanying article here. The money quote It turns out that the profusion of oil wealth might actually make the roads more dangerous due to something political scientists call the rentier state effect. Individuals in such countries, who often live off … Continue reading →

Posted in infrastructure | 44 Comments

Shadow foreign policy

Posted on June 6, 2013

Over at Foreign Policy’s Transitions blog, I discuss the opposition’s new diplomatic offensive. The value added: These trips are part of a new phase for the Venezuelan opposition. For the first time, they are embarking on a serious diplomatic offensive. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colombia, Foreign Policy, María Corina Machado | 34 Comments

The silver lining

Posted on June 6, 2013

One of the few good things about the Bolivarian Involution is the fact that so many talented people (Jon Lee Anderson, Mario Vargas Llosa) take interest in Venezuela. Case in point: the great Alma Guillermoprieto. Writing for The New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandals | 43 Comments

All in the family

Posted on June 5, 2013

At an emotional memorial service for the three-month anniversary of Hugo Chávez’s death, we see, placing their hands on the hallowed grave of the Comandante Supremo, in no particular order: Hugo Chávez Senior, Chávez’s brother, Chávez’s “son” Nicolás Maduro, Maduro’s … Continue reading →

Posted in CNE, Politics | 26 Comments

How to track a zombie (Updated)

Posted on June 4, 2013

I wasn’t aware of the details leading up to the extraordinary admission by Socorro Hernández that, yes, indeed dead people voted in Venezuela. But thanks to leading Venezuelan economist Omar, we found out how the information was unearthed. He points … Continue reading →

Posted in CNE | 45 Comments

The walking dead (Updated)

Posted on June 4, 2013

Ah, if it weren’t for revolutionary slips of the tongue. On the heels of Mario Silva-gate, CNE Board member Socorro Hernández lets us in on a little secret: dead people vote in Venezuela. We know it, the CNE knows it, … Continue reading →

Posted in CNE | 40 Comments