Foreign diplomatic missions appointed to Venezuela are closely keeping track of the Venezuelan political process as the effects of the results of the upcoming Venezuelan presidential election will extend beyond the country’s borders. After 14 years in office and hoping to extend such period to 20 years, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez represents the continuity of his foreign policy, which aims at privileging those countries with common ideological interests or opposing US interests.
Venezuela’s foreign policy has been pivotal during President Chávez’s presidency, and in an attempt to gain some allies, the Government has relied on the country’s economic resources to take advantage of high oil prices. For his part, opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski represents the return to the historic position of the Venezuelan State, that is, a country oriented by an institutional paradigm, with strong ties in the western world, eager to give special treatment to its main business partners such as the US or Colombia, and keen on achieving the Latin American integration through institutions such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), and Mercosur.
Full Article: Venezuela’s foreign policy decisive in presidential election – Daily News – EL UNIVERSAL.