Poverty, Oil Wealth and Political Chaos in Venezuela

Breakfast forum with Leiv Marsteintredet (UiB/UiO), Rune Jansen Hagen (UiB) in conversation with Ragnhild Osnes Legreid (BRC).

More than 80% of the Venezuelan population of 30 million people live in poverty. This in spite of the country’s enormous oil deposits as well as large deposits of coal, iron and gold.

In 2016 and 2017 Venezuela has faced a wave of anti-government protests after falling oil prices forced the government to cut back social programmes payed with oil money. Inflation is high and food and other commodities are scarce.

Which are the political and economic mechanisms that have led Venezuela to the chaotic situation the country is currently in?

Leiv Marsteintredet is associate professor of Latin America studies at the University of Oslo and by comparative politics at the University of Bergen. He is specialised in politics in Latin America and Venezuela in particular.

Rune Jansen Hagen is professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Bergen. He is specialised in development economics, international economics and political economy, and has followed the economic development in Venezuela.

This event is free of charge and open for all.

Welcome!