This collection consists of documents relating to President Hugo Chavez’s attempts to enact sweeping political, economic and social changes in Venezuela and opposition to these attempted changes.
Tranche I – this Collection begins shortly after Hugo Chavez, ruling by decree for one year after Venezuela's National Assembly passed an Enabling Law in November 2000, approved 49 laws concerning agrarian reform and expanded government powers over key sectors of the economy by using his special decree powers. The consequences of the passage of the legislation in November 2001 included a general business strike on December 10, 2001 initiated by the Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce, an attempted coup d'état and temporary resignation of President Chavez in April 2002, and a two-month long work stoppage beginning in December 2002.
Tranche II – this collection consists of documents produced as part of a review by the Inspector General of the United States Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors. This review concerns U.S. policy and actions during the weekend of April 12-14, 2002, when Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez was briefly ousted from power, and the six-month period preceding that weekend. The OIG review is posted as Report Number 02-OIG-003.
