Hugo Chávez, 1954-2013. Credit: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil
Latin America has had a long series of leaders who have exercised power on a very personal level. Some have led by force, others by charisma or a mixture of both, including Porfirio Díaz of Mexico, Rafaél Trujillo of the Dominican Republic, Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua, Juan Perón of Argentina, Evo Morales of Bolivia, and of course, the late Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. But what was the porfiriato without Porfirio, peronismo without Perón and what will become of chavismo without Hugo Chávez? Like many of his caudillo predecessors, Chávez’s power was deeply rooted in his personality. Paraphrasing the words of Nestor Kirchner’s chief of staff, Alberto Fernández, caudillos don’t generate governing structures; they are the structures. The charismatic Hugo Chávez, who enjoyed a 60 percent popularity rate before his death, was a master in the art of making people feel they were loved and cared for personally. Listening to the mournful speeches and reactions of important political leaders in Venezuela and the region, it is easy to understand the magnitude of Chavez’s appeal. The president of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, who according to the Constitution should be the interim president until new elections take place in 30 days, told Venezuelans last night to ask themselves, when facing problems, “What would Chávez do?”
Clearly, charisma as a source of political legitimacy goes a long way. But it is not everything. Although other Latin American leaders were charismatic, they lacked the barrels of oil that accompanied Chávez’s vibrant personality. Hugo Chávez’s influence in Latin America was largely made possible by unlimited access to the coffers of the Venezuelan oil industry — whose profits he generously distributed among his political base at home and his international friends in the region and beyond.
Charisma is a unique asset for any leader, but it must be accompanied by force or rich resources to have a real impact. Chávez surely had the latter, which allowed his generosity to flourish — and furthered the effects of his charisma. The majority of Venezuelans are mourning the death of a one-of-a-kind leader whose absence will be felt across the entire region. He was a 21st century caudillo whose role in history will not be easily forgotten. But chavismo without Chávez cannot survive. So the question remains: What comes next for Venezuela?
*Caudillo describes a type of political-military leader in Latin America during the 19th century independence movement.
Erika de la Garza is the program director of the Latin America Initiative at the Baker Institute. She is in charge of the Latin America Initiative programs, which include the Americas Project, the U.S.-Mexico Border Program and the Vecinos Lecture Series. Her chief areas of interest include U.S.-Latin American relations; emerging leadership; coalition building between public, private and civil society actors; and trade and business development in Latin America.