The Bolivarian RevolutionI. Background The Bolivarian Revolution refers to a leftist socialmovement and politicalprocessin Venezuela led by late Venezuelan president ugo !h"vez# the founder of the $ifthRepublic%ovement &'oinedthe (nited)ocialist *artyof Venezuela in+,,-.. The/Bolivarian Revolution/ is named after )im0n Bol1var# an early 23th4centuryVenezuelan and 5atin 6merican revolutionary leader# prominent in the )panish6merican 7ars of independence in achieving the independence of most of northern)outh 6merica from )panish rule. 6ccording to !h"vez and other supporters# the/Bolivarian Revolution/ seeks to build a mass movement toimplement Bolivarianism 4 popular democracy# economic independence# e8uitabledistributionof revenues# andanendto political corruption 4 inVenezuela. Theyinterpret Bol1var9s ideas from a socialist perspective.II. !auses Philosophy in practiceTheBolivarianphilosophypushedby!havezincorporatesthe%ar:ist influencesgleanedfromanother heroandmentor of !havez# $idel !astro. (nlike!astro9sinsulated!uba# though# !havezhastriedtopushhisagendaontotheregionalstage and use Venezuela9s oil po7er to give a higher profile to this brand of 5atin6mericanleftism. !havezhasgraduallyclampeddo7nonfreedoms7ithinthecountry# though# closingmediaoutlets# tamping do7n opposition movements#andnationalizing various industries.Latin American partners!havez is not alone in his push for a /Bolivarian Revolution./ The Bolivarian6lternative for the *eople of ;ur 6merica &65B6. 7as launched in +,,< byVenezuela and !uba as an alternative to the (.).4 backed $ree Trade 6rea of the6mericas.By=une+,,3#7hen the group had gro7ntonine memberstates# thename 7as changed to the Bolivarian 6lliance for the *eople of ;ur 6merica. Think ofit as a traditional trade bloc that doesn9t advance economic gro7th through the freemarket# but through government involvement# 7elfare# trade# and social reform.Thememberstatesof65B6 are 6ntiguaandBarbuda# Bolivia# !uba# >ominica#?cuador# onduras# @icaragua# )aint Vincent and the Arenadines# and Venezuela.Though the concept of a Bolivarian Revolution is most often associated 7ith!havez9s plans in Venezuela# it9s fair to say that !havez9s political partners in 5atin6merica are implementing similar philosophies to one degree or anther in their homecountries 7ith the intent of bringing all of 5atin 6merica on board in a united effort.III. *ersonalities ugo !havez came to po7er in Venezuela in 233B# and the follo7ing year a ne7constitution 7as adopted that replaced the country9s 23C2 constitution. This renamedthe country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela# as an ode to )imon Bolivar# 7ho iscredited 7ith the 23th century liberation of Venezuela# !olombia# ?cuador# *anama#*eru# and Bolivia from )panish colonialrule. The Bolivarian philosophy named forBolivar isaformof democraticsocialismthat repelsperceivedimperialismandre7ardsnationalism7hilepromotingeconomicself4sufficiencyof thenationasa7hole.IV. Results Venezuela under the!h"vezadministrationhasdeployednational social 7elfareprograms &%isi0nes or /%issions/. called Bolivarian %issions. ;il profits 44 about +D billion dollars in +,,< 44 allo7ed the !h"vez administration tocarry out 7hat he calls a /ne7 socialist revolution./ The leftist platform involves aremarkableincreaseinspendingonsocial programs. The!h"vezadministrationhas thus built free health care clinics# subsidized food and created smallmanufacturing cooperatives.E