중남미

This analysis examines changes in the welfare paradigm of Venezuela under the Chávez regime and the post-Chávez regime. The author argues that Venezuela, which firmly established the expansionist and universal welfare policy under Chávez, is now assuming a gradual but significant shift from the existing welfare paradigm under the regime of Maduro. After the failed experiments of neoliberal economic policy in the 1990s, Venezuela with the advent of Chávez rejected the neoliberal welfare paradigm adopted by most contemporary Latin American countries and established the state-led, universal welfare paradigm instead. However, since President Maduro assumed the presidency, Venezuela has shown a flexible attitude toward the selective welfare paradigm under the pressure of a deteriorating national economy. While still retaining the state-centered universal welfare paradigm at the forefront, Venezuela is partially and gradually accepting the selective welfare paradigm based on the reduced concept of welfare as a means of poverty reduction and for the sake of efficiency. Behind this change is the post-Chávez regime’s intention to intensify political anti-neoliberalism and secure Chavismo as a political institution, but at the same time to minimize the weakening of the populist character of Chavismo.