Venezuelská zahraniční politika: zdroj vnitropolitické legitimizace?
Marina Novotná Nachtigallová
Venezuelan Foreign Policy: A Source of Internal Political Legitimation?The study aims at demonstrating changes in the foreign policy of Venezuela and its links to the new regime legitimacy. The analysis focuses on 4 aspects of internal politics: national economic interests, national noneconomic interests (national identity, sovereignty, regional leadership), relations between politicians and military forces, definition of enemy. The fact that those criteria or aspects are mutually interlinked is taken into account. Specific steps in the field of Venezuelan foreign policy are described, analyzed and interpreted with regard to above defined aspects. Arguments resulting out of the analysis reflect to what extent the specific foreign activities correspond to mid-term or long-term national interests of Venezuela. Or if they rather help to legitimize the new regime or support the internal position of the president Chávez. The main conclusions states the increasing intensity of foreign policy activities aiming at legitimization of the new regime and supporting internal position of the president and decreasing intensity of activities aiming at mid-term and long-term interests of Venezuela.
