From civilian control to political control: the civil-military relations in the Chávez and Maduro's Venezuela (2002-2016)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the dynamic imposed on the civil-military relations in Venezuela after the failed coup attempt of Abril 2002. Using the principal-agent theory, we argued that the chavistas administration managed to minimize the risks of evasion of the armed forces through a combination of strategies that, together, shaped a political control model. Despite the differences, this model has similar instrumental features with the civilian control system established under the previous Punto Fijo’s regime (1958-1998).