Pitt Faculty Experts Available to Comment on Post-Chavez Venezuela

PITTSBURGH—The death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on March 5 has ushered in a period of uncertainty concerning the South American country’s political and cultural future. As Venezuelans and outside observers reflect on the legacy of the polarizing leader, who took power in 1999 and played a transformative role in Venezuela, the nation is looking ahead to a presidential election, which is required to be held within 30 days. University of Pittsburgh faculty experts are available to comment on Venezuela’s political and cultural prospects.

Venezuela’s Political Future

Scott Morgenstern, associate professor of political science, is available to comment on Venezuela’s political future. His research focuses on political parties, electoral systems, and legislatures, with a regional specialization in Latin America. Among Morgenstern’s coauthored book publications are Legislative Politics in Latin America (2002, Cambridge University Press) and Pathways to Power: Political Recruitment and Candidate Selection in Latin America (2008, Pennsylvania State University Press). Morgenstern may be reached until 4 p.m. today at (412) 330-8938.

Venezuela’s Cultural Prospects

John Beverley, professor of Hispanic languages and literatures, is available to comment on both the cultural and political prospects of a post-Chavez Venezuela. He has written and edited a number of articles and books on Latin American culture and politics, including the Duke University Press books The Postmodernism Debate in Latin America (1995) and From Cuba (2002). Beverley may be reached at brq@pitt.edu or (412) 361-8734.

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