The Bolivarian Revolution is the social and political movement founded by Hugo Chávez that is allegedly based on the ideals of Simón Bolívar, an early 19th century Latin American Independence hero. Hugo Chávez declared the revolution upon being elected in 1999, vowing to do away with corruption in government and to renew democracy in Venezuela. Chávez began to make sweeping reforms including changing the constitution to allow for the recall of elected officials by the people, as well as reforms that he hoped would greatly aid Venezuela's massive poor population. After the 2002 coup attempt, the attempted lockout of Venezuela's oil industry, and a referendum over Chávez's leadership in 2004, in which Chávez disputedly won a landslide victory (all of which were attempts by Chávez's opponents to overthrow his "Bolivarian" government), the Revolution began to more greatly involve the Venezuelan poor. Groups of citizens began to form Bolivarian Circles in communities all over Venezuela with the purpose of pushing forward the Revolution. After the coup many in the movement, including Chávez himself, have begun advocating Socialism as being the correct direction that the Bolivarian Revolution should progress in. In 2004, a group of Trade Unionists occupied the Venepal paper mill , the largest supplier of paper products in Venezuela, and called for its nationalization under worker's control . Chavez expropriated the Venepal mill and nationalized it. The example of Venepal has inspired many of Chávez's supporters to call for a completely socialist planned economy. Some within Chávez's political party believe that nationalizing the economy would incur retaliation from the United States, nonetheless the Bolivarian Revolution is quickly developing into a Socialist movement.

See also

• Politics of Venezuela
• Bolivarianism