Exploring Venezuela: A Journey Through History, Politics, Culture, and Exodus

Join us for a talk about Venezuela - a country rich in history, natural resources, and cultural heritage. Doug Garcia will give us an overview of Venezuela’s geography and its place within South America, from which we will explore the nation’s past and present. Travel from pre-Columbian times and the lives of its Indigenous peoples to the revolutionary era of Simón Bolívar and the caudillos who impacted its early modern history. See how the discovery of oil transformed Venezuela from an agricultural to an oil dependent economy. After many years of dictatorship, democratic institutions followed, only to shift dramaticaly under Hugo Chavez’s leadership. This talk also addresses the ongoing exodus of millions of Venezuelans, highlighting the human impact of recent crises, as well as the current plight of Venezuelans in the United States. Learn about some of Venezuela’s vibrant cultural traditions, including a broader perspective on what Venezuela has to offer. We will talk about food, landscapes and even capibaras. Come and find out why Venezuela’s story holds vital lessons for societies everywhere.

Speaker: Douglas Garcia, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute