Threat Closer to Home: Hugo Chavez, by Schoen and Rowan

Review by W. J. Rayment / ConservativeBookstore -- Is Hugo Chavez a threat to the United States? There are those who would laugh at the idea. To see him on his television show or on a youtube video might create the impression that he is a buffoon or not completely rational. However, his personal history as well as his activity as President of Venezuela shows him to be a shrewd and ruthless leader, bent on hurting the United States.

In their book, "Hugo Chavez and the War Against America: The Threat Closer to Home", Douglas E. Schoen and Michael Rowan have composed a biographical synthesis that ties together facts about the Presidente's life, his political career, and the history of Venezuela. It clearly demonstrates that Hugo Chavez is working assiduously to hurt the United States, destroy freedom in his own country, and in the process accumulate wealth and power for himself.

The story of Hugo Chavez begins in a poor rural town of Sabaneta in Venezuela. He was raised by his grandmother who resented the upper classes of the country and instilled in young Hugo a hatred for the wealthy of the country. His youth and schooling was spent in the company of communist idealists. Though he wanted to be a baseball player, (He is reputed to be a good pitcher.) he went to the military academy as the only way to break out of poverty. He became an officer, and from within the officer corps worked assiduously to foment a revolution. Schoen and Rowan do an excellent job in pulling this information together in a readable and comprehensive format.

The story of Hugo Chavez could be said to be a stirring one: native boy grows up in poverty, and works his way up to become President of Venezuela. But there is more to it than this. Schoen and Rowan tell the story behind the story: how Chavez led a double life as a soldier, plotting and scheming, building a secret organization to overthrow the very democratically elected government he was sworn to defend. In fact, he did attempt a coup in 1992. The coup failed and Chavez was thrown into prison. But he was soon released. He built a following among the nation's poor, all the while taking money from such organizations as FARC (a narco-terrorist organization located in Columbia).

Elected President in 1998, Chavez began a campaign to degrade the nation's free market traditions, to nationalize industries, to undermine the free press, and most of all to direct his power at exacting revenge upon his perceived enemies as well as any threats to his power. How he went (and goes) about this is a fascinating story that is detailed in "The Threat Closer to Home". It will surprise few to find out that above everything Chavez seems to have an animus for the United States. Many of his policies, including supporting terrorist organizations (such as FARC and Hezbollah), are aimed directly at the United States. As is pointed out so aptly by the authors, Chavez's biggest weapon is oil.

The Chavez government nationalized the oil industry. In this act he destroyed the investment of many major U.S. companies. The act was applauded by some, but ultimately, Chavez was hurting his own country. The efficiency of the Venezuelan oil industry was quickly degraded by inexperience, corruption, and cronyism. At the same time it was just one of many factors that caused the oil shortages that so drastically drove up the price of oil in 2007-2008. Nevertheless, Chavez uses his revenues from oil not to help his own people or make infrastructure investments, but to throw his weight around in diplomatic circles. Oil money goes to elect people in other countries who are sympathetic to him, and after the election beholden to him. He subsidizes terrorist organizations, and dictatorships throughout the region. All of these statements are well substantiated and documented in the book.

Not ones to simply expose a threat, the authors propose solutions to the Chavez problem. These include improving our dealings with the countries surrounding Venezuela, and perhaps most importantly hurting the Presidente where he lives - decreasing our dependence on Venezuelan oil to reduce his revenues.

"The Threat Closer to Home: Hugo Chavez and the War Against America" is a fascinating book that informs the public on a subject that is little known to most NorteAmericanos. It is an important work that should help us to become more aware of what a danger Chavez is, not just to the United States, but the people of Latin America, and most of all to the good people of Venezuela.

Hugo Chavez and the War Against America: The Threat Closer to Home is available at Amazon.