Bolivia Research Articles

Book Review: Mariya P. Ivancheva, The Alternative University: Lessons from Bolivarian Venezuela, Stanford University Press, 2023, 216pp.

Among the pantheon of left-wing Latin American governments that swept the continent in the early 21st century, arguably the most radical, most beguiling, most contradictory, and most tragic, is the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. Given its unique (though not necessarily ‘special’) place within this political conjuncture, no shortage of ink has been spilled on the deep-seated transformations carried out in the name of the Venezuelan people, as well as the domestic and international conflicts that followed in their wake (see, most recently, Marino 2018; Samet 2019; Cooper 2019; Wilde 2023; Lubbock 2024). Among the many themes examined by scholars, activists and other observers is the role of higher education reform within the Bolivarian Republic, and the ways in which Hugo Chávez Frias, the charismatic leader of the ‘Bolivarian turn’, sought to build a new society by cultivating new knowledge among the people.

Aceptación de herencia bajo beneficio de inventario para hijos menores de edad en el Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia

This investigation focused on proposing a bill that modifies article 1031 of the Civil Code, article 51 of the Family Code, and complements section f) of article 19 of the Notarial Law. The main objective is to establish that the acceptance of inheritance under the benefit of inventory by minor children is the exclusive competence of the Notary of Public Faith in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, in order to comply with the principle of the Best Interest of the Child. This work was based on the analysis of theoretical, empirical and statistical methods. The application of these methods made it possible to demonstrate the need to modify current legislation to guarantee compliance with the Best Interest of Children and Adolescents in the country. It is crucial to make these modifications without altering the fundamental rights enshrined in the relevant legislation, with the purpose of ensuring that the right to choose and decide is exercised in a timely, efficient and agile manner. In this way, the aim is for children and adolescents to feel that their rights are fully recognized and guaranteed.

Evaluation of Implementation of the HEARTS Initiative in a Rural Community in Venezuela, 2023Avaliação da implementação da iniciativa HEARTS em uma comunidade rural da Venezuela, 2023

To evaluate the implementation of HEARTS strategies in a community in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Quasi-experimental study evaluating the cascade of care, driving factors, and maturity and performance indicators four months after implementation of the HEARTS initiative in 52 patients with high blood pressure (BP) in the community of La Marroquina. The data were processed using SPSS® Statistics, version 25.0. Student's t-distribution and chi-square tests were applied to determine statistical significance. Fifty patients, 63.5% of them with a low educational level and low or very low socioeconomic status, completed the four-month monitoring period. At baseline, 11.5% had controlled BP and 40.4% initiated monotherapy. By the fourth month, 100% of patients with high BP had been diagnosed, 92% had received treatment, and 52% had achieved control of their BP. Seventy-two percent were receiving combined therapy. Seventy percent of the hypertensive individuals maintained blood pressure levels <140/90 mmHg. The maturity index score was 4 of 5, and the performance index was classified as incipient. This work shows that, in a short time, a good maturity index was achieved through the implementation, by medical and supervised non-medical personnel, of a standardized protocol for diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of high blood pressure in a rural population. Rates of diagnosis, treatment, and BP control improved, with incipient performance results. Sustaining this initiative will have a major impact on the health of this population. Its implementation as a national public health policy is recommended.

Arbitral Award of Oct. 3, 1899 (Guy. v. Venez.) (Preliminary Objections) (I.C.J.)

On March 29, 2018, the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana (hereinafter Guyana) filed in the Registry of the Court an application instituting proceedings against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter Venezuela) with respect to a dispute concerning “the legal validity and binding effect of the Award regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela, of 3 October 1899” (hereinafter the 1899 Award or the Award).

Status of the national immunization technical advisory groups in the Americas: recommendations for improvement.

To evaluate the structure and operation of national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs) in Latin America and the Caribbean and to make recommendations for improvement. A convenience sample of six current and eight former NITAG members representing 12 countries in the region were invited in 2022 to answer a web-based questionnaire on NITAG structure, organization, and procedures. The questionnaire used indicators similar to those in the Joint Reporting Form on Immunization. Participants were also asked about the role their NITAGs played in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) immunization policies. Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) reported not having an active NITAG. The nine active NITAGs are structured and organized according to World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization recommendations, with variations between countries. Most NITAGs include representatives of the five recommended medical specialties with the participation of additional members possible. Only Bolivia (Plurinational State of) and Mexico have no explicit policy for managing members' potential conflicts of interest. All NITAGs have an exclusively technical advisory role and generally meet once a quarter. Usually, NITAGs are asked by health ministries to analyze issues and make recommendations. All NITAGs, except for Peru's, actively participated in supporting decision-making for immunization policy on COVID-19. NITAGs have successfully supported vaccine policy-making through evidence-based recommendations. However, improvement in their structure, operation, and transparency is needed to help them keep up with the rapidly evolving field of immunization. Research on the impact of NITAGs is important to support the development of recommendations for improvement.

Review of Crystallex International Corporation v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Arbitration Case

The fair and equitable treatment provision and indirect expropriation provision are crucial elements within international investment agreements between foreign investors and the host countries. However, due to their vague meanings and criteria, the tribunals often interpret these issues broadly, leading foreign investors to regard them as tools to confront the administrative powers of the host country. In order to better balance the interests of both parties, this article analyzes the classic case of Crystallex v. Venezuela to clear the jurisdiction of the tribunals and the distinction between contract claims and treaty claims. Meanwhile summarizing the elements of fair and equitable treatment and indirect expropriation. Finally, this article proposes some recommendations to promote the sustainable development of international investment, therefore, the host countries can abide by regulations and administer in accordance with the law, as well as enhance stability, transparency, and predictability, so that can encourage investors to invest boldly and foster internationalization and facilitation of investments.

The role of public diplomacy in shaping the external image of the Russian Federation in Latin America (on the example of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)

The article is devoted to the main directions of public diplomacy to form the external image of the Russian Federation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The author determines the ways of “soft power’s” increasing potential, narrates a brief history of bilateral diplomatic relations, describes existing joint projects in different fields, assesses their effectiveness and puts forward some proposals that are necessary to maintain a positive image of Russia abroad.

Nascent activism in times of disillusionment: struggles between Indigenous self-determination and state co-optation in plurinational Bolivia

The restructuring of the Bolivian state as plurinational raised high hopes for Indigenous self-determination. In practice, however, attempts by the governing political party to co-opt Indigenous representation have compromised the autonomy and diversity of Indigenous peoples. This article investigates the emergence, forms, and rationale of nascent Indigenous activism in times of disillusionment in the plurinational state of Bolivia, where the politics of the governing left regime are becoming more centralized and the threats related to the rise of the ultra-right wing have become pronounced. The methodology is based on interviews conducted in the city of La Paz among Indigenous activists, scholars, and state officials. By scrutinizing nascent activism and the challenges to it posed by state co-optation and right-wing racism, as well as histories of contested Indigenous identities, the article sheds light on the complex and nuanced relationships between progressive politics and indigeneity, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous self-determination.

Subregional efforts to improve childhood cancer care in the Andean countries.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in children and adolescents younger than 19 years. An estimated 10 000 deaths are caused by this disease annually in this age group in Latin America and the Caribbean. In high-income countries, the survival of children and adolescents with neoplasms can reach 85%; however, in middle- and low-income countries, despite progress, survival rates are significantly lower (between 10% and 60%). Important inequities exist is survival from childhood cancer that need to be addressed through decisive actions from the health systems. This report describes the work of the ministries of health and the Secretariat of the Andean Health Organization (Organismo Andino de Salud - Convenio Hipólito Unánue (ORAS-CONHU)), to develop the Andean Cancer Prevention and Control Policy, with consideration given to childhood cancers. The policy was based on analysis of the cancer situation in the six Andean countries - Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) - between 2015 and 2020, and it was approved in 2022. An in-depth study is currently being carried out on the situation of childhood cancer in the Andean countries.

Increased adherence to ACOG diagnostic guidelines for HDP following a workshop in Bolivia, a LMIC

ObjectivesHypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) exert a heavy mortality burden in low- to middle-income countries (LMIC). ACOG revised HDP diagnostic guidelines to improve identifying pregnancies at greatest risk but whether they are used in LMIC is unknown. Study designWe held a workshop to review ACOG guidelines in La Paz, Bolivia (BO) and then reviewed prenatal, labor and delivery records for all HDP diagnoses and twice as many controls at its three largest delivery sites during the year before and the nine months after a workshop (n = 1376 cases, 2851 controls during the two periods). Main outcome measuresHDP diagnoses, maternal, and infant characteristics. ResultsBolivian and ACOG criteria identified similar frequencies of gestational hypertension (GH) or eclampsia, but preeclampsia with severe features (sPE) was under- and preeclampsia without severe features (PE) over-reported during both periods. Increases occurred after the workshop in testing for proteinuria and the detection of abnormal laboratory values and severe hypertension in HDP women. Any adverse maternal outcome occurred more frequently after the workshop in women with BO PE or sPE diagnoses who met ACOG sPE criteria. ConclusionsUtilization of ACOG guidelines increased following the workshop and improved identification of PE or sPE pregnancies with adverse maternal outcomes. Continued use of a CLAP perinatal form recognizing HELLP as the only kind of sPE resulted in under-reporting of sPE. FundingNIH TW010797, HD088590, HL138181.

Epidemiological study of patients with cleft lip and palate at Specialized National Hospital in Venezuela

ABSTRACT Aims: The aims of the study are to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) treated at Specialized National Hospital in Venezuela. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, epidemiological, and cross-sectional study. Sample involved medical records from patients with diagnosis of any CLP treated from 2011 to 2021. The variables analyzed were age, gender, origin, anatomical structures involved, syndromes, other associated conditions, and sequelae, which were collected and analyzed. A descriptive analysis of each variable was carried out. Results: Data from 641 patients were analyzed, with an average age of 1 year old (±3 months–9 years of age), showing an equitable distribution in relation to gender. Of the facial clefts, the most common was the complete bilateral alveolar cleft (16.2%), followed by the complete left cleft lip (10.5%). The study yielded few cases of patients with some syndrome or associated condition (3.7% for each one, respectively). Geographically, there was a distribution of cases in all the states of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with the largest number of cases being in the capital region. Conclusions: It was observed that the prevalence of CLP has increased in recent years; these epidemiological figures vary by region, age, and gender. However, greater knowledge from health professionals is necessary to understand the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the orofacial cleft, which is essential to improve the understanding of the pathogenesis, promote preventive strategies, and guide multidisciplinary clinical care.

Regional Integration Projects in Venezuela’s Foreign Policy under the Presidency of Nicolas Maduro (2013-2018)

The purpose of the research paper is to highlight the development, changes, and results that occurred in Venezuela’s regional integration during President Nicolas Maduro’s first term of office (2013-2018).&#x0D; The novelty of the research paper is in a comprehensive analysis of Venezuela’s regional policy within the framework of the leading integration associations ALBA, CELAC, and UNASUR, which, according to Hugo Chavez’s plan, were supposed to turn the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela into a regional leader in Latin America. Instead, N. Maduro was unable to take advantage of his predecessor’s foreign policy successes and lost the opportunities he had planned.&#x0D; Conclusions. Taking into consideration the theoretical and ideological foundations of Venezuela’s foreign policy, the conclusion can be made that the regional vector of foreign policy has remained one of the focal points for President Nicolas Maduro. Thanks to its resources and ideological dominance, the country could rightfully claim regional leadership, as it united the countries of the region on the wave of anti-Americanism, initiated many integration movements, and made most countries in the region dependent on its energy supplies and credits.&#x0D; ‘Pockets of resistance’ to US expansion in Latin America and regional integration were concentrated in three organizations where Venezuela was one of the founders or key players: ALBA, CELAC, and UNASUR.&#x0D; The economic and political crisis that hit Venezuela sharply raised the question of the continuity of the ‘Bolivarian Project’, which affected the change in the state’s priorities, including in the international arena. N. Maduro had to focus on the country’s internal problems.&#x0D; In the regional integration policy of Venezuela during N. Maduro’s first term of office, we can distinguish two qualitative periods: 1. 2013-2015, the time of relatively successful implementation of the regional integration course, and, 2. 2016-2018, the decline and actual collapse of the regional vector of Venezuela’s foreign policy. It was just the loss of democratic tendencies in Maduro’s domestic policy that led to the loss of regional leadership and global stature.&#x0D; The three integration projects analyzed by the authors started losing their credibility and effectiveness during 2013-2018, which happened mostly due to the crisis in Venezuela. CELAC and UNASUR de facto ceased their activities, and ALBA remained the only instrument of N. Maduro’s regional influence.

The Waiting Game: Who Benefits from Recovered Assets Associated with Venezuelan State Corruption? Remission as a Solution

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (“Venezuela”) has, and continues to undergo, significant political and economic challenges stemming from government corruption. In response, the United States government has seized assets of current or former Venezuelan state officials associated with criminal wrongdoing, imposed sanctions on Nicolas Maduro’s government, and proposed legislation to combat corruption. The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has led dozens of prosecutions against those responsible for these crimes through its use of asset forfeiture, a critical tool in the recovery of illicit proceeds. An estimated $300 billion of these assets are held in South Florida alone, with $1.5 billion identified in U.S. court filings. The U.S. government has freed up assets on a very limited basis for emergency use by the U.S.-recognized opposition government. This begs a few questions: will these assets be returned to victims of corruption, and, if so, when, to whom, and how? To remedy this dilemma, the U.S. government should open the door to reviewing petitions for remission: a DOJ-led mechanism used to compensate victims that experienced a pecuniary loss as a result of a crime underlying forfeiture. This process, which is authorized under the forfeiture statutes and other regulations, has proven to be successful when compensating victims in large, multi-victim, white-collar crime cases. However, the review and approval of remission applications lies solely in the hands of the DOJ, with no possibility for judicial review. Still, victims that can meet the intricate requirements of remission have a chance at compensation for their financial losses. Through this process, the DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture Program can accomplish one of its primary goals in support of those affected by Venezuelan-state corruption: recover and return forfeited assets to victims.

The state and prospects of development of the mineral resource base of solid minerals of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The status and prospects of the mineral resource base of solid minerals of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as possibilities for developing the RussianVenezuelan cooperation in the field of geology and mineral resource management are considered. Venezuela has world's largest oil reserves and a wide range of solid minerals (gold, diamonds, nickel, bauxite, iron ores, tantalum and niobium, other rare and base metals, various industrial minerals), which resource base retains significant growth prospects. The main direction of intensification of the mining industry is associated with implementation of a large-scale Governmental program for the geological study and development of the Orinoco Mining Belt in the northern Bolivar State. Within the belt, a number of commercial mineral deposits and much significant potential resources of the solid minerals have been identified and localized, requiring a modern reassessment in order to increase their investment attractiveness for major foreign mining companies. A prominent place in the development of the mineral resource complex of Venezuela can be occupied by Russian mining companies in cooperation with organizations of the Russian Geological Survey.

Konstytucyjna aksjologia postkolonialna XXI w. w Ameryce Łacińskiej na przykładzie Republiki Ekwadoru i Wielonarodowego Państwa Boliwii

The purpose of the article is to analyse the concepts of sumak kawsay / suma qamaña and Pacha Mama introduced into the constitutions of the Republic of Ecuador and the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, which have a juridical impact across other countries of Latin America. The new ideas form a different axiology for constitutional systems in this region of the world from the previous one and represent an attempt to move away from an anthropocentric vision of society. Using historical, formal-dogmatic and comparative-legal methods, the author presents the development of Latin American constitutionalism, analyses the global and local determinants of the popularity of the aforementioned concepts at the beginning of the present century, deconstructs the notions of sumak kawsay / suma qamaña and Pacha Mama and shows their positions in the constitutions of both the Republic of Ecuador and the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The result of the study proves that the post-colonial concepts used as foundations for the newly formulated constitutional systems of the Republic of Ecuador and the Plurinational State of Bolivia are an essential step towards the creation of an original constitutional tradition in Latin America that takes into account the history and values of the indigenous peoples of the Andes and the Amazon.

Features of bilateral relations between Turkey and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the context of role theory

As a result of the transformation of the international system in the 21st century, the role of Latin America is becoming increasingly important and interest in it is growing. Before the beginning of the 21st century relations of Turkey with the states of Latin America and the Caribbean were limited, but in the last two decades they have gained strategic importance. Venezuela is one of the countries that Turkey identifies as strategically important from the economical and political points of view. In this article, bilateral contacts between the two states have been examined through the lens of the &amp;quot;role theory&amp;quot;, taking into account the overall role played by Turkey in Latin America and, in part, the role of Venezuela in the Middle East.

Venezuelan Colectivos: A Symbol of the Authoritarian Rule of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro

The article aims to present the role played in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by colectivos – criminal groups adhering to extreme leftist ideology. The text characterises the essence of these groups, while highlighting that they are an important factor petrifying the resistance of the Chavist ruling camp. The work also contains an analysis of the impact of colectivos on the electoral process. It was emphasized that the procedure of intimidation of the opposition by members of the discussed groups is only one of the elements that are part of the broadly defined actions carried out by the ruling camp to maintain power, and resulting not only in the deterioration of internal security, but also in violation of the principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law. The research results indicate that these groups constitute a noticeable and important, although only secondary, means of influencing the opposition.

Economic diplomacy of Russia towards Venezuela: From H. Chaves to N. Maduro

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela faces a deep political and economic crisis that is exacerbated by severe restrictive measures imposed against it by the United States and their allies. In these circumstances, the availability of external economic support becomes particularly important. In recent years, Russia has become one of the key donors for Venezuela with a wide range of economic diplomacy tools at its disposal. Drawing upon official data, as well as recent findings of Russian and foreign researchers, the present paper examines the evolution of Russian economic diplomacy towards Venezuela during the presidency of H. Chavez (1999–2013) and N. Maduro (2013 — present). The author emphasizes that bilateral economic cooperation was already institutionalized under H. Chavez. The most intense interaction took place in the energy and military-technical fields. The mechanisms of Russian economic diplomacy included primarily public and private loans, investments, and payments for the permission to develop Venezuelan oil deposits. The election N. Maduro was accompanied by a dramatic deterioration of political and economic situation in the country. The crisis was further aggravated by economic sanctions imposed by the US. The latter also affected Russian projects in the republic. However, Russia continued to provide significant support to Venezuela, both through already proven mechanisms of economic diplomacy and a number of new ones, including sovereign debt restructuring and advance delivery of goods. At the same time, the author notes that this assistance remains rather isolated and limited, it affects only specific areas, mainly oil and gas and military-technical cooperation, and its volume is insufficient to effectively address the economic crisis in Venezuela. In this context, the domestic economic policy of the Venezuelan government is of particular importance. Indeed, liberal economic reforms carried out since 2018 were helpful for recovery from the economic crisis. In this connection, the author provides a list of measures and mechanisms Russia could implement in the framework of economic diplomacy to ensure this positive trend.

Strategic Approaches to Sustainable Development Economies under Multiple Sanctions

Various kinds of punishments and coercion, currently commonly referred to as sanctions, have a long history. After the Second World War, in addition to the UN, a number individual states and groups of states use them not only in order to force others to comply with international law, but also to achieve the goals pursued by sanctions. These goals have included also the elimination of the leadership of the leadership of countries, the change of the political system, the destruction of the economy. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (since 1950), the Republic of Cuba (since 1960), the Islamic Republic of Iran (since 1977), the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (since 2017) have been living under such sanctions for many years. The USSR was under sanctions pressure, and now is the Russian Federation. The purpose of this work was a political-economic study of the nature of possible strategies for the progressive development of the country’s economy in the conditions of economic, scientific, technological, informational, cultural and educational isolation from a number of states of the world community. The completed research led the author to the conclusion that under unprecedented scale and enormous force of anti-Russian sanctions is advisable for the Russian Federation to focus on reviving its own economy, on solving internal issues and to respond to sanctions with counter-sanctions only to the extent that the latter restrain the progressive development of Russia. In order to do this they should strive to do the following: to increase the population, to raise the standard of living and education, to achieve import and export independence, find new friends and partners, to get away from the American dollar, to create a legislative, business, scientific, educational and information environment favorable for development, to have a developed infrastructure.

ETHICS AND VALUES. A HUMANIZED MEETING FORBOLIVARIAN UNIVERSITIES

Speaking of ethics and values implies citing the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (1999) in its article 2 when it states that "Venezuela is constituted as a place to strengthen human rights, ethics and political pluralism", from here part a matrix of understanding of ethics and values as a humanized encounter for Bolivarian universities. While ethics deals with what should be done, it is a discipline that studies human behavior from a normative point of view; values are points of reference that give meaning to our lives. This study corresponds to humanized community experiences in the educational project "Communicating Values" developed in social media at the regional and national levels as an intervention scenario for Bolivarian universities in Venezuela. The methodology assumed is positivist with a feasible project as a type of study, developing a diagnosis in communities of Pentane Abajo in 2013 and educational proposals of a communicational nature that have been replicated in various sectors whose fruits are based on the constancy of the program from the beginning. year 2013 to the present not only in community sectors but also in education