Chavez Vs. Lula: Two distinct approaches to poverty reduction in Latin America
By Andrew Sownie & Whitney Eulich
Chávez vs Lula: Two distinct approaches to poverty reduction in Latin America
Both Chávez in Venezuela and Lula in Brazil dramatically reshaped their societies, reducing inequality to their lowest levels in decades. But they went about it in very different ways.
By Andrew Downie, Correspondent, Whitney Eulich, Staff writer / March 7, 2013
Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez, left, speaks to Brazil's President Luiz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva during a ceremony at the Suape Harbor Industrial Complex in the northeastern city of Recife, Brazil, in this Dec. 2005 file photo. Both Chávez and Lula dramatically reshaped their societies, reducing inequality to its lowest level in decades.
For those with merely a passing interest in Latin American politics, just 10 years ago it was easy to see Brazil and Venezuela as identical tropical states with charismatic presidents leading their countries toward socialism.