Cover image of show The Story of Venezuela: Oil, Power, and Collapse — Fexingo History

The Story of Venezuela: Oil, Power, and Collapse — Fexingo History

Podcast by Fexingo

English

Personal stories & conversations

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About The Story of Venezuela: Oil, Power, and Collapse — Fexingo History

Venezuela was once the wealthiest nation in Latin America, its economy built on the world's largest oil reserves. Today, it is a byword for collapse: hyperinflation, mass emigration, and a humanitarian crisis. The Story of Venezuela: Oil, Power, and Collapse traces this dizzying arc from the colonial era to the present. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through the rise of the oil industry under Juan Vicente Gómez, the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez, the oil boom of the 1970s, and the Chavez and Maduro eras. They explore the origins of the nation's deep inequality, the impact of Dutch disease, and the cycles of populism and repression. Key episodes cover the sinking of the USS Maine in 1898 (which involved Venezuelan waters), the 1902-03 blockade by European powers, the formation of OPEC, the Caracazo riots of 1989, the attempted coups of 1992, and the 2014-2019 protests. The show also examines the role of the military, the oil strikes of 2002-2003, and the legacy of Simón Bolívar. By weaving together economics, geopolitics, and human stories, this show offers a gripping explanation of how a nation with the world's largest proven oil reserves ended up in ruins. No simple answers, just a deep dive into a tragedy that continues to unfold. #Venezuela #OilHistory #PetroState #HugoChavez #NicolasMaduro #OPEC #JuanVicenteGomez #MarcosPerezJimenez #SimonBolivar #Caracazo #DutchDisease #LatinAmericanHistory #ResourceCurse #Collapse #Populism #WorldHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

All episodes

140 episodes

episode Venezuela 1810: The April 19 Revolution That Started It All artwork

Venezuela 1810: The April 19 Revolution That Started It All

On April 19, 1810, Caracas declared an interim government, setting off a chain reaction that would lead to Venezuela's independence from Spain. Lucas and Luna revisit this pivotal moment, exploring the roles of José de las Llamozas, Francisco de Miranda, and the Supreme Junta. They discuss how the news of Napoleon's invasion of Spain triggered the move, the rapid spread of juntas across South America, and the complex social dynamics between mantuanos, pardos, and slaves. The episode also touches on the printing press's role in spreading revolutionary ideas and the British mediation that followed. This is the story of how Venezuela's first steps toward self-rule were both bold and fraught with contradictions. #Venezuela #Independence #April19 #Caracas #SupremeJunta #JosédelasLlamozas #FranciscoDeMiranda #Napoleon #Spain #ColonialHistory #SouthAmerica #Mantuanos #Pardos #PrintingPress #Revolution #History #FexingoHistory #LatinAmerica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

6 Jul 2026 - 8 min
episode Venezuela 1982: The Night Carlos Andrés Pérez Faced the Mob artwork

Venezuela 1982: The Night Carlos Andrés Pérez Faced the Mob

In December 1982, former Venezuelan president Carlos Andrés Pérez returned to his hometown of Rubio, Táchira, for a civic ceremony — and found himself trapped inside a church by an enraged crowd of farmers and students. The protest had been brewing for weeks over a new property tax law, the Ley Orgánica de Régimen Municipal, that threatened small landowners in the Andes. Pérez, then a senator and leader of Acción Democrática, had to be rescued by helicopter. This episode dives into the forgotten 'Rebellion of the Andes,' the role of local caudillo-like figures like José 'Pepe' Ledezma, the simmering tensions between central Caracas and the interior, and how this episode foreshadowed the collapse of the Punto Fijo system. We explore how a seemingly obscure tax revolt exposed the growing disconnect between the political elite and rural Venezuela, a fissure that would widen into the Caracazo and beyond. #CarlosAndrésPérez #RubioTáchira #LeyOrgánicaDeRégimenMunicipal #RebellionOfTheAndes #JoséLedezma #AcciónDemocrática #PuntoFijo #Venezuela1982 #TaxRevolt #RuralVenezuela #Andes #Táchira #Caudillismo #Caracazo #VenezuelanHistory #FexingoHistory #History #SouthAmerica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Yesterday - 8 min
episode Venezuela 1813: Bolívar's Admirable Campaign artwork

Venezuela 1813: Bolívar's Admirable Campaign

In 1813, Simón Bolívar led a daring military campaign from New Granada into Venezuela, liberating the western provinces and capturing Caracas. This episode follows the Admirable Campaign step by step: Bolívar's declaration of war to the death, the brutal massacre at La Puerta, the key battles of Niquitao and Los Horcones, and the siege of Puerto Cabello. We explore how a small army of exiles and llaneros under José Félix Ribas and Rafael Urdaneta defeated Spanish forces against the odds, why Bolívar declared guerra a muerte, and how this campaign set the stage for the Second Republic of Venezuela — a republic that would last only a year before collapsing. We also examine the controversial role of deserters and the brutal reprisals on both sides, revealing the human cost of independence. #SimónBolívar #AdmirableCampaign #CampañaAdmirable #VenezuelanWarofIndependence #1813 #GuerraAMuerte #BattleofNiquitao #BattleofLosHorcones #JoséFélixRibas #RafaelUrdaneta #NewGranada #PuertoCabello #SecondRepublic #Llaneros #SouthAmerica #History #FexingoHistory #MilitaryHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Yesterday - 7 min
episode Venezuela 1937: The Exile of Rómulo Betancourt artwork

Venezuela 1937: The Exile of Rómulo Betancourt

In 1937, Venezuela's dictator Eleazar López Contreras expelled Rómulo Betancourt and dozens of other leftist leaders, sending them into exile. This episode follows Betancourt's journey from Caracas to Chile, where he honed the political strategy that would shape twentieth-century Venezuela. We explore the crackdown on the Partido Democrático Nacional, the clandestine networks that kept the opposition alive, and how exile forged Betancourt's pragmatism — from his alliance with Acción Democrática to his role in the 1958 Pact of Punto Fijo. Featuring the police raid on the Casa del Estudiante, the secret press run by Juan Bautista Fuenmayor, and Betancourt's letters from Santiago. A story of repression, resilience, and the long road back to power. #Venezuela #RómuloBetancourt #LópezContreras #Exile #PartidoDemocráticoNacional #AcciónDemocrática #CasaDelEstudiante #JuanBautistaFuenmayor #1937 #SantiagoDeChile #GómezEra #PuntoFijo #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAmerica #PoliticalExile #Dictatorship #Resistance Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

4 Jul 2026 - 7 min
episode Venezuela 1821: The Battle of Carabobo That Sealed Independence artwork

Venezuela 1821: The Battle of Carabobo That Sealed Independence

This episode zeroes in on the Battle of Carabobo, June 24, 1821, the decisive clash that secured Venezuelan independence from Spain. We walk through the terrain—the Sabana de Carabobo, near Valencia—and the tactical genius of Simón Bolívar, who exploited the British Legion's discipline and the llanero cavalry under José Antonio Páez. We discuss the role of the 'Apure Braves,' the critical moment when the Spanish commander, Miguel de la Torre, lost control of the high ground, and the aftermath that left Venezuela free but fractured. We also touch on the lesser-known participation of women like Juana Ramírez, 'La Avanzadora,' who fought in the artillery. No grand narrative sweep—just the specific decisions, mistakes, and human moments that turned a single battle into the hinge of a nation's story. #BattleOfCarabobo #SimónBolívar #VenezuelanIndependence #JoséAntonioPáez #BritishLegion #Llaneros #MiguelDeLaTorre #SabanaDeCarabobo #JuanaRamírez #ApureBraves #1821 #Valencia #GranColombia #Libertador #SouthAmericanHistory #FexingoHistory #History #MilitaryHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

4 Jul 2026 - 5 min
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