The Right to Food Under Hugo Chávez

This article investigates the right to food in Venezuela under President Hugo Chávez (1999–2013). Although Chávez respected Venezuelans’ right to food, he failed to protect it. In the short term, he fulfilled the right to food by establishing state-run stores where food was sold cheaply, and by imposing price controls. At the same time, he reduced the food supply by undermining property rights, expropriating large-scale ranches as well as wholesale and retail distributors. Violations of civil and political rights made it difficult for Chávez’s critics to oppose his food policies. By the time Chávez died food shortages were extremely severe.