The populist disaster of Venezuela: Understanding the nation’s pain and awakening hope

In light of the emergence of populist political leaders globally, we must recognize the pitfalls and opportunities for the gospel. Populist leaders such as Chávez, Evo Morales in Bolivia, Donald Trump in the United States, Vladimir Putin in Russia, and also the leaders of Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and most recently Italy, seem generally to end up pitting people against each other. These leaders have given a voice to groups that feel marginalized and powerless, but they also seek to use them to gain power. The re-emergence of Populism is resurrecting demons we thought were buried at the end of the Second World War. More…