Wish I coulda been there...

The Venezuelan Student Movement for Liberty

POLICY FORUM
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Featuring: Yon Goicoechea, Former General Secretary, Venezuelan Student Parliament; Gustavo Tovar, Author, Estudiantes por la libertad (Students for Liberty) (Caracas: El Nacional, 2007); and Gerver Torres, Senior Scientist, Gallup. Moderated by Ian Vásquez, Cato Institute

The Cato Institute
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On December 2, 2007, Venezuelans rejected through a referendum constitutional changes proposed by President Hugo Chávez that would have turned their country into a socialist state. The Venezuelan student movement played the key role in that outcome. Student leader Yon Goicoechea explains how and why students from public and private universities from across the country came together in defense of basic liberties. Author and human rights activist Gustavo Tovar describes how the movement's philosophy of nonviolence helped to forge an effective opposition. Gerver Torres discusses the significant impact of the "No" vote on public opinion and politics in Venezuela and throughout Latin America. All three speakers discuss the future of the student movement and of Venezuelan politics.