October 26, 2004

Panel To Discuss U.S. - Venezuelan Relations Nov. 4

By Barry Jagoda

Venezuelan-U.S. relations, in the aftermath of the recent recall referendum that retained in office President Hugo Chavez Frias, will be the subject of a panel discussion at the University of California, San Diego on Nov. 4 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies (CILAS), in collaboration with the Institute of the Americas (IOA), the event will include discussion by Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuela’s ambassador to the United States; Jeffrey Davidow, president of IOA and former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela; Miguel Tinker-Salas, associate professor of history at Pomona College and visiting scholar at UCSD and Clara Mantini-Briggs, CILAS scholar and former national coordinator of the Dengue Fever Program in Venezuela. Professor of Ethnic Studies and Director of CILAS Charles Briggs will moderate the panel.

The program is entitled “Embattled Democracy in Venezuela: The Referendum and Its Aftermath.” Bush administration antipathy to President Chavez, Chavez’s strident criticism of U.S. foreign policy, and the importance of Venezuela’s oil to the U.S. economy form the backdrop for the discussion. The event will be held in the Deutz Conference Room of the Copley International Conference Center at Institute of the Americas Complex on the UCSD campus. The public is invited to attend.

Media contacts:
Barry Jagoda, (858) 534-8567
Monica Arciga, (858) 534-6050