The Venezuelan Revolution and the unprecedented upsurge of the Venezuelan people in the early 2000s was one of the most inspiring events in recent history. The oppressed masses, rallying behind Hugo Chávez, waged a heroic struggle against imperialism. They carried out vast land seizures and nationalizations, and showed that it is possible for workers to run their workplaces without bosses.

But the revolution did not unseat the Venezuelan oligarchy. And now the country is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis—a fact that right-wingers and reactionaries love to point to as an example of “why socialism never works”. These events illustrate a vital lesson that all revolutionaries must grasp: a revolution cannot stop half-way.

In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Marcus Katryniuk (member of the RCP Executive Committee) explains the revolution, and what communists today can learn from it.

This presentation was recorded on February 14, 2026.
Suggested readings:
The Venezuelan Revolution: A Marxist Perspective

Permanent Revolution in Latin America (Buy the book)

Five years on: revolutionary legacy of Hugo Chavez

Trump’s escalation in the Caribbean – US imperialism attempts to reassert control over its ‘backyard’

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