Rómulo Betancourt
His Historical Personality and the Genesis of Modern Democracy in Venezuela
Available here for the first time in English, Rómulo Betancourt has been a Spanish-language classic in Venezuela since its publication in 2013. This book is an extended essay on a transformational figure in the country’s history from an internationally-renowned public intellectual, Germán Carrera Damas.
In this work, Carrera Damas captures a significant transition for the nation that began in the 1940s when Rómulo Betancourt and his colleagues overthrew the ruling military dictatorship and established a modern democratic regime. However, the system Betancourt created eventually deteriorated after his presidency. Carrera Damas not only delves into the evolving political thought of a leader who remained dedicated to his cause throughout a varied career, but also offers insights on what it takes to create and sustain a democratic republic under difficult circumstances.
As the country’s current economic and political crisis intensifies, this book will help English speakers understand the cultural context of Venezuela’s contemporary moment as well as set a historical precedent for the next stages in the development of its position in the world.
Funding provided by the Kislak Family Foundation, Inc.
Germán Carrera Damas is retired professor of history at the Central University of Venezuela and has served as Venezuela’s ambassador to Colombia, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. His many books include El culto a Bolívar and Una nación llamada Venezuela. Elizabeth Lowe teaches in the MS in Translation and Interpreting program at New York University. She is the translator of Backlands: The Canudos Campaign by Euclides da Cunha.
