In Venezuela, the Military's Influence in Government Could Block Reforms

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is relying increasingly on bureaucratic appointments to secure support from the military. Though seemingly routine, these appointments highlight the government's strategy for managing the interests of the powerful Venezuelan armed forces. To ensure military loyalty, the Venezuelan government under former President Hugo Chavez and Maduro has regularly named military officers to often-lucrative posts in the bureaucracy. However, the military's resulting power and influence in government could hamper Maduro's ability to undertake crucial economic reforms.