The attempted coup in January 2019 made headlines, but it was merely a continuation of the US government's policy of targeting Venezuela through non-traditional means. Rather than deploying military force, it has engaged in a 'hybrid war', using state and non-state actors to exert political, economic and social pressure across various spheres of everyday life. This has deliberately targeted the poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
Futures Held Hostage explores the features of this hybrid war being waged against Venezuela, showing that the victims are being 'held hostage' with no foreseeable resolution. An intervention into popular and political debate, the book consists of essays by leading scholars, journalists and activists. The contributors expose the ways that the Venezuelan people have experienced the effects of sanctions, rising mortality and decreasing life expectancy due to impaired distribution of food, medicine, housing and healthcare.
The authors demonstrate that this punishment is a response to Venezuela's attempts to assert its independence from international finance capital and construct a future at odds with global neoliberal regimes. A mass, popular movement against US policy will be a vital component of a more just and equitable future in Venezuela, the United States, and the world at large.