The neopatrimonialization of security in Venezuela

This essay delves into the process of neopatrimonialization of security in Venezuela between 2010 and 2020. It highlights how the country's security and defense institutions were progressively taken over by political elites and non-state actors to serve ideological and partisan objectives. This process significantly weakened the state institutions responsible for exercising legitimate violence, allowing the emergence of criminal governance where non-state armed groups began to take on security roles in specific areas. The study underscores how these dynamics reflect a broader trend in Latin America, where control over the use of force has become fragmented and manipulated to serve the interests of political elites, ultimately undermining the state's legitimacy and its ability to provide security to its citizens.