LOS GOLPISTAS

The heart of Bayly's new novel is the relationship between Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, and it will focus particularly on the late Venezuelan dictator's coup plots. The narrative will explore how Chávez, after a failed coup attempt in 1992 and a brief stint in prison, traveled to Havana. There, Fidel Castro "mental colonized" Chávez, sealing a collaboration pact that greatly benefited Cuba, which needed economic aid from oil-rich Venezuela. The novel delves into the failed 2002 coup against Chávez, who was already president and had begun to consolidate his power autocratically. Bayly recounts how a group of soldiers stormed the Miraflores Palace, captured Chávez, and demanded his resignation. The most unusual aspect of this episode, and what fascinates Bayly, is how this coup, which lasted only two or three days, culminated in Chávez's unexpected return to power. The same military personnel who overthrew him, in a surprising twist, decided to reinstate him, losing the support of the provisional presidency they had established. Bayly describes this event as a "botched" and "grotesque coup," executed by "amateur coup plotters" who failed to carry out their plan. After his return, Chávez, following Fidel Castro's advice, carried out a peaceful purge of the military personnel who participated in his overthrow.