Name: Nicmer Evans
Job: Political analyst and professor at the Central University of Venezuela
Way forward: A change in leadership - both in the government and in the opposition
Former President Hugo Chávez left a lasting mark on Venezuelan politics, and "for better or worse, politicians are going to have to refer to him for years to come," acknowledging whether they were for or against his policies, says Nicmer Evans.
Mr. Evans says former President Chávez did ground breaking work in lifting Venezuela’s population out of poverty, however, the current administration has struggled to move that legacy forward, a critical issue behind the current crisis.
"New leadership is needed for both the government and opposition," Evans says. It could help to unite citizens, allow new leaders and ideas to emerge, and possibly lead to better management of the oil-rich nation’s economy.
"Venezuelans clearly want change," Evans says. "The dilemma at hand is that the current leadership has not been willing to renounce its power to let it happen, while the opposition's politics still fail to connect with the majority of the population."
