An indispensable resource for readers interested in Venezuelan history, this book analyzes Venezuela's political, economic, cultural, and social history, up to date with chapters discussing the contested 2024 and 2018 elections and the country's economic crisis and dependence on petroleum.

Recent years in Venezuela have been tumultuous, marked by questions of fraudulent elections, economic crisis, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an increase in Venezuelan migration, with over 8 million Venezuelans scattered throughout the American continent and the Iberian Peninsula. This new edition provides up-to-date discussion of all of these recent events and provides readers with the historical knowledge needed to understand present-day Venezuela within the context of the country's past.

Exploring Venezuela's history from its earliest times to the present day, the book demonstrates both the richness of Venezuela and its people and the complexity of its political, social, and economic problems. As with all titles in the Histories of the Modern Nations series, this chronological narrative examines political, economic, cultural, philosophical, and religious continuities in Venezuela's long and rich history, providing readers with a concise yet up-to-date study of the nation.

H. Micheal Tarver, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Latin American History and a Corresponding Member of the Venezuelan National Academy of History.

Francisco Soto Oráa is Associate Professor of History at the Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela, and founder and coordinator of the Grupo de Estudios Venezuela – Estados Unidos (GEVEU).