Adina Bastidas
Encyclopedia
Adina Mercedes Bastidas Castillo (born 1943) is a Venezuela
n economist
active in politics. She was appointed Vice President of Venezuela
on December 24, 2000 by Hugo Chávez
, and served in the post until January 13, 2002, the first woman to hold the job in the country's history. She was later appointed Production and Commerce Minister.
According to the BBC, Bastidas is considered a controversial left winger; she is also considered a prominent critic of Venezuela's private sector. Her appointment as Commerce Minister, coming after weeks of protests against President Chávez's economic policies, was seen as a further radicalization of Chávez's government, according to the BBC. President Chavez has called her "a first class revolutionary," and deemed her work "exceptional."
At the Latin American and Caribbean Encounter on the Dialogue of Civilizations, held in Caracas on November 8, 2001, Bastidas said:
Bastidas is currently Director for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at the Inter-American Development Bank
in Washington, a post she also held from 1999 - 2010.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
active in politics. She was appointed Vice President of Venezuela
Vice President of Venezuela
Executive Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the second highest political position in the government of Venezuela. Vice President is the most direct collaborator of the President of the Republic according to the Constitution. Position of Vice President appeared in the...
on December 24, 2000 by Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, and served in the post until January 13, 2002, the first woman to hold the job in the country's history. She was later appointed Production and Commerce Minister.
According to the BBC, Bastidas is considered a controversial left winger; she is also considered a prominent critic of Venezuela's private sector. Her appointment as Commerce Minister, coming after weeks of protests against President Chávez's economic policies, was seen as a further radicalization of Chávez's government, according to the BBC. President Chavez has called her "a first class revolutionary," and deemed her work "exceptional."
At the Latin American and Caribbean Encounter on the Dialogue of Civilizations, held in Caracas on November 8, 2001, Bastidas said:
- "The terrorism of the oppressed is a perverse and lamentable byproduct of a WASP dominance that has become unbearable for the most radical and violent of the subjugated peoples ... Supplications and reason will not suffice to impose dialogue on countries of the North. The South must achieve a capacity to unite, resist, and persevere until it attains a new world order that is truly an order, not an immense disorder, under the heavens."
Bastidas is currently Director for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at the Inter-American Development Bank
Inter-American Development Bank
The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean...
in Washington, a post she also held from 1999 - 2010.