Adan Chavez Frias
PEOPLE PROFILE is part of the Latinnews Daily service. Published every
Tuesday, People Profile and describes the professional background of key people
emerging on the political and economic scene.
Who is ADAN CHAVEZ FRIAS?
He is the elder brother of the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez .
Why watch him?
Adán is a member of the national assembly and last week became Hugo's chief of staff. He was previously president of the Instituto de
Tierras, which has been handling land reform.
Adán is one of the hard-line military wing of the ruling Movimiento Quinta República
(MVR) To many commentators, Adán is the intellectual power behind Hugo.
THE FILE
Born:
1953, Estado de Mérida, Venezuela.
Education:
He has a physics degree and a Masters in higher education. He has carried out research in biophysics.
Public life:
The Chávez brothers are the sons of a governor of the ranching state of Barinas. Adán was a member of the Ruptura political movement and of the PRV in Mérida during his time as a student. Following the election of this brother to the presidency he has started to take a higher profile. He has been heavily criticised by the opposition for corruption.
Timeline:
2000
Founder member of the Movimiento Bolivariano Revolucionario 2000 and of the Movimiento Quinta República.
2001
National director of the Movimiento Quinta República.
2001
Elected to the national constituent assembly, representing the state of Mérida. He acted as vice-president of the Comisión de Disposiciones Transitorias, and president of the subcommission for domestic policy in the Comisión Legislativa Nacional, and as his brother Hugo's private secretary.
2001
President of the Instituto Nacional de Tierras.
Strong points:
He enjoys Hugo's full confidence. As an assembly member, while also being the President's chief of staff, he is well placed to see what is happening politically.
Weak points:
He has been accused of corruption, especially buying luxurious properties in Venezuela and Miami (USA). His opponents say that it is only his blood-link to the President that has given him so much influence.
Prospects:
Adán is one of the officials responsible for relaunching Hugo as a Latin American leader. His ideological hold over his younger brother is unquestioned. He will also have a key role in any settlement over the controversial issue of a referendum on whether Hugo should continue in office, as he is responsible for electoral policy in the MVR.