Abstract

FUENMAYOR, Jennifer; OCHOA HENRIQUEZ, Haydée  and  HENRIQUEZ, Deyanira. Politics and Management in Venezuelan Governors’ Offices in the Context of Decentralization. Frónesis [online]. 2007, vol.14, n.3, pp.75-117. ISSN 1315-6268.

The process of political territorial decentralization initiated in Venezuela at the end of the 1980s, parallel with economic neoliberal reorientation, produced reforms in the policies and management of governors’ offices, entities that received competencies with decentralization. When the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was approved at the end of the 90s, the national government promoted a transformation process on all levels, including all the governors’ offices. The purpose of this study was to explore the policies and management of governor’s offices in the framework of the promoted transformations, taking as a case study the governor’s office in the State of Lara. Results revealed that in a first phase up to 2003, the government of Lara demonstrated continuity with neoliberal policy of the 90s and its management took on some characteristics belonging to the so-called New Public Management promoted by neoliberalism. From 2003 on, in the context of severe political conflicts opposed to the national transformation project and due to an impulse given to this by the national government, Lara entered the transformation project. Conclusions were that within the political identification framework between the two levels of government, the sub-national government subordinated itself to the sociopolitical dynamic of the national government.

Keywords : Public policies; public management; governors’ offices.