Movimientos estudiantiles y crisis del sistema político en Venezuela: 1987-1988

This paper refers to Venezuelan studentmovements during the decade of the 1980s, placingspecial emphasis in the re-appearance of studentprotests beginning with the so-called “MeridaMarch” in 1987. To begin with we considerdistinct theories related to social movements andtheir importance in the study of student movements.We also touch on the historic role of thestudent movement in Venezuela and Latin America,and its protagonist role in the new economicreality dominated by neo-liberalism and globalization.In second place the programs of autonomousmovements that arose in university studentpopulations in the 1980s are analyzed. Finally,the special case of the student movement in 1987and its repercussion in the national politicalscene is commented on. The conclusion was thatstudent movements in 1987-88 legitimized thepractice of street fighting and looting which waslater expanded on in 1989, and that anti-bi-partysystem discourse used by military leaders in theattempted 1992 coupe was the same discourseused in student protests during the 1980s.