Twilight in Venezuela: Dispatches from My Once and Future Country

Expert journalist and editor-in-chief of Caracas Chronicles Rafael Osío Cabrices offers a riveting, rigorous, and deeply personal account of the modern history of his country, from the rise of Chávez and the slow erosion of democracy, to the U.S. invasion and capture of Maduro.

In this singular narrative of a country that often mystifies outsiders, Osío Cabrices brings to life the pivotal moments that led Venezuela to its current state of crisis--revealing the ways any healthy democracy can begin, imperceptibly, to cave in on itself. He grew up in a free, modern, oil-rich country, while much of Latin America lived under the shadow of brutal dictatorships, and witnessed as a young journalism student the economic crisis that led to the international perception of Caracas as a haven for organized crime. And he saw the devastatingly powerful false hope the election of Hugo Chávez brought to so many of his friends, before the slow creep of authoritarianism took over of every facet of the government and economy.

Told through vivid scenes of his trips back to visit his father and other friends and relatives, after his decision to leave the country in the wake of the worsening shortages and crackdowns on press freedoms, Osío Cabrices's fascinating, on-the-ground account of Venezuela's contemporary history holds stark lessons for all of us.

Twilight in Venezuela reads like an unforgettable conversation with a deeply informed friend, who dispels the myths and misinformation and reveals, as few can, what it feels like when History sneaks up behind you and turns your world upside down.

Author: Rafael Osío Cabrices
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: 10/06/2026
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.40w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781523537938


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2026

About the Author
Rafael Osío Cabrices has published several nonfiction books about Venezuela and Latin America and is editor-in-chief at Caracas Chronicles. He grew up in Caracas and lives in Montreal with his family.

Jessie Mendez Sayer is a British/Venezuelan translator who has been living and working in Mexico City since 2017. Her translations include The Untameable by Guillermo Arriaga, The Last Days of El Comandante by Alberto Barrera Tyszka, and Unfit by Ariana Harwicz.