This paper analyzes the liberalization of Venezuela's foreign direct investment (FDI) laws. In the past, Venezuela placed tough restrictions upon the entry and operation of foreign investment. These restrictions were made possible as long as petroleum prices remained high and the country had access to cheap international bank loans. The debt crisis in the 1980s, a drop in commodity prices, and a decrease in international bank loans once again made FDI an attractive source of foreign capital. In order to attract greater FDI inflows, Venezuela began to liberalize its foreign investment laws in the mid-1980s. Despite these changes, FDI inflows into Venezuela have been erratic. This paper then discusses some of the adjustments Venezuela will have to make in order to attract greater foreign investment inflows, and ends with an examination of how the country can maximize FDI's contribution to its economic development.

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