Towards a theory of grotesque transparency: The case of Hugo Chavez

The main objective of this article is to lay the foundations of a theory of grotesque transparency that looks into the aesthetics of ocular politics'. Inspired by Ramon del Valle-Inclan's definition of the esperpento - a grotesque representation of the hero - this interpretative schema uncovers the rhetorical, narrative and iconic mechanisms that constitute a form of political communication that creates the illusion of total affective disclosure. We tested the premises of this theory by studying a public performance of the now-deceased Venezuela President Hugo Chavez where discursive genres overlap (presidential speech, comic soundbites and preacher's homily), dissolving the truth' in an excess of transparency', and also performing a function of social criticism through desecration of institutional formalities.