 The succession to the presidency of Maduro in 2013, according to Corrales and Penfold, was due to multiple mechanisms established by Maduro's predecessor, Chávez.Initially, oil prices were high enough for Maduro to maintain necessary spending for support, specifically with the military.Foreign ties that were established by Chávez were also utilized by Maduro as he applied skills that he had learned while serving as a foreign minister.