Abstract
 
 The following article aims to analyse the current situation in Venezuela, identifying some helpful information written by academics on this topic. Thus, this essay will focus on the five stages a government faces when it loses legitimacy, as described by Samuel Huntington in his book Democracy's third wave. Furthermore, after analysing them, it will draw some arguments explaining why Venezuela has not made a U-turn into democracy yet, to end with a conclusion. 
 
 Key Words: illiberal Democracy, electoral democracy, Venezuela.
