Bolivarian Venezuela, a struggle towards true democracy

THE EDITOR: As a Trinidadian with long time family and professional ties with Venezuela, I have followed the unfolding of the Bolivarian revolution since 1998, when President Chavez was elected. Since then, I have not allowed myself to get confused by the distorted information published in our media. Allow me to share some facts of President Hugo Chavez Government: The 80 percent poverty in the oil-rich country is the result of mismanagement, corruption and neglect that characterised decades of previous pseudo-democratic governments.

This is the first Venezuelan President deeply committed to carry out the social and political transformation of his country with a new democratically drafted Constitution, through two vote consultations to the population, in 1998 and 1999, when it was overwhelmingly approved. President Chavez has been elected twice in free elections (1998 and 2000), winning with 60 percent of the votes in each case. Two other free elections took place in the last four years to elect governors, city council members, mayors and other posts. The truly independent foreign policy of Bolivarian Venezuela has inspired and stimulated many Third World countries. Far from the traditional submission of Latin American governments to the USA, the Bolivarian foreign policy challenges a unilateral global order; it has reclaimed control over its hydrocarbons, revitalising OPEC, recuperating oil prices, and investing in infrastructure and social programmes at home; it promotes Latin American and Caribbean integration; opposes FTAA and proposes a non-discriminatory option — ALBA — Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America and the Caribbean. The opposition in Venezuela has refused to respect the will of the majority of the Venezuelan population expressed through democratic means, and has, instead, instigated a constant coup plotting campaign, supported by a one-sided ferocious media, financed by Washington and Miami. Through a failed coup, strikes, terrorism and sabotage, the loss to the economy is estimated in over 11 billion US dollars, with the sole aim of toppling a democratically elected President.

The national and international campaign to discredit the Bolivarian Government has depicted President Chavez as a dictator and a communist. However, the owners of the private media, who act as political parties, have never enjoyed more freedom of speech in Venezuela, abusing it without fear of reprisals, as was the practice in previous administrations. The Bolivarian Constitution grants the opposition the possibility to recall the mandate of the President, as well as congressmen, governors and mayors, at half of the period of the mandate. Since the opposition’s illegal means to topple the President have been frustrated, it has resorted to this last recourse, to which it fiercely opposed a year ago. This democratic right has been recently exercised in an exemplary civic manner by the Venezuelan people, and although, the opposition’s desperate attempts to oust Chavez wouldn’t rule out fraud — as the Government has charged — it will be up to the Electoral Council to determine the results. International Observers, including the OAS and the Carter Centre should watch carefully.

ANTHONY
MANSFIELD
Port-of-Spain