Welcome to Gaia! :: The Distruction of Democracy: Venezuala

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I ask, defenders of Chavez, those of you who call yourself socialists, how are the actions of this man justified? He is systematically destroying democracy in Venezuala and enforcing socialistic programs onto a populous who does not want it. He is running the country into the ground and it seems there is little the people of Venezuala can do about it now short of conducting a counter revolution of their own.

Please discuss is it what Chavez doing acceptable? Do you support Chavez or the opposition? Has his recent actions changed your mind about him and his "revolution". What can the Venezualan people do to turn the tide against such a tyrant?

If venezuala is doing so well then why are there shortages of food through out the country? Has the infrastructure improved since Chavez's reign began? Why are opposition being silenced if Chavez is so unanamously popular, what is there to fear? In a healthy democratic system all voices are allowed to express their dissent. The only reason Chavez is so "popular" is due to the fact that is government has been systematically destroying any opposition.

Food shortages: http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3129

"Per capita food consumption of Venezuelans has grown from 168 kilograms of food per year in 1998 to 188 kilograms per year now. "These figures reflect the recuperation of the food system. Here, there was much hunger and we still have problems with some products, but the time will come when we export to other countries," President Chávez reflected on the current situation in Venezuela."

I would also point out that many other activities are being undertaken. Primarily a crack down on smuggling of food (the prices of some agricultural good are set by the government - thus there is an incentive to smuggle for higher prices), hoarding and speculation (because the market still exists so those with enough money can buy up cheaper food stuffs and resell them at a higher price if they have enough money to do so), as well as forbidding the export of food that is to be turned into bio-fuel.

Hard to blame Chavez for a preexisting food problem eh? That's like blaming President Bush for the Aids problem in America.

as the infrastructure improved since Chavez's reign began? A resounding yes!

http://www.businessmonitor.com/infra/venezuela.html

"Venezuela's infrastructure sector has displayed double-digit growth in the last few years."

I really fail to see how he is systematically destroying anybody - especially since the opposition virtually owns the media. All this news story is, is some prominent opposition figures (as well as some Chavez allies) got caught being corrupt, and rather than say "well I guess I did steal from the Venezuelan people" they're just going to say Chavez is silencing them. If Chavez was actively silencing the opposition they would just break up rallies like the one that is the center of the news story *immediately* why even allow it to happen? Or perhaps why even allow major threats to Chavez to continue to exist (for example a few governors of various provinces in Venezuela have talked about secession). I would also point out that political corruption is a major problem in Venezuela and, sadly, most of the developing world. This is why I like politics though. Part of the opposition's campaign against Chavez is that he wasn't doing enough about corruption - now that they're going after corrupt politicians they're violating peoples' rights and silencing the opposition (even though some pro-Chavez people are getting the ax too).

They could have increased there economy and standard of living 10 times faster with any other President. Venezuela does not need to head down the road of socialism, due to the income they have with there oil market. That's like a guy winning a million dollars a year and expending 3/4 of it on gambling.


The "oppisition owns the media"? Excuse me? Just who exactly is this opposition? The people? Better then that sad excuse of a President who can't even condemn a dictator and gives free oil to oppresive regimes, buying out other countries debts while his own people can hardly be considered first world.

His government wouln't be so corrupt if the guy wasnt such an imbecile. I can just imagine just how much oil revenues are being "invested" in there private coffins.
I don't feel like doing the research right now, and the guy still speaks of socialism.

What a fool. He makes Bush look like an excellent president.
I'm just waiting for the ex defense Minister to run for President. That guy has the approval and the influence.

I'm not assuming Venezuela is socialist. Chavez is the man who appears in national television with the portrait of Karl Marx on the background while giving his speeches and calls out for a system of socialism. I am criticizing his attempts to turn Venezuela into another poor, failed "socialist" latin american country.

hey could have increased there economy and standard of living 10 times faster with any other President. Venezuela does not need to head down the road of socialism, due to the income they have with there oil market. That's like a guy winning a million dollars a year and expending 3/4 of it on gambling.

Actually I think this w3ould be quite untrue as the majority of Venezuela's oil reserves belonged to foreign entities (particularly Exxon-Mobil) so all those profits now currently being invested in Venezuela would be sitting wherever the transnationals that owned the oil supply wanted them to. This is part of the reason why Chavez is so popular and remains as such, and why similar leftist governments are springing up all over the South - fighting imperialism by retaking natural resources.

I also would like to point out that Venezuela and Cuba are allies, and that the PSDV (Chavez's Socialist Party) openly admires Cuba, but they are careful to point out that the system of government in Cuba is unique to Cuba and that they don't seek to transplant the system in Cuba to Venezuela.

I would also point out that Venezuela doesn't just *give* oil away to Cuba (nor do I believe Cuba to be extremely oppressive - in fact, a quick google search would show you that most Cuban citizens don't really have any major problems with their regime). Cuba gives Venezuela access to its health care system, provides scholarships to Venezuelan students to attend Cuban universities, and other goods and services (solar panels and agricultural goods especially). It's all outlined in the ALBA trade pact and the "peoples trade agreements."

I would also point out that Chavez's plan to buy up foreign bonds is part of an inflation reduction plan (soaking up excess liquidity by transferring the assets into bonds).

To Thomas: yeah, Chavez says he and the party he founded (The Partido Socialista Del Venezuela) are building "21st Century Socialism" in Venezuela.

Well for starters I have yet to see a Socialist republic remain democratic, but you are right not all dictatorships are socialistic. Venezuala how ever is becoming quite tyranical becuase more power is being handed to the executive branch while the opposition is being systematically squealched.

This may very well be by the will of the people, but so was Hitler's rise to power. Once you give up your rights its damn hard to get it back, its a shame really that more people havn't learned from history.

My issue is not that Veneuzala is left leaning, really. Its not my prefered system but my beef is with the increasingly authoritarian nature of Chavez's regime and the way he has been squandering his country's wealth while stealing it from others.

As for the food shortages there should absolutly be no reason there are foot shortages in the country with the way oil prices are they should be more than enough wealth to import any amount of food they need or even better invest in better farming and infrastructure instead of handing it out to political allies.

I think he made the right move when he nationalized the Oil Industry, Banks, etc...

Letting strategic sectors of the economy in the hands of foreign trans-national companies is a mistake, because the benefits aren't reinvested locally but goes out to fill the pockets of foreign shareholders.

Now, gas in Venezuela is the least expensive in the World. $0.11 a gallon. You dreamed of it? Chavez did it.

Protectionism is a swear word for businessmen only when it's done by foreign countries. Otherwise, it's economic nationalism and it suddenly becomes a good thing.

Now, about political freedoms, if the people that were barred from running are corrupt, I can't see how it would be a bad thing.

On the other hand, I think he may be overstepping his rights in some sectors of the political sphere and he's trying to be friend with controversial leaders, giving each other the legitimity they lack on the International stage.

Concerning Chavez, for me, the jury is still out. His attempt for the "21st Century Socialism" can be interesting if he can maintain economic growth and share it with the people, but there's potential for a dictatorship if the economy collapse and people turn against him.

For the moment, he's popular because he helps little people and fights corruption.

Maybe Americans dream of a leader that can bring gas price down to $0.11 a gallon?