Skip Nav | Home | Mobile | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Security | Support Us

World

Venezuela Prepares for Recall Vote

Chris Tootheker | 08.08.2004 11:21 | Venezuela | Analysis | Social Struggles | London | World

Venezuela, sitting on the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, may be on the brink of major political upheaval. A presidential recall referendum could see the removal of the socialist Chevaz government and the installation of an oldguard power block that proposes repairing relations with Washington, and restructuring the oil industry. This comes after a botched US backed coup in 2002 cost the opposition the trust of many while a two-month general strike last year ruined the economy but left Chavez stronger than ever...

They run the gamut from soldiers to former rebel fighters, union busters to labor organizers - all united in a single goal of ousting President Hugo Chavez. But can Chavez's foes stay together to provide an alternative to the populist leader?

With a presidential recall ballot less than two weeks away, many Venezuelans aren't so sure.

``If they recall Chavez, they'll fight among themselves for power,'' said Alejandro Diaz, a security guard standing outside a restaurant in downtown Caracas.

Polls suggest the Aug. 15 referendum will be close.

Venezuela, an impoverished country that sits on the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, is sharply divided over Chavez. Supporters applaud his efforts to improve life for the poor majority while opponents accuse him of becoming increasingly authoritarian.

Two previous efforts by the opposition to oust him backfired. A botched 2002 coup cost the opposition the trust of many while a two-month general strike last year ruined the economy but left Chavez stronger than ever.

The recall ballot is the opposition's one success.

The opposition gathered 2.5 million signatures in a petition drive to force the recall. Opponents now need more than the nearly 3.8 million votes Chavez won in a 2000 re-election to force new presidential elections.

Some analysts say the opposition can only offer Venezuelans an alternative if it make a clean break with the corrupt two-party political system that crumbled with Chavez's 1998 election. That system rewarded loyalists and shortchanged the poor, who account for about 80 percent of the country's 24 million people.

``It's not enough to come together to oppose Chavez. They must go through a process of change, make it credible and show they are not returning to old politics,'' said Michael Shifter, a Latin America analyst at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue think tank.

``Are these different sectors stuck in the past or has there been a process of renovation and self-criticism? The signs have not been encouraging so far,'' Shifter added.

Opposition plans that outline future government policy and call for a primary to pick a single candidate are steps in the right direction, said Steve Johnson, an analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

``Agreeing on the rules of the game is important because even if there are policy differences between leftists and right-wingers, populists and nationalists, they can re-establish how Venezuela should be governed. I think that's a positive step,'' Johnson said.

A platform proposed by the Democratic Coordinator coalition of opposition parties is careful not to attack Chavez programs to benefit the poor - saying those that work will continue.

The coalition proposes repairing relations with Washington, which have suffered under the leftist Chavez, and restructuring the state oil company that was torn down and rebuilt to the president's liking.

It also calls for a more traditional role for Venezuela's armed forces, which have been used to promote Chavez's social programs.

Chavez, meanwhile, is touting the benefits of his social programs. They include efforts to increase literacy, improve medical care, strengthen the country's infrastructure, and bring the Internet to remote areas.

Chavez has suggested that if he loses the recall, he can run again in elections that would be held within 30 days. Venezuela's courts haven't ruled on the issue.

``If Chavez runs in elections following the recall, the opposition will still have a common goal: defeating him,'' said Shifter. ``That helps preserve unity.''

Chavez allies disagree.

Whatever the outcome of the recall, ``the opposition coalition will break up,'' said Willian Lara, a ruling party leader. ``The internal contradictions within the coalition will inevitably come into play, causing a rupture.''

Even then, some have their sights set on the next scheduled presidential elections in 2006. Chavez vows to serve at least two more terms, or until 2021.

``Even if the opposition wins after the referendum, if the recall is successful, there is only a year and half to get things on track so that they can weather another onslaught by a nationalistic candidate,'' Johnson said.

***

Note: August 9th-15th is Venezuela Week of Solidarity, a week of events in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, and to tell the US and UK governments (who've already backed one coup against Chávez) to keep their hands off Venezuela!...

Most of the events take place at the rampART in East London  http://www.rampart.co.nr

Further info from  solidarityweek@yahoo.com  http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org

Chris Tootheker

Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

/regional publish include --> /regional search include -->

World Topics

Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Server Appeal Radio Page Video Page Indymedia Cinema Offline Newsheet

secure Encrypted Page

You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.

If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech