Chavez’s New Election Strategy: Threaten Opponents with Jail
The current campaign is testing as never before the democratic nature of the Chavez regime, and so far it is flunking the test. The first example comes from within Chavez’s own rank and file. A primary was organized inside the PSUV but it quickly was shown as a way to impose in certain states the candidates that Chavez wanted. We saw for example the nasty expulsion of the Carabobo state governor, Acosta Carles, worthy of Stalinist days. Of much worse consequence was the highhanded manner in which the PSUV excluded from its nomination system its minor allies of the PPT and Communist Party, creating local divisions which could deprive Chavez of his very home state of Barinas.
The opposition of course did not fare any better. Early polls showed that some opposition leaders rode easily, such as Chacao mayor Leopoldo Lopez, who was a shoo-in to become mayor at large of Caracas. Through a political administrative trick in clear violation of the constitution, Chavez had these guys barred from running. For all the explanations and propaganda blitz, Chavismo failed to prove its point as even the European Parliament condemned what was obviously a violation of human rights.
Still, in spite of these initial setbacks, the opposition has managed to unite and run single candidates in most districts. Currently the opposition is set to win in Zulia, Carabobo, and Miranda, three main states which, if we add the Caracas metropolitan district, would represent almost 40% of the population of Venezuela. This would be very worrisome for Chavez even if he were to win the rest of the country, which is far from a given, as the rise of opposition candidates keeps being fueled by things such as the corruption of the regime exposed mercilessly in a Miami trial.
Chavez, after having invented yet another assassination attempt on him, has decided to jail notable opponents. (The dozens of previously claimed assassination attempts have resulted so far in no blood spilled nor any trial or convicted figure or even a picture of the plotters in the press.) Rosales, who ran against Chavez in 2006, is the last big name still allowed to run and thus has become his main target, accused of all sorts of conspiracies. Chavez has stopped measuring his words and before threatening Rosales with jail he called him “desgraciado” (without divine grace), which in religious Zulia is akin to biblical cursing.
Chavez is committing a major error here because if Rosales is indeed such a dangerous criminal, plotting against him to the point that Chavez must cancel his visit to El Salvador for an important Ibero-American summit, how come Chavez did not have him arrested in the eight years he has been governor? Has not Chavez controlled fully the intelligence apparatus since at least 2002, enough time one would presume to levy charges? We must thus interpret Chavez’s anger as him feeling that he is losing control of the situation. He might not be wrong, but he is barking at the wrong tree: the fall of oil and inflation reaching 40% will be his undoing much faster than any opposition politician can hope to be.
Maybe we should be calling for international supevision of Venezuelan elections. Obviously, they cannot run their own elections without coercion, hyperpartisanship, voter fraud, improper determination of eligibility, lack of proper intervention by governmental authorities (i.e., the courts), and corruption. What a typical third-world-country election.
Oh, wait….
The problem with Venezuela is that the poor are uneducated and lack skills, the middle class want to live like millionaires but don’t have the income, and the upper class do not invest in their country and their millions are spent abroad. Meanwhile, oil revenues cloud all the myriad internal problems and nobody knows how to fix them.
If the economy could bring him down, how have Cuba and North Korea remained under Communist control for so long?
If Mr. Obama wins this race, you are looking at the same kind of action in America in 2012 with the media blessing. Mr. Chavez is a socialist, Mr Obams is a socialist the policies and dictums are the same. 2012 we will be the Socialist Republic of America.
Never fear Obama is here.
Jimmy Carter supervised the election in which Chavez was elected. None of the votes from my wife’s family counted. Why? The did not register as a supporter of Chavez.
How does this apply to the current situation in the US? Hmmm.
Chavez also ran on the same platform as th”O”, redistribution of wealth through socialistic programs. Take from the wealthy and give to the poor.
With the nationalization of private business, Vzla saw a flight of foreign capital and industry.
How does this apply to the current situation in the US? Hmmm.
10 years of damage to Vzla with Chavez will be like 2 years of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid with a super majority.
Never fear Obama is here.
So isn’t this what Obama and the Socialist Democrats do as well?
Socialism doesn’t fail, it just runs out of other people’s money to give away. Why work when the pies are free. But when the pies run out, because the baker in now in line with all the rest of the people — And that’s when the bayonets come out, gulags are filled and assignations begin.
In Zimbabwe they redistributed the white folks farms, but forgot one thing. Having the farm did not mean you knew how to farm. And now they starve together.
This piece is pure McCarthyism. Exagerrating and overreporting few glitches on the glorious road to proletarian paradise is a typical pattern of the capitalist-imperialist powers you represent. Chavez is truth is a very open-minded, cultured, who is good friends with some of our best and brightest minds. Naomi Campbell is advising him on women’s issues,
Bill Ayers on education reform, and his good friend, famous movie star Sean Penn, watch hours of movies from Hollywood about conspiracy theories in the US government.
Obviously Sean Penn is advising him on how to make democarcy safe in Venzuela against the conspirators and anti=people powers.
And thus the leopard – I mean, Leftist – shows his spots.
Probably two years ago now, I had an argument about Chavez with a Leftist a-hat at the now defunct Captain Quarters. Chavez had just nationalized Venezuela’s oil industry, and I was arguing that the move – along with his recent moves against certain critical news media – indicated that he was just another Leftist totalitarian in waiting. The a-hat kept blathering on about how Chavez wasn’t a dictator and that he had a 70% approval rating, much better than “Chimpy McBushitler”. To which I responded (paraphrasing) with the following:
Hmmmm…don’t just love the smell of fresh-baked crow?
Oh…and guess who is a member of the directorate of the Miranda International Center, a communist think-tank funded by Chavez?
Bill “A Guy Who Lives in My Neighborhood” Ayers
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you! Always remember the following when you’re dealing with Obama:
There…don’t you feel better already?
njcommuter,
Chavez failed twice to obtain the level of control exerted by the leaders of Cuba and North Korea. First he tried to take over by military coup, he lost. Then, as stated in the article, he tried to have dictatorship voted in for him with the Constitutional election of 2007. So, because he doesn’t have that level of total control, the failures of socialism cannot be hidden. Both governments of Cuba and North Korea have the unwavering support of the military as well. Chavez doesn’t have that. In short, he never achieved the level of power needed to hide the economic failures his policies have brought.
Never fear Obama is here.
Do you think the “O” will acheive the power that Chavez could not? Pelosi, Reid, the media and a super majority. Who needs the military.
How much funding will the”O” route to the Miranda International Ctre.
Remember Chavez is a McCain guy.
Never Fear Obama is here.
This makes me wonder how BHO, if elected, is going to handle waning popularity or any negative stories about him, his cabinet members, etc., while in office.
What if, during his administration, charges of corruption, intimidation, malfeasance, etc., come up against him? How is he going to react to Congressional hearings, grand jury inquiries and possible impeachment proceedings?
The Politburo-MSM would be on his side as well as the Hollywood Leftist elites. In their world, any charges against BHO would be considered racist and discriminatory. US Americans just need to stand down and shut up.
The words “corruption” “intimidation” and “malfeasance” would be redefined to mean something far less egregious like “dishonest” “assertive” and “misconduct.”
George Orwell isn’t turning over in his grave; he’s wagging his finger at us and saying, “I tried to warn you!”
Lots of irony and sarcasm on this thread. it’s hard to keep track of who’s reallY serious. I kinda like it.
“Threaten Opponents with Jail”
“Thats, Chavez.”
“Spelled O.B.A.M.A.”
The wealthy long ago left Venezuela. Atlas has shrugged in that country. Hugo’s only chance of keeping power is shower $$ at the military and imprison anyone who is a threat. Standard commie operating procedures.
some version of that occurring here now during the election. speak up against a chavez-esque candidate and find yourself locked out by his hacker tech team.
Why Americans care about Venezuela? OIL.
dig here, dig now, and save !! screw chavez!
Vivo are you discussing the United States or Venezuela in your comment N°2? Funny how all of these Obama comments have come out, would that be because of things like Biden’s are yo joking comment, or the inability of either Democratic candidate, vp or pres, to exactly qualify and quantify what wealth is…250,or200or150…I think many middle class disaffected voters who vote Obama are voting for the free pies…however back to the article, Chavez needs to continue losing his power, and to have people get rid of him…let’s hope Obama doesn’t make it in, that will encourage Chavez to grab even more power and then Obama can justify his power grab the same way…
Why do Leftists “care” about Iraq? To win elections.
Why do Leftists “care” about American soldiers? To win elections.
Why do Leftists “care” about illegal immigrants? To win elections.
Why do Leftists “care” about blacks? To win elections.
Why do Leftists “care” about gays? To win elections.
From an American who lives Venezuela…It is going to be fun to watch the little republicans lose. It will be more fun to read their trite excuses.
Venezuela sooner or later will be rid of Chavez…just as America is about rid of Bush and the repubs for a few years
24. view from afar:
“Vivo are you discussing the United States or Venezuela in your comment N°2?”
What’s so complicated about “Why Americans care about Venezuela? OIL.”?
25. rvastar:
You sound like part of the ignorant and cynical FRINGE. This is what the bad Reps do to smear their own Party. Nobody rational votes for idiots like these.
Ain’t the whole idea of socialism great. Just give “me” what you have & shut up, or I will send in my attack dogs like I did when radio WGN aired a report about the Chicago Annenberg Challenge failure of Obama-Ayers, or the multiple lawsuits I filed to stop any discussion on birth certificates or commercials I disagree with, etc. Oops, that’s Obama not Chavez.
Oh well, like minded socialists are they!
Chavez’s time in Venezuela is about up, and Obama’s will be once his policies start to fail us like Chavez’s have failed Venezuela.
It took the German people years to realize what their National Socialist party one really was, just as it will take years for some of Obama’s followers to realize what he really is!
Now that Obama has won , will Chavez blame all his woes on him ?
will Obama ever sit down with a thug ?
will Obama even think of visiting Venezuela ?
I don’t think so
being a pariah state , with high levels of crime , high levels of murder , with an underclass full of hate and vitriol does not fit into Obama’s future agenda
“atheta ”
people like you , who profess their hatred for their country , are of no use to anyone
quit blaming everyone for the failures , do something about it for a change
it’s easy to be a critic , come up with a solution instead
Finally two countries in south America have shown us what democracy is. Morales and Chavez were both poor, not rich. Their policies help the poor, not the rich. Now, post Chavez, Venezuelans has free public heath care, and free education. Envious? They trade oil to Cuba in exchange for skilled workers, like surgeons. The blind can now see, the ignorant can now read, all thanks the Chavez. Of course the rich hate him, which is why the CIA, with Bush backing, sponsored them in a failed Coup in April 2002 to over-through the democratically elected leader. It didn’t work. The ‘people’ reinstated him.