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Editorial Commentary
Veneconomy:It is necessary to vote No!
VenEconomy rejected Hugo Chávez’ proposal to change the 1999 Constitution right from the moment he launched it in a nationwide networked broadcast on August 15.
VenEconomy considers that the origins of the presidential proposal are unconstitutional and that the proposal itself is a coup d’état against the Constitution and democracy. On top of that, it is a fraud against the Constituent Branch of Government that originates in the people, according to Title IX of the 1999 Constitution.
This unconstitutionality was made worse by the 36 articles and 15 temporary provisions arbitrarily added by the National Assembly.
VenEconomy’s rejection of the change to the Constitution is also based on the fact that the proposal seeks to erase what vestiges are left of a democratic state in order to impose communism and because it aims to centralize all power in Chávez as life-long president, apart from the fact that it destroys the institutional nature of the National Armed Force and provides the constitutional basis for merging Venezuela with Cuba and other countries.
Despite this, VenEconomy has avoided taking a stand in the Vote No or Not Vote debate, until now.
The reason for this is that it considers that both options are equally valid for delegitimizing the constitutional change the government is trying to implement, provided the majority of Venezuelans who defend democracy and the principles of freedom opt for one of the alternatives. It is clear that, if they are still divided when December 2 dawns, Chávez will get his way with very little effort.
In recent weeks, a number of events have tilted the scale in favor of turning out and voting No, among them: 1) a strong youth movement headed by the students with firm democratic principles; 2) emblematic figures from the government side who have decided not to follow the route of totalitarianism –the party Podemos, General Raúl Isaías Baduel, and President Chávez’ ex-wife, María Isabel Rodríguez; and 3) pronouncements in favor of voting No by different institutions of civil society, among them the Catholic Church, Fedecámaras and other business organizations, professional bodies and associations, the CTV, NGOs, and almost all the political parties and movements, including those who were most inclined to Not Vote.
Just a few hours away from the constitutional referendum, it would seem that the vast majority of Venezuelans have agreed that, despite electoral conditions that grossly favor the government side, and despite the government’s abusive use of the security forces and submissive branches of government, it is necessary to use the last shred of democracy left to say a resounding NO! to the constitutional change.
People also seem to have understood that the fate of their basic freedoms and democracy is in the hands of each and every Venezuelan on December 2 and the days that follow. Today, VenEconomy joins to clamor to Vote No!
VenEconomy is a Venezuela's leading specialized publisher in the economic and financial area. VenEconomy's Points of View on the issues of the day, as seen by VenEconomy during the last week. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.
Editor's note: This commentary was originally published by VenEconomy, on 11/30/2007. Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.
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Petroleumworld News 11/30/07
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