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Editorial Commentary
Veneconomy:
What people want is democracy
The day afterAfter December 2, there will be no rest in the fight for democracy and individual freedoms.
If No wins, despite the endless obstacles mounted by government agencies and the government’s abuse of power, it will be the first victory in years for the Venezuelan opposition and the first defeat at the ballot box for the country project outlined by President Hugo Chávez.
Nevertheless, this is no time for those who believe in democracy either to crow or to sit on their laurels.
To begin with, on Monday, December 3, Hugo Chávez will still be the President of the Republic and he will still have five more years in office.
Besides, it has to be remembered that, after December 3, the debate between the vision of a democratic country and the proposal of a communist dictatorship will continue.
It should also be remembered that Hugo Chávez has proved to be extremely skilled at taking advantage of his defeats. He did precisely that on February 4, 1992, when, after the failed coup d’état against Carlos Andrés Pérez, he said his famous phrase “for now,” and again on April 14, 2002, when, after having resigned from the presidency three days earlier, he returned to Miraflores making himself out to be the victim of a failed coup d’état.
Nor is there any reason to think that Chávez will desist in his attempt to impose his project, moderate his language or make any attempt to reconcile the two visions the population has of the country in order to seek a middle path of coexistence where there is room for all Venezuelans.
It is also wise to remember that Chávez still has nine more months of the Special Powers Law, which will allow him to pass whatever laws he wants to continue moving ahead with his communist project.
Another thing that will not change after December 2 is the seizure of all the branches of government by the Bolivarian movement or their kowtowing to the President’s orders.
Chávez will also manage to continue controlling the majority of the governors and other regional and municipal levels of government and will continue to make use of the money in the public coffers at his discretion.
Even though all that is true, those who believe in democracy have no reason to be pessimistic. A victory for No would be the first step in a long journey towards the construction of an authentic democratic movement that fights for justice and the progress and freedom of Venezuelans.
Now it is time for the true leadership to mature, for everyone to be on democratic alert, and for each and every citizen of this country to start working to build democracy and forge their freedom.
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 12/06/2007. Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.
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Petroleumworld News 12/10/07
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