After the referendum - Where now for the Venezuelan Revolution

by Matt - SP Tue Dec 04, 2007 13:17

Karl Debbaut, cwi, London
The constitutional referendum called by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela on December 2 has unfortunately and tragically resulted in a defeat. For the first time in nine years Chavez has lost an election. The right wing opposition will claim this victory as theirs. This defeat for Chavez will embolden and strengthen the rightwing and is a warning of the threat that exists from the counter revolution. 50.7% voted no to the proposed changes with 49.2% voting yes with 44% abstaining. In comparison to the last vote, the December 2006 presidential elections, Chavez lost 3 million votes winning 4 million for the yes vote. This was less than the membership of the newly launched PSUV which it claims stands at just over 5 million! At the same time the right-wing gained 300,000 votes compared to the election in December 2007.

continues here http://www.socialistworld.net/z_cgi/pf/pf.cgi?url=/eng/....html

by Timmytheman Tue Dec 04, 2007 23:20

Why all the gloom? The result of this referendum is every bit as much a triumph for the Venezuelan people as was the election of Chavez in the first place.

The people have voted for reform AND for limited government. When Chavez comes to the end of his term in five year's time and if the people still want further reforms I am sure that they will have a choice of populist and reformist candidates to vote for if that is their wish.

The people have shown great maturity in distinguising between reform and dictatorship. To be fair to Chavez, in accepting the result of the referendum in a reasonably magnanamous manner he has confounded his critics and has shown that he and his people have a chance of seeing Venezuela evolve into a mature liberal democracy and avoid the usual developing world pitfall of authoritianism of either far-left or far-right.

A good days work for the people.

by Barry - 32 csm Wed Dec 05, 2007 00:21

its clear the Venezuelan people were still unprepared for the advent of socialism . In 12 or 24 months time it may well be different . Its far from over at 2% , these proposals will return . Have no doubt about that at all .

by Timmytheman Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:51

What in heavens name is a referendum which would make Chavez "El Claudillo" for life got to do with "socialism".

And the word "unprepared" implies that the people of Venezuela couldn't be trusted on to exercise their common-sense unless they had been "prepared" (presumably by the likes of wannabe Pol Pot, Senor Cozens).

Nonsense the lot.

The people have spoken for reform and democracy. Prsumably, if Chavez tries to have himself made life-dictator again the people will repeat the message.

by iosaf .:. ipsiphi Wed Dec 05, 2007 23:03

Since the result of the referendum on constitutional reform of the Venezuelan constitution which for many took on the character of a plebiscite on the future leadership of Bolivarian socialism not only in Venezuela but throughout South America, I've been accused of both dishonesty & not being succint.

I have been neither dishonest in the role I hope to play over the years in english language indymedia spaces when reporting or commenting on the Bolivarian "revolution" or emergent "21st century socialism" in either Venezuela or other states of South America. I have been exceedingly succint & simple to the point of ridiculous humour in the way I attempted to explain the core issues which both brought said revolution to its popularly perceived (in Europe at least) peak & will continue to bring said revolution onwards through this "21st century".

I feel now :
*after watching one of the ex-wives of Chavez appear on live television last night in Spain to share her thoughts with an audience more used to glamour issues than socialism,
*after learning that the heir to the Spanish throne prince Felipe is in correspondence with Chavez following the tactless & utterly mismanaged incident between Chavez & the Spanish King,
*after learning that the Colombian state has followed up its release of evidence proving Ingrid Betancourt is alive which came immediately after cutting Chavez' role in mediation with FARC & Chavez' boasting of same whilst in Paris, that Sarkozy is now to mediate with FARC despite the families of those hostages wanting Chavez to continue & knowing some time somewhere i told you the USA under democrats do that triangle instead of war on the arabs
*after wondering how many times I used the word "cuadillo" & attempted to explain to you what it means in the language spoken by the people.
*after doing my best to let all of you know that when I wrote Hugo Chavez the man I was making it as simple as I could.
*after knowing that unlike Kirchner he has no wife to win the election in 2012,
*after considering with my colleagues in both Venezuelan socialist & anarchist circles the candidates for leadership of the Bolivarian revolution in 2012,
*after wondering how many Irish or British or Americans who have watched the documentary " the revolution won't be televised" ever sat through early, mid or late Chavez TV speeches or know anything about the corruption cycle which follows immediately after nationalisation know the price of milk in Venezuela or how much danger the whole project of emancipation & socialism in South America has been put by personality cult which only now lets you think there is a problem.

I have been insulted so many times over the years for getting it right. I'm used to it. Since the referendum or more precisely referenda - I've been accused (as all Venezuelan anarchosindacalists who I merely report, difuse or interact with) of siding with the CIA in some plot to stop your dreams.

Oh well, the CIA say Iran gave up its weapon program, & for what it's worth I've told you consistently over the last three years that there would be nor will ever be any war on Iran. No-one paid attention to me.

There are at present 5 possible candidates to continue the socialist program in Venezuela after 2012. There are at present multiple options to develop what was with little skill promoted as South American unity & bolivarianism throughout the continent. I very much doubt that single person in the English speaking world who can not grasp what I've written in the lines above & over the last years, the subtlety of the jokes "caudillo" - "the man" - "get a wife" can sincerely argue why more than twelve proposed reforms to the constitution ought to have been passed by the Venezeulan people . But naturally there must be some who think they got it wrong, or if not, the CIA made them get it wrong. Clearly, a nation which has gone from illiterate to literate in less than one decade in a revolution which wasn't televised but generated an average of 3 hours a week of one man in a red shirt getting up everyone's nose - needed the united effort of the CIA, south American anarchists & capitalist fascists to either say No! or just stay at home.

The debate above will probably work best on bar stools.

But if you can collectively come up with more than five candidates to run for the Miraflores in 2012 I'll buy you a drink. It's time for you all to take off your red shirts, take your leaders off your pedestals, & listen to the people.

Hugo "the man" Chavez last gurgling tonight - has blamed the lost referendum not on him, not on his style, not his mistakes but on the Venezuelan people.

http://venezuela.indymedia.org/es/index.shtml

yiz should have seen it coming. But relax he's not going to get assassinated now. Work out which of those reforms those people really need. Let them know. why don't you.

"we are all Chavez"............but are we really? terrible amount of pressure to put on one man - or woman. Be yourself.

by funderland on bananas & sugar sambos Sat Dec 22, 2007 20:34

Now just before you telling any vaguely French people you know that Ingrid Betancourt is free thanks to Super Sarko's first six months of a 7 year term of super power capitalism on viagra - Let me make it clear it was venezuela who sorted [(will sort in the next 45 minutes)] this out.

now observe Mr Chavez at the dual language empire thing -
BBC english - ..."Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said Central American and Caribbean states could pay for oil with services or products like bananas and sugar. Speaking in Cuba at the regional Petrocaribe summit of oil consumers and exporters, Mr Chavez said they were creating a "new geopolitics of oil". The group is not at the service of "imperialism and capitalists", he said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7155706.stm

now observe Mr Chavez at the dual language empire thing - here he is in the same red shirt releasing FARC hostages in close co-operation with France to spite US & Colombian state regional interests. Now stop observing Hugo & pay more attention to Sarkozy.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_7...5.stm