- On February 15, Venezuelans voted on whether to let presidents,
National Assembly representatives, governors, mayors, and state legislators
run indefinitely for re-election after Chavez last December proposed a
national referendum for constitutional change - so voters, not politicians
could decide.
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- Sunday they spoke decisively in favor by a 54.4% to 45.6%
margin with over 94% of votes counted. Chavez didn't win. Venezuelans
did for Bolivarian continuity and against oligarch dominance, no democracy,
and back to an impoverished state.
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- Since 1999, Chavez transformed Venezuela to what it is
today:
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- -- a Bolivarian republic based on "solidarity, fraternity,
love, justice, liberty and equality" beyond the "free-market"
model of worker exploitation for capital;
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- -- politically, economically, and socially changed; affirming
quality health care for all as a "fundamental social right and....responsibility....of
the state;" also education; affordable housing, food and other essentials;
pensions; the highest minimum wage in Latin America; land reform; job
training, micro-credit; free speech, ending discrimination, indigenous
rights, and much more;
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- -- a participatory democracy empowering people at the
grassroots;
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- -- a Constitution serving people, not elite interests;
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- -- using the nation's oil wealth for all Venezuelans,
especially those most in need;
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- -- overall, a government of, by, and for the people;
one that cares; an unimaginable one in America where freedoms are eroding,
wealth is sucked from the public to the powerful, and elections are reduced
to theater.
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- On February 16 at 2.41AM, Reuters reported that "Chavez
wins re- election chance in economy's shadow." Around the same time,
AP said "Chavez calls Venezuela vote mandate for socialism,"
and The New York Times headlined: "Chavez Decisively Wins Bid to
End Term Limits."
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- From Caracas, reporter Simon Romero wrote:
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- "President Hugo Chavez (won a mandate that) inject(s)
fresh vibrancy into his socialist-inspired revolution. The results (showed)
his resilience after a decade in power as well as (a) fragmentation of
his opposition....The vote (lets Chavez run again) in 2013, (and) could
bolster his ambitious agenda as an icon of the left and a counterweight
to American policies in Latin America."
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- "It also (poses) a challenge for the Obama administration,"
and a US president who claims that "Chavez has been a force that
has impeded the progress in the region....We must be very firm when we
see (that) Venezuela is exporting terrorist activities or backing malicious
groups like the FARC. That creates problems that are unacceptable."
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- For his part, before and after America's election, Chavez
offered friendship and conciliation, a change from George Bush's hostility
and confrontation, and a new page between two hemispheric neighbors to
advantage them both.
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- In Caracas, supporters were jubilant when Chavez appeared
on the Miraflores balcony in triumph. Thousands turned out. Fireworks
exploded, bugles blared, and people waved red flags, honked horns, sang
the national anthem, and shouted "Chavez no se va" (Chavez isn't
going anywhere), and "Viva Chavez."
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- Chavez answered: "Today we opened wide the gates
of the future....Truth against lies (and) the dignity of the homeland
have triumphed....Venezuela will not return to its past of indignity....Any
attempt to take us down the path of violence, by failing to recognize
the results of the people's will, will be neutralized....In 2012 there
will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless
the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate."
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- He read a congratulatory note from Fidel Castro quoting
Bertolt Brecht to Jorge Luis Borges, then declared Bolivarianism is re-
invigorated. "God grants victory to perseverance," he said. Even
Brazil's Lula told Germany's Der Spiegel that "Chavez is without
a doubt Venezuela's best president in the last 100 years," and an
opposition Venezuelan journalist admitted privately that he didn't trust
the old regime to take over again so he backed the referendum. One Chavista
agreed saying: "They're not coming back. This is another victory
for the revolution."
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- Romero also admitted that Chavez is "by far Venezuela's
dominant political personality" and immensely popular. Opposition
forces were subdued but not silent with Sumate leader Maria Corina Machado
saying: "This was a victory imposed by the abuse of state power.
This should not be seen as a defeat but as a national challenge"
ahead of next year's National Assembly elections. For now, she accepts
the results but not happily.
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- So did Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue,
yet his comments were hostile in saying: "Chavez's intention is clear.
He aspires to be president for life. He is convinced he embodies the
popular will and is indispensable to the country's progress. But his capacity
to pull this off is far from assured" given his ability to maintain
social spending with much lower oil revenues after prices fell around
75% and may drop further.
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- Pomona College professor Miguel Tinker Salas had another
view saying: "The greatest challenge the government now faces is
governing in the face of crisis and not falling into triumphalism."
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- Opposition leader Omar Barboza unapologetically denounced
the outcome: "Effectively this will become a dictatorship. Its control
of all the powers, lack of separation of powers, unscrupulous use of
state resources, (and) persecution of adversaries." Comments like
these are typical and a clear case of sour grapes.
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- In contrast, Louis Riel of Toronto's Bolivarian Circle
was joyful in "congratulat(ing) the people of Venezuela for a clean,
transparent, orderly, efficient, and DEMOCRATIC voting process that allows
ALL major elected officials to stand for election so that the people"
can decide up or down whether to keep them."
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- "This is an enormous victory for the people of Venezuela
who have once again shown their satisfaction and their confidence in
President Chavez, in his long term vision for the country (for) a truly
democratic, participatory, humanist, socialism of the XXI century....VIVA
VENEZUELA AND VIVA CHAVEZ!"
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- At 9:35PM Sunday, however, Venezuelans rejoiced when
National Electoral Council (CNE) President, Tibisay Lucena, announced
the results with 94.2% of votes counted - an impressive Bolivarian triumph.
Another defeat for generations favoring power over people. A hopeful sign
that continuity under Chavez will inspire others to take over when he's
gone.
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- Venezuela has 16,767,511 registered voters, 11,422 voting
centers, and 126 others in overseas embassies and consulates. Turnout
was nearly 70%. Voting proceeded smoothly with very few problems reported.
Polls opened at 5:30AM and remained open as long as people were in lines.
For the most part, they were short and moved quickly. Venezuela's electoral
system is a model democratic process, a far cry from America's sham one.
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- Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the Centre
for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
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- Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com
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