OT - MP and other politicos, what's wrong with...

[Mr Punch]

Hugo Chavez?

Read a bit about what he does and has done, don't agree with some of his ideals but he seems OK. Also read a lot of unsubstantiated hate pieces, and a good article discussing why this may have come about.

Since MP, you seem to think he should be on the 8.5th circle of the Inferno, I wondered why this was exactly...

[Merryprankster]

During his time in the military he attempted 2 coups.

He has since gotten elected on a populist platform - well and good. I have no problems with this. The will of the people, etc.

However, since his time in office, he has:

1. Commandeered media time, ranging anywhere from 3 to 6 hours a day. He offers no such time to the opposition. A decidedly undemocratic practice. This is readily verifiable all over the place - it's a daily show!

2. He has massively increased government spending on pet projects while keeping interest rates artificially low. The result has been significant inflation, which hurts the very people he claims to be trying to protect/help.

3. More of his spending goes towards the military than to the people he claims to be trying to help.

4. Nepotism, nepotism and more nepotism.

5. In the last election, the opposition parties refused to participate, claiming that the elections were rigged. While the EU and the OAS both concluded the counts of the votes were accurate, there were widespread claims of voter intimidation, and both noted the Venezuelan turn-out was one of the lowest on record because of disillusionment with the process. In other words, the technocratic part of the process worked, but the intent of the voting process was probably subverted.

6. As an addendum to the above, there is a strong possibility that there is a list of who voted for whom - both the EU and OAS reports acknowledge this, as I recall. This list, as you might imagine, is used to blackball the opposition.

7. He got caught funneling money and advice to his preferred candidate in Peru. Imagine if Tony Blair endorsed a particular candidate in the German election

From the EU report:


"The most important private media adopted an editorial line of clear opposition to the government of President Hugo Chávez short after his victory at the elections in 1998. This situation of complete antagonism to the Government is counterbalanced by the fact that the President, under Article 192 of the Telecommunications Law, can order all electronic media,private and public the simultaneous broadcasting of free messages by the President himself, the Vice President, the ministers and other institutions including the CNE, (a practice known as cadena). This privilege, rather common in Latin America, is generally used in other countries of the region only under exceptional circumstances. In Venezuela however it is used instead in a very discretional and frequently; in the last two weeks of the electoral campaign alone for example, there were five cadenas broadcast without any specific threat to the security or the occurrence of emergency situations that might have justified them."

The entire pre-election environment was dominated by a further escalation of the polarization in the society, typical of all the last important electoral events of Venezuela. In this context of extreme polarization, the EU EOM noted the diffused mistrust in the electoral system and in the electoral administration manifested by wide sectors of society, especially the opposition political parties and various organizations representing the civil society. The high abstention rate that characterized the Parliamentary Elections, while confirming on the one hand the traditionally high abstention trend that has marked all recent electoral polls in Venezuela where the presidential position was not in contest, is on the other hand the demonstration that the disillusionment or disinterest in the political matters of the country is very deep and widespread encompassing also supporters of the pro-government bloc."

"The EU EOM further noted that the electoral authority of the country is perceived as a partisan and biased institution by wide sections of the Venezuelan society. The discussion on the role and actions of the CNE permeated in an excessive manner the entire electoral campaign, obfuscating any other traditional discussion on otherwise central political themes. The lack of confidence (with various degrees of intensity) in the CNE and the electoral system declared by all opposition forces has old roots, but it continues to be exacerbated by certain side effects of the Referendum process. It has in particular been argued that millions of Venezuelan citizens could see their political rights endangered by the misuse that has been made of their personal data and their political preferences through deplorable instruments such as Lista Tascón and Programa Maisanta."

Cont.

[Merryprankster]

"Interference of state officials in campaign activities and misuse of state resources for the campaign were observed in the majority of the States by EU EOM observers. Despite the LOSPP prohibition at this regard, various heads of municipalities were seen to actively participate in campaign events35, take a sudden active role in public works that could provide occasions for electoral propaganda, and emphasize the use of ferias and misiones 36. It was also observed that state means of transport 37 were used for campaigning. Attempts to intimidate the voters although perpetrated in a very subtle manner, remained a ubiquitous tool to pressurize the electorate by the majority of the political forces. The EU EOM received many reports on the use of the Lista Tascon and Programa Maisanta as being used as a tool to influence people to vote or in many cases to abstain from the voting process."

From the OAS:


"In particular, the Mission has observed that there remains a distrust of the CNE on the part of a significant segment of the opposition. This was expressed in terms of criticisms about its origin and composition, the perception that the opposition has of partiality and lack of transparency in the CNE's actions, as well as in relation to the controversial application of some aspects of election laws. Additionally, certain inconsistencies and gaps in the electoral law were observed, which reduced legal assurances and which suggest the need for a rigorous reflection on these laws."

Also, add this to the list: He has already asserted that he wants to remain in power longer than his statutory maximum (his maximum, I believe is 2 terms, but he said he would stay on until 2021), but is now proposing that he stay in until 2030. That came from Xinhua, the Chinese state news service, so no shouts about biased news reporting, thanks. It's all over the wires anyway.

The legislature has also changed the referendum rules from 20% of the population to 30%....they knew the opposition could gather 20%, but not 30%. I will admit to not remembering where I grabbed this.


Bottom line: I will believe Chavez is committed to democracy, and not trying to turn Venezuela into a banana republic dictatorship when he steps down IAW with the constitutional mandates or he is voted out of office. I'm not talking about "oops, I better leave or I'll get killed."

I don't care what his politics are. What I see is a guy trying to build a populist dictatorship. Two coups, increased power grabs, allocating himself time on the air, and IMO an intentional effort to keep the people ignorant and dependant on the state.