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The Chávez Legacy By Adriana Seminario
Recent presidential elections in Venezuela have caused conmotion not only in the caribbean country, but around the world. The recently deceased president and former militar, Hugo Chávez Frias, has left the country in a state of financial crisis, with an inflation predicted to rise 30% this 2013 and a heavily devalued currency; political convulsion, having nationalized private entities and institutions that are supposed to be independent in any respectable democracy; and placing Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as a dangerous and violent city, with homicide rates doubled since 1998 according to global politics magazine Foreign Policy.
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The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is located in the northern coast of South America and has an economy mainly sustained by oil export. Chávez took office in 1999, and implanted a series of social reforms and first aid assistance for the poorest, based on a populist support and a socialist ideology. Nevertheless, the increasing inflation, troubling insecurity and frequent devaluation of the Bolivar (official currency) has lead the country into a strong instability. Chávez succesor, Nicolás Maduro has won the 14th April elections under doubtful circumstances and a fraud claim from the opposition, leaded by former Miranda-state major Henrique Capriles Radonski. The opposition categorically denies the legitimacy of this electoral procedure, and demand a full recount of votes to clarify the situation, while oficialists remains undaunted and positive on their fair victory. The question is obvious. Was there a fair electoral process in Venezuela’s last elections? And if there wasn’t, what can this country expect from a new Chávez-ideology regime? Venezuela is the fifth largest oil-export country in the world with the second largest reserve of raw oil, after Canada. The 3 millions barrels produced per day by PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.) and the
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295, 400 millions of US dollars perceived by the country for this exports, place oil as the strongest economic sector. However, many economists observe with concern the high inflation of 22,8% registered this February, and the devaluation of 32% announced in January, which impacts directly the prices of a country that imports almost 80% of the goods consumed. A series of characteristics proposed by Enrique Krauze are appliable to Venezuela’s former situation. The idealization of a charismatic leader, the disemination of a fabricated truth, the use and abuse of the public funds, the encourage of social class hatred, the movilization and constant message using the state resources, the bitterness against a foreign rival and the manipulation of the democratic institutions.
Last April 14th was a matter of disturbance along venezuelan territory. The Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) announced the victory of the officialist candidate, Nicolas Maduro, by a difference of 250,000 votes. Nonetheless, early results loomed towards a victory for Henrique Capriles. The announcement caused street violence, protests and the death of 10 civilians.
Last April 14th was a matter of disturbance along venezuelan territory. The Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) announced the victory of the officialist candidate, Nicolas Maduro, by a difference of 250,000 votes. Nonetheless, early results loomed towards a victory for Henrique Capriles. The announcement caused street violence, protests and the death of 10 civilians. Capriles refused to recognize Maduro as the elected president of Venezuela, and demanded a full recount of votes to ascertain the results. International organizations such as UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) have validated the results, altought a big part of the population and the international opinion claims fraud. With a galopant inflation, a strongly devalued coin, worrying levels of crime and a country polarized in half by a doubtful electoral procedure, the panorama for NicolĂĄs Maduro and Venezuela, is truly discouraging. In my opinion, a democratic procedure to remove the actual government looks increasingly distant.