Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Brief Overview
Venezuela is located in Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana. The country that was once one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and Colombia) is home to 26.6 million people of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, and Indigenous decent. The capital of Venezuela is Caracas, the major religion is Christianity, and the official language is Spanish, even though numerous indigenous dialects are spoken throughout the country.
For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a controversial policy of "democratic socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability.
Venezuela has some of the world's largest proven oil deposits as well as huge quantities of coal, iron ore, bauxite and gold. Yet most Venezuelans live in poverty, many of them in shanty towns, some of which sprawl over the hillsides around the capital, Caracas. President Hugo Chavez says he is leading the country through a socialist revolution which is the main reason why Venezuela is an important concern to the today’s media.
Current concerns in Venezuela today include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.
This information was taken from the CIA World Factbook.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ve.html
About Hugo Chavez
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has survived a coup, protests, strikes and a referendum on his rule since coming to power in 1998. He is the subject of both adulation and loathing among his divided electorate.
Hugo Chavez has taken over from Fidel Castro the mantle of Latin America's leading opponent of the United States, which remains the largest customer for Venezuela's oil. Mr. Chavez, a former colonel first elected in 1998 on a populist platform, has carried out a series of steps that he says are reshaping his country's economy to match his vision of "21st century socialism." His goal is to nationalize the country of Venezuela by countering American influences in the region, or seizing control of the oil assets of American and European energy companies. Chavez proclaimed a "Bolivarian revolution," named for the hero of Latin American independence (Simon Bolivar) and proclaimed the United States to be a threat, in part because of its indirect support for a coup that briefly ousted him in 2002.
The president, who says he wants to create a new form of socialism, has pursued populist policies aimed at helping the poor. The programs include free health care, subsidized food and land reform. In early 2007 he was granted sweeping powers to rule by decree for the next 18 months. The National Assembly, which has been boycotted by the opposition, unanimously passed the law.
Mr. Chavez was expected to use his new powers to nationalize key sectors of the economy, assert more control over the oil industry and to raise taxes on the rich. His opponents say the law is an abuse of power and accuse Mr. Chavez of seeking to increase his power with an "authoritarian" proposal to scrap term limits and warn against plans to detain citizens without charge in emergencies.
This information was taken from The New York Times and BBC News.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/venezuela/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1229345.stm
Venezuela's Relations with Cuba
In many different ways, Venezuela warns the United States that Cuba is not alone. Responding to US President George W. Bush's threats towards Cuba on Wednesday Ocotber 24th, 2007, Venezuelan authorities warned that "Cuba is not alone." The US president called on the international community to prepare for a "transition" in Cuba and vowed to maintain the embargo of the island. Both Venezuelan and Cuban authorities rejected the statements, labeling them "imperialist aggression."
Here are some links that will further explain the relationship between Cuba and Venezuela:
- Hugo Chavez: The Next Castro?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/04/AR2006080401767.html
This article argues if whether or not Chavez is the next Castro. The article will make you wonder if "Chávez really have what it takes to assume Castro's place as the leader of Latin American anti-imperialism. Will he become a permanent pebble in Washington's shoe, as persistent and vexing as Castro, for decades to come?" Read this to find out!
- Cuba and Venezuela Deepen Alliance with More Accords
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2733
This piece of information shares the recent news about how President Hugo Chavez and Cuban leader Raul Castro signed 14 new economic agreements in order to strenghten their economic and political ties. Read this and also find out about their plan on joining the two nations.
A Weakening of Democratic Institutions
Human right activist Liliana Ortega, center, answers questions during a press conference in Caracas,
Thursday, Oct. 19, 2007. Venezuela's non-governmental organizations warned on Friday
that President Hugo Chavez's proposal to prohibit foreign funding for 'political associations' as part of
constitutional reforms could be used to financially strangle pro-democracy and human rights groups.
Since September 11, 2001, the Bush White House has taken a hard rhetorical line against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Its accusations have been numerous. The administration’s most oft-cited grievances, however, relate to Chavez’s democratic credentials. Washington maintains that the outspoken leader’s “Bolivarian Revolution” has assaulted democratic institutions and that, left to his own proclivities; he will turn one of Latin America’s oldest democracies into a full-force dictatorship.
Though most Venezuelans approved Chavez’s Bolivarian Constitution in a 2001 plebiscite, the endorsement does not nullify the presence of undemocratic undertones in both its content and implementation. Its principle features of populism, recentralization of power and presidentialism point to a divergence between the institutions it creates, and those associated with a conventionally pluralistic, liberal democracy. These ineluctable realities call into question whether the current Venezuelan system is capable of sustaining a truly free and secure democratic state.
This information was taken from The Council of Hemispheric Affairs.
A glass monument to revolutionary icon Ernesto "Che" Guevara was shot up and destroyed less than two weeks after it was unveiled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government. Police said they had yet to identify those responsible. The Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional published a copy of what it said was a flier found by the monument signed by the previously unknown "Paramo Patriotic Front." "We don't want any monument to Che, he isn't an example for our children," the flier read. It called Guevara a "cold-blooded killer" and said the government should raise a monument in Chavez's hometown of Sabaneta, in the nearby lowland plains, if it wants to commemorate the Argentine-born revolutionary (from Breitbart.com, Oct. 19th).
2007 Constitutional Reform in Venezuela
A Venezuelan man marches during a protest against constitutional reform in Caracas
October 23, 2007. Venezuelan students clashed with police firing tear gas on Tuesday
as they marched to Congress to protest President Hugo Chavez's proposed constitutional
changes to lift presidential term limits.
Demonstrators hold a poster depicting Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez that reads "Hugo I,
wearing a democratic suit" in Caracas, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007, during a protest agains Venezuela's
constitutional reforms that would let Chavez run for re-election indefinitely. Police tossed tear gas canisters
into the crowd after bottle-throwing clashes broke out with a smaller group of pro-Chavez
demonstrators near the National Assembly.
Students run away from tear gas while clashing with police during a protest against
constitutional reforms in Caracas October 23, 2007. Thousands of university students
scuffled with police and government supporters during a protest Tuesday against constitutional
reform package that would let President Hugo Chavez run for re-election indefinitely, among
other reforms.
On August 15th, 2007, President Chavez made headlines when he announced proposed reforms to the Venezuelan Constitution during a speech to the National Assembly in Caracas. If approved, the reforms would alter various sections of the 1999 Constitution, developed through a Constituent Assembly shortly after President Chavez began his first term in office.
Based on the national process of consultations with the Venezuelan people, 25 additional reforms were proposed and 11 smaller changes were made, for a total of 69 proposed reforms. The proposed changes will be sent to the National Electoral Council on November 2, and a national referendum will be scheduled for early December 2007 will allow the Venezuelan to either approve or reject the reforms. The major reforms of the Constitution include:
- Reform of Presidential Term Limits: Article 230 of the 1999 Constitution establishes that the presidential term limit will be of six years and that any president can be re-elected once. Under the proposed reform, the presidential term would be extended to seven years and any sitting president would be allowed to seek another consecutive term.
- Economic Reforms: A number of proposed reforms to articles 112, 113, and 115 of the constitution would expand upon these initiatives and formalize an economic model centered on social welfare and a diverse range of enterprises.
- Reform of the Central Bank of Venezuela: Article 318 details the responsibilities, rights and structure of the Central Bank of Venezuela. The proposed reform would mandate that the Central Bank and the executive, through the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Development, more closely coordinate efforts to implement policies that promote economic growth and development.
- Political-Territorial Reforms: A number of proposed reforms would expand and clarify the political-territorial boundaries (nation, state, municipalities and a federal district). These reforms would further decentralize political power, thus allowing communities the ability and resources to participate in democratic processes and employ national resources to identify and resolve local problems.
- Military Reforms: Three reforms of articles related to the armed forces are aimed at further securing Venezuela’s territorial integrity, bringing all branches under a unified command structure and better allowing the fight against drug trafficking and other illegal activities.
- Limitations on Rights during Emergencies: During the second round of debates, the National Assembly proposed a reform to article 337 of the constitution that would call for the suspension of certain political liberties during what is known as a “state of exception,” or national emergency. Articles 240 and 241 of the 1961 Constitution similarly included limitations on civil and political rights during times of national emergency.
There are other reforms that are subject to change and therefore will hold an impact on the country of Venezuela.
This information was taken from VenezuelaAnalysis.com
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/2764
More Photographs demonstrating the protest against the 2007 Constitutional Reform.
News related to 2007 Constitutional Reform in Venezuela:
- http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2757
Political Polarization and Politicized Military
While Mr. Chavez is popular with a majority of voters, Venezuelan society remains deeply polarized. His supporters credit him with channeling oil revenues to the poor through an array of social welfare programs. Critics, however, say his government is adopting measures that limit freedom of expression and lacks transparency in dealing with private industry. Alliances with leftist governments in Latin America, like Cuba and Bolivia, and outside the region with Iran and Belarus point to continuing political tension with the United States.
Drug-Related Violence and Increasing Internal Drug Consumption
A policeman arranges packs of confiscated marijuana in Cucuta, Colombia, on the border with Venezuela, October 24, 2007. "Colombian anti-drug police seized at least 7 tons of marijuana from an unidentified gang," authorities said.
In order to understand the drug problems the country of Venezuela is dealing with internationally, a couple of articles are provided and of which the titles are self-explanatory:
- Venezuela Dismisses U.S. Criticism on Cooperation against Drug Trafficking:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2615
- Venezuela Seizes More Than 2 Tons of Cocaine:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/newsbrief/2728
- Venezuela Increasingly A Conduit For Cocaine:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/27/AR2007102701426.html
- Venezuela drugs raid nets record haul:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/889254.stm
Overdependence on The Petroleum Industry
Venezuela's oil is exceptionally important to both Venezuela itself and to the rest of the world. As such, the army is regularly enlisted to protect output by defending installations, tankers and refineries. That's because oil is so important to Venezuela that it has also become a target for attacks. When protesters really want to make their message hit home, they target the oil industry.
Oil is indeed the lifeblood of the South American country's economy. Venezuela produces about three million barrels a day of crude oil, and exports nearly 80% of its produce. The country's ability to continue pumping oil also has wider implications for oil markets around the world.
Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter in the world, and supplies about 13% of daily oil imports into the US. The removal of any such significant oil producer from the supply chain is almost certain to squeeze prices higher. Secure supply is especially important at present, given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding supply from the Middle East in the case of a US-led war against Iraq.
It was 1921 when black gold was first discovered in Venezuela. Production surged quickly, and by the start of the second world war, Venezuela had become second only to the US in total output. In 1960, it was a founding member of the Opec oil cartel, which still controls prices by regulating the amount of oil pumped onto the markets by member countries. In recent years, Venezuela's oil output has begun to stutter, largely because of difficulties at the state-owned firm, PDVSA.
This information was taken from BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2549589.stm
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.