Venezuela

NOVANEWS by Stephen Lendman   Several previous articles said Venezuelans won’t tolerate going back to their ugly past. On Sunday, they proved it. They voted in record numbers. Long lines queued hours before dawn. Polls stayed open well into the night so everyone coming out could vote. Turnout was nearly 81% of Venezuela’s 19,119,809 registered voters. US elections usually get around 50%. Off-year congressional races average under 40%. From 1960 – 2010, the highest percentage participation was 63.1%. It was in 1960 when Kennedy defeated Nixon. The lowest turnout was 49.1% in 1996 when Clinton bested Bob Dole. In the off-year 2010 congressional election, a meager 37.8% participated. America’s electoral process lacks credibility. Duopoly power permits no choice. Big Money always wins. V...

NOVANEWS by jodymcintyre The day began at 3am, October 7th, when people in Caracas were awoken by fireworks and music in the streets for the day of the Presidential elections.  Twenty hours later, and with no sleep in between, a massive crowd that had spontaneously forced it's way into the grounds of Miraflores listened to the current President, Hugo Chavez, speak for an hour from the "People's Balcony".  After a day of peaceful voting, he had been re-elected by a margin of 54.5% to his opponent's 45%.  Henrique Capriles accepted defeated, and Chavez praised the decision in his late-night speech.  "They have recognised the truth," he said, "they have recognised the victory of the people." We had awoken long before the sun had risen yesterday.  In those early hours, as a festiv...

NOVANEWS The hidden agenda: Conquer Venezuela! By Adrian Salbuchi Global Research This Sunday’s elections will pit incumbent President Hugo Chávez Frías against neoliberal pro-US opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski. Opinion polls vary widely both ways, proof it will be a head-to-head race. This election is not only of vital importance to Venezuela, but to all of Latin America, as Chávez has been a veritable barrier against traditional US interventionism in the region. Get Chávez! That’s been the rallying call in the mainstream Western media, demonizing Chávez’s refusal to align Venezuela to the Western powers’ geopolitical objectives throughout the world, something the US and its allies find very hard to swallow. That’s why they’ve put all their clout behind young up-star...

NOVANEWS by jodymcintyre On the eve of the Presidential elections, here is an interview I made with respected Venezuelan political and sports commentator Reinaldo Iturriza.  His blog, 'saber y poder', can be viewed here:     The Presidential elections are coming up on October 7th, how do you see the chances of Hugo Chavez' re-election? I think the chances are very high.  Elsewhere, it may be a bit difficult to understand how someone who took office almost 14 years ago can be supported by the will of the people to govern for another six years.  The thing to understand is that these elections are not "normal": every time there is an election in Venezuela, the people are confronting two historical projects, the choice between two ways of Venezuelan society.  One of the...

NOVANEWS by jodymcintyre The skies have opened, torrential rain is flowing into Caracas and flooding the streets of the Venezuelan capital, but the air is still warm.  Seven immense avenues through the centre of town are completely full, as are every local neighbourhood I have visited today, every plaza, every Metro station, and even the roofs are occupied.  Today, just three days before Venezuelans are due to go to the polls for the Presidential elections, millions descended on the city from every possible direction for the final mobilisation of the Carabobo campaign for Hugo Chavez' re-election. It is difficult to know how to describe the scenes I have witnessed today, because it bears no similarity to previous experiences.  From the moment I went outside at 10am, I knew that the...

NOVANEWS Gregory Wilpert: Chávez dramatically reduced poverty and remains popular but must solve critical problems plaguing the country Watch full multipart Chávez and the Venezuelan Elections    Bio Gregory Wilpert a German-American sociologist who earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Brandeis University in 1994. Between 2000 and 2008 he lived in Venezuela, where he taught at the Central University of Venezuela and then worked as a freelance journalist, writing on Venezuelan politics for a wide range of publications and also founded Venezuelanalysis.com, an english-langugage website about Venezuela. In 2007 he published the book Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chavez Government (Verso Books). He moved back to the U.S. in 200...

NOVANEWS Gregory Wilpert: Nationalizations and reforms are popular but perceptions of government mismanagement are widespread Watch full multipart Chávez and the Venezuelan Elections   Bio Gregory Wilpert a German-American sociologist who earned a Ph.D. in sociology from Brandeis University in 1994. Between 2000 and 2008 he lived in Venezuela, where he taught at the Central University of Venezuela and then worked as a freelance journalist, writing on Venezuelan politics for a wide range of publications and also founded Venezuelanalysis.com, an english-langugage website about Venezuela. In 2007 he published the book Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chavez Government (Verso Books). He moved back to the U.S. in 2008 because h...

NOVANEWS October 7th election to decide future of Venezuela's 21st Century Socialism Watch full multipart Chávez and the Venezuelan Elections   TranscriptVOICEOVER: On October 7th, Venezuelans will return to the polls to decide whether they will continue down the path of president Hugo Chavez’s model of 21st century socialism, or change course by electing the first opposition candidate in more than a decade.   DAVID DOUGHERTY, CARACAS, VENEZUELA: Elections in Venezuela are less than a month away, and here in the capital city of Caracas, election campaigns are in full swing as they enter the final stretch of the campaign season. Most polling agencies indicate a solid lead for President Hugo Chavez, who will secure another 6-year term if re-elected. VOIC...

Venezuelan Barrios Vote for Chavez and Participatory Democracy Are Venezuela's Communal Councils an extension of central power or an explosion of popular power?       Transcript VOICEOVER: This is La Vega, one of the many barrios, or poor neighborhoods, positioned precariously on the sloping hills of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.   DAVID DOUGHERTY, CARACAS, VENEZUELA: Like in many urban settlements in Latin America, barrios like La Vega were built from the ground up, mostly by the residents themselves, in the absence of the state. People are proud of the communities they have built, but often encounter problems with basic infrastructure that can make life difficult, and at times dangerous. VOICEOVER: Areas like this section of La Vega called Carrete...

NOVANEWS by Jody Mcintyre Tens of thousands of supporters of the opposition marched and assembled in Caracas today, exactly one week before elections are due to take place. The atmosphere was peaceful, and people cheered as Henrique Capriles was lifted through the crowd. It made me think about accusations I have read about 'dictatorship' in Venezuela. It really is a strange type of dictatorship that allows many thousands of opposition supporters to gather, march and wave their flags. It is a strange type of censorship that allows the entire demonstration to be broadcast, live, via the private media that is funded by very rich businessmen. I couldn't see any police, armed or un-armed, in the vicinity; what an usual form of 'repression' they have here in Venezuela! At one point, a polic...