Democracy In Venezuela

Edwin Sunsin
CPO 3304
Prof. Arraras
26 April 2012
A Weakening Democracy Under Hugo Chavez
The president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez has been president over 14 years and is one of the longest democratically elected Latin American president. Hugo Chavez has been weakening democracy in Venezuela but by not a conventional authoritarian where the president uses coercive force to its people to stayin power or only having one political party where it is illegal to run against the existing president such as Cuba and Argentina. Chavez uses a disguise democracy where in time has changed the political system and the constitution to his favor. Has ridiculed his opponents, censoring the media and civil liberties where in a democracy stresses the importance in a democratic state. Most importantlyChavez has increased control of the economy in order to remain in power. The Bolivarian Revolution leader is too smart to use conventional authoritarian regime but slowly but surely it seems that Hugo Chavez is leading that direction due to a growing opposition and as every authoritarian leader doesn’t want to lose its power.
To begin when you first take a look at the political system in Venezuelait has been a democratic state due Punto Fijo democracy where two political parties were recognized to run for government. That has changed with the latest president Hugo Chavez, when he came to power in 1998 he changed the constitution a year later which increased his concentration of power over the other branches of government. The new constitution destroyed the Senate and reduced the twoexisting chambers to one (Corrales 34). Since now he had to negotiate with one chamber he even went further to change the legislative branch by replacing the two-third majority to pass legislation to a basic majority vote and also “Chavez secured congressional approval for an expansion of the Supreme Court from 20 to 32 justices and filled new post with unabashed revolucionarios, as Chavistas callthemselves (34).” Hugo Chavez has used favoritism to put people that align themselves with him. Another concentration of power grab is over the military were the congress doesn’t have any oversight of military affairs and allows him to fire disloyal general and choose his friends align to his ideals (34). He has bought out the military by giving his fellow military land in exchange for his support.Hugo Chavez has centralized his power by all branches of government and I believe he will not stop securing his power.
Next Hugo Chavez has crowded out his competitors by using the constitution referendum. The presidential term has extended one more years which makes a serving term for six years instead of five years. One important change of balance of power in politics in favor for Chavez isthe acquiring control over the National Electoral Council (CNE) where this department oversees electoral affairs this brings a huge conflict of interest in the political system (Corrales & Penfold 102). In the recall referendum in 2004, Chavez faced huge opposition to vote him out but failed he won by a considerable votes. He won by 59 percent allowing him to stay in power (103). The Venezuelanpeople were in disbelief thinking that he would lose the referendum and some thought that he has won by fraud. The opposition has been discourage to run against him and his party. Also Chavez has used finger print machines on voting polls to scare the opposition by prosecuting them. After the 2006 election, Hugo Chavez had new plans implemented which
The first is full use of his 2007 enabling lawto change more than sixty pieces of legislation without legislative approval. The second is the creation of a “presidential committee” that will put to referenda such proposals as allowing the unlimited reelection of incumbents and attaching even stricter conditions to recall votes. The third is a redrawing of the administrative and political map to curb the influence of governors and ors. The...