Venezuela's opposition gains, but Chavez isn't defeated

The CNE - Venezuela Electoral Organization hasn't added the votes of the venezuelans overseas. I don't trust our CNE. I think that some electronic voting machines were tampered.

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Venezuela's Opposition Gains, but Chavez Isn't Defeated
Andres Brender-Beracha

The Venezuelan opposition recently made huge gains against the Goliath of Venezuela (strong-man Hugo Chavez). Chavez used all the power and resources the oil-rich nation has to buy votes and intimidate public workers—who account for more than a million people. He gave fridges, kitchens and appliances for free; and a day before the election, he rolled out a type of credit card that will allow Venezuelans to buy at the sate's stores and finance the payment—that is, if they're lucky enough to find what they're looking for, since in Venezuela it's easier to get a gun than coffee or napkins at times. When the opposition won a referendum and rejected a constitutional reform that Chavez wanted to promote in order to become the perpetual commander of the country in 2007, many said that it was the beginning of the end

Despite being an important triumph, he amassed more power in the subsequent years and will probably do so in the coming ones unless the opposition remains united and fight him—which they've vowed to do so. The oppositions is stronger and united, which is important, but Chavez, though less stronger, still has an important and big base of support. Not only the 48% of support that a single man has, but also all the branches of power. The good news though is that more and more Venezuelans are becoming very unhappy with Chavez's program for the country, which clearly is the destruction of the private sector—which creates and promotes employment—destruction of the federal state, of the production system... of the country itself, with the sole purpose to become the Fidel Castro of the 21st Century. The coming years will surely be interesting to see.

It wasn't only the absurd abuse of the nation's coffers that Chavez used in order to achieve the 2/3 he wanted to get in the Assembly—he controls all the branches of power, including the electoral one that allowed him to change the law and change the circuits for voting in favor of the states that are more "chavistas;" thus, when the opposition needs, for example, 300,000 votes in Miranda state—where the opposition rules; in the state of Delta Amacuro, which is chavista in its majority, they only need 40,000 votes to elect one member.

Given all these facts and the undemocratic behavior of the narcissist President, officially, the opposition—grouped under the umbrella of Democratic Unity Front—didn't win the majority of the seats (they won 65 against 98 from the PSUV—big gain nevertheless), but they prevented the strongman from not only acquiring 2/3 of the Assembly, but also the 99 members required to give him special powers and rule by decree.

Yet, more importantly, on the national vote, the opposition won 52% against 48%. This is huge, given the facts described before. But still, it is necessary to acknowledge that Chavez still has a strong support.

Despite the fact that the Caribbean nation has rampant crime, the highest inflation of Latin America, shortages of food and electricity, it is unbelievable, yet true, that a single man, after 11 years in power, still amasses 48% of the electorate—regardless of how many of these vote stem from pressure or fear.

When the opposition won a referendum and rejected a constitutional reform that Chavez wanted to promote in order to become the perpetual commander of the country in 2007, many said that it was the beginning of the end the authoritarian rule. Despite being an important triumph, he amassed more power in the subsequent years and will probably do so in the coming ones unless the opposition remains united and fight him—which they've vowed to do so.

The oppositions is stronger and united, which is important, but Chavez, though less stronger, still has an important and big base of support. Not only the 48% of support that a single man has, but also all the branches of power.

The good news though is that more and more Venezuelans are becoming very unhappy with Chavez's program for the country, which clearly is the destruction of the private sector—which creates and promotes employment—destruction of the federal state, of the production system... of the country itself, with the sole purpose to become the Fidel Castro of the 21st Century. The coming years will surely be interesting to see.