Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- January 27

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

During his weekend visit to Colombia, President Chavez sent a message to all those held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). President Chavez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe recorded messages last Sunday, which were transmitted on Radio RNC yesterday. Chavez told the captives via radio to have faith and hope to live and fight for liberty, which is a divine treasure that must be guarded. Uribe, for his part, said he was convinced that shortly there would be no more hostages in his country.

Meanwhile, Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba has confirmed the liberation of six more hostages within the next fortnight. Cordoba broke the news after meeting Colombian Interior Minister, Fabio Valencio Cossio adding that she will be holding an important meeting with people from Red Cross International and the Brazilian Ambassador to Colombia, Valdemar Carneiro Leao next Wednesday.

Accion Democratica (AD) general secretary, Henry Ramos Allup says the only way to fight the government's publicity machinery is with direct activism in seeking more votes for the opposition. Ramos Allup dismisses current referendum surveys, which have the government leading and what he calls "other inexistent dangers." The opposition, the AD leader states, has guaranteed coverage in all electoral tables with "well-prepared" witnesses, such as students, professional people and civil sector members. However, Ramos Allup criticized some opposition leaders, whom, he jibes, have failed to make improvements in the quality of witnesses, stating that many times they rely on witnesses to care for their own party interests and not the whole of the opposition. When asked about the lack of propaganda on the part of the opposition, Ramos replies that it is a matter of lack of funds and he criticizes the National Elections Council (CNE) for not penalizing President Chavez for excessive use of government resources to advertise for the "Yes" vote. The opposition, the leader adds, must fight the PR disadvantage with direct activism and anyway, "the majority of Venezuelans accept the opposition's message."

According to leading government educationalist, Carlos Lanz Rodriguez, the opposition's main arguments against the constitutional amendment proposal is that people threw it out at the December 2007 reform referendum. Lanz Rodriguez points out that an amendment is not the same as a reform because the former consists entirely of modifying articles, whereas a reform is a major change and cannot be undertaken twice in the same presidential period, unlike amendments. When the opposition oppose the amendment, Lanz Rodriguez argues, they ignore the power of the primary Constituent force in Venezuela, namely the people of Venezuela, and its sovereignty ratified in the Constitution articles 347 and 5.

• The other argument used by the opposition is that Chavez wants to perpetuate himself in power, which is incorrect, because what the President is asking is for free candidature and election by a majority acceptance.
  
• Any comparison of Chavez with dictators, such as Gomez or Mussolini, Lanz Rodriguez ventures, is publicity spin.

The accusation that the amendment goes against alternability in government is also incorrect since the sovereign people can choose between distinct options, among which are officials currently in power. In other words, there is a big difference between nomination and re-election, which means that the person seeking re-election is just one more candidate but in the end, it is the sovereign people preserving its Constituent power that decides who will be elected. According to the thinker, Chavez can run for office again, but his victory is not automatically secured.

If it is true, as the opposition claims, that the President has been a useless governor, does not have the support of the majority of Venezuelans and that nobody wants him or defends him, then he has already been defeated in the ballot box.

Conclusion: The amendment seeks to widen the people's capacity to decide by appealing to the Constituent power consecrated in the Constitution. So the amendment corrects a block on the Constituent power and popular sovereignty currently existing in the Constitution which states that free nomination can only be made for one period in office.

Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) board member, Armando Leon says the Venezuelan State should review its public spendingand avoid new nationalizations because of the world financial crisis. Leon advises the government not to acquire companies which in three months time generate heavy losses and lose the capacity to pay its workers. According to Leon, Venezuelan crude oil is facing a situation of shortage because of oil prices and for that reason the government has to prioritize investments and associated costs. Another suggestion is to review imports letting imports of raw material, supplies, capital assets, food and medicines take priority over other areas.

President Chavez has announced an extraordinary meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative to the Americas (Alba) countries on February 2 to commemorate his 10 years in office. The Presidents of Bolivia, Nicaragua and Honduras are expected to attend, along with the Prime Minister of Dominica and Cuban Vice President, Carlos Lage. Chavez made the announcement during a radio program hosted by the Minister of the Presidency, Luis Reyes Reyes. The last meeting of ALBA was in Caracas on November 26 when the impact of the financial crisis on member states came under the spotlight. The group had planned to meet on December 14 but the meeting was postponed until the first quarter of 2009.

Cardinal Jorge Urosa has criticized what he calls a tendency to call a person who does not agree with the government an "enemy of the Homeland" and to expose him or her to public ridicule. The Cardinal says that one can defend an idea without disqualifying the other person and calling him an enemy of the Homeland. What is important, the prelate proclaims, is respect for the person, ideas, the Other's opinions and social harmony. The church is not interfering in politics, he declares, because the bishops talk about peace and social harmony as something so important as respect for the fundamental elements of the Venezuelan State in line with the Constitution. The Church, Urosa insists, is defending the rights of all Venezuelans to live in peace ... "that is the great vision we have from a social point of view."

President Chavez has stated that Venezuela will not allow oil prices to reach the six dollars a barrel level of 10 years ago when he arrived in office. Speaking on a radio talk-show hosted by Minister of the Presidency, Luis Reyes Reyes, Chavez warns that if it is necessary to cut 14 million bpd, then Venezuela will do it. Chavez also states that the government's management of oil prices has been coherent with the needs of the country, which has significantly benefited from high oil prices last year. The President forecasts that oil prices will increase, pointing to the current average standing at $35.85 a barrel, admitting that the national budget for 2009 was done pricing the barrel at $60.

Chavez maintains that Venezuela can guarantee resources to hold up imports for two years. The announcement was made after a Council of Ministers meeting. The President highlights the fact that last week the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) transferred $12 billion to the National Development Fund to fund social, economic and productive investment projects. A series of resources for agriculture, infrastructure and environment were approved by the Council and Chavez insists that the country's development will not be affected by the world financial crisis. Two new processing plants will be inaugurated today, a maize-processing plant in Guarico State and a plastic injection plant in Monagas.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick@vheadline.com