Under Mr. Chavez’s system of territorial decrees he would also name all unelected vice presidents to govern these provinces in much the same way that the old British colonial masters foisted and thrust governors in their colonies. Mr. Chavez, like Mr. Spacely in the hit comedy show “The Jetsons” would churn out, fire and appoint at will any number of “vice presidents” without bothering to consult the working class and the poor that he claims to love so much.
And as if that were not all Mr. Chavez will control the treasury – including the Central Bank. That may be easier said than done because any precipitous action in this regard can have far-reaching effects on Venezuela’s financial system that is still controlled by the old financial oligarchs in alliance with their friends and patrons in Washington and Europe. Despite Mr. Chavez’s socialism they raked in record-breaking profits for fiscal 2006 and are set to repeat the same in 2007. They are not going to give up power just because a clause is being added to the constitution.
And what happens if all this causes internal friction and public unrest as it is bound to?
Under the proposed reforms Mr. Chavez can impose – without consultation with anyone – a state of emergency that carries with it the suspension of due process rights and allow the president alone to determine how long such a state of emergency would last. Such wide and sweeping dictatorial powers have nothing to do with socialism but with raw political power since these reforms in their sum would create the most powerful president in Latin America and in relative terms make President Bush look like a Sunday School teacher.
On this one Venezuelans should vote “no” because a “yes” vote would create a monster that cannot be controlled by democratic means.
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