September 30th., 2005

Chávez Speeds Up his Project

Summary:

• After a long silence, pots and pans resound anew.

• The military takeover of La Marqueseña Ranch was the detonator which broke the silence.

• Chávez ordered a Genetics Center to be installed there:  to start an agro-ecological project; to establish a military-training camp and that 25 % be left in the hands of its owners.

• He challenged others to run for the Presidency next year.

• Owners of La Marqueseña asked for the chance to prove the legitimacy of their titles.

• The fate of that property is sealed.  According to The Minister of Agriculture, it shall become “an endogenous production unit, managed by peasants supporters of the Revolution.”

• The next one in line was Polar, flagship of private business.  Chávez’s father took charge of the takeover of its installations.

• Polls show that 83% of the population supports private property.  Only 15 % accepts a Socialist system.

• The opposition’s unity:  a new element for the parliamentary elections next December.  Notwithstanding, many insist in abstention.

• Parties demand minimum conditions:  manual scrutiny of ballots; updating and publication of The Electoral Registry.

• Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that conditions exist for the application of The Inter-American Democratic Charter.  HRW is right, but Chávez has oil.

• A XXI Century Oil Prophet.

Aló Presidente (09-25) had special features.  For sure, it reached a peak of audience.  Both supporters and adversaries awaited him with interest.  Middle class sectors sounded protest horns, pots and pans, silenced for quite some time.  The stage was La Marqueseña Ranch.  According to Chávez, it had belonged to Maisanta –in his ancestry- with a heroic past in the domestic strife of a century ago.  The broadcast gained soap opera profile as –for the first time- it was not a monologue.  The President spoke for six hours sharing the stage with Carlos Azpúrua-one of the Ranch’s owners- sharing the stage.  The military had occupied the Ranch two weeks before, where they met Aspúrua’s  stern refusal to leave while arguing the legitimacy of documents accrediting ownership plus the fact of a high rate of productivity.  As reporters were able to verify, Azpúrua was practically kidnapped with no physical mistreatment.  The military only asked him to leave and he would reply that as co-owner representing other fellow-owners, he could not accept  this illegal, forced rip-off.   

Chávez launched the program with Joao Pedro Stedile from /  [Los Sin Tierra /(Landless)] / Brazil, at his side:  days later, an accord was signed between the two of them.  Chávez said he had spoken to Aspúrua:  he informed him that his property deeds had no validity, but he placed at his disposal a lot within the Ranch with clear demarcations, so he could go on working in it.  As Aló Presidente unfolded, he defined his concept of social latifundia –not in terms of expropriated land area but in terms of peasant exploitation.  In his traditional style of government –behind TV cameras- he ordered that a section of La Marqueseña become a state enterprise Centro Genético Forentino; another section to house the special management  of an ecological agro project; and other lands be reserved for military training.  He also ordered funds to be allocated for each project.  He spoke of other issues, namely, his UN Speech; his Bronx welcome;

His aid offer to poor communities in The U. S.; the possibility of a PETRONORTE, emulating PETROCARIBE; his pride in having placed Venezuela as one of the most respected countries in the Continent –opposite to the case of the hated imperial power”-; he reiterated his being a devoted Christian while he voiced his customary greeting to Fidel Castro, whom he qualified as “a Christian Socialist.”  He invited his followers to strengthen the majority at The National Assembly, to be elected in December and he challenged adversaries to run for The Presidency in next year’s elections.

Azpúrua confirmed the conversation with the President.  According to him, he told the Chávez that under The Rule of Law, he was asking for the opportunity to prove the legitimacy of his property deeds and to leave to The Courts to dictate –in keeping with established legality- the expropriation for the development of said Presidential Projects.  On 26 Monday, Azpúrua met with Chávez.  The President ratified the offer of adjudicating a parcel in the Ranch and told him he had ordered the military to allow access for him.  Azpúrua is planning to go to The Courts.  The fate of La Marqueseña is irreversible, said to a press conference the Minister of Agriculture and Lands:  “the decision was made to turn it into “an endogenous unit of production managed by pro-Revolution peasants.  In the framework of the Socialist, Humanist and Christian policy of the Revolution, some hectares of land will be given to the Aspúrua Family for them to toil it.”   

Chávez repeats his full support for the Minister from the beginning of land interventions.  He argues that private property is not sacred:  it is limited and it allows new notions, that is, collective property, our model on the way to Socialism.  This is the guideline for rural interventions countrywide.  Official reports show 37 farms taken over and 300 in the process of intervention.

La Marqueseña is emblematic of agro husbandry, second to Polar, as flagship of private business.  The President’s father, Barina’s Governor –lacking legal competence- assumed responsibility in the expropriation of installations.  Lorenzo Mendoza, Polar’s President said that he would go to Court to request  a reversal of the government’s takeover.  Chávez advised not to show anger and The Minister of Agriculture stated the expropriation of premises was a historic fact, a step in the deepening of Socialism,  The action vs. Polar is one of several affecting important industries.  They are taken over by the military for their expropriation or for them to join the co-management system.  Both at home and abroad there are voices raised which warn vs. the impact of these measures in private investment projects.  The Minister of Basic Industries and Mining  has replied:  “Within the government we feel that the country is fed up of tranquility signs given to the market and investors.  We have to give signs of tranquility to our people.”

Signs to the people are given through public expenditures based in oil prices.  PDVSA last figures show that Venezuelan oil exports may reach US$45 billion this year:  a big chunk of these go directly to the public purse.  Furthermore, government was authorized  by The National Assembly to dispose of a significant amount in international reserves.  There is scarce information on expenditures.  Neither Parliament, nor The Controller demand accountability.

OPINION AND SOCIALISM

Polls show:  30 %  receive benefits or expect to get them due to social policies.  This is the hardcore percentage of support for Chávez.  It is also those who say that the country has improved.  Chávez popularity is still high but 42 % believes things are worse.  Also, 15 % thinks it is right to bring a Socialist system to Venezuela.  83% supports private property.

In a scenario of extreme polarization, the country would be divided anew in two mayor blocs of similar weight.  Would this come into being in December’s parliamentary elections?  There is a new element, namely, unity of the opposition.  The abstention trend persists among non-Chavistas.  Parties have requested a minimum of conditions, such as:  an updating and publication of The Electoral Registry (ER) and a manual count of machine ballots.

SÚMATE  prepared a solid, objective document showing NEC lack of impartiality and its total subservience to The Executive; its behavior totally in violation of legality; facts questioning the reliability of automated voting and ER inconsistencies.  The government disqualifies SÚMATE and its leadership is indicted for having accepted NED  funds.  It seems the government is not going to heed opposition requests so it shall continue to benefit from abstention.  Officialdom announced that Chávez and his Missions would be the keystone of the electoral campaign geared to attain an absolute control in the National Assembly.  Chávez has said that The Constitution ought to be reformed.  He circulates a proposal by a magistrate –who is deemed to be the representative of Miraflores in The Supreme Court-.  It proposes to authorize the indefinite reelection of The President:  “he is the sovereign who is entitled to decide how long should a President stay in power; he may call it halfway in his term; he may extend it for consecutive terms convenient or necessary in behalf of the country’s interests.”  The Aló Presidente we started with, is loaded!  The Lt. Col. is interested in the total control of The National Assembly so as to give constitutional support to his Project of Government until 2030.

Human Rights Watch maintains that conditions exist to apply The Inter American Democratic Charter.  Lula and Kirchner disagree while showering praise on Chávez’s democratic process at South American Community Summit in Brasilia   El Tiempo (Bogotá) reports that Colombian presidential candidates praise Chávez or refuse comment.  Caribbean and Central American rulers receiving / hoping to receive subsidized oil show the same attitude.  The French Vice President came to Caracas saying that the political situation was excellent:  [Vice President Rangel told him so at an interview].  The trip’s objective was a goodwill act in behalf of TOTAL, a French Oil Co.  Other big oil firms have also set eyes on Venezuela:  the aforementioned are top Chávez lobbyists in five continents.

In the spacious ballroom of the 5-star Hotel in Caracas housing The Anti-Imperialist Congress –with delegations from the most diverse countries- a huge poster with Chávez’s face greets him as intrepid Comandante of Southern Peoples in their struggle vs. The Empire.  Human Rights Watch is right but Chávez has oil and he has been nominated to The Nobel Peace Prize.  XXI Prophet armed with oil, we’ve said in Venezuela Today.