Regional election campaigns heat up in Venezuela

TEHRAN,Nov.28(MNA)--Hugo Chavez’s October 7 reelection as the president of Venezuela is highly significant in the history of this South American country as the poor majority blocked the return to power of the neoliberal right. The election was also regarded as a landslide victory for anti-capitalist movements throughout the world. With 23 state governorships and 229 positions in local councils contesting for four years term, electoral campaigns have officially started since November 1st for the Venezuelan regional elections slated for December 16 and that 17.421.946 Venezuelans are eligible to vote in the elections. In the election the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which currently holds the major Venezuela’s states will contest against the opposition Coalition for Democratic Unity (MUD). Various other political parties are also running candidates. Chavez appeared on public television on November 1st and said: “Our party (PSUV) candidates a catapult … bigger than San Francisco Giants, and the revolution will triumph in the great majority of states in Venezuela.” Political pundits predict tight contests between the PSUV and its main rival MUD could be seen in Miranda, Zulia and Merida states, among others. Over the last 14 years, the Chavez government has rightly taken a giant step toward implementing socialist policies and he is determined to eradicate poverty and upgrade the living standards of Venezuelans. Toward Bolivarian socialist policies After winning the December 2006 presidential election, Chavez adopted new anti-capitalist measures. At his January 8 inauguration ceremony, Chavez argued that the goal of this new term was to “transfer political, social and economic power” to the people. To do so it was vital to dismantle the capitalist system. At the same time Chavez spelled out the main objectives of 21st century socialism required on three fronts: increasing social ownership over the means of production, encouraging greater workplace democracy and directing production towards social needs. In order to achieve this ambitious agenda, Chavez called on all revolutionaries to help form a united party of the Bolivian revolution, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). More than four million people joined the newly-established PSUV party in its initial recruitment drive, an obvious sign of the level of support for the initiative. Leonardo Buitrago, a Venezuelan journalist, told the Tehran Times that after the 2006 election the Chavez government carried out a wave of nationalization plans in oil, electricity, communications, banking, steel, cement, and food industries “as it tried to reassert national sovereignty over the economy”. “The promotion of grassroots councils was also an important focus of the Chavez government during this time,” Buitrago said. He said in 2009 the government took a further step by empowering the councils. Threats against revolution According to analysts, as the Chavez government prepares to start a new term in office, Venezuela’s revolution faces three main threats. The first is the threat from the U.S., which has recently made some gains in Latin America such as a coup against progressive Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo. He was elected president in 2008 and removed from office through an impeachment process in June 2012 which was deemed by neighboring countries as a coup. It should be reminded that the Washington’s open intervention against revolutionary governments and installing proxies is not something new. Venezuela’s revolutionary people and government must be vigilant and set aside their differences to foil all the plots orchestrated by the CIA in the region. The second is the revolution’s ability to deal with the twin problems of corruption and red tape. Overcoming these challenges will require greater popular participation through initiatives such as the councils and the push for workers’ control. The third challenge, which has become more evident since Chavez’s diagnosis with cancer, is the need to create a collective leadership. History will show that Bolivarian revolution succeeded in rolling back neo-liberalism and laid the foundation for a transition to 21st century socialism and Chavez has played a major role in the leadership of such a great revolution. The Venezuelan model can serve as a model for the regional countries which are seeking prosperity and social justice for the sake of humanity and poor majority. On December 16, people from all walks of life are expected go to polling stations to vote for those who truly deserve to be elected as the prospects for social justice and economic prosperity are promising. (By Ali Asghar Pahlavan)