Venezuela Politics?

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benpaco
Who's gonna watch you die?



Age: 27
Location: California
United States

  • #1
  • Posted: 02/13/2014 09:12
  • Post subject: Venezuela Politics?
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Can someone try and explain some of the situation here? I'm not familiar with the situation in Venezuela as it currently stands, horrified by the news articles starting to come out about the shootings out there.
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TracyJacks



Gender: Female
Hungary

  • #2
  • Posted: 03/01/2014 22:15
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The opposition started demonstrating because of the big inflation, the lack of basic foods, and against the huge criminality, and in general for the abication of the President.
Nicolas Marudo, the president of Venezuela said that it is only provocation by the opposition which cooperates with the United States, and their goal is to ouster him from the power. Washington denies this. (not sure if I use the correct words here)
In February, three American diplomats were expelled from Venezuela, and last year, the highest ranking American diplomat named Kelly Keiderling was also expelled and went back to USA.

One of the main organizer of the demonstations if Leopoldo Lopez. The government says he is responsible that three people died. The opposition says that the government is responsible for the violation which followed the demonstrations.

However,the head of the opposition, Henrique Capriles doesn't completely agree with the demonsrations. He doesn't agree with the radical part of the opposition which wants an early parlamenty elections Capriles says the conditions aren't good enough yet for the abdication of the government.
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Jasonconfused
If We Make It We Can All Sit Back and Laugh


Gender: Male
Location: Washington
United States

  • #3
  • Posted: 03/02/2014 01:08
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Yea I don't know much but I find it really interesting that radical students are a huge part of this.
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satiemaniac





  • #4
  • Posted: 03/21/2014 20:46
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Just to pitch in a bit with a few points, trying to remain as objective as I can be, though I side with the government in place on all fronts but their kinda scary use of the military in trying to quell what protests are going on...

Leopoldo Lopez, one of the opposition leaders, worked to oust Hugo Chavez (Murado's successor, ideologically and position-wise, and the creator of "Chavismo," which is the rough political/economic outline that has been democratically elected by putting Murado in office) in 2002 in a coup that was ultimately reversed, so the government sees him as a bit more suspect because of that.

The student demonstrations and opposition demonstrations, though motivated by similar problems, have very different goals and should be distinguished better: the students have no goal of attaining direct political control of the state of Venezuela, though afaik they are critical of the government for their perception of it not doing what the people wanted.

The main accusation of corruption in the government is being lodged by upper- and middle-class groups who have taken the financial flak of government policies to redistribute wealth downwards under Chavez. Their main claims deal with the government's perceived preference for economic help for the poor (which is objectively very successful... Venezuela is actually a world model for poverty reduction) and the belief that the election was somehow fraudulent (though multiple international inquiries have come back with no objective evidence of tinkering). Many believe the government's policies are responsible for a severe economic downturn, though there are two important things to keep in mind: one, international media claims of imminent collapse are not founded in reality even a little bit according to the U.N. and World Bank, and many of the economic problems of the country can, depending on ideological slant, also be placed on the shoulders of U.S. politics in the region and Chavez's reactions.

Ultimately, there's little black and white, but I find it always best to figure out what's going on on the ground as well as to put it in historic context, particularly with a place like Venezuela that exists within a range of nations that have routine brushes with U.S. imperialist efforts, particularly in the 20th century. I highly recommend that anyone who wants a more balanced approach than the "failed state" narrative taken up by (most) U.S. media across the political spectrum check out the VICE videos on the protests.
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