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<a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/tariq12032007.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.counterpunch.org/tariq12032007.html<br><br>
</a></font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4><b>December 3,
2007<br><br>
</font><h1><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=5><b>Lessons for the
Bolivarians<br><br>
<br>
</i></font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=5 color="#990000">
Venezuela After the
Referendum</b></font></h1><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=5>By
TARIQ ALI<br><br>
</font><font face="Verdana" size=6 color="#990000">H</font>
<font face="Verdana" size=2>ugo Chavez' narrow defeat in the referendum
was the result of large-scale abstentions by his supporters. 44 percent
of the electorate stayed at home. Why? First, because they did not either
understand or accept that this was a necessary referendum. The measures
related to the working week and some other proposed social reforms could
be easily legislated by the existing parliament. The key issues were the
removal of restrictions on the election of the head of government (as is
the case in most of Europe) and moves towards 'a socialist state.' On the
latter there was simply not enough debate and discussion on a grassroots
level. <br><br>
As Edgardo Lander, a friendly critic pointed out:<br><br>
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<dd>"Before voting in favour of a constitutional reform which will
define the State, the economy, and the democracy as socialist, we
citizens have the right to take participate in these definitions. What is
understood by the term socialist state? What is understood by the term
socialist economy? What is understood by the term socialist democracy? In
what way are these different to the states, economies, and democracies
that accompanied socialism of the 20th century? Here, we are not talking
about entering into a debate on semantics, rather on basic decisions
about the future of the country."<br><br>
</dl>And this was further amplified by Greg Wilpert, a sympathetic
journalist whose website,
<a href="http://www.venezuelaanalysis.com/">venezuelaanalysis.com</a>, is
the best source of information on the country:<br><br>
<dl>
<dd>"By rushing the reform process Chavez presented the opposition
with a nearly unprecedented opportunity to deal him a serious blow. Also,
the rush in which the process was pushed forward opened him to criticism
that the process was fundamentally flawed, which has become one of the
main criticisms of the more moderate critics of the
reform."<br><br>
</dl>Another error was the insistence on voting for all the proposals en
bloc on a take it or leave it basis. It's perfectly possibly that a
number of the proposals might have got through if a vote on each had been
allowed. This would have compelled the Bolivarians to campaign more
effectively at grassroots level through organised discussions and debates
(as the French Left did to win the argument and defeat the EU
Constitution ). It is always a mistake to underestimate the electorate
and Chavez knows this better than most.<br><br>
What is to be done now? The President is in office till 2013 and whatever
else Chavez may be the description of 'lame-duck' will never fit him. He
is a fighter and he will be thinking of how to strengthen the process. If
properly handled the defeat could be a blessing in disguise. It has,
after all, punctured the arguments of the Western pundits who were
claiming for the last eight years that democracy in Venezuela was dead
and authoritarianism had won. <br><br>
Anyone who saw Chavez' speech accepting defeat last night (as I did here
in Guadalajara with Mexican friends) will not be in any doubt regarding
his commitment to a democratically embedded social process. That much is
clear. One of the weaknesses of the movement in Venezuela has been the
over-dependence on one person. It is dangerous for the person (one bullet
can be enough) and it is unhealthy for the Bolivarian process. There will
be a great deal of soul-searching taking place in Caracas, but the key
now is an open debate analysing the causes of the setback and a move
towards a collective leadership to decide on the next candidate. It's a
long time ahead but the discussions should start now. Deepening popular
participation and encouraging social inclusion (as envisaged in the
defeated constitutional changes) should be done anyway.<br><br>
The referendum defeat will undoubtedly boost the Venezuelan opposition
and the Right in Latin America, but they would be foolish to imagine that
this victory will automatically win them the Presidency. If the lessons
of the defeat are understood it is the Bolivarians who will win.<br><br>
Tariq Ali's</b> new book,
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184467102X/counterpunchmaga">
Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope</a>, is published by Verso. He can
be reached at:
<a href="mailto:tariq.ali3@btinternet.com">tariq.ali3@btinternet.com</a>
<br><br>
<br><br>
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