More crap from Chavez... September 18, 2007 Chávez Warns Private Schools Not to Resist His Inspectors By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CARACAS, Venezuela, Sept. 17 (AP) — President Hugo Chávez threatened Monday to take over any private schools refusing to submit to the oversight of his socialist government, a move some Venezuelans fear will impose leftist ideology in the classroom. All Venezuelan schools, public and private, must submit to state inspectors enforcing the new educational system. Those that refuse will be closed and nationalized, Mr. Chávez said. A new curriculum will be phased in during this school year, and new textbooks are being developed to help educate “the new citizen,” said Adán Chávez, the president’s brother and the education minister, in their televised ceremony on the first day of classes. Just what the curriculum will include and how it will be applied to all Venezuelan schools and universities remain unclear. More than eight years after President Chávez was first elected, the curriculum at most Venezuelan schools is largely unchanged, particularly in private schools commonly attended by middle- and upper-class children. Anticipating criticism, he noted that a state role in regulating education was internationally accepted in countries from Germany to the United States. “We must train socially minded people to help the community, and that’s why the revolution’s socialist program is being implemented,” said Zulay Campos, a member of a Bolivarian State Academic Commission that evaluates compliance with academic guidelines. “If they attack us because we’re indoctrinating, well yes, we’re doing it, because those capitalist ideas that our young people have — and that have done so much damage to our people — must be eliminated.” Adán Chávez said the goal was to develop “critical thinking,” not to impose a single philosophy. Venezuela has more than 160 universities and colleges, most of which maintain their independence. Leftist ideology is already part of the curriculum at seven state universities. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/world/americas/18venez.html?ref=world The tin-pot nascent dictator further gripping the country with his control, imposing his "ideology," whatever the hell it is. I feel sorry for the people of Venezuela. D&D. Impeach Bush and His Buddy.
I am finally starting to seriously question Chavez. Maybe he really is just becoming another dictator, albeit of a leftist nature. I have never been an unabashed fan of Castro, though overall I suppose he is in some ways as good as many of the right wing dictators we have supported throughout the years. It is lousy if the only choice is a dictatorship of the left or the right. Very strange in a way. I cannot think of another case in which a clearly legitimately elected democratic leader, with a strong majority, has done what he seems to be doing. So far what he is doing seems legal as he has the votes, but if you believe in democracy, which I do ,it is troubling. As stated, the opposition somewhat did this to themselves by boycotting the last election because they knew they would not win democratically , therefore they have no votes in the legislature, but still... Sort of reminds me of the Sunnis who boycotted the election in Iraq and thus have little representation in the assembly. We have certainly supported this type of takeover numerous times in Latin America and if he was a great friend of the US and our oil companies I think that we would be still supporting him and Bush would still be proclaiming him a democrat.. It is wierd that the original article which does not seem to have a working link is from January 07. I wonder is it completely legit. Has anyone else heard about this ruling by decree?. As far as nationalizing oil, and perhaps a few other industries I am not necessarily against that. The school curriculum for private schools is troubling. I had read that the private universities traditionally attended by the wealthy, who have done so little in the past for the majority, were hot beds of dissent to Chavez. Dissent which is certainly their right if not carried out to the coup level.
Dictators have nothing to do with ideology. You can have dictators on the left and the right. Chavez is looking more and more like one from the left.
Chavez has really screwed up. The thing about the schools reminds of the Texas State law that education had to show that Capitalism was better than Communism. Obviously it was worded different, but it was part of the law. When I found that out, I was furious. I was also in Jr. High. so it didn't really matter what I thought. This law by Chavez reminds me a lot of that, and it's a horrible thing to force ideology over real education.
Hopefully not. Here is the exerpts from an article that does not see the issue as resloved yet and may provide some hope for those who support many of Chavez's policies, but want democracy. ************* Chávez has even positioned himself as heir to Castro’s role as the world’s leading radical statesman, frequently visiting the ailing leader over the past year and modeling many of his social programs, or missions, on Cuba’s own programs. When taken in this context, accusations that Chávez may go communist appear more plausible. But the comparison wears thin beyond the shared rhetoric and close personal relationship between the two leaders. While Castro has never faced an electoral process, Chávez has won four elections with an average of 59-60% support. Chávez arranged referendums on the new constitution and National Assembly, and even allowed the opposition to hold a 2004 recall on his rule, which he won overwhelmingly. While an autocrat might have crushed coup members who ousted him in 2003, Chávez reacted with notable moderation. “He could have executed all the coup members. In the United States, attempting to depose a head of state is an executionable [sic] offense,” said Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, an independent non-profit research organization based in Washington, DC. To the contrary, Chávez permits a highly critical media (95% according to Birns) and an organized political opposition, neither of which generally flourish in autocratic states. However, in his eight years as president, Chávez has curbed some freedoms and centralized power. Insulting the president or another public official is now a crime, and some journalists complain that new laws promote self-censorship. The president’s party has a monopoly on the 167-member National Assembly, (the result of the opposition’s boycott of National Assembly elections last year), and New York Times writer Juan Forero calls the courts “little more than adornments.” Billions of dollars of the country’s vast oil wealth flows directly from the state-run oil company to the executive branch. Chávez says he respects the right to own private property but has expropriated several privately owned buildings in Caracas and allowed the homeless to live there as part of his Negro Hipolita mission, which provides housing and rehabilitation for substance abusers. He has also expropriated fallow farmlands and handed them over to the poor for cultivation, although his government has paid market prices or better for these properties. Many of the country’s wealthier citizens asserted prior to Dec. 3 that they would flee the country if Chávez were reelected. Four days after Chávez’s victory became apparent, Brian Penn, chief spokesman for the U.S embassy in Venezuela, said he had seen no spike in visa applications to the United States over the past weeks, however. Penn added that he could not answer whether the United States would grant emigrating Venezuelans asylum as it did for Cuban refugees fleeing Fidel Castro in the 1950s. Chávez Under Pressure? Interestingly, Hugo Chávez may be under internal pressure to advance a communist model. “One thing the election revealed is that there is a split going between the Chavistas,” said López. On one side are “radicals who are heavily influenced by the Cuban revolution and want a Cuban style system,” the historian said. They advocate starting with the confiscation of private property. According to López, this communist faction is led by the Energy Minister and chief of the state oil company (PDVSA), Rafael Ramirez, and the Mayor of Caracas, Juan Barreto. On the other side, are a group of moderates who seek “limited socialism and want to keep moving things the way they are presently going,” she said. “This faction includes Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel and Justice Minister Jesse Chacon.” “They favor expanding the missions and some changes to private property law, but for the most part want to leave capitalism alone. There is an economic boom going on right now and these Chavistas are now buying cars and houses and living on the East side of Caracas like Altamira,” López said. In her view, Chávez’s own position is a mystery. She describes the leader as hanging back, waiting to make his move. But there are some signs that Chávez may be aligned with the moderates. Earlier this year the mayor of Caracas, Juan Barreto, threatened to seize the city’s Country Club golf course, located in Chacao, the richest neighborhood in Caracas. Barreto said the course took up space that could be used for much-needed housing, and entered into a debate with the mayor of Chacao, who refused to allow the course to be confiscated. Differing from his earlier seizures of private property, Chávez stepped in and publicly reprimanded Barreto, insisting he drop his case. Capitalism Flourishes, Not Communism Ironically, many of Chávez’s supporters would probably oppose not just a departure from democracy but also a crack down on the free market. The reason for this is that the popularity of Chávez is in some ways connected to the consumer fervor taking hold of the country. http://news.nacla.org/2006/12/15/whats-next-for-venezuela/
When you control the voting appartus and you make sure you can be re-elected in 2012 and you suspend the Constitution for 18 months (with the option to extending it since you control the govenment absolutely), glynch, do you really believe he not a dictator? For a smart person, you can be so naive. Hitler rose to power much the same way. He was loved by Germans because he got the country off its back and on the road to prosperity.....then they couldn't get rid of him until Germany was destroyed.
I'm not sure the issue is so cut and dried. There is a lot of anti-Chavez propaganda about. You might be correct. The article portrays the issue as still in doubt. Chavea has clear strong majority support. Hitler if I recall never had close to majority support before grabbing authoritarian power. Ultimately we won't know until we see whether Chavez leaves when he does not get a majority support in an election or cancels elections etc. It will also be interesting to see if the opposition chooses to participate in a more democratic fashion.
Of course he will get a majority of support. He has silenced his critics and taken control of how the votes are counted. This guarantees he has a "majority of support." Before I left Houston in 2003 I had three legal immigrant Venezuelans working for me. They were definitely not rich but they were well educated -- and they loathed Chavez because he was opposed to democracy.
Does this remind you of the days when the U.S.S.R. had free elections -- but just one candidate per office?
I wish this concern on democracy was present, back in the 40s, 50s, 60's,70's, 80's, and 90s, when the right committed the most disgusting crimes against humanity.
I think its funny that whenever people criticize Chavez for being a dictator, all the other usually says (in general, not this thread) is, "but, he's so popular!" Like being popular has anything to do with anything. I mean, Hitler was pretty popular for a while in Germany too.
Good analysis of Chavez by his recent biographer I tried to edit it a bit to make it more readable. It addresses many of the isues raised in this thread. ********** Q & A With Bart Jones, Author of the New Chavez Biography "Hugo!" September 4th 2007, by Bart Jones - Washington Post Bart Jones, author of "Hugo: The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution," was online at the Washington Post website Bart Jones: Thanks for tuning in, everyone. Before we start, I wanted to say that Hugo Chavez's life story is straight out of Hollywood, and I've sought to capture all that drama and action in my book Hugo! I don't think anyone has fully told the Chavez story to date, and that's why I've written this book. He was literally born in a mud hut and rose to his nation's highest office. At 17 he gained entrance to his country's West Point, then later spent 10 years organizing a clandestine conspiracy in the military aimed at overthrowing what he viewed as a corrupt and repressive regime. He launched a coup in 1992, went to jail for two years, and eventually ran for president against a 6-foot-1 blonde former Miss Universe - and won. And that's just his life before the presidency. Chavez's story is a clear example of truth being more fascinating than fiction, and people have told me my book reads like a good novel. I also worked hard to gain access to members of Chavez's inner circle - including the president himself - and to leading critics in order to unearth exclusive stories and to set the record straight in instances where the public record until now has been inaccurate or incomplete. Love him or hate him, Chavez is a fascinating figure who has now emerged on the world stage and sits atop what may be the largest oil reserves in the world. It's time to tell his story in full, with all the gripping details most people know little about. Now, on to the questions! _______________________ Indialantic, FL: Most Americans seem to have the impression that Hugo Chavez is a dictator, despite the fact that he has been democratically elected many times over and is demonstrably very popular among Venezuelans. How do you think this misconception was created and why doesn't the news media do a better job of correcting it? Bart Jones: Well, my research into Chavez's life and his presidency did find that one side of the story is often emphasized -- namely the people who think he is a dictator who is turning Venezuela into another Cuba -- while the other side -- those who think he is the most democratic president in Venezuela's history -- is often underplayed. I think this is happening for a variety of reasons. Many reporters often either "parachute" into the country and stay at five-star hotels, or live in very exclusive neighborhoods. They tend to see the country through the eyes of the elites, and don't always spend the same amount of time in Venezuela's impoverished barrios where Chavez has his support base. There are also other factors why the voice of Chavez's opponents get heard more loudly than his supporters. The opponents are wealthy, powerful people who are well-connected in the United States. The supporters are generally poor, powerless people with few connections. One of the most remarkable things about Chavez is the dichotomy between how he is viewed by the majority of the population in Venezuela who idolize him and actually live in the country, and how he is viewed internationally, where many people believe he is a brutal and evil dictator. The majority of those folks have never actually been to Venezuela, but rely on media reports. I'm not sure why the media doesn't correct this perception of Chavez and present a more balanced portrait -- it's become almost an accepted fact that he is an evil dictator. My book seeks to present a more balanced approach, and then let the reader decide if Chavez is good, evil or something in between. _______________________ New York, N.Y.: How aware are the Chilean people of the boliburguesia, and how upset are those who are aware of these priviledged individuals? Bart Jones: I think you meant to say the Venezuelan people. I think many in the opposition are aware of the allegations that there is a "boliburguesia" or a group of Chavez loyalists who have made significant money from the Revolution. This is a topic that has received a lot of media coverage. I point out in the book that two of the major areas where many people -- even some of his supporters -- think Chavez has not done enough are crime and corruption. Few "big fishes" have gone to jail for corruption, in a country where it has long been almost endemic. Corruption is almost a way of life for some people in Venezuela, where the oil wealth has also had negative influences over decades. Chavez really has to fight a cultural battle to show people that being what they call "un vivo" in Venezuela -- a person who knows how to get over on the system -- isn't really something that should be admired. But it's a fair criticism that the government has not done enough to fight corruption, including within its own ranks. _______________________ Lyme, Conn.: Is there good data that can determine how much greater income has been provided to the poorer classes? How much have the economic policies in fact helped those we were the most disadvantaged? Bart Jones: There are some studies indicating that poverty during Chavez's presidency has dropped from 44 percent to 30 percent. These figures do not include the benefits poor people are deriving from various social "missions" Chavez has instituted targeting health and education, but rather count only cash income. The numbers originate from the government but are accepted by many international organizations. It also stands to reason that poverty has dropped, since the country has been flooded with dollars from the boom in oil prices. Chavez has redirected much of that money to the majority poor. _______________________ Toronto, Ontario: Hello Bart. [ _______________________ Philadelphia, PA: I'm sorry, this is the first I have heard of your book. Does it include any insight into Chavez's view of tourism as a positive long-term economic influence? I talk in the book a little about tourism in Venezuela, although more specifically about Chavez's view on the environment. Venezuela is a wonderful place for eco-tourism, with Amazon rain forests, Caribbean beaches, and snow-capped Andean mountains. It has the world's longest waterfall, Angel Falls. Yet Venezuela's eco-tourism and tourism in general was not well developed. Chavez, frankly, did not have a great record on the environment when he first came into office, and alienated many environmentalists by going ahead with a previously planned, big electricity project that sliced through the Amazon rain forests. Recently though he has come around a bit on the issue, and some are even calling him a "green president." He has handed out hundreds of thousands of energy-saving light bulbs for instance. Venezuela's tourism industry still needs a lot of work, but Chavez may start to realize the tremendous potential it has for diversifying the economy. _______________________ Reston, VA: Good to see that you have written a book on the current Venezuelan president. What do you think about Hugo's funding of the Telesur network to counter foreign world media in Latin America and what are your thoughts about the US Government getting upset by this venture (however leftist it might be) in freedom of media expression in South America? Thanks. Bart Jones: Well, Chavez obviously wants to counter what he sees as the bias of some international television networks, and it would seem that if he has the money to do so, he has the right to pursue that. The United States does a similar thing through the Voice of America, in the sense that it presents a particular viewpoint, so I'm not sure they are on solid ground if they complain. The issue of media freedom with Chavez is an entire topic in itself which I can answer in another question -- the RCTV controversy, etc. _______________________ Washington, DC: Thanks for chatting with us. I've been to Venezuela on business on a number of occasions, and I'm continually struck by the vast gulf between what life is actually like in that country and the kinds of stories we get in the press here. What accounts for this? Did you ever feel pressured by your editors to make a story more negative toward Chavez? Do you think other journalists do? It's mind boggling to think that many Americans think that it is a totalitarian state, when Venezuelan media and culture seem to be way more challenging of its leadership than we see here in the States! Bart Jones: This is along the lines of some of the previous questions. In response to the question about getting pressured by editors to write negative stories about Chavez, I can say that during the time I worked in Venezuela there was a generally negative environment among reporters when it came to Chavez. They groaned about listening to his long speeches, and often ridiculed his policies (I go into more detail about this in the book.) So there was a generally dismissive environment among reporters. I think many editors back in their offices in NY, Washington and London shared some of the same attitudes, in part perhaps because of the news stories they were receiving. Unless you go down there and roll up your sleeves and walk into the poor neighborhoods where Chavez is a hero to many, you won't understand the Chavez phenomenon. You have to report the other side of the story, too, obviously, the side where the people despise him, but the reality is the majority in Venezuelans support Chavez, and that has to be reported and explained as well. _______________________ Herndon, VA: It seems a bit unsettling that Chavez is essentially outlawing dissent. Bart Jones: Good question. I assume you are referring to the RCTV television case in which the government did not renew the station's license. I think this is an issue that deserves clarifying. Any time a media outlet gets closed it is reason to pay attention. However, the RCTV case is a little more complex than many people may think. This is a station that actively promoted and participated in a coup against Chavez in April 2002. I think the question is: What would happen if ABC, NBC, CBS or CNN took part in a coup against President Bush? The FCC would probably shut them down in five minutes and their owners would be thrown in jail. In Venezuela, RCTV kept operating for five years. When its license to use the public airwaves came up for renewal, the government declined to renew it, although it is still allowed to broadcast on cable and by satellite dish. So the RCTV case is a little more complex than first meets the eye. Beyond that, it seems the Venezuelan media is largely free to say whatever it wants about Chavez. People go on television and call him a dictator. In a real dictatorship, I think they would be sent to jail or lined up and shot. In Venezuela, they get away with it. So it seems hard to argue that dissent is being silenced in Venezuela, although there are clearly tensions between Chavez and the private media. _______________________ Seattle, Wash: Could we not accurately describe Chavez as a democratically elected president on his way to becoming a virtual dictator, through is efforts to undermine the Venezuelan Constitution and Legislature? Bart Jones: Well, this is an interesting question and a point that has certainly raised concerns among his supporters -- especially his calls for eliminating limits on re-election to the presidency. For many people that is raising some red flags. At a minimum, it underscores one of the fundamental weaknesses of the Bolivarian Revolution - the over-dependence on Chavez as the central figure, the one-man show aspect. Some think that if he were to leave the scene tomorrow, the whole project might collapse. On the other hand, the United States elected FDR four times to the presidency, and other countries such as France have no limits on the number of times they can elect their leaders. Chavez is also not decreeing or ordering this. The Venezuelan people will have to approve it in a referendum, and then vote him back into office. Then they could boot him out at any time halfway into his term through a recall referendum. So nonetheless this is a controversial move. So Chavez's proposal is not unprecedented, even though it is controversial and exposes some real problems with the process. ____________________ Freising, Germany: When I read that, "According to Chavez's former psychologist, he has a need 'to be listened to, paid attention to, admired, even idolized.'", I wonder whether Chavez's populist socialist politics are really aimed at solving poverty in the long term, or if he's simply catering to the Venezuelan poor with activities and services that increase his popularity in the short term, and then later start to run his country like an aging Robert Mugabe. Is there an indication that Chavez, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is investing Venezuela's petro-millions in Venezuela's future? Also, what do you think of Chavez's attempts to mediate between the Columbian government and the FARC rebel group (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/02/AR200709...)? I suppose that Chavez's leftist credentials make him the perfect contact person for the leftist rebels, but will he be able to use this relationship to put pressure on the Columbian government? Bart Jones: It's a fair question, with opinions all over the map. His detractors think Chavez is implementing half-baked 60s Socialist policies that failed elsewhere. His supporters think he is doing what even the neo-liberal Washington Consensus people and the folks who oversaw the rise of the Asian Tigers advocate -- investing in health and education to ultimately raise people's standard of living and improve the economy. The jury is still out on whether his "21st Century Socialism" will work. I think on the question of whether this is all just about Hugo Chavez basking in the adulation of his supporters and amassing power for himself, or whether he has a genuine interest in helping the impoverished classes of his country, is interesting. After interviewing the man a number of times over the past decade or so including extensive interviews conducted over a two-day period earlier this year, I think what ultimately makes him tick is this concern for the poor that was born of his own impoverished upbringing. He is on a mission to change his country and to change Latin America. It's almost an obsession. You may disagree with his methods, but I think it's hard to argue that he does not have a genuine concern for poor people and wants to improve their lot. On his intervention in Colombia, it seems like a gambit in which he could come out a winner. If he wins freedom for the hostages, he's a hero and a humanitarian. Even if he fails to do so, he may at least be seen as a humanitarian, albiet one without the clout to clinch a deal. _______________________ Caracas, Venezuela: Do you think there will ever be acceptance of Chavez by a large part of the upper classes? Do you think he will ever be able to give an open-air speech in the Las Mercedes part of Caracas? Bart Jones: Good question. Frankly, I doubt it. There is such visceral hatred of Chavez among many in the upper-classes that I can't see them ever coming to an acceptance of him. It isn't that they simply disagree with his policies. They truly hate and despise him. He provokes such heated passions among his detractors. Venezuela is extremely polarized and I don't know if the country will ever come together as one while he is president. It is sad in many ways. The irony is that Venezuelans generally are such fun-loving, warm and friendly people. But they are really at one another's throats now over Chavez. _______________________ Los Angeles, Calif: My wife is Venezuelan, and I have been there several times in the last five years. Chavez has three TV stations that air his propaganda 24-7, and he closed a TV station for political reasons. How could you say that he is a victim of the media? In Caracas, you cannot walk a block without seeing his face on a billboard. Bart Jones: It's true there is Chavez propaganda on the walls, etc. But for most of his presidency the privately controlled media, which dominates the market, was rabidly opposed to him and even sought to help overthrow him. The media in Venezuela has done things that most experts in journalism agree were way over the line. The owner of Venevision, Gustavo Cisneros, even recently admitted this. The government-owned TV stations for most of Chavez's presidency were small fry compared to Venevision, RCTV, Globovision and Televen. Today it has shifted to a degree with the closing of RCTV, but the opposition media in general in Venezuela is still alive and well, including most major newspapers and many radio stations. And again, RCTV was closed because it took part in a coup, not simply because it expressed opinions the Chavez government did not like. There is quite a difference there. RCTV never would have been allowed to continue operating in the United States or any other democracy in the world. _______________________ Kansas City, MO: But someone who likes to hear himself talk for hours on end (as on Chavez's Sunday talk show) and seeks executive powers to rule by decree even when his supporters control the legislature and praises Castro to the heavens seems like a wannabe dictator. You have met him in person. What's your sense? Is he at his core an autocrat or a democrat? Bart Jones: Well, he is a military guy, so there is that certain chain-of-command mentality. But you can also argue that Chavez is doing things that are extremely democratic, like giving power and money to grassroots "community councils," and instituting a recall mechanism which is the only one in the world apparently where people can recall a president from office in the middle of his term. Chavez and Castro clearly are pals, and Chavez sees him as something of a father figure. But there are clear differences so far between their political projects. In Venezuela, there are real elections. The media is generally free to say whatever they want - and often do, calling Chavez a dictator and comparing him to Hitler. The opposition to Chavez often holds large protest marches in the streets. I don't think any of these things happen in Cuba, so there are some real differences. Chavez also has not nationalized the entire economy the way Castro did in Cuba without compensation to companies whose properties were seized. Venezuela is still mainly a capitalistic society, although Chavez does want to introduce more elements of socialism. But it seems unlikely he will try to reproduce a Castro-style regime, in part because the Venezuelan people would never accept it. Of course, Chavez's project is still a work in progress, so no one really knows where it will end up. _______________________ Evans, Ga.: It seems to me that part of the public perception of Chavez stems from his willingness to criticize the US at virtually every opportunity. How differently would he be viewed if he toned down his anti-US rhetoric? Bart Jones: His rhetoric does not help him at times -- that is clear. Even some of his supporters say that. _______________________ Seattle, Wash: Thank you for your considered response. To further the question from Caracas, do you think there is any chance of Chavez turning on his own rhetoric, and beginning to embrace the (abandoned by all) middle class, the upper class, and the US as allies? We did create a welfare system in working condition, as opposed to the Cuban system he seems to admire. Bart Jones: I think Chavez could embrace the US an ally if the US also tones it down a bit. Chavez had decent relations with the Clinton admin. He told me in April that he hopes that whoever is elected the next president of the United States is a person with whom he can at least talk. I'm not sure about a reconciliation with Ven's upper classes, though some seem to be coming to some sort of peaceful co-existence with Chavez, such as billionaire Gustavo Cisneros. http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/2586
