Venezuela captured the world’s attention after its presidential elections late last month. Replete with controversies, both opposition and international observers claimed the election was neither clean nor transparent, objecting to the victory of the current president, Nicolas Maduro. The incumbent Maduro apparently obtained 51% (6.4 million) of the votes compared to 44% (5.3 million) of the opposition candidate, Edmundo González.
Maduro has governed since the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013, who had also clung to power after assuming the presidency in 1999. Maduro, being the heir of Chavismo and current promoter of the failed ‘21st Century Socialism’ model, has been responsible for multiple political, economic and humanitarian crises, which have created tension in his Venezuelan foreign relations. Following these elections, Maduro broke off relations with Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay after they demanded a review of the results with the presence of independent observers. It should be noted that before the elections were held, the Maduro government barred many would-be observers of the electoral process from entering Venezuela. Among these were the former presidents of several Latin American countries: Vicente Fox (Mexico), Jorge Quiroga (Bolivia), Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (Costa Rica) and Mireya Moscoso (Panama). Adding to the criticism and disapproval from abroad is the discontent and protests at home. The volatility of the marches against the regime has been such that statues of Hugo Chávez are being torn down, a renunciation of both Chavismo and Nicolas Maduro himself.
In order to understand how Venezuela has reached this level of chaos and turmoil, we must understand its political archaeology. The Venezuelan political system underwent a sea change beginning in the 1990s. Previously, the country had a two-party presidential system for more than two decades. Presidential terms were five years long with no possibility of re-election until 10 years had passed after the end of the term. Beginning in 1992, the political system began to falter after the failed coup d'état orchestrated by the then military leader, Hugo Chavez. Chavez surrendered and was imprisoned for two years. The traditional political system completely collapsed during the 1998 elections, leaving the traditional parties out of the race and thus opening the field to new actors. Hugo Chavez stood on a socialist platform, while the former governor of Carabobo, Henrique Salas, led a conservative party backed by the traditional parties. Chavez was elected president with 56% to Salas's 39%. The results marked a new direction for the country and opened the doors to a regime that remains in power today.
In 1999, President Chavez called a Constituent Assembly which promulgated a new constitution that contained profound changes. The two chambers of the legislature were dissolved to establish a unicameral system, and presidential terms were changed to six years (with the possibility of consecutive reelection) which came into effect after the 2000 elections which Chavez won. After Chavez's death from colorectal cancer in 2013, ‘21st Century Socialism’ passed into the hands of Nicolas Maduro, who made sure to preserve the legacy of his predecessor by shielding the political institutions with the radical ideological discourse of the regime.
The current crisis that Venezuela is experiencing is due to the failed policies of the last two presidents who based their economic model on ‘21st Century Socialism’; a model that led to a decline in oil prices as well as causing crises within the country through currency devaluation. Furthermore, Venezuela has experienced a series of violent social changes in which political oppression, insecurity and criminalization stand out, causing a catastrophic exodus.
Adding to this political problem is the lack of consistency in the opposition leadership. This is due both to political persecution and lawfare, and to the lack of a project that lasts after each electoral cycle. Names of leaders like Henrique Capriles, Leopoldo López, Lilian Tintori, Juan Guaidó and María Corina Machado seem to be forgotten with each election and this may well become the case for Edmundo González.
This political crisis seems to have no end. The hijacking of institutions, as well as the use of force as a means of oppression by the regime, make it impossible to generate a deep impact through the traditional forms of action and change that are democratic participation and civil protests. What alternative actions should, or indeed can, Venezuelans take to get rid of an oppressive regime that has been in power for a quarter century?
Image: Flickr/Joka Madruga
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