by Mike Gonzalez – Socialist Worker
The election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela gave hope to millions who want a better world. Mike Gonzalez looks at what has been achieved and where the country is heading.
Every Sunday at 11am, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez welcomes Venezuelans to “Alo Presidente” on the country’s state-run television and radio stations.
Everyone tunes in – some to rail against him, others to find out what political decisions will be made the following week. For most working class Venezuelans, what matters is that Chavez speaks and sounds like them.
But although many people see Chavez as a fighter for ordinary people, his Bolivarian Revolution stands at a crossroads. The old ruling class is intent on stopping fundamental changes. The new bureaucracy that has emerged in the revolution has developed its own interests.
Meanwhile the masses, while backing Chavez overall, are unhappy with the pace of change and the enduring power of the old elite.
Chavez was elected in 1998 on a wave of popular support. He had led a failed coup against the Venezuelan government in February 1992 and was imprisoned – but he won the respect of the poor people living in the shanty towns around the capital Caracas and other cities.
In 1989 they had occupied the capital in a violent protest against harsh new economic measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Caracazo, as it was called, was brutally repressed after three days, but in some ways it was the first act of the Bolivarian Revolution.
Nationalise
Venezuela’s oil reserves are among the world’s largest. Yet for decades, its enormous oil wealth enriched no more than 10 percent of the population. The supposedly nationalised industry benefited the multinational oil companies rather than the national economy.
The new Bolivarian Constitution of 1999 made some changes. It allowed failing elected officials to be recalled. It made education widely available, and established the right to healthcare and land for all Venezuelans. Most importantly of all, it promised to nationalise oil.
The old ruling class was furious – and it fought back. In April 2002 a right wing coup removed Chavez from power. Yet within 48 hours he was back.