Venezuela election: Maduro's Socialists trounced
Source: BBC
The opposition in Venezuela has won a majority of seats in the National Assembly, overturning nearly two decades of dominance by the Socialists of President Nicolas Maduro.
Five hours after polling ended, the National Electoral Council announced the opposition had won 99 seats.
President Maduro has admitted defeat, recognising "these adverse results".
It is the worst-ever defeat by the leftist movement founded by former leader Hugo Chavez in 1999.
~ snip ~
Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35019111
Good luck to the Venezuelan people. Alas, it will undoubtedly take many years to fix their economy and find income sources besides petroleum.
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joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Venezuela could have proved the process. The boligarchs got in the way. Chavez was right about them.
ericson00
(2,707 posts)on my views in the US is because with Venezuela as an example, Hugo Chavez and his comrades were leading their country down a very dark, anti-freedom, anti-American path.
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)and the poor (made up overwhelmingly of indigenous and Afro-Venezuelans) who've benefited from Chavez's changes will suffer as a result. Not surprisingly, both major American political parties have supported dismantling what Venezuela's socialists had accomplished (even supporting right-wing violence and two attempted coups to overturn democratic elections) and the American goal of returning right-wing business interests to power has been a long-term project which is finally bearing fruit..
It will be interesting to see the American media establishment hail the elections results as "free and fair" since they got the results they desired. It will be telling if Obama's declaration that Venezuela is a threat to the national security of the US (a statement that should make any thinking person scratch their heads in confusion and disbelief) will be lifted since the conservatives have gained a bit of political power once again.
The Democratic Party represents liberal views domestically, but it has always been united with Republicans when it comes to supporting right-wing/conservative forces abroad and intervening in the democratic processes of foreign countries (i.e., regime change). I guess concern for the non-rich and marginalized communities ends at this nation's borders.
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/12/venezuela-elections-fraud-free-chavez-maduro-haiti-latin-america/
snooper2
(30,151 posts)May have to prove their worth now, to start-
Maduro can go back to driving buses
Yes to nyabingi
No to nyabing.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Even a cursory glance at his record will tell you he did far more to hurt the case for socialism than help it...
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)the backdoor machinations and schemings of the right-wing corporate elite and their US benefactors, and mistakes were definitely made. But you can't deny that the US has pretty much had a hit out on the Venezuelan government since Chavez took power. If you accept that as being normal then I think you need to reassess your idea of democracy and freedom of choice.
GGJohn
(9,951 posts)It's never the fault of the corrupt and incompetent Maduro govt.
Well, apparently the people of Ven., including the people who usually vote with the Chavista's, disagree with your premise that the US is responsible for the sad state of affairs in Ven., they laid it directly at the feet of Maduro, where it rightly belongs.
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)the socialist government in Venezuela since 1999, it's about time it paid off.
Are you at least willing to acknowledge that the US, both the Bush and Obama regimes, has been working to destroy the Venezuelan government since Chavez took power? If you're not, then you're not being honest and are just sticking to your pre-determined agenda regardless of the evidence.
So have we interfered or not?
Post your evidence that the Obama admin. is interfering in Ven. domestic affairs for all to see.
You really believe that the Ven. govt is not responsible for the massive loss they suffered at the ballot box?
You really believe that the US is responsible for the massive loss at the ballot box of the Chavista's?
You don't think it might have been the state of the economy that the corrupt Ven. govt created?
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)the fall in oil prices, the strategy of right-wing business interests to create artificial shortages of basic goods (some of these executives were sent to jail for doing this), and the workings of US-based NGO's to undermine the economy. I fault Maduro for not responding forcefully enough to the citizens who were engaged in outright treasonous actions against the elected government, for not imprisoning many of the right-wing youth who were engaged in violence and the destruction of property in the streets, for underestimating the resolve of the right-wing and their US allies to undermine their democracy. Maduro wasn't ruthless enough (yes, force would've been my answer to dealing with people whom you can't compromise with and don't respect the will of the people).
I think I've linked you some evidence before, GGJohn, but you're not going to pay any attention to what you fundamentally don't believe exists (i.e., the US government trying to reinstall right-wing business interests to power in the country). For someone who appears to know a little bit about foreign policy, I can't imagine that you've completely missed all of the information over the years detailing our efforts to derail the socialist movement in Venezuela. I suspect you've heard about the 2002 coup (and the US immediately recognized the briefly-lived coup government as legitimate, only to have to retract) and the one that was uncovered more recently.
You're playing dumb because you know I'm right.
EX500rider
(10,864 posts)Nonsense, that's totally the governments fault. You can't have rigid price controls and 100%+ inflation. The simple laws of economic profit and loss will dry up the availability of goods.
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)related to government activity or policy.
Federal agents discovered warehouses stocked full of goods that should have been in stores available for people to buy, but the right-wing business owners wanted to create long lines and dissatisfaction among the people. These are the country's rich and powerful deliberately working to bring misery to the masses of people because they didn't like the government the people elected.
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/telesuragenda/Economic-War-on-Venezuela-20150122-0033.html
EX500rider
(10,864 posts)....rigid price controls coupled with rampant inflation means you'll be selling under cost since you can't raise prices to match inflation.
So it's better not to sell till something changes or you can sell it on the black market or across the border, otherwise you are soon out of business. (selling under costs turns out to be a very bad business model)
Marksman_91
(2,035 posts)Controlled prices have always caused what Venezuela is going through right now. If you can't understand that and would rather listen to some bullshit article from a very blatantly chavista website, I suggest you go to your nearest college and take a course on Economics 101.
nyabingi
(1,145 posts)from American media sources is completely unbiased and doesn't have an pro-Western, pro-capitalist, right-wing slant? If you think that then you need to get your head checked. I know Telesur is financed by the pro-Chavez/Maduro government, but they tend to include information excluded in Western news sources (and they don't claim to be anything other than blatantly Chavista). Looking at both sides together, it's up to the reader to believe which makes more sense - my sources are as good as your's and I dismiss your sources with equal ferocity.
This discussion was not about controlled prices or any economic theories, but about the fact that the US and its right-wing Venezuelan allies have been looking to undermine the will of the people there for a long time. I trust that you can understand that and if you don't comprehend America's sordid history with Latin America, I suggest you go to your nearest college and take a course on Imperialism 101.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"... it's always the fault of the US/CIA right? It's never the fault of the corrupt and incompetent Maduro govt. "
No more and no less than the corollary of your impressive premise.
killbotfactory
(13,566 posts)
newfie11
(8,159 posts)fasttense
(17,301 posts)I don't think the peoople realize what is in store for them.
Let's hope the uber rich who are about to take control back are beigne dictators.
hack89
(39,171 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)At some point, reality has to trump ideology.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)After 17 years one has to expect to lose an election once and awhile.
Throd
(7,208 posts)
COLGATE4
(14,732 posts)so that only the ruling party has a chance to be elected?
Imajika
(4,072 posts)The Cuban model lol. Let's put 2 state approved communists on the ballot and let the people chose and call it fair.
You really believe the Cuban people would voluntarily vote for the Castro's for 50 years straight?
Throd
(7,208 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Throd
(7,208 posts)For the record, I'm a huge fan of democracy. Even when the results don't go my way.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Reter
(2,188 posts)Come on, you gave no indication you were joking. 
christx30
(6,241 posts)and their opponents are the Washington Generals.
Reter
(2,188 posts)Not here.
Marksman_91
(2,035 posts)It's not that hard to believe that what you said wasn't sarcasm, as sad as that may sound. There's quite a fair share of users in this site that actually support the Castro regime to a T, without even caring about how it's a blatant one-party dictatorship. Funny how they think democracy is great until it can get in the way of leftist regimes.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)and some basic knowledge of economics.
betterdemsonly
(1,967 posts)They surely are not going to move Venezuela off dependence on oil, furthermore the Saudis aren't going to end the old glut anytime soon. Their true goal was to harm Putin, who is more popular than ever, and to harm alternative energy giants like Elon Musk, not to mention stop the tar sands. This is a temporary set back, which will be reversed once the austerity kicks in and the oilygarchs entrench the oil economy more than ever.
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)~ snip ~
Marksman_91
(2,035 posts)Cuz those guys have made themselves multimillionaires throughout the years. There's a term for them that has actually caught on: "Boligarchs." And as long as those delinquents remain in power, Venezuela's situation is only gonna keep getting worse.
Marksman_91
(2,035 posts)Just go to Aporrea.org, which is a private blog where many prominent Chavista figures and writers have had their fair share of articles published, including Eva Golinger (the hag paid by the Chavista government) as well as certain political leaders, such as Chavez's own brother Adan. That thing is a MADHOUSE right now. Some of them are calling for both Maduro and Cabello to resign, others saying that the entire PSUV leadership should step down, and then the more delusional ones think that the opposition bought off the voters or some BS like that, and believe in the whole "economic war" bollocks. It's actually kind of entertaining! They just can't decide on whom to blame!
Also, this next part is interesting: http://www.maduradas.com/urgente-giordani-y-navarro-daban-declaraciones-explosivas-contra-maduro-y-llegan-colectivos/
So Jorge Giordani and Hector Navarro were two very prominent ministers during Chavez's years, and ever since they got kicked out of the government by the Nincompoop-in-Charge, they've been nothing but critical and merciless about attacking Maduro and his leadership. And then yesterday it so happened that they were having a little press conference where they were again criticizing Maduro's gesture and how that drove to the colossal defeat they suffered on Dec. 6th, and they were calling for a total sweep of the central government in order to save Chavismo. But then they were interrupted by a colectivo and effectively brought that little press conference to (some say they were ordered to go there by Jorge Rodriguez, another prominent chavista bighead and current mayor of the Libertador district of Caracas (where the PSUV also lost this last election, I should add.)
Here's another article with video included where the founder of Aporrea talks back at the colectivo thugs:
http://elperiodicovenezolano.com/abriendo-los-ojos-fundador-de-aporrea-enfrento-a-los-colectivos-video/
It certainly seems like Chavismo itself is now effectively splitting in two:
- Those in the top of the PSUV leadership who wish to only keep close friends and family in the government and keep enriching themselves while doing shit (Maduro and Cabello, for example.)
- Those who truly believe in Chavez's project and think that the current PSUV leadership is trampling all over it and think a whole new administration should take over and don't believe the bullshit that the country's problems are anyone but the central government's responsibility (most of the Aporrea.org people, Giordani, Navarro, et al.)
Looks like Madurismo is starting to be it's own thing now separately from Chavismo. And that is only gonna make it easier for the opposition to remove both tendencies from power. We'll see.
