by Gustavo R. Gustavo Coronel Coronel
was director of Petroleos de Venezuela (1976-79) and Venezuela representative of Transparency International (1996-2000) and author of the study "Corruption, Mismanagement and Abuse of Power in Hugo Chávez's Venezuela" published by The Cato Institute (November 2006).
"This country will inevitably fall in the hands of tyrants almost imperceptible, of all colors and races "....
-Simón Bolívar.
is important that all Venezuelans know when and how a president who was elected in reasonably transparent elections in 1998 became one of the tyrants who predicted Simón Bolívar. This was not casual. The compilation
I present below are the major steps taken by Hugo Chavez to become a populist dictator. Forgive the length of the letter but I think it is worth presenting this chronological review.
February 4, 1992
Hugo Chavez led a military coup against the government democratically elected Carlos Andres Perez, which causes the deaths of dozens of Venezuelans. Chavez was tricked into the 440 soldiers who participated in this uprising, making them believe they were going to a parade militar1.
March 26, 1994
President Rafael Caldera decided to discontinue the case against Chavez and released him, along with his immediate accomplices.
December 14, 1994
Hugo Chávez visited Fidel Castro in Havana. Here begins the adoption of Castro and Chavez for structuring a strategy to take power through electoral channels. And Adam, his brother, a declared Marxist, had recruited confession made by Alan Wood2 interview.
November 6, 1998
Elections to congressmen and governors. Chavez candidates get eight governorates and 87 seats in Congress but are clearly in a minority compared to the 15 governorates and 168 seats in parliament not Chavez.
December 6, 1998
Hugo Chavez is elected president.
February 2, 1999 Hugo Chávez
violatorio3 an oath of Articles 4, 52 and 117 of the current Constitution, the Constitution to swear on a "moribund", the states which do not comply.
February 2, 1999
inaugural4 In his speech Chavez argues that this is not the time for the law but to the major political decisions. Issues a decree calling for a Constituent Assembly, which not only draft a new Constitutución but "transform the state and create a new judicial order based on a model different from the existing government." This decree violated Articles 3 and 4 of the existing constitution.
March 10, 1999
Without waiting for the outcome of that call Chavez issued a new decreto5, approved by ministers, containing the basis for the convocation of the Constituent Assembly. These bases violated Articles 3.4 and 113 of the current Constitution, in relation to representation proportion of minorities. This change in the electoral rules allowed Chavez to get the 95% of the seats in the Constituent Assembly with only 30% of registered voters.
In April 1999 letter to the Supreme Court Justicia6 Chavez was above the law, saying that "only the president has sole authority over the management of the affairs of state" by threatening retaliation if the judges do not legislate according to your wishes. He obtained from Congress an Enabling Law restricted the financial field, which allowed him to pass laws in 51 weeks without consulting Congress.
July 5, 1999
The congressmen Jorge Olavarria, in his speech independencia7 the day of, before Congress, other branches and the diplomatic corps in full, accused Chavez of violating article 150 of the present Constitution, to decide illegally promoting 33 members of the Armed Forces, which corresponded to the Senate. Olavarria asked prosecution.
August / September, 1999
The Constituent Assembly set up its own rules attributed supra-constitutional powers. Appointed an emergency commission to the judiciary, which proceeded to remove all judges, in violation of Articles 3,4,68,69,205,207 and 208 of the Constitution in force, naming temporary judges many of whom remained as such for years (and still are).
December 22, 1999
Constituent Assembly decreed the removal of government existentes8. The Human Rights Commission of the OAS, spoke against this medida9, arguing that "undermined the Constitution and impeded the normal functioning of public authorities."
December 30, 1999
Contituyente The Assembly approved a new constitution, which was subsequently made numerous changes, including a statement of reasons that were never approved by the Assembly and much less by the people. At one point there three different versions of the new constitution for the country rolling.
June 1, 2000
The Constituent Assembly passed a Telecommunications Act giving the Executive power over what might or might not spread by the media, which was a blow to freedom of expression in the country.
November, 2000
New Enabling Act gave Chavez the authority to rule by decree, issuing another 50 laws without any public discussion about oil, land reform and other issues.
February 25, 2001
The Inter American Press Society and the Committee to Protect Journalists denounced Hugo Chavez as the responsible for the lack of freedom of expression in Venezuela, accusing him of violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Inter American Democratic Charter of the OEA10.
November 8, 2001
The Military High Command spoke publicly in support of the "revolution" in open violation of the Constitution that was approved recently, which expressly prohibits political statement Armadas11 Forces.
November 21, 2001
The Supreme Court, under the political control of Chávez, stated that non-governmental organizations, NGOs, could not receive financial support abroad and that his policies were to be named in elections controlled by the National Electoral Council, cutting and freedom of association.
11 to 12 April 2002
After a massive public outcry against Chavez, milter high command refused to obey orders to repress the people Chavez and demanded his resignation, which, according to Lucas Rincón (now Ambassador to Portugal ), "accepted." A day after Chavez was re-installed as president by another military faction.
December 12, 2002
The Inter American Human Rights asked the OAS to intervene urgently against the deterioration of Venezuela12 rule of law.
December 15, 2002
In his program "Alo Presidente" Chavez ordered the military, governors and public servants ignore court rulings that contravene its decisions and decretos13.
February / March, 2003
Chavez fired in a grotesque act on TV to 18,000 oil technicians and managers of Petroleos de Venezuela who opposed the politicization of the company.
June 5, 2003
Petroleos de Venezuela, in clear violation of the Constitution, forbade foreign oil companies operating in Venezuela to work for the state enterprise employees fired by Chavez.
May 14, 2004
National Assembly with a simple majority vote, decided to illegally expand the number of judges of the Supreme Court from 20 to 32, in order to control this organismo14 politically.
December, 2004
SÚMATE managers were put on trial for receiving $ 53,000 from an American organization, the National Endowment for Democracy, to raise awareness among Venezuelan voters.
June, 2005
The National Assembly changed the Central Bank regulations Chavez permir use up to $ 5 billion of international reserves in current expenditure.
December, 2005
Opposition refused to participate in the legislative elections due to lack of transparency and bias exhibited by the National Electoral Council, which led to a 80% abstention in these comicios15.
January 14, 2006
Cardinal Castillo Lara Chavez denounces dictador16.
December, 2006
Hugo Chávez appears as winner of the presidential election for a further period of five years.
January 9, 2007
Reuters reports that Chavez has initiated a similar path to Cuba for his political project, calling the constitution of a party único17.
January 10, 2007
In his opening speech mentioned Chavez the possibility of indefinite re-election. The constitutional reform is to permit information shall be compiled and (Carlos Escarrá).
31 January / February, 2007
The National Assembly gives Chavez the authority to rule by decree on any matter, for the next 18 months. In one of his Sunday shows Chavez decides he does not renew the license of RCTV, which is totally arbitrary and illegal.
February 4, 2007
The military muscle-flexing parade in Caracas song "Patria, Socialismo o Muerte" and Chavez instituted an award to reward those who participated in the 1992 coup.
In short:
Hugo Chavez is just a petty tyrant more of the many who has been Venezuela, but we will very expensive!
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