To no surprise, Chavez wins the Presidential elections held yesterday October 7th. Capriles (the opposition candidate) won 44% of the people’s votes and Chavez won 54% of their votes, making this election a close race in a polarized country with majority of the population participating. His next six year term will begin on January 10, 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19867445
Chavez voters and Mision Ribas Workers
What does this mean for Venezuela?
More oil investment to fund the Bolivarian Revolution’s goals for continued social programs, more housing construction to eliminate the poor living conditions and large amounts of barrios, continued development in agriculture to end the country’s reliance on import goods, and restructuring of the police force to stop the rampant crime rates. This also means more state controlled development and less privatization.
Does this create a dependency model for the country that would otherwise be at the mercy of foreign capitalists?
I argue that Chavez’s social welfare programs have empowered people; 1.5 million people are now literate; 17% of Parliament seats are held by women (same percentage as the United States); 75% of the population has used free health facilities. Chavez has plans for the next six years to continue to have these growth numbers increase while adding new missions. My hope is that Chavez will use this next term to not only assist the marginalized populations with state programs but to change the national discourse surrounding political differences. Considering almost half the voters are ready for a leadership change, I think its important for Chavez to groom a new leader within the PSUV party to take over and continue the Bolivarian path when his six year term is up. Power for too long in concentrated hands can be dangerous, and by that time it will be necessary to find a new voice that can reach all the people and unite them as one country determined to continue growing.
Chavez Billboard in Caracas
"From the people and for the people"
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