"The foreign and multinational companies in our institution take no political positions in Venezuela. However, they are committed to democratic values and freedoms because they are based in nations where those values are firmly defended," VenAmCham said. The chamber has criticized 49 laws, including a land reform law, it said threaten property rights. It also denounced the existence of "mobs" and "irregular" labor movements that are "harassing" executives at large companies and attacking the local news media.
In the first half of 2002 political instability and the mismanagement of resources were blamed for a 7.1 percent contraction in GDP. According to government statistics, unemployment is 16.2 percent. Fedecamaras, Venezuela's largest business chamber, and the Venezuelan Workers Confederation have called a 12-hour general strike for Monday to demand early presidential elections.
Chavez has rejected demands that he resign or call early elections to resolve Venezuela's political crisis. He says the opposition can call a referendum on his rule next August or wait until the next presidential election in December 2006. [End]
There simply isn't a tradition in Venezuela, or Latin America in general, of classic liberal government. There is democracy, but it is being planted into populist or leftist soil.
The average people firmly believe, because this is their history, that if you have money, you did not come by it honestly. By now most people are disenchanted with Chavez, but what they believe is not heartening. They believe that he loves his country, and that he sincerely wants to help the poor, and the only reason it hasn't happened is that the bankers and the rich people who still supposedly run the country won't let him do what he wants to do.
So, as the country unravels, the fault is not Chavez', it is the fault of some cabal of rich folks who, in secret league with the US, have conspired to keep Venezuela poor.
If Chavez goes down by our hand, there is a certain percentage that would follow him into the bush to link up with the FARC. Mind you, I don't think he will go there, I think he is a big phony. But his true-believers will.
So when he goes down, we must be careful that it is the Venezuelan people themselves who do it. It is better to wait until the election and to either do it at the ballot box, if possible, or if the voting is demonstrably fraudulent, then a coup can be defended publicly.
He is incompetent, thank goodness, and every day he stays in office he alienates more Venezuelans. It is important that we are not the ones to take him out, or to keep him in. Venezuelans are populists, and they have their populist philosopher king, and it is important that this plays out all the way to its logical and tragic end. Venezuelans have often said that the answer to their problems was military rule. They have it, and its sad that at this late date they need this lesson, but they need it.
During the first coup, when Bush Sr made some vague remarks supporting democracy (and by implication the sitting president, who Chavez tried to overthrow) a friend told me, "I love Americans, but if Bush sends the Marines, I will fight". He was serious. I told him nobody cares what happens in Venezuela enough to send Marines, don't be silly. I should point out that, while the professionals I dealt with were deeply shocked and hurt by the coup, by the fact that it could happen in their country, the great mass of people supported it. Chavez was an instant hero.
The people wanted him, they got him, and we should not do anything about it, until the Venezuelans themselves are prepared to reject not merely him, but what he stands for. I don't think that day has come yet.