Posted on 12/06/2005 1:35:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
CARACAS, Venezuela Dec 5, 2005 — Supporters of President Hugo Chavez vowed Monday to accelerate Venezuela's shift to a "new socialism" after claiming victory in elections that were expected to give pro-Chavez politicians all 167 seats in the National Assembly.
Several of Venezuela's major opposition parties boycotted the vote on Sunday, which had an estimated turnout of 25 percent and is likely to further polarize Venezuelan society. The country has been deeply divided by the leftist leader's rhetoric, his alliance with the Cuban leader Fidel Castro and his efforts to seize unproductive farms for poor farmers, start state-funded cooperatives and expand social programs for the poor.
"Silence united Venezuelans," said Gerardo Blyde of Justice First, one of several leading opposition parties that pulled out days before the vote, complaining the voting system could not be trusted.
The U.S. long skeptical of Chavez's commitment to democracy and his leftist policies cast doubt on the results.
"Given that rate of abstention, plus expressions of concern by prominent Venezuelans, we would see that this reflects a broad lack of confidence in the impartiality and transparency of the electoral process," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said on Monday.
Official results were still pending Monday, but internal tallies showed Chavez's party won 114 seats and the remainder went to aligned parties, said Willian Lara, a leader of Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement party.
That would give the party the needed two-thirds majority to allow it to amend the constitution. Some lawmakers have said they hope to extend term limits for all offices, including the president.
Pedro Lander, a newly elected congressman, said Monday the new National Assembly will aim to "deepen the revolutionary process more and more."
Chavez has accused the opposition of plotting the boycott with the help of the United States as part of a larger plot to "destabilize" the country. Both Washington and the opposition have denied the accusations.
The best and brightest are the greatest threat to a totalitiarian, socialist regime. They will not have the chance to escape. Venezuela will have killing fields specifically for the educated.
But, but, but Jimmy Carter said he is the properly elected, democratic leader in that country. There is no dishonesty
My next door neighbor in New York City is from Venezuela, and she told me many of the best and brightest (young college educated professionals like her) have been leaving for a long time.
The audience, of which many were refugees from various Latin and South American countries, was very negative towards the U.S.A. - yet this event took place in Manhattan - so they were enjoying privileges of this country while at every opportunity at every opportunity condemning its political system and policies.
He is also a tool of Ivanov and Putin, and their KGB/communist friends from Russia.
I guess the same old commies are still trying to undermine world freedom.
As of right now, China and the Former USSR are working in concert.
Zimbabwe has major weapon contracts with Russia. China and Russia are both working Africa and Latin America over to their favor.
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