Venezuela Developments, January 2014

Our Venezuela Developments Newsletters for January 2014 brings very interesting analysis and information this month. An Editorial by our President Leopoldo Martinez, discusses the post December Municipal Election implications and outlook:

 

 "... the inevitable recognition of this electoral result by the MUD helps PSUV to move forward with a “varnish of legitimacy”, particularly because the opposition had no other choice than to energize electoral participation by engaging in this municipal election with a national campaign against Maduro that was somehow portrait as a referendum on his presidency. 

However, PSUV not only lost the most important capital cities in Venezuela, it had set backs in symbolic capitals regained by the opposition such as Barinas, the capital of the State of Barinas, which is Chavez homeland and where the governor is the brother of the late president. 

This reality has imposed on the government the need to promote a political dialogue with the opposition, and to that the MUD (through its parliamentary fraction and newly elected majors) has engaged. The Dialogue sessions were a great window for the opposition to broadcast its message across the nation, while advocating an agenda focused on the two greater problems Venezuela now faces: Security and the Economy; and for which Maduro and his cabinet have shown lack of initiative and ideas..."

 

Complementing such analysis, a report by our Fellows from Polinomics shows  that Venezuelans Support Price Control Measures, brings some key numbers for an assessment of the public opinion climate: 

 

70% approve Maduro's price control measures.

49% reject Government's plan to increase gas prices. 

80% reject a new devaluation. 

63% still see Henrique Capriles as Venezuela's opposition leader.

FOR THE FULL REPORT CLICK HERE

VENEZUELA DEVELOPMENTS, DECEMBER 2013

Editorial

Unprotected Property Rights in Venezuela 
By Un Estado de Derecho*
The right of every Venezuelan citizen to own private property is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is also defined and protected by several universal and regional human rights instruments ratified by Venezuela. Despite its constitutional and international recognition, in the past 14 years the Venezuelan government, by different means and with the consent of the judiciary, has implemented a systematic policy against property rights.

[FOR THE COMPLETE EDITORIAL CLICK THIS LINK]

The Inter American Commission of Human Rights expressed its concern over the assassination of José Chirinos and the arbitrary detention of Alejandro Silva.
November 30, 2013

Venezuela losing clout in region

November 30, 2013 (by Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald)

According to Oppenheimer, Venezuela’s influence in Latin America seems to be diminishing as rapidly as the country’s dwindling foreign reserves.

Latest measures seek to bring illegal forex to an end

November 30, 2013 (by Victor Salmeron, El Universal) 

Nicolás Maduro passed a decree to create the National Center for Foreign Trade and the Foreign Trade Corporation, which will allocate dollars for both the public and private sector and oversee the Currency Administration Commission (CADIVI), the Ancillary Foreign Currency Administration System (SICAD), the Foreign Trade Bank (BANCOEX) and all State-owned financial institutions. Also, the National Foreign Trade Corporation will choose companies from both the private and public sector to coordinate all aspects connected with import and export activities.
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Economic tsunami

November 30, 2013 (by Francisco Olivares, El Universal) 

The course taken by President Maduro heads towards radicalism and further state controls over the economy, on the pretext of an "economic war." In the meantime, indicators keep showing a crisis that seems unstoppable.

[TO READ MORE NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS CLICK THIS LINK]

Political Activist Alejandro Silva illegally arrested by Nicolas Maduro's Government

The political activist of Primero Justicia, Alejandro Silva, whom also acts as Henrique Capriles key organization staffer, is one of the detainees announced yesterday by the national president, Nicolas Maduro.

The governor of Miranda and leader of the National Unity Platform, Henrique Capriles, through his Twitter account reported that he was beaten and taken from his Hotel before he could travel to Maracaibo and continue the tour. Similarly, Capriles urged people to join the march scheduled for today all around the country.

This situation shows that the regime has rapidly turned into a more repressive government under Chavez' succesor Nicolas Maduro, as it was explained by CDDA President Leopoldo Martinez this week in Fox News Latino in his piece Who Really Runs Venezuela.

In a letter to all accredited foreign ambassadors in Venezuela, the leader of the MUD, Henrique Capriles Radonski, called on the international community to condemn Mr. Silva's arbitrary arrest and the increased political violence against the opposition in Venezuela. He called for "all necessary mechanisms to be adopted to halt these type of improper aggressions that harm Venezuela's democratic nature." He also demanded that Silva be immediately released by the Government.