Hugo Chavez and Venezuela aim for one less political party than the U.S.
In a move that smacks of “Hey, we’ve seen this before,” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has begun moving toward having a single, pro-government party run things in poor-as-dirt nation.
Venezuela’s ruling party took the first step Monday toward creating a single pro-government party, a move opponents criticized as a push to consolidate more power in the hands of President Hugo Chavez after his landslide re-election.
Ruling party leader Willian Lara said the Fifth Republic Movement was being dismantled in order to merge with other parties in the new Unified Socialist Party of Venezuela. Before he was re-elected Dec. 3, Chavez proposed the new party to consolidate and unify a collection of loosely allied parties as he steers the oil-producing country toward socialism.
Critics argue the push for one pro-government party is strikingly similar to
Fidel Castro’s creation of a single party in Cuba in the early 1960s.In a speech Friday, Chavez said Venezuela needs a governing party that is “at the service of the revolution and the people — not at the service of the political parties.” He said parties will be free not to join if they wish.
“Those parties that wish to preserve themselves, they will leave the government,” he said.
Experts have battled over whether Chavez’s rule in Venezuela - where “finding food” and “winning Miss Universe Pageants” rank as top hobbies - have helped or hindered the population.
One thing is sure, however, this radical move by Chavez will anger many, even those in the U.S. seem to feel that two parties is one too many.
–WKW