Venezuela's chance to move forward

Posted on Thursday, 04.11.13
The Miami Herald | EDITORIAL

Venezuela's chance to move forward
By The Miami Herald Editorial
HeraldEd@MiamiHerald.com

Sunday's election in Venezuela promises to open a tumultuous new chapter
in the history of that South American country. For the first time in 15
years, Hugo Chávez's name is not on the ballot, but his presence is
everywhere. This election is all about him and the legacy of a
decade-and-a-half of misrule.

Under normal circumstances, in any democratic country, the electorate
would be ripe for a change after 15 years of upheaval that have brought
misery for many and created an exodus among those who could leave, many
settling in South Florida.

Chronic power outages, food shortages, devaluations, rampant crime,
corrupt government aided by communist Cuba — this is the legacy of Hugo
Chávez.

For Venezuelans, the choice is clear: They can move forward, restoring
the democracy that Venezuela once was, or they can watch their country
continue to deteriorate under a Chávez apprentice like the official
candidate, Nicolás Maduro, the hand-picked political heir and current
vice president.

Not surprisingly, the betting is that Mr. Maduro will win, and for that
the candidate can thank his late mentor. Over the course of prolonged
tenure, Mr. Chávez created a political machine that sharply curtailed
the possibility that the official presidential candidate could lose.

The way Mr. Chávez won election three times and consolidated his grip on
Venezuela is no secret. He controlled all the levers of political power,
including the council that makes the electoral rules, counts the votes
and settles disputes. He used the government's money and power to
promote his candidacy in a way that no opposition political figure could
possibly match.

He stifled the independent news media and systematically dismantled the
independent institutions that could restrain his power, including the
judiciary.

A onetime paratrooper and frustrated coup-plotter, Mr. Chávez stacked
the military leadership with loyalists and carefully watched over the
ranks to ensure that no one would try to topple him from power by force
of arms, as he once tried to overthrow a democratic government in 1992.

Finally, he made sure to woo the country's large underclass by
inducements such as free housing and by lavishing political attention on
them, though he failed to create a path to prosperity for anyone except
his political cronies, who got rich off government contracts.

All of this poses a virtually insurmountable challenge for Henrique
Capriles Radonski, an opposition governor and leader of the political
front arrayed against the forces of the government. Hundreds of
thousands have shown up at his rallies, attesting to the underlying
hunger for change.

Clearly, the playing field is slanted in favor of the Maduro ticket. In
an implicit admission of potential ballot chicanery, the government has
pointedly rejected any role for international election observers, such
as the OAS.

But even if he wins, success promises to be short-lived.

The 50-year-old former bus driver and union leader does not possess Mr.
Chávez's rhetorical gifts, wit or political skills. His limited ability
will be put to the test as the economy continues to deteriorate and
Venezuelans of all stripes become more restless.

Under this scenario, the political situation could degenerate swiftly.
The United States and other democratic countries in the region should
stand ready to denounce government abuses and support the advocates of
democracy as Venezuela enters a dangerous period.

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