VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:
Speaking yesterday at the first ideological and practical workshop on Socialism and the third period of the Bolivarian revolution, President Chavez has referred to what he calls the "perfect strategy," of which the United Socialist Party (PSUV) is one of the key arms of the revolution. The President has warned mayors and state governments that any bad administration in office will damage the party and the process itself and calls for greater consciousness. Chavez urges party members to continue the battle for the referendum on constitutional amendment by creating commandos in each state and each municipality.
A key sector to convince and capture, Chavez insists, is the progressive middle-class that is " conscious, nationalist and intelligent" and that does not fall for the media's psychological warfare. Chavez has a message for those who say they are part of the revolution but have not joined, telling them to be consequent. The key issue for the new mayors and state governors, Chavez maintains, will be to improve the police forces by cleansing them of corrupt elements and introducing social intelligence gathering as a new policing concept.
During the workshop, President Chavez has made the creation of mechanisms to facilitate Socialist communes a key task. The strategic line is the building of a Socialist democracy and popular power, the President told new pro-government mayors and state governors. The communes, Chavez insists, are a chance to delegate functions and boost decision-making among citizens towards building and strengthening real popular power. That task is part of the first stage of the third period of the Bolivarian revolution, which starts in 2009 till 2019. Chavez argues that the third period must be marked by a successful transition towards Socialism ... "the mayor must be a facilitator and not the kidnapper of popular power ... popular power is the soul of national power."
President Chavez says the format for collecting signatures to introduce a constitutional amendment abolishing term limits for the presidency has already been set up and approved and he has announced that the amendment itself will be presented by the National Assembly (AN) to the National Elections Council (CNE). The President estimates that between February and March the process could take place, a little later than expected because of legislative timetables and electoral technical matters that have to be reviewed and respected. Chavez had hoped to have the referendum on the matter over by the end of January.
New Metropolitan Mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma says he will fulfill all the promises he made during the electoral campaign. His first act has been to issue a decree creating a security corporation and introduce more police and school patrols walking the streets to ensure public safety. Ledezma has set up a metropolitan council of security, which will have a former Police Detective Branch (CICPC) chief, Fermin Marmol Leon as its director. The new mayor calls on the government to return to his office the running of the Metropolitan Police (PM) so that he can confront criminality head on. However, there is fat chance of the latter happening, especially after the PM's highly questioned role during the fatal days of the coup against President Chavez on April 11-13, 2002 and the government's determination to set up a national police force.
The new Mayor of the Caracas municipality of Sucre, Carlos Ocariz organized a special garbage collection campaign on Sunday and ordered the removal of all electoral propaganda. The new mayor complains that 16 garbage trucks were taken out of the municipality on November 24, which caused an accumulation of garbage bins throughout the municipality. Since he has taken office, Ocariz declares that around 25,000 tonnes of garbage has been collected and 48 trucks to get rid of the garbage, adding that he hopes to build a local sewerage treatment plant as well. Today, the mayor will attempt to tackle potholes, filling in 4,500 of the 9,000 existing potholes. As regards public security, which was a major ticket on his electoral program, Ocariz has announced more police patrols on foot to strengthen existing measures.
It would appear the opposition politicians elected to public office are attempting to make a showcase of public security, garbage collections and health measures. Although they had promised to maintain the government's Barrio Adentro health programme, some municipalities have seen the new authorities setting up special health campaigns to put the spotlight on some of the deficiencies that have crept into the government programme. Miranda State Governor, Enrique Capriles Radonski has made the restoration of public hospitals a major policy decision to offset the success of the government's health schemes.
President Chavez himself has warned the new opposition authorities that he will not accept the hiring or presence of any foreign consultants or advisers on police matters, municipal management or health programs.
In the battle for the hearts and minds of Caracas citizens, pro-government mayor of the Caracas Libertador municipality, Jorge Rodriguez has launched a special garbage collection campaign, which has had positive results, according to the neighbors living in Propatria. At the local market, people say that there is a greater amount of garbage collecting components in the area and that they have organized themselves to collect rubbish and place them in the new containers.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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