PROVEA: Caracas is full of no-go areas ... elections won't change a thing

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Human rights group PROVEA general coordinator, Carlos Correa argues that political polarization has divided Caracas into clearly marked no-go zones. What started with the Chavist takeover of Plaza Bolivar has extended throughout the city ... Catia, Chuao, la Campina, Plaza Altamira have been appropriated by political bands marking territory or "turf." 

To enter any zone is potentially dangerous and seen as a provocation which could result in fatal consequences. "Three years ago PROVEA stated that there were over 1 thousand protests a year in Venezuela ... the conflict has automatically led to territorial logic." 

Correa points out discrepancies in political correctness and language. "There was supposed to have been a disarming of the population after the signing of the negotiation agreement but the social actors continue activating the same logic of polarization that has territorial and linguistic expression." 

• Political leaders are employing the word "provocation" for political ends. 

PROVEA calls on both sides to disarm words and employ language that does not disqualify the other but which centers the debate in the logic of argument.  "Polarization and territorial conflict seen from the media is very simplistic since the media needs good and bad, which makes it very difficult to describe the complexity and shades of gray of the situation." 

The responsibility of the leaders is very important here because a leader that dares break the language of polarization in the current political climate will obtain excellent results because there is 40-50% of Venezuelans dissatisfied with both radical sectors and Correa thinks that this sector should become more demanding on leaders and seek institutionalized and pacific solutions. 

"Once violence passes from symbolism to facts and is common place it will become more difficult to turn back so we must continue to be scandalized every time there are confrontations."

In conclusion, the PROVEA leader says it would be fiction to think that elections will solve the country's problems ... "it's going to need people sitting round a table to define a minimum of relationship that implies accepting and respecting the rules of the game and seeking a solution to the serious problems confronting Venezuela."