Venezuelan print & broadcast media behind sabotage in parliament

<a href=>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 By: David Coleman

National Assembly (AN) deputy Saul Ortega has told US federal and local government that the Venezuelan print & broadcast media is behind sabotage in the nation's parliament aimed at delaying the designation of a new board of directors to the National Elections College (CNE).

The Carabobo representative, who is a member of the AN Candidatures Committee, has been on an exchange program tour to meet important business and political leaders across the United States and to inform them of the process of President Hugo Chavez Frias' essential political and economic reforms and what is actually happening in Venezuela.

Now in Washington, Ortega says that the delay in nominating individuals to the CNE is a direct result of "inappropriate actions by members of the opposition in the National Assembly" ... and that other opposition forces, outside parliament, have sabotaged a pre-agreement that had already been hammered out.

"Today those same forces are not permitting an agreement to be reached ... we achieved a political agreement between the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) and the principal powers in the parliament: Accion Democratica (AD), Christian Socialist (COPEI) and Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), and that political agreement was even shared by the majority of the minority parties in the opposition. Then, surprisingly, on the day the plenary session of parliament was convened for the CNE board election, opposition factions proposed postponing it.  The opposition has an interest in delaying the decision ... it is important to point this out, because, when it comes time to evaluate the situation politically, this fact will show the opposition’s responsibility.”

Ortega explains that in the initial agreement to reappoint the CNE, 5 of 10 replacements would be from the opposition and 5 from parties supporting the government ... of the 5 principal members, 2 would be from the opposition, 2 from the government and a 5th would be proposed by the parliamentary majority in favor of change, and the opposition would have the right to evaluate the person or make known their considerations.

“But this agreement has been sidelined by lack of unity in the criteria set out by the opposition ... there are undemocratic forces that are definitely not interested in arriving at an agreement. Causa R can be identified as connected to the coup d'etat, as well as Primera Justicia (PJ) and Project Venezuela ... these groups are looking for solutions outside the constitution.”

Nevertheless, Ortega trusts the National Assembly's decision to choose members of the CNE over any appointment by the Supreme Court ... “the fundamental parliamentary political forces are convinced that it is the direct responsibility of Congress ... they have renewed their conversations, but interruptions continue and they have nothing to do with the CNE ... rather, they are tied to factors outside of the Assembly that carry an important weight in the decision of some organizations that have been perpetuating this crisis ... such as the boycott, the taking over of direction and other actions of this type that have happened in parliament."

Ortega adds: "This rarefied environment conspires against political normalcy and political powers can not reach agreement ... the same powers that instituted the coup d’etat (April 2002) are behind this boycott ... it is no secret that the traditional parties now have a less valid position and are practically at the mercy of factors within the mass media, which have been imposing an agenda that is dutifully followed."

"I know the opinions of important leaders in the opposition who are clear that they must adopt a more independent position ... they could easily become prisoner to a media campaign that could even make some of these organizations disappear ... it is difficult to confront these factors in the Venezuelan mass media, and I believe that the President and groups seeking necessary change have exceptionally resisted and revealed the influence that the mass media has in society, especially the television and radio..”

Ortega says he's convinced the opposition is not interested in an electoral outcome: “any election would be a disaster for the opposition ... they would delay their opportunities for a long time. I believe the opposition is not interested in electoral mediation and the recall referendum seems only to be a propaganda element rather than a true solution that could be successful for them. There are polls managed by AD that clearly show the President is up 47%, and that the leading political party is MVR ... the second is AD lagging quite far behind.”

Ortega is skeptical that the referendum will get off the ground this year.  He says the opposition’s strategy is to heat up the situation on the streets, and to exacerbate the political climate in the hope of another coup d'etat ... if this year goes by without a referendum, the political struggle next year will be concentrated on the elections of Governors and Mayors ... “then, they will not worry about recalling anyone's term in office.”