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BOLIVARIAN CARACAS . BOLIVARIAN CARACAS . 23 de Enero . Urban Gardens . Municipal Elections 2005 Capital District. Alfredo Peña (incumbant) withdraws after polls suggest that he will lose Bolivarian candidate Juan Barreto (63%) against 38% for the opposition candidate
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BOLIVARIAN CARACAS 23 de Enero Urban Gardens
Municipal Elections 2005 Capital District • Alfredo Peña (incumbant) withdraws after polls suggest that he will lose • Bolivarian candidate Juan Barreto (63%) against 38% for the opposition candidate • Greater Caracas Council (Cabildo Metropolitano) • 13 members (Bolivarian majority in 2005 municipal elections) • Powers similar to state legislature
Municipal Elections 2005:Middle Class Municipios • Baruta - Henrique Capriles Radonski (77%) • Chacao –Leopoldo López (80%) • El Hatillo- Alfredo Catalán Schick opposition
Municipal Elections 2004:Libertador and Sucre • Freddy Bernal comfortable margin (74%) against opposition candidate Carlos Melo (19%) in Libertador • José Vicente Rangel (52%) in eastern municipio of Sucre
Metropolitan Police • Controlled by the Governor of Caracas (named by president -1961 constitution ) • Transfered to Alcalde Mayor in 1999 • Protected opposition between 1999 – 2005 • Disarmed by President Chávez • Regained influence following election of Juan Barreto as Alcalde Mayor
Health care a major issue among the urban poor • Barrio Adentro established in 2003 as one of the Revolution’s special “MISIONES” • Cuban doctors provide medical care of the poor areas on a 24/7 basis • Barrio Adentro paid for through a budget controlled directly by President Chavez • D o not go through any of the social ministries
Three Tier Health Care System • “Barrio Adentro” doctors: provide most immediate care to residents • “Popular clinics” : perform simple operations such as tonsillectomies and appendectomies • “Hospital of the People”: treat the most serious illnesses and conditions
Education Missions (Controlled by National Government) • Robinson • Rivas • Sucre
Located in poor neighborhoods Subsidized prices Cultivates image of Bolivarian revolution with urban poor Ongoing tension with the commercial supermarkets • Aves • Embutidos • Enlatados • Leguminosas • Cereales • Lácteos • HarinasPastas • Aderezos • Endulzantes • Pescados • Quesos
Elections of 23 November 2008: Mixed Results • Alcalde Mayor passes to opposition (Antonio Ledezma) • Libertador Municipio remains with PSUV • Sucre passes to opposition • Middle Class municipios remain with opposition • Chacao • Baruta • El Hatillo
APRIL 2009: Return of Centralized Control over the Capital District • Territorial reorganization aimed at political subdivisions controlled by the opposition • National Assembly passes Special law for the regime of the Capital District • Jacqueline Faría appointed Autoridad Unica • Ledezma & opposition challenge constitutionality of the “Special Law”
Government in Metropolitan Caracas: The Future • Institutional development in a state of flux • Restoration of the old Federal District and control by the president • Increasing power/influence of Communal Councils & Misiones • Conflict between role of component municipal institutions, metropolitan institutions and institutions of national government is ongoing
Government in Metropolitan Caracas: (How Democratic?) • Bolivarian Revolution & President Chavez essentially opposed to decentralization • Middle class municipios of metropolitan Caracas remain a thorn in the side of the national government • Aristobolo Isturiz – the alcaldes will eventually disappear
Caracas Remains the Center of Venezuelan Politics Who controls the capital city rules the nation