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Venezuelan Elections. The Chávez Era. Elections that Created the Fifth Republic. National elections of 1998 Constituent Assembly and Constitutional Referendum of 1999 Continued domination by the Patriotic Pole
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Venezuelan Elections The Chávez Era
Elections that Created the Fifth Republic • National elections of 1998 • Constituent Assembly and Constitutional Referendum of 1999 • Continued domination by the Patriotic Pole • Manipulated electoral law shuts out opposition from writing of the new constitution • December referendum on the new constitution • Overwhelming approval • Abstention high
Elections that Staffed the Fifth Republic: Presidential • Conditions • Plurality – six year term • Delay of balloting • The Contendors • MVR and MAS back Chavez • Francisco Arias Cardenas spearheads the opposition • Claudio Fermin: Punto Fijo revival? • Outcome • Chavez wins 60% of the total popular vote
Elections that Staffed the Fifth Republic: National Assembly • Conditions • Mixed list-plurality system • Five-year term • The Contendors • MVR and MAS form Patriotic Pole • AD fields candidates in all states • New political parties in the regions (states) • Outcome • Patriotic Pole wins majority – but unable to modify the constitution • AD has largest opposition delegation • Middle class parties elect numerous Assemblymen
Elections that Staffed the Fifth Republic: Regions • Conditions • Governors elected – first past the post (five year terms) • Mixed list-plurality system for state legislatures • The Contendors • MVR and MAS form Patriotic Pole • AD fields candidates in all states • New political parties in the regions (states) • Outcome • Patriotic Pole wins 16 of the 21 governors • Zulia remains with the opposition • Central states (Aragua & Carabobo) back opposition • AD elects governors in the Llanos
Elections that Staffed the Fifth Republic: Municipalities • Conditions • Mayors elected in mega-elections of July 30, 2000 • Councilmen elected in December local elections • Neighborhood councils elected in December local elections • The Contendors • MVR and MAS form Patriotic Pole • AD fields candidates in most municipalities • New political parties in the regions run candidates for mayor/councilmen • Outcome • Patriotic Pole wins a majority of majors, but just barely • AD elects almost 30% of the majors s • Junta parochiales split among opposition and government forces
*increases progressively after the 1998 national elections *reaches 80% in the municipal elections of December 2000*Exhaustion with electoral politics Abstention
Electoral Panorama: Marginalization of Chávez Opponents • Revocatory referendum (August, 15, 2004) 60% for retention • Regional and Local elections (October 31, 2004) 80% of seats for the Revolution • Municipal Council elections (August 7, 2005) 80 % of seats for the Revolution • National Assembly Elections (November, 2006) opposition abstains; Chavez forces win all seats.
National Assembly of Venezuela Election Results (December 2005) • Fifth Republic Movement (Movimiento V [Quinta] República) • 2,041,293 votes • 60.0 % - 116 seats (out of 167) • For Social Democracy (Por la Democracia Social) • 277,482 votes • 8.2% - 18 seats • Fatherland for All(Patria para Todos) • 197,459 votes • 6.8 % (10 seats) • Communist Party of Venezuela(Partido Comunista de Venezuela) • 94,606 votes • 2.7% (7 seats) • LAGO • 61,789 votes • 1.8% (2 seats)
Reelection emboldens Chavez to call for a Referendum to Change the Constitution • November 2, 2007 – National Assembly approves a constitutional overhaul. • Leads to riots (light) in Caracas
33 Articles of 1998 Constitution were to be amended Proposed major changes Allowing the indefinite re-election of the president - not applicable to any other political post Increasing the presidential term from six to seven years Introducing changes to the country's administrative structure Ending the autonomy of the central bank lacing the president in charge of administering the country's international reserves Reducing the maximum working week from 44 to 36 hours
Voters Narrowly Reject the Reforms First electoral defeat for Chavez followed by government efforts to weaken the opposition . RCTV (television station) licensed was not renewed 272 people seeking public office banned from running for office in upcoming state & municipal elections Elections scheduled for November 23, 2008
Creating PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela • Process initiated after Chavez won the presidential election of December 2006 • Purpose – merge all parties that support the Bolivarian Revolution • On 24 March 2007, the first 2,000 party members took their oaths on a party ceremony. • Founding congress held in April 2008
Political Parties Joining PSUV People's Electoral Movement (MEP) Everybody Wins Independent Movement (MIGATO) Venezuelan Popular Unity (UPV)[7] Revolutionary Movement Tupamaro (MRT) Socialist League (LS) Movement for Direct Democracy (MDD) Union Party Militant Civic Movement (MCM) Action Force of Base Coordination (FACOBA) Independents for the National Community (IPCN)
Revolutionary Parties Not joining PSUV • For Social Democracy (PODEMOS) • Fatherland for All (PPT) • Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) • Revolutionary Middle Class (CMR) • Emergent People (GE) • National Socialist Group of Liberation Pro Venezuela (PROVEN) • Communitary Patriotic Unity (UPC)
Public Attitudes Toward Creation of PSUV Recent Poll from ÚltimasNoticias Communal +Popular Power http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAaK4jTcCf4
Elections 23 November,2008 • 22 governorships • All state legislators • 328 Mayors
PSUV: Candidate Selection for Elections of November 23, 2008 About 2.5 million members of the party choose candidates 22 governors 328 mayors If no single pre-candidate obtains at least 50% plus 1 of the votes, or 15% more votes than the next highest pre-candidate, the national executive body of the PSUV and President Chavez, can select the candidate out of the three who achieved the highest vote.
PSUV: Primary vote for Metropolitan Mayor: Caracas • ARISTOBULO IZTURIZ ALMEIDA94.64%129.873 votos • ANGEL LUIS AGOSTINI RINCONES00.88%1.208 votos • SORA ANGELLA MARTINEZ00.53%729 votos
PSUV: Primary vote for Governor of Miranda • DIOSDADO CABELLO RONDON87,39%22.155 votos • TULIO AMADO JIMENEZ RODRIGUEZ5,11%1.297 votos • ARMANDO GARCIA1,11%283 votos • REBECA PADILLA0,93%237 votos
PSUV: Primary vote for Metropolitan Mayor: Maracaibo • HENRY JOSE RAMIREZ SANCHEZ64,41%62.560 votos • CALIXTO ANTONIO ORTEGA RIOS12,5%12.142 votos • JOE ANTONIO BERMUDEZ RINCON4,18%4.068 votos
Táchira • State capital : San Cristobal • Area: •% 11,100 km²1.2 (Ranked 16th) • Population: •% 1,177,300 hab. (2007 est.)4.5 (Ranked 9th) • Governor: Roland Blanco La Cruz(PSUV); 2004 – 2008)
PSUV: Primary vote for Governor of Tachira • LEONARDO ALI SALCEDO RAMIREZ39,4%50.266 votos • JOSE GREGORIO VIELMA MORA33,3%42.490 votos • FRANCISCO JAVIER ARIAS CARDENAS8,65%11.037 votos
PSUV: Primary vote for Governor of Barinas • Gobernador o Gobernadora de Estado • ADAN COROMOTO CHAVEZ FRIAS91,15%59.568 votos • MARCOS RAMON FERNANDEZ3,4%2.226 votos • RAMON ADOLFO FALCON2,9%1.899 votos
November 23, 2008 ElectionsRESULTS • Venezuelan Comptroller General banned almost 300 candidates • Opposition won five (out of 22) state governorships • Zulia, Tachira, Nueva Esparta, Carabobo & Miranda • Dissident Chavistas peform poorly • ( Barinas, Lara & Guarico) • Opposition victories in race for mayor of metropolitan Caracas & Maracaibo • Government unhappy with losses in key states & municipios
Second Constitutional Referendum: February 15, 2009 • Economic deterioration leads President to schedule the referendum as quickly as possible • Rainy day funds used to prevent economic downturn • Initial proposal to permit indefinite reelection of president only in trouble • Changed to allow for indefinite reelection of governors & mayors
Electoral Appeal & Voting Campaign slogans & outcome Bugles sounding from government vehicles roused people - queues swiftly formed outside polling "Chávez loves us and love is repaid with love Chávez is incapable of doing us harm 54% of voters support indefinite reelection of the president and other office holders
Love & War with Colombia:Is there an electoral dimension? What is going on? Protest against U.S. Bases Chavez orders troops to prepare for War Popularity of Chavez government falling Barrio Adentro deteriorated Electricity and water shortages Divert the attention of voters in run up to 2010 elections?