Venezuela’s Demise Accelerated

In the news:

As Venezuela embarked on another six years under Hugo Chavez, the president announced plans to nationalize power and telecommunications companies and make other bold changes to increase state control as he promised a more radical push toward socialism.

Chavez, who will be sworn in Wednesday to a third term that runs until 2013, also said he wanted a constitutional amendment to strip the Central Bank (other-otc: CHPA.PK - news - people ) of its autonomy and would soon ask the National Assembly, solidly controlled by his allies, to approve “a set of revolutionary laws” by presidential decree.

“We’re moving toward a socialist republic of Venezuela, and that requires a deep reform of our national constitution,” Chavez said in a televised address after swearing in his new Cabinet on Monday. “We’re heading toward socialism, and nothing and no one can prevent it.” [...]

“The eight-year transition phase is ending and we’re entering a new era - the Simon Bolivar national plan, Bolivarian socialism,” Chavez told his audience of cheering supporters.

Chavez is also moving to censor freedom of expression:

As he begins a new six-year presidential term this week, Chavez is vowing to shut down Radio Caracas Television, Venezuela’s largest and oldest network, because it allows the expression of political ideas opposing the Chavez regime. Since the TV station was among many media outlets that supported the bungled coup against Chavez in 2002 and a general strike against his government in 2003, the dictator-elect apparently feels he has consolidated enough power to retaliate. ”Go and turn off the equipment,” Chavez said as he vowed to deny renewal of the network’s license, which expires in May.

Of course, this threat of totalitarian censorship has been condemned as a grave violation of freedom of expression by many concerned observers, from press freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders and the Inter-American Press Association to the Organization of American States.

Somewhere, in the neighboring country of Colombia, Bolivar — a classical liberal who advocated free markets and admired the American Revolution — is spinning in his grave. If he were alive today, he would surely denounce Chavez’ warped, Marxist worldview and proceed to smack the taste out of his mouth.

Filed under Economics, International |