Venezuela: the Reeking of Communism

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced his plans to nationalize the telecom and electricity industries. The main telecom giant, Compania Nacional de Telefonos de Venezuala, is controlled by Verizon. He also announced his plan to throw out the country's commercial code and strip the central bank of its autonomy. These are all steps in Chavez's "21st Century Socialism." He has been campaigning all over South America in order to sell Venezuela as a new role model for the poor countries of Latin America, and limit the American 'imperialism' in the Southern Hemisphere (Wall Street Journal).


Polically, Chavez is consolidating his hold over the political sphere of Venezuela. He is merging his leftist alliance of political parties into a single poltical party called the United Venezuelan Socialist Party. With all major governmental institutions dominated by his supporters, it could mean the establishment of a one party state.


He is also trying to strengthen his grip over the independent media, by planning to revoke the license of RCTV. RCTV has been known to voice its opposition to Hugo Chavezs policies. In his inaugural address he called upon the National Assembly to grant him the power to rule by decree and to abolish term limits on the presidency. This soon to be dictatorship that reeks of communism.