Crippling Democracy
President Nicolas Maduro
Venezuela`s National Assembly (Venezuela`s Congress) approved a law in which President Nicolas Maduro will govern by Supreme decree for a year, allowing him to decree laws without the formal approbation at the National Assembly.
Before the approbation of Maduro`s Legislative Superpowers, everyone was talking about the official party need to find the congressman 99. This congressman 99 was a symbol, as Nicolas Maduro needed at least 99 votes in favor at the National Assembly in order to be granted this new Legislative Superpowers. This congressman 99 was found two weeks ago, in Carlos Flores.
Mr. Carlos Flores is Opposition Congressman María Aranguren substitute in the National Assembly. Recently, parliamentary immunity of Congressman Maria Aranguren was taken off by National Assembly as an old case of corruption against her was reopened. Mr. Maria Aranguren claims that is a political move by the national government in order to get the necessary votes to grant President Nicolas Maduro Legislative special powers.
Maria Aranguren was taken off the National Assembly and Carlos Flores became its substitute. Immediately after he voted in favor, becoming the congressman 99, and granting President Nicolas Maduro special legislative powers.
What About the Runner Up?
Henrique Capriles, runner up at the Presidential Elections, summoned up a national protest against the new legislative powers of Nicolas Maduro as he claimed it will increase the overwhelming corruption in Venezuela.
President Nicolas Maduro claims that he will use his new superpowers to fight the increasing inflation of 54%, being the first of his action to establish a Law, to fix prices and the percent of revenue business can get from sales. But despite President Maduro good intentions, a recent poll by Venezuela`s newspaper El Universal reports that 68.5% of the population disapproves the current political arena and Maduro`s new legislative powers, and 53.1% of the population disapproves President Maduro government.
The political scenario in Venezuela is volatile since the presidential elections in which Nicolas Maduro was declared president among a tense political environment. Even international observers questioned the electoral process, but once again, Nicolas Maduro relied on Hugo Chavez friends that are heads of state, such as President Ollanta Humala, President Dilma Rouseff, President Cristina Fernandez, President Evo Morales and President Rafael Correa.
Venezuela will be on the eye of the storm in the next following weeks. Stay tuned for more insights from the front-lines as Mindthis continues her focus on Latin America.