Enabling Law draft granting dictatorial powers to Maduro

[Bacchus4.0]

Here is the draft. Its in Spanish so you'll have to use a translator. It grants Maduro a host of dictatorial powers.

http://www.ventevenezuela.org/ley-habilitante-represion-maduro/

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Limited executive powers used repeatedly

by prior presidents, and a normal part of Venezuelas constitutional government.

But of course you know that.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. If you read it, its not very limited. Grants dictatorial powers to that idiot Maduro

Given Venezuela's current situation, previous use of dictator powers hasn't worked out too well has it?

[Socialistlemur]

5. Please find an example other tan Chavez

I tried searching for a prior president receiving a similar delegation and I couldn't find it. On the other and the excuse is flimsy and the logic irrational. Since you know so much, why aren't they naming a National Comptroller? Or the new Members of the National Electoral Commission?

[Warren Stupidity]

7. No problem.

I've already commented on this rightwing bullshit before. Rule by decree is a normal part of the constitutional framework.

President Carlos Andres Perez - 1974.
President Jaime Lusinchi - 1981.
President Ramon Jose Velasquez - 1993.

One just has to plow through the bullshit.

[Socialistlemur]

15. Those laws weren't intended to fight corruption

Were they? It's quite irrational for a National Assembly to delegate its legislating power to a really corrupt government so it can legislate new laws to fight corruption.

What truly amazes me is the brazen attitude some display in support of,what's clearly a self coup or auto golpe. Venezuela has had a really weak democracy. The current regime is eliminating the last vestiges. Lets see what happens in the December elections, and whether the emerging fascist dictatorship, which is clearly led by foreign forces (that is the Cuban dictatorship) will even try to maintain a veneer to satisfy its propaganda efforts.

My personal opinion is that we will see a harsh repressive campaign buttressed by the "anti corruption" laws passed by Herr Fuehrer, with press censorship and mass arrests. The Venezuelans tend to be very mild people, but I expect the regime will goad street action. This will allow them to arrest and or assassinate those willing to put up resistance. This will lead to a massive flight of the middle class, border closures, restrictions on travel and a copy of the usual iron curtain techniques. As for the economy, I would expect them to default on debt payments, and to end up looking like a slightly improved version of Cuba. But oil production will crash. And I wouldn't expect to have reliable elevator service, electricity, water or medicine supplies. And expect a form of food rationing. It's the Cuban system being imposed on Venezuela.

[Bacchus4.0]

11. Adolph Hitler in Germany 1933 n/t

s

[DetlefK]

3. A blog-entry on the enabling-law from a few days ago: (link)

http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.de/2013/10/enabling-law-as-intra-chavista-power.html

The enabling-law is supposed to combat corruption, get food-prices under control and reduce dependence on oil-exports. The blogger complains that all of this could be done with normal political means and suspects that it's a plot by the party-radicals to rid their ranks of moderates.

He hints that they need to mobilize voters ahead of elections in December or something like that.

[Bacchus4.0]

4. of course its a ploy to rid the ruling class of the opposition

It never worked under Chavez, he just made mess with it.

I'd note that Colombia never used such a measure to deal with the FARC, or not recently over the last 10 years for sure. Fujimori used a similar method I believe and he is in prison now.

[Socialistlemur]

6. It is a move to shut down the National Assembly.

Last edited Thu Oct 17, 2013, 01:38 PM - Edit history (1)

They don't want the laws which evidently the Cubans want Maduro to decree with his new dictatorial powers to be debated in the National Assembly. This is just a Cuban takeover via their puppets, and the end point will be Venezuela submitted to the Cuban dictatorship. Unless the Venezuelan people revolt, which I seriously doubt.

The final stage will be an impoverished nation with a really poor economy. They will have a fascist dictatorship and I imagine a good portion of the educated population will try to flee.

[Bacchus4.0]

8. +1 n/t

[MinM]

9. Historically sound move...

Stephen Kinzer made this observation on Fresh Air...

Meet 'The Brothers' Who Shaped U.S. Policy, Inside And Out

by NPR Staff
October 16, 201312:33 PM
...

On the Dulles' ability to overthrow regimes in Iran and Guatemala but not in Cuba or Vietnam

They were able to succeed [at regime change] in Iran and Guatemala because those were democratic societies, they were open societies. They had free press; there were all kinds of independent organizations; there were professional groups; there were labor unions; there were student groups; there were religious organizations. When you have an open society, it's very easy for covert operatives to penetrate that society and corrupt it.

Actually, one of the people who happened to be in Guatemala at the time of the coup there was the young Argentine physician Che Guevara. Later on, Che Guevara made his way to Mexico and met Fidel Castro. Castro asked him, "What happened in Guatemala?" He was fascinated; they spent long hours talking about it, and Che Guevara reported to him ... "The CIA was able to succeed because this was an open society." It was at that moment that they decided, "If we take over in Cuba, we can't allow democracy. We have to have a dictatorship. No free press, no independent organizations, because otherwise the CIA will come in and overthrow us." In fact, Castro made a speech after taking power with [Guatemalan President Jacobo] Árbenz sitting right next to him and said, "Cuba will not be like Guatemala." ...


http://www.npr.org/2013/10/16/234752747/meet-the-brothers-who-shaped-u-s-policy-inside-and-out

[Bacchus4.0]

10. Cuba certainly followed that strategy of a dictatorship

no free press, no democracy. It worked for the ruling class but now the country is simply an anachronism.

[Peace Patriot]

12. And here is what the proposed and very publicly discussed enabling law is really about.

Maduro Requests Enabling Law in Order to Crack Down on Economic and Political Corruption in Venezuela

By TAMARA PEARSON

Merida, 11th October 2013 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – Discussion formally began on Tuesday in the national assembly to pass an enabling law which aims to severely crack down on both economic and political corruption.

Maduro officially proposed the law to the assembly in a speech that lasted for almost three hours. He focused on the fight against corruption, arguing that people need to stop perceiving it as “normal in political life”.

“I’ve come here to ask for enabling powers in order to deepen, speed-up, and fight the battle... for a new political ethic... I’m going to present (to the assembly) a new dynamic for the transformation of the republican ethical model and the transformation of the economic model, two elements that should be combined”.

“The era of institutional corruption should come to an end in Venezuela,” he said. Further, he announced that the government will focus its efforts on getting rid of the economic and financial mafia, “no matter their political colour”, and said there would be “zero tolerance” for corruption.

Maduro said he believes “a profound transformation of the justice system” is indispensable, and proposed the creation of professional teams in the public prosecutor’s office to investigate economic crimes. He also proposed the creation of “special organisations” to judge those crimes, as well as a legal framework to legislate around the financial functioning of political practices.

Prior to his speech he had also said that he wanted the maximum penalty for engaging in corruption to be increased from 8 years to 20.

He also emphasised the role of the people in fighting corruption and denouncing such cases. “I call on the people to not permit corruption...to not tolerate corruption either of those with a yellow collar (opposition supporters) nor the corruption of those with a red collar (supporters of the Bolivarian revolution). It’s the same thuggery, no matter how you dress; it’s the same anti-people and anti-country behaviour,” he said.

Maduro asked for enabling powers for one year. The law is a constitutional tool which would allow Maduro pass certain laws by decree, bypassing the national assembly. In this case, it would enable him to quickly put into place the measures he proposed.

However, it is uncertain if the enabling law will be passed by the assembly. To pass it, Maduro needs 60% of the assembly votes, which translates to 99 votes. So far, apart from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), with 92 seats, expressing its support, the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) and the Homeland for All (PPT) parties have also said they support the law. The PCV has three seats, and the PPT now has none. There are also three pro-Chavista independents, bringing total guaranteed support to 98.

The first vote on the law may not take place for a few weeks, then even if it is passed in first discussion, it must be then taken to a special commission, then ten days later submitted to a second discussion in order to be enacted.

While PSUV legislator Diosdado Cabello has accused those against the enabling law of being “corrupt”, opposition members have argued against it on the basis that when former president Hugo Chavez passed laws using such power it was “useless”. Legislator Hiram Gabiria, of the opposition MUD bloc, called the enabling law “inconvenient and inopportune” and said that it was aimed at “increasing economic repression”.

Chavez was granted decree powers four times during his 14 year period in office.

According to an ICS poll, conducted on 24 and 15 August, 71.5% of the population consider the enabling law necessary in order to fight corruption. 1,600 people were surveyed.

PUBLISHED ON OCT 11TH 2013 AT 7.44PM

This work is licensed under a Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives Creative Commons license

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10087
(my emphasis)

----------------------------------

Above, I've highlighted what this "enabling law" is about: corruption, on both sides of the aisle. It is hugely ironic that the rightwing opposition, the transglobal corporate press and rightwing me-too-ers (including some here at DU) criticize the Chavez/Maduro government for corruption--yet, when Maduro tries to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, they start using words like "dictator" (as in the headline of this rightwing OP).

I have also highlighted the DEMOCRATIC process for passing "enabling laws" in Venezuela, which includes extensive DISCUSSION, by the public and by ELECTED legislators, remanding to committee, etc., as we have in the U.S. legislative process, and then VOTING by ELECTED legislators, whether to give the Executive these specific, time-limited, fully discussed powers to accomplish specific goals.

"Enabling laws" are a common government practice in Latin America (Brazil, for instance, has enabling laws) and they are LIMITED by time-frame, and by specific issues and goals. They are somewhat akin to "state of emergency" powers here for state governors, for instance, after an earthquake or hurricane, to allow the executive to hurry up financing and organization to address the crisis. (One of the enabling laws passed for Chavez had to do with housing and rebuilding an entire town after catastrophic floods, for instance.)

Maduro wants to clean up corruption--or so he says. NO politician should EVER be entirely trusted, so, you look at indicators like: Is the goal, and are the tools he wants, being widely and publicly discussed? The answer here is YES. Does it require a vote by elected representatives? YES. Is it the will of the people? At least one poll says YES, overwhelmingly. (The ICS poll: 71.5% of the people surveyed said the enabling laws are necessary to fight corruption.)

What other indicators are there? Is the election system honest and transparent? Jimmy Carter said that Venezuela's election system is "the best in the world." I agree, on the basis of my own researches (--best in the world of electronic systems, and possibly best in the world, period). Does Maduro have a mandate? Although he won the presidency in a very close vote, he certainly seems to have a mandate on THIS issue. In general, it appears that the socialist party has a lot broader support in Venezuela than Maduro does personally (unlike Chavez, who had great personal popularity). For instance, just after the special election that Maduro narrowly won, the voters threw out all but four of the rightwing governors of the provinces in favor of the socialists. They've also given the socialists a big majority in the National Assembly. Maduro may not be very charismatic, but, in terms of policy, the voters support his party, and, on this issue, according to the ICS poll, very much support his plan for fighting corruption.

One other point: The Venezuelan Left overwhelming supports Maduro's plan for fighting corruption, and the Venezuelan Right opposes it. Who has the more serious corruption problem, do you think?

So, this is the other side of the story of this proposed "enabling law." Better to hear both sides, eh?, in judging whether or not Maduro wants, or could even acquire, "dictatorial" powers. We're certainly not going to get the other side of the story from the corporate press, which HATES the Chavez-Maduro government and reports ONLY negative stories about Venezuela (ignoring momentous positive stories, such as the UN Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean, ranking Venezuela as 'THE most equal country in Latin America&quot .

One of our anti-left DUers is sure now to call VenezuelaAnalysis a Chavez-Maduro government horn. It is certainly a leftist site, sympathetic to the Bolivarian Revolution. Why shouldn't we consider the leftist perspective, um, at the "Democratic Underground"--as a balance against the TOTAL negative coverage of Venezuela's socialist government by the transglobal corporate media? It's my opinion that V/A provides MUCH MORE objective and informative articles about Venezuela's leftist democracy revolution than any other source, and is absolutely vital as a counter-balance to the extremely propagandistic corporate press. Our own democracy is sick unto death from Corporate Ruler propaganda. They are not trustworthy on ANY issue. Alternative views are needed--especially alternative views from a leftist perspective--the perspective of the poor majority. At V/A, you get articles by workers, by labor leaders, by poor moms, by ordinary people in their struggles to better their lives and their society; articles with lots of facts and details about Venezuela's political/electoral and economic systems; straightforward facts and quotes, uncolored by corporate bias; and including articles that criticize the government and the leftist political establishment. Photos, too--and NOT just of leaders, as in the corporate press--but of the real movers and shakers in Venezuela: its people. It's a great site. I can see why rightwingers hate it, and are forever trying to tear it down.

I went to V/A for balance early on, soon after the U.S.-supported, failed rightwing coup d'etat in 2002, and learned so much there that was NOT BEING REPORTED by the corporate press. I am a critical reader, very attuned to bias of whatever kind. I dislike what I call "Marxist babble," for instance--it is so formulaic, so boring. There's a bit of that at V/A, but not much. I see that some of the news articles tend to report government officials' statements a bit too objectively (not enough skepticism). But I also see the opposition quoted without bias or irony. I see LOTS of objective facts, studies, reports presented. And I see LOTS of ordinary citizens getting a forum for their political/social ideas and efforts.

The article I'm quoting here in its entirety is typical of V/A news articles. It beats the corporate/rightwing bullshit about "dictatorial powers" by a long mile, as to telling you what is actually going on: a democratic process. It remains to be seen whether Maduro, a) can muster the votes in the National Assembly for this one-year, anti-corruption enabling law, b) if it passes, use it effectively and even-handedly to fight corruption, or c) uses it wrongfully (say, just to punish his political enemies). I don't expect the latter (mis-use) but I DO expect lots and lots and lots of DISCUSSION of how this enabling law, if passed, works out--pro and con at V/A. It is an INFORMATIVE news/analysis web site, unlike the corporate press, which is ENTIRELY propagandistic and rife with DIS-information.

According to the ICS polls, this "enabling law" is a very popular measure--and has a good chance of passing--unlike conditions here in the U.S., where the "public option" in Obamacare, and other alternatives such as "single-payer" and expanding Medicare--all very popular with the voters--were somehow defeated, and we are left with insurance-corporation-run health care (corporate Democrat plan) or no health care at all for half the population (Puke plan)--and no government! We're struggling against outright treason, while what we really want and need is ignored in the song and dance of the phony "debt crisis." Venezuelans have free, universal health care; free education through college; low unemployment; good wages/benefits; strong unions; very high voter turnouts and public participation, and other indicators of an actual functioning democracy, including an honest, transparent election system. The contrast is stark. Here, the moneyed class controls the discussion and aims at nuking Social Security and Medicare (the real goal of the manufactured "debt crisis&quot , totally against the will of the people. There--in Venezuela--the PEOPLES' needs are well-represented in government. Which system is tyrannical?

[Bacchus4.0]

13. why does Maduro need dictatorial powers to combat corruption?

Maduro said 6 months ago that there was no corruption in Venezuela, for the first time in the history of the republic. How could you be so foolish as to trust this moron?

[Peace Patriot]

18. Why did Lula da Silva need Brazil's "enabling law" to protect a wide swath of the Amazon...

...where an uncontacted tribe was discovered?

BECAUSE THE ELECTED LEGISLATURE WANTED THE ELECTED PRESIDENT TO HAVE THE POWERS NECESSARY TO SOLVE CERTAIN PROBLEMS THAT THE LEGISLATURE COULD NOT SOLVE!

"Enabling laws" are a common feature of Latin American democracies. It is DISINFORMATION to imply otherwise.

As for Maduro saying there is no corruption in Venezuela--IF he said this, and I have to say that I have found you to be a completely unreliable writer as to what leftist leaders in Latin America have said--IF he said this, I refer you to that "moron," Ralph Waldo Emerson, who famously wrote that, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

It is a sign of INTELLIGENCE to change your position in the face of new facts, or to correct a wrong statement for whatever reason--good, bad or indifferent--the wrong statement was initially uttered.

Calling Latin American leftists "dictators" is the hobgoblin of little rightwing minds, when they can't find some "inconsistency" to get all bitchy about.

[spanza]

19. Chavez got the enabling law for fighting against corruption ALREADY in 2007

And enabling laws are NOT a "common feature" of the Venezuelan democracy. That's not true. They had been passed thrice in 40 years before Chavez. This is the 5th in 12 years. HUGE difference.

[Bacchus4.0]

20. the law that enabled farmers to acquire title to land, not to become a dictator

http://timhirsch.blogspot.com/2009/06/partial-veto-on-amazon-land-law.html

Enabling acts are common, enabling acts that grant the president dictatorial powers are not common. THe enabling act proposed in Venezuela is like the one approved in Nazi Germany in 1933 to give Hitler decree powers, not to help farmers or protect forest land.

Ruling by decree is what a dictator does, I don't care if you don't like it as it refers to supposed leftists. Maduro is no progressive that is for sure and neither was Chavez. THis is an admission that the Ven government is failing no matter how wonderful you think that government is. They wouldn't need this enabling law if things were so great.

[Socialistlemur]

16. Pure baloney from a government financed propaganda site

I don't think Venezuelanalysis has any credibility. The whole argument is defeated with a simple statement:

A National Assembly should not delegate it's power to legislate to a President who runs a very corrupt government, who claims to be a faithful follower of the previous president under whose rule corruption flourished, and who has largely maintained the same leadership team which caused or cooperated in the creation of the corruption machine. Maduro is just a weak and less mentally able version of Chavez, and Chavez was the one who allowed the corruption to flourish.

[Bacchus4.0]

14. The repressive, dictatorship consecrating, enabling law is out

http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-repressive-dictatorship.html

So, after much, much hot air the regime had to show the enabling law it wants for Maduro to become a full time dictator. It does not matter whether the unconstitutional project is to silence the opposition or to purge the ranks of chavismo of its undesirable elements (they are all undesirable but apparently there are gradations within chavismo). The fact of the matter is that chavismo does not want its bankrupt regime to be discussed either on the air waves, or the newspapers and even less at the Nazional Assembly (yes, I am retaking the "Nazional Assembly" moniker because after this re-edition of Ermächtigungsgesetz the next step is our own version of Nuremberg Laws which the projected enabling law contemplates as an extension of our very own Tascon list).


The excuse the government offered is that there is a need to fight corruption and to face down a severe economic crisis. But the solution offered by this enabling law is to silence the opposition, find corruption there and among some token chavistas for good measure, more to make room for other corrupt chavista officials rather than any good intention. The economic measures are fake ones as a regime whose currency went from 500 to a dollar to 50,000 to a dollar in 14 years has no credibility anymore on this respect. Amen of an inflation currently at 50% annual. As long as the perpetrators of this economic disaster remain in office no enabling law of any type will solve the problems. This is not a matter of laws, it is a matter of personnel.



80 years later copy
To illustrate the above, I will let you know what each item of the law truly means. The law is rather short, and curiously the Hitler one was very short too, and also 4 articles both. Some coincidences are too amazing to pass over.

Article 1, part 1, is supposedly to fight corruption.

Item 1-A states that the law wants to rebuild the morality of public administration and orient it to socialist values. We are not far from official segregation, Nuremberg style.

Items 1-B and 1-C give the executive power of the country right to create mew types of crimes and fix the sanctions. See above.

Item 1-D, just as Hitler's article 4 was, allows the regime to take the international measures it sees fit, which basically means expropriate whatever foreign companies own here.

1-E is to make sure opposition parties cannot find electoral financing.

Items 1-F through 1-H are to give the government sole control on any foreign currency in the country.

Part 2 leads to the economic items.

Item 2-A basically gives the regime leeway to get rid of trade unions and contracting. That is, the trade unions of state companies that protest because the regime does not fulfill its obligations will be shut down.

Items 1-B through 1-E give the regime the power to intervene at will any aspect of economic activity, deciding what is done and by whom. Item 1-F, the last one, is in fact a veiled disguise that expropriations will now proceed without compensations since it will be "to guarantee the right of the people to have goods and services, safe, of quality and just price". This is impossible to achieve unless you force producers to sell at a loss if necessary, or expropriate them without the burden of owing the value of the property.



Article 2 is the nail in the coffin of private enterprise and freedom because Maduro will in fact have the right to qualify a law "organica", which in Venezuelan law means it can only be changed with a 2/3 majority in the parliament. The absurdity and unconstitutional nature of this provision is obvious since the parliament will not have a 2/3 vote for approving this law and yet Maduro will enact laws as if they got the 2/3 vote.

Now, does anyone still think we are not in a dictatorship?

[Socialistlemur]

17. Eventually they'll have a revolution, new constitutional assembly

And trash everything this regime did. But the country won't emerge from dictatorship for many years, and by the time it does most of the intelligent people in the country will have fled. Venezuela will look like it got hit by several nukes, and it will take over 100 years to recover.

[Bacchus4.0]

21. they are definitely moving toward a dictatorship

I hope it doesn't take that long to recover.

[bemildred]

22. I'll bet that Carmona is so jealous. nt

[Bacchus4.0]

23. update: the chavistas are currently trying to expel 2 members of the opposition from congress

so that they would have the sufficient majority to pass the dictator law. Apparently they haven't been able to sufficiently bribe a member of the opposition.