VEN National Assembly Passes New Caracas Administration Law

[magbana]

And not a moment too soon. Most importantly this will help reduce the chance that an April 2002 incident will happen again where the Caracas mayor collaborated with the opposition (and, yes, the US)and unleashed police sharpshooters on demonstrators in an attempt to frame Chavistas for the slaughter.
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"Venezuelan National Assembly Passes New Caracas Administration Law

April 9th 2009, by Tamara Pearson – Venezuelanalysis.com

The municipalities and parishes of Caracas (Archive)

Mérida, April 9th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- On Tuesday the Venezuelan National Assembly passed the special Law of Administration of the Capital which changes administrative responsibility and budgeting for a part of Caracas. The opposition have categorized the law as further centralization and requested a referendum around it.

The law redefines what constitutes the Metropolitan District of Caracas, which previously included the Capital District- Libertador municipality, as well as four other municipalities from Miranda state, Baruta, El Hatillo, Chacao and Sucre. Now, Libertador municipality will only be a District Capital and the Metropolitan District will consist of the other four municipalities, eliminating an administrative overlap.

National Assembly legislators argue that the point of the law is to fill the vacuum left by the preceding National Assembly which did not create a special law for Caracas.

Legislator Alfredo Morga said, "In almost all countries of the world the capital is managed by a special law, and Caracas didn't have one."

Other legislators said the law guarantees better administration of the capital as well as the integrity of Miranda state, whilst eradicating the duplicity and confusion over administrative functions that occurred under the old structure. They also say the law provides for a fairer distribution of resources.

The District Capital will receive resources out of the national budget, and overall should receive more resources than it is currently. Legislators motivated the law saying the extra resources would help to improve the quality of life of its population.

According to the National Assembly report on the law a new level of administration will be created for the Capital District, which will involve the appointment of a head of government. This will be chosen (and could be removed) by the Venezuelan president, who is currently Hugo Chávez. Law making for the Capital District will also fall under the national legislation body, the National Assembly.

Discussion around the law began last week in the assembly, and legislators also met with residents in various areas around Caracas to discuss the law and seek input.

Opposition reaction

Antonio Ledezma of the opposition, who was elected mayor of the Metropolitan District of Caracas in the regional elections last November, presented his critiques of the law in the National Assembly, and later told press the law represented a "final blow against decentralization."

Ledezma also described the governing position the law creates as a "censor" to the pro-Chavez mayor of Libertador municipality, Jorge Rodriguez.

Ledezma went to the National Electoral Council (CNE) headquarters on Tuesday to solicit a consultative referendum on the law. He says however, that the office was closed.

He has also called for protests and military disobedience, saying the law leaves the Metropolitan District without financial resources. Legislator Alberto Castelar said that the Metropolitan District receives 10% of the revenue of the four municipalities which make it up.
See also:"
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4357