False Perception: Hugo Chavez, the Press and the "Rule By Decree" Meme

[Demeter]

OpEdNews

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_eric_win_070126__22enabling_22_a_false_p.htm


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January 28, 2007

"Enabling" a False Perception: Hugo Chavez, the Press and the "Rule By Decree" Meme

By Eric Wingerter

Did you hear that President Chavez is going to Rule by Decree for the next 18 months? The very idea evokes a picture of a not-too-distant South American past, one in which all-powerful executives live out their capricious whims and mete out brutal retribution against political enemies. It's all so dramatic and perverse and larger than life. Somewhere Andrew Lloyd Webber is already mapping out the musical score. But in this case, it's just not true. Of course, if you've been reading the newspapers lately, you'd have a hard time figuring that out...Here's what's actually happening: The Venezuelan assembly is poised to pass a law that will give the executive branch greater leeway to establish norms on a certain range of issues. Most of these involve guidelines for the president's own cabinet-level agencies...It is important to note that this type of power-transfer is allowed under the Venezuelan constitution of 1999, which expressly permits the President to issue executive orders specifically within these issue areas. Of course, the constitution continues to guide the country's overall legal framework, which is to say that no "decree" can supercede constitutional law.

What's more, this "enabling law" is not new to the current constitution. Venezuela's previous constitution allowed for similar powers shifts to the executive, and you can be sure that past presidents took advantage of this authority on multiple occasions throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's. Here are a few examples:

In 1974, Congress gave President Carlos Andres Perez the right to "rule by decree" on a number of economic matters, which he used to pass a slew of new regulations-instituting a minimum wage increase, freezing the market price of "necessary" goods, instating tax relief on agricultural activities, increasing government pensions, and even establishing new state institutions, including the National Institute of Housing and an Industrial Development Fund.

But Perez was a close ally of the US government, so there was little controversy from Washington.


So why all the finger-wagging, hand-wringing and label-slinging this time around? In short: because it's Chavez. The Bush administration has long been on a campaign to brand him a despot. His influence throughout Latin America is seen as a threat to U.S. power in the region, and after failed attempts to overthrow him by force, sabotage the nation's economy, and finance opposition parties, the label game is the last arrow they have in their increasingly feeble anti-Chavez quiver.

For their part, the international press is all too eager to go along for the ride. You'll be shocked (shocked!) to hear that they often take the Bush Administration's analyses at face value, with little of the digging that would provide balance or context to the story.



So for those itching to see a musical Chavez biopic in the works, it's going to be a little less "Evita" and a little more "1776."



Authors Website: www.BoRev.Net

Authors Bio: I am a freelance writer with a special focus on Latin America. My blog, www.BoRev.net deals with Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution and its portrayal in the U.S. press.

[redqueen]

1. I wish people would dig for stories like this...

instead of just absorbing whatever the M$M spews.

[reprobate]

2. A simple explanation for the Bush junta hatred of Chavez was given

by Paul Krugman (I think it was Krugman, but memory is no longer that reliable).

He suggests that there is a simple economic reason for the right wing's attempts to depose Chavez. It has to do, of course, with oil.

Why is Saudi Arabia, the leaders of which funded and supported the 9/11 attacks on us, our friend, while Chavez who never did anything to this country is our purported enemy?

It's about the flow. Not of oil, but of money. Saudi sells us oil, then takes the dollars we send them and buys our treasury bonds, thereby shoring up the terrible economic situation Bush has put us in. That makes them our friends.

Meanwhile, Chavez sells us oil, then takes the dollars we send them and invest them in his people, building housing and food production. He does not invest them in our treasury, therefore taking them out of circulation here. Adding to our deficit.

And that makes him Bush's enemy!

Funny how EVERYTHING with the Bush family comes down to money, huh?

[Quetzalro]

3. Chavez perspective

Thank you for this. Can you guide me to some good sources for better info on Venezuela?

[Demeter]

4. I Am a Dilettante; What You See Is What You Get

Sorry.

[Say_What]

5. Venezuelanalysis.com is one... forget the MSM it's nothing but anti-Chavez propaganda

but here's a few:

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/

http://www.counterpunch.org/

http://www.progresoweekly.com/index.php?progreso=main_body&otherweek=1170050400

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={82005CDE-FFE6-46F9-8C6A-C05FBBD16A67}&language=EN

Also these two, analysis of LatAm in general:

http://www.coha.org/

http://www.nacla.org/

Welcome to DU, Quetzalro :hi: