In Defense of Democracy in Venezuela

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In Defense of Democracy in Venezuela

For the past six years we have witnessed how, in the midst of great
adversity, millions of Venezuelans have taken their ! destiny into
their own hands and worked together to achieve the construction of a
society rooted in the values of solidarity, democracy and social
justice.
Strengthened by the Bolivarian Constitution one of the most
democratic in the world- the Venezuelan People have ratified this
project in seven elections over the past six years. Nevertheless, an
elite sector of society, with the support of the U.S. government and
Venezuelas private media, has repeatedly tried to derail Venezuelas
democratic process. They attempted a coup dEtat in April 2002, that
was reversed by the People of Venezuela who took to the streets armed
only with their Constitution. In December 2002 they tried to sabotage
the countrys oil industry, and succeeded in deeply damaging the
Venezuelan economy. But the Venezuelan people, organized within their
communities, once again prevailed.

Today, on the eve of the December 4th legislative elections, the
minority opposition in Venezuela, unwilling to face a new political
defeat, have cynically called for the withdrawal of its candidates
claiming lack of confidence in Venezuelas electoral authorities.

Despite the fact that recent elections in Venezuela have been
characterized by an unprecedented level of transparency, attested
repeatedly by international observers, the opposition conditioned its
participation in the legislative elections on a new series of demands.
However, once these demands were agreed to by the electoral
authorities, the opposition abandoned its original commitment and
withdrew from the elections with the goal of delegitimizing Venezuelas
institutions. This cynical move demonstrates once again that the
Venezuelan opposition is prepared to undermine democracy and violate a
peoples sovereign right to self-determination in its desperate gambit
for power.

This new attempt to disrupt Venezuelas democratic process has been
tacitly supported by U.S. government officials who have publicly
questioned the credibility of Venezuelas electoral authorities.

We, friends of the Venezuelan people, reject this new attempt to
sabotage democracy. We place our trust in Venezuelas electoral
authorities and in the Venezuelan people's will to defend their right
to vote.

First 30 signatures:

Jo o Pedro Stedile (Brazil)
Emir Sader (Brazil)
Jose Dirceu (Brazil)
Eduardo Galeano (Uruguay)
Bernard Cassen (France)
James Petras (USA)
Ignacio Ramonet (Spain)
Tariq Ali (Pakistan)
Atilio Bor n (Argentina)
Samir Amin (Egypt)
Francois Houtart (Belgium)
Richard Gott (UK)
Fernando Morais (Brazil)
Jean-Pierre Chevenement (France)
Georges Sarre (France)
Sergio Lobo (Venezuela)
Robin Blackburn (UK)
Socorro Gomes (Brazil) !
Vanessa Grazziotin (Brazil)
Carlos Lima (Brazil)
Sydnei Liberal (Brazil)
Paul-Emile Dupret (Belgium)
R my Herrera (France)
Valter Pomar (Brazil)
Ramon Chao (Spain)
Aminata Traore (Mali)
Michael L wy (Brazil)
Leila Jinkings (Brazil)
Carles Muntaner (Canada)

To add your name please send an e-mail to defensavenezuela@yahoo.com

Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6

Currently based in Venezuela. Can be reached at
Residencias Anauco Suites
Departamento 601
Parque Central, Zona Postal 1010, Oficina 1
Caracas, Venezuela