VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes: As per the results thus far, 20 of 22 seats for governors were won by pro-Chavez candidates whilst only 2 of 22 were won by not-pro-Chavez candidates. This is an overwhelming show of support for the Chavez government … and this, throughout the entire country!

It further reinforces the fact that 1) true democracy does exists in Venezuela, 2) the Chavez government is much more popular than the anti-Chavez, anti-democratic movements have been trying to claim.

These elections should also keep the US government at bay, at least for a while. Both Bush and Kerry should heed these elections results … and seriously question the reasons why they are being fed distorted and unreal information.

Who is telling them that Venezuela is anti-democratic?

Who is telling them that Chavez is a dictator?

Who is telling them that the Chavez government is persecuting political rivals?

Who is telling them all this garbage?

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED)?

The Venezuelan Republican party?

The Venezuelan “civil associations” which have been financed by the NED and by USAID?

Who?

Sumate?

Why?

What hand has the Venezuelan anti-Chavez media had in providing the US president (and his adversary, Kerry) with manipulated information about the realities in Venezuela?

Why did Globovision, RCTV, Venevision, Televen, El Nacional, El Universal and Tal Cual back the anti-democratic Coordinadora Democratica (CD) in its efforts to destroy the country in 2002-2003?

Why did these media sources provide the world with lies and distortions, slandering Chavez with all their might?

Who paid them for this?

These are serious questions that the next US president should consider. If Chavez was so unpopular, as the Venezuelan anti-Chavez movement continuously claimed, why did Chavez win 59% of the votes in the August 2004 referendum?

If the Chavez government is so unpopular, why have 20 of 22 Governor’s chairs been won by pro-Chavez candidates?

If the anti-Chavez movements are so popular, as the anti-Chavez movements themselves claim, then why did they only win 2 of 22 Governor‚s chairs?

Why did they lose 20 of 22 chairs?

Why did they only receive an average of 35% of the vote on October 31, 2004?

Does getting 35% of the vote (versus pro-Chavez votes at 59% average) make them “very popular?”

What kind of mathematics do the Venezuelan anti-Chavez movements use?

What kind of mathematics have they been using for the last three years?

They have consistently claimed that “they” are the popular ones and that Chavez is unpopular … and that the referendum was a fraud because “they” should have had 60% popularity and not Chavez!

One of the “best” results of the October 31, 2004 elections for State Governors is the fact that Enrique Mendoza lost his seat. He is one of the most violence-provoking ex-leaders in Venezuela. He openly promoted violence and civil unrest in 2002-2003, along with Juan Fernandez (PDVSA), Carlos Fernandez (Fedecamaras), Carlos Ortega (CTV), Albis Munoz (Fedecamaras) and more .. many of whom are in hiding today.

Something is going well in Venezuela … it is “El Pueblo” (the people) who democratically (by vote) ousted the criminal Enrique Mendoza. This is democracy in action!

Another interesting factor about these elections is that the pro-Chavez parties gained an additional 7 seats. This means that the anti-Chavez Governors were not as popular as they claimed … and no amount of “palanca” (bribery) is going to keep them in power .. like in the old days of Venezuela’s pseudo-democracies (run by the “old boy’s club”).

How can Chavez be so popular?

Why is it that at least 20 of a total of 25 Venezuelan states/federal districts are today headed by pro-Chavez Governors?

The answers are many, but amongst the most obvious is … Chavez is the first President in Venezuelan history to truly care about the 80% poorer majority who have suffered generations-worth of abuses under the control of the minority (whiter) 20% mid-to-upper classes who, to this day, still live in their apartheid-like world … protected by high-walled, spiked barricades and private, armed security personnel.

The Chavez government has also managed to slow down the traditionally chronic “disappearance” of public funds and PDVSA profits which would “miraculously” find themselves in the Miami bank accounts of the former reigning elites, their friends and families and pets.

The Chavez government has brought education and health services to the majority 80% who had consistently been almost-completely neglected by past governments. The Chavez government has put the military to work for the people, building houses and roads and assisting the citizens … rather than going around harassing people, stealing from them or shooting them.

The Chavez government is in the process of reviewing all natural-resource exploitation contracts with outside firms in order to assure that Venezuela gets its fair share of the profits … not like in the past where some contracts negotiated by former administrations called for royalties as low as 1% … which is not only irresponsible, but totally ridiculous from any standpoint — and they call themselves so educated and intelligent … huh!

Since Chavez has been in power, the Adecos and Copeyanos have almost disappeared … as aging relics of a corrupt past. Since Chavez has been in power, the misnamed Coordinadora Democratica has almost disappeared as well … and so has Fedecamaras (Venezuela‚s corrupt traditional Chamber of Commerce) and the CTV (Venezuela‚s corrupt traditional trade union central).

All of these organizations made a very bad name for themselves (and deservedly so) … because they were the public leaders of the sabotage of the Venezuelan economy in 2002-2003.

The October 31, 2004, elections reinforce reality in Venezuela. About 60% of the population generally support the Chavez government … and only a maximum of about 35% support the anti-Chavez movement or political parties that want to rule Venezuela like it was ruled in the past … by unilateral presidential decrees, cronyism, favoritism, Presidentially-appointed Governors and Mayors … and abusive police and military force.

Fewer and fewer people are believing what comes out of the mouths of the Venezuelan anti-Chavez movements … except, unfortunately, for people such as Bush and Kerry and their oh-so-smart-and-educated “expert” advisors who appear to know very little (and probably care even less) about what is really going on in this world.

Viva Venezuela’s democracy!

Addendum#1: I just read that Orlando Urdaneta, a Venezuelan anti-Chavez actor, declared, on Miami TV today, Monday, that Chavez should be assassinated … and that he would be willing to give the order. Nice guy, right? Democratic? Civil? Peaceful? Yeah, sure … my foot!

Addendum #2: I have also just read that Enrique Mendoza is refusing to accept the results of the October 31, 2004 elections in which he lost his seat as Governor against a pro-Chavez candidate. What is he going to do now? Chain himself to his desk? Go on a hunger strike? Call for the death of Chavez … like both Orlando Urdaneta and Carols Ortega did in Miami?

Oscar Heck
oscar@vheadline.com

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