Essay on Chavez Weakening Democracy - 1567 Words

What is democracy? According to the online version of the Miriam Webster dictionary, democracy is government by the people also is a government in which supreme power is invested by the people and it is exercised by the people directly or indirectly through a representational system in which periodically held free elections. Venezuela as well as other countries in Latin America has undergone constant changes in their democracy, produced by their rulers. The primary function of the government is to ensure the safety of the state, its territory and its inhabitants. Also their objective is to strength the democratic institutions that ensure the democratic liberties and rights. Unfortunately, not all the leaders are capable of respecting†¦show more content†¦His strategy has always been to appeal to the electorate (which is why I say that he is not a dictator because almost everything he has done has had the support of the majority of the population). In this case, by appealing to the resentment sense that the population had towards the party system he called for a National Constituent Assembly. His first goal was to get most of the Assembly through the manipulation of a system of election of delegates. By this, he obtained the 93% of the seats in the assembly, giving him the freedom to make the changes. Some of the most important changes were the elimination of the Senate in its place he created the National Assembly. Chaves replaces the party system that had been established in Venezuela for nearly half a century. Taking advantage of the resentment of the population toward the parties, managed to strengthen the powers invested in the figure of the president. This gave him the power to make laws or declare a referendum without the need for support from the legal system. This in turn, will make things easier because there was no system of checks and balances. In the referendum conducted in 2009 to the executive branch led by Chavez was given the ability t o dissolve the National Assembly too. Also, he gained control of the attorney general, comptroller general, and the militia and the NationalShow MoreRelatedHugo Chavez Essay781 Words   |  4 Pagesfollowing question: Do you consider Venezuela, under Hugo Chavez (1998-2012), a democratic country? The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, had been reelected as the democratic leader; however, his behavior seems to be apart, and in some respects against the fundamental principles of democracy. Analyzing Hugo Chavez’s actions, and the changes made under his authority, it appears that the transformation of Venezuela less under democracy and resembling more as a dictatorship- an autocratic formRead MoreThe Features Of Corruption Of Latin America876 Words   |  4 Pagesbe ideal, but it represents a way for people to access resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them. In sharp contrast, economists point to the many downfalls of corruption: a climate of fear and lack of trust in public institutions, a weakening of the democratic system, increased inequality and violence, diminished economic growth, and so on. This paper examines the features of corruption in Latin America and discusses their implications. To begin, it is useful to understand what preciselyRead MorePolitical and Social Turmoil in Venezuela1475 Words   |  6 Pagesnorms took power almost a year ago and has cracked down on demonstrations with unprecedented force, using the National Guard and armed paramilitary gangs. There is a considerable portion of the population that is fed up with the country’s rapidly weakening financial system. The government has run out of cash and now relies on printing money to finance itself. As a result this country has the highest inflation rate in the world. The Venezuelan population lives with a social anxiety day to day. TheyRead MorePolygamy : Human Rights And Civil Liberties3424 Words   |  14 Pages Polygamy: Human Rights v. Canadian Constitution Collins Njoroge 200105390 Crim 335 - Human Rights and Civil Liberties Instructor: Danijel Ristic 24TH March, 2015 â€Æ' Cesar Chavez, an American civil rights activist and labor organizer, once stated that the â€Å"[p]reservation of one s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures† (University of Florida, n.d., para. 14). This oft-quoted aphorism is particularly relevant in Canada, a multicultural country where certain