Dictator Rising

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez seems determined to become the next dictator of his country. Right now, he's making moves to bring the country's infrastructure under state control by nationalizing the communications and energy producing industries. Using the guise of socialism, he's claiming that its in the public's best interests to nationalize these industries. In reality, he must have total control of these sectors to make sure he can keep control once he has it. Shutting off the power or interrupting communications has a demoralizing effect on any mounting opposition. That's why the United States always attacks these two industries when we invade another country.

 

Mabey Chavez really is interested in bringing socialism to his country. Mabey he has no aspirations to become dictator. Unfortunately, the evidence doesn't support this. Chavez himself admitted that he intends to seek special powers from the National Assembly which would allow him to enact a series of laws by decree. What better way to become a dictator than to remove the law making ability from the people's representatives. If the National Assembly grants him this special power, one of the first things he will do is declare a state of emergency and place himself above all laws. At the same time, he will neuter the National Assembly and enforce martial law.

 

Chavez plans to be around for a very long time. He claims to have settled on socialism after studying communist, socialist and democratic models. In reality, he's decided on a model resembling more of a banana republic--or in this case a petrol republic--with himself popularly elected as president. Right now, the Venezuelan Constitution provides presidential term limits. Chavez will not be allowed to run for office again in 2012. He has decided the best way around this is to remove that restraint from their constitution. I guarantee you that if he doesn't succeed in removing this constitutional restraint, he will create a new position within the executive branch that will give him total dictatorial control over all the country and its government. I'm sure it will have a title like Supreme Ruler for Life or some such nonsense.

 

What's important to realize is that Hugo Chavez's rise to power was done through the ballot box with the support of a majority of Venezuelans. Dictatorships need not be fomented with guns and bullets alone. Promising bread and circuses to the people is just as effective. The end game of any tyrant is total power. How they come into power is not as important as how they intend to keep it once they have it. Without a doubt if Chavez senses that the Venezuelan people have changed their collective minds about him and wish him removed from office, he'll not hesitate to move from the ballot box to the cartridge box to maintain his control.