After Opposition Parties Boycott Vote, Hugo Chavez Wins Total Control of Venezuela's Parliament

Interview with Gregory Wilpert, sociologist and journalist living in Caracas, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

In another of a string of victories, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won an overwhelming victory in his nation's Dec. 4th legislative election. The president's Fifth Republic Movement won 114 out of 167 seats in the National Assembly, while allied parties won the balance. However, this electoral victory came after five major opposition parties boycotted the vote, resulting in only 25 percent participation by registered voters. The opposition parties, many of which supported the unsuccessful 2002 military coup against Chavez, complained that Venezuela's National Electoral Counsel favored government candidates, despite major changes made by the Counsel in response to opposition grievances.

President Chavez claimed the opposition's boycott of the election was prompted by polls showing they would have suffered an embarrassing defeat, a tactic he says that was backed by Washington to destabilize his government. Now, with commanding control of the legislature, Chavez will have a two-thirds majority in parliament that will allow him to change the constitution, including a current limit of two presidential terms in office.

Meanwhile, Venezuela is continuing its charm offensive by offering Caribbean nations and now, poor residents of Boston and New York, discounts on oil through its state-owned energy company, brand named Citgo in the U.S. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Gregory Wilpert, a sociologist and journalist living in Caracas, who examines Venezuela's recent legislative election.

Read Gregory Wilpert's articles online at www.venezuelaanalysis.com

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2005 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.