The real rulers of Venezuela since the very start: the military honchos
Venezuelan honchos have hold Venezuela hostage from the very start of the independence: a military upper caste proclaimed itself the only liberators, grab the vast majority of Venezuelan lands, became the president-dictators for most of the time. Civil presidents ruled for only for 7 years between 1810 and 1899. Civil presidents ruled for just a couple of years before 1958. The 1958-1998 was the exception to the rule. Coup monger Chávez finally came to power via elections, but he has been eroding the electoral system ever since, in spite of what his foreign apollogists proclaim.
Unlike in Western Europe, the military are the ones really in control of the election process. They still control vast amounts of territory they proclaim to be "military terrain" but is more "hunting ground" than anything. They are still among the biggest terratenientes of the country. The other big landowners obtained their lands mostly via the military. "Agricultural reform" has been based only on the land of those landowners that are not befriended with the military. Venezuelan beaches cannot be private...unless they are part of military clubs. The military control the access not just to Indian territories that need special protection but to many other areas. And they more often than not allow their friends to do as they please in those territories.
After the reports from the Colombian government about FARC/ENL bases in Venezuela, the Chávez Ministry of Defence published a communique in their site.
The military honchos started their rejection of Colombia's assertion with this:
"The Bolivarian Armed Forces, in its socialist and anti-imperialist character, loyal to its commitment with the Venezuelan people and to its historical tradition of peace and non-intervention in the inner problems of our brother-nations, seen the aggressions perpetrated by the ambassador of Colombia, LUIS ALFONSO HOYOS, at the Organization of American States, manifests its unconditional support to our commandant-in-chief, HUGO CHÁVEZ..."
Now, the constitution of Venezuela states the following:
"The National Armed Forces constitute an essentially professional institution, with no political orientation, organized by the State to guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the Nation and ensure the integrity of its geographical space, through military defense, cooperation for the purpose of maintaining internal order and active participation in national development, in accordance with this Constitution and the law. In performing their functions, they are at the exclusive service of the Nation, and in no case at the service of any person or political partisanship...The National Armed Forces consist of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Guard, which function in an integrated manner within the scope of their competence to fulfill their mission, with their own overall Social Security system, as established under the pertinent organic law."
Unlike in Western Europe, the military are the ones really in control of the election process. They still control vast amounts of territory they proclaim to be "military terrain" but is more "hunting ground" than anything. They are still among the biggest terratenientes of the country. The other big landowners obtained their lands mostly via the military. "Agricultural reform" has been based only on the land of those landowners that are not befriended with the military. Venezuelan beaches cannot be private...unless they are part of military clubs. The military control the access not just to Indian territories that need special protection but to many other areas. And they more often than not allow their friends to do as they please in those territories.
After the reports from the Colombian government about FARC/ENL bases in Venezuela, the Chávez Ministry of Defence published a communique in their site.
The military honchos started their rejection of Colombia's assertion with this:
"The Bolivarian Armed Forces, in its socialist and anti-imperialist character, loyal to its commitment with the Venezuelan people and to its historical tradition of peace and non-intervention in the inner problems of our brother-nations, seen the aggressions perpetrated by the ambassador of Colombia, LUIS ALFONSO HOYOS, at the Organization of American States, manifests its unconditional support to our commandant-in-chief, HUGO CHÁVEZ..."
Now, the constitution of Venezuela states the following:
"The National Armed Forces constitute an essentially professional institution, with no political orientation, organized by the State to guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the Nation and ensure the integrity of its geographical space, through military defense, cooperation for the purpose of maintaining internal order and active participation in national development, in accordance with this Constitution and the law. In performing their functions, they are at the exclusive service of the Nation, and in no case at the service of any person or political partisanship...The National Armed Forces consist of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Guard, which function in an integrated manner within the scope of their competence to fulfill their mission, with their own overall Social Security system, as established under the pertinent organic law."
Coup monger Chávez had proposed in 2007 several changes and they were all rejected. One of them was this:
Article 328: The National Armed Forces constitute an essentially patriotic, popular and anti-imperialist institution organized by the State to guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the Nation; to preserve it from any internal or external attacks and ensure the integrity of its geographic area through the study, planning and execution of the Bolivarian military doctrine, the implementation of the principles of integral military defense and the war of popular resistance, the permanent participation in tasks akin to maintaining security of the citizenry, and the upkeep of the internal order as well as the active engagement in economic, social, scientific and technological development plans in accordance to this constitution and the law.
In the performance of its functions it will always be at the service of the Venezuelan people defending its sacred interests and under no circumstances will serve any oligarchies or imperial foreign powers.
Its fundamental pillars are this constitution and the law, as well as discipline, obedience and subordination.
Its historical pillars are in Bolivar's mandate: to free the nation, to take the sword to defend social guarantees and to deserve people's blessings."
In the performance of its functions it will always be at the service of the Venezuelan people defending its sacred interests and under no circumstances will serve any oligarchies or imperial foreign powers.
Its fundamental pillars are this constitution and the law, as well as discipline, obedience and subordination.
Its historical pillars are in Bolivar's mandate: to free the nation, to take the sword to defend social guarantees and to deserve people's blessings."
But then Chávez did not care. He started to force all changes through "special decreets" that are anything but legal.
The military forces, together with a judiciary and an Electoral Committee totally subservient to the military caste, are going to do anything to keep themselves in power.
Any opposition will be seen as "traición a la patria".
Yesterday, the military started a process against Antonio Rivero, a dissident military who dared criticized them.
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