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Venezuela

Vote ’Yes’ to defend the Bolivarian process

Declaration by Fourth International members living in Venezuela

Thursday 12 February 2009

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On 15 February, the Venezuelan people will decide whether to eliminate the limit on consecutive terms of office currently included in the Constitution. If this proposal put forward by the National Assembly is approved, Hugo Chavez will be able to stand again in the next presidential elections.

President Hugo Chávez holds aloft a miniature copy of the 1999 Venezuelan Constitution at the 2005 World Social Forum
Image: Carlosar

The political tradition of the Fourth International has always been opposed to the excessive prolongation of electoral mandates and to the professionalization of politics. Nonetheless, as internationalists and members of the FI living in Venezuela, it seems to us important, on this occasion, to support the "Yes" option in the referendum on the 15th.

Venezuela is a country with high level of confrontation, where the opposition seeks by all means possible to overthrow the Bolivarian government, with no respect for the rules of the democratic game (except when these work in its favour).

On the other hand, although the revolutionary process has been in government for 10 years now, at least for the moment the particular relation between President Chavez and the people or the social movements is a necessary condition for preserving the political space in which there is a possibility of deepening the revolutionary process.

We therefore believe it is important to show our public support for the "Yes" option, because it is in fact the only way to defend this political process, within which our struggle is for the deepening of the Revolution.

From Venezuela,

Iain Bruce (Britain), Luis Alegre Zahonero (Spanish State), Sébastien Brulez (Belgium), Yannick Lacoste (France).