Hugo Chavez and Musharaf: difference between democracy and
dictatorship
By: Farooq Tariq
Chavez landslide victory in Venezuela presidential elections is one of the great news of our times. He got over 61 percent of the total votes while only 78 percent is counted. Chavez (52) celeberated his re-elction declaring his victory as a step forward towards achieving Socialism
of 21st century.
He vows to launch a "revolutionary democracy" in Venezuela.
"Venezuelans" voted for 21st century socialism, this new era of socialist
democracy ... the expansion of the revolution, of a revolutionary democracy."
The new Venezuela, Chavez said late Sunday, would have a "political,
social and economic system based on equality."
Crying out "down with imperialism," Hugo Chavez lashed out at George W.
Bush, using some of his favorite terms for the US president, to the
delight of the crowd that braved a torrential downpour.
"This is another defeat for the empire of Mr. Danger," he said in
reference to a blue-eyed American in a 1929 novel who robs land from unwary
Venezuelan peasants. "This is another defeat for the devil who wants to
dominate the world," said Chavez, clad, like many of his supporters in
a red shirt that has become symbolic of his self-styled revolution.
He sent out a "brotherly" salute to Cuba's ailing communist leader
Fidel Castro, "What we have here is a revolution," said Juan Carlos
Bracamonte, a worker who traveled 450 kilometers to celebrate Chavez's victory
outside the presidential palace.
This is unlike Musharaf who has become a family friend of George Bush.
Musharaf is proud of his friendship while Hugo is proud of his
opposition to Bush.
Hugo was not afraid of other political reactionary parties and did not
ban them. He did not rigg the elections according to all the
independent election observers in 3rd December 2006 presidential elections. His
opponenet candidate state governor Manuel Rosales got over 39 percent
votes. This was despite the fact that he was able to unite all the
reactionary forces under his leadership. Rosales, for his part, claimed
Chavez planned to turn Venezuela into a communist state and called him "a
puppet seated on Castro's lap." but this did not work.
The Venezuelan people voted for Hugo because they love him for his
social reforms. He has carried out reforms in the field of education,
health and agriculture. With the help of Cuban doctors, he has almost
overcome the health problems at large. He has developed different projects to
provide free and immidiete help in the field of help. He has almost
turned the illitracy as a past phenomena. He has developed special
educational programmes for the children of working people. new universities
were set up for the students from working class background.
On the contrary, Musharaf is carrying out neo liberal agenda. He has
made education, health and agriculture a private affair. He has
privatised most of the economy. He has become himself a feudal lord and his army
owns more than 12 percent of the agricultaure land in Pakistan. While
Hugo has carried out land reforms, more and more cooperatives are
working in peasant areas.
Hugo was the only living example of surviving a military coup in April
2002. The military had taken over, he was arrested and "deposed". In
three days, the peoples revolution in the streets forced the army to go
back to barracks and bring back Hugo to power and presidential palace.
This was due to his support within people. If there is military coup in
Pakistan Musharaf is arrested and deposed, it absolute clear that not
one tear will be shed in the eyes of the working people in Pakistan. No
one will take the streets to bring back a person, whose departure is
part of the Muslim prayes all the times.
Hugo is not like the old style "communist leaders" of Soviet Union and
China who had only one party allowed to contest the elections. He has
held six different elections with more political parties taking part.
But he has increased his electoral support all the times. In this present
elections, over 14 different presidential candidates took part in the
elections.
Although he has not yet nationalised the economy but not privatised the
national economy. Hugo has tried to build an alternative block to US
imperilism. After this election victory, he has promised to take a
Socialist road to economy. What he meant is nationalisation of the commanding
heights of economy.
Unlike Musharaf, who told the press during his recent US visit that he
supported the US imperialism after they were threatened by US. It was
just after 9/11. But Hugo has been been threaten several times by the
US imperialism but he did not gave in. On the contrary, he challanged US
imperialism all the times. Hugo was also a military officer. He tried
to take over the power in 1992 by a military coup but failed. This was
not to support the rich like Musharaf, but to overthrow a killer regime
who had killed many demonstraters during 1989 revolt in Venezuela. But
later in 1998, without his "uniform" he was elected as president, since
then three times he is been re-elected with ecer increasing support.
There is way to oppose US imperialsm. That is what Hugo has shown in
practice. Unlike Musharaf who always says "we had no choice" Hugo victory
has shown that there is a choice. Unlike Musharaf referendum of 2002,
where he got less than 10 percent of votes but still claimed that he has
got over 60 percent, Hugo has received over 60 percent real votes
without state intervention or rigging.
The elections in Venezuela is not like a business as is the case in
Pakistan. It was part of a genuine democracy what Hugo called revolutionry
democracy. Here in Paksitan, Musharaf is trying to be re-elected as
president from national and provincial assymblies for the second term
despite the fact that all the assymbelies are elected for five years and
not for ten years. There is no moral justification for Musharaf to be
relected from these assymblies. But he is afraid of real democracy. He is
afraid of the new comers.
Chavez was sure of Socialism. He had all the confidence of his ideas.
He did good things for the down trowden of his country. So he is ok and
sure. Musharaf has done bad thing to people and is not sure and Ok. He
has not lowered the prices of oil despite a continues declining oil
prices in the international markets. Musharaf has given over 30 billions
Rupees of oil profit to big oil companies. On the contrary, the oil
money in Venezuela is been spent on people and not on oil joints and
multinational exploiters.
The difference between Musharaf and Hugo is od dictatorship and
democracy. Musharaf is in every term of political terminology a military
dictator and Hugo is a real democrate.
Farooq Tariq
general secretary
Labour Party Pakistan
40-Abbot Road Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: 92 42 6315162 Fax: 92 42 6271149 Mobile: 92 300 8411945,
labourpartypk@yahoo.comlabourpartypk@yahoo.com>
www.laborpakistan.org<http://www.laborpakistan.org>
www.jeddojuhd.com<http://www.jeddojuhd.com>
|