EMBASSY
OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA IN THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF
EGYPT CONCURRENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN
N°
339
The Embassy
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presents its compliments
to World Investment News, on the opportunity of informing of the
following:
On the 15th
of August, President Hugo Chavez Frías, presented to the
Venezuelan National Assembly, a Project of a Constitutional Reform
that includes 33 of the 350 articles of the National Constitution.
The Proposal is directed to introduce adjustments that are indispensable
for the strengthening of the Constitutional and Democratic revolution
initiated in 1999.
In the face
of a backdrop of erroneous interpretations and an international
campaign against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with the
participation of powerful media outlets with the intent of disqualifying
the constitutional reform proposed, it has become necessary to explain
to the international community in a clear and precise manner its
real scope, as well as highlighting the multiplicity of aspects
present in it which will enrich the Venezuelan Democracy guided
by the principles of solidarity and social justice, and through
the democratic and protagonist participation of all Venezuelans.
In this regard,
we wish to highlight, as a manner of example, the following realities,
in order to contain and silence the voices of those who spread false
information, in pursuit of their own interests and benefits through
the deformation of the truth:
• The
Constitutional Reform Project is currently being discussed and
debated by the Venezuelan People with the participation of all
sectors in the country until its discussion and approval by the
National Assembly.
• The
Constitutional Reform proposed guarantees political pluralism.
To:
Hon. World Investment News
C/O Esther Posadilla
Executive Director
• The
Reform will only will only be enacted if approved by the Venezuelan
People through a referendum which will be free, transparent and
open to international observation.
• The
Constitutional Reform Project recognizes and guarantees private
property, contrary to malicious versions that pretend to convey
that private property would be abolished
• The
Constitutional Reform Project contemplates crucial vindications
for workers, that’s had never before been considered, among
them a regime of social security for non dependant workers.
• The
Constitutional Reform postulates an intermediate, diversified
and independent Economic Productive Model, based on humanistic
values of cooperation and a preponderance of the common interest
over those of individual nature.
• The
Central bank of Venezuela (BCV) will continue to participate in
the formulation and execution of monetary Policy of the Country,
and contrary to the thesis that pretends to portray that the Venezuelan
executive power pretends to assume the control of the BCV and
the management of international reserves.
• The
reform does not contemplate neither perpetual nor for life reelection
of the president, but leaves to the will of the people to determine
the continuation of the president in power, as it is the case
in many countries in the world, including 17 in Europe.
• The
Constitutional Reform proposed postulates the promotion of a pluripolar
world and the democratization of international relations.
Additional information
on the ongoing processes in this crucial phase in the citizenry
and democratic live of the Venezuelan People will be circulated
subsequently.
The Embassy
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in thanking for the kind
attention to the present information renews to World Investment
News, the assurances of its highest esteem and consideration.
Cairo 12th September, 2007
A
GLANCE AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PROPOSED BY VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT
HUGO CHAVEZ FRIAS
On August 15th, 2007, a new historical milestone was reached in
the construction of a new humanist and socialist model by the government
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. That is the Constitutional
Reform process, led by President Hugo Chávez under the principles
of solidarity and social justice, through the democratic and protagonist
participation of the whole people of Venezuela.
President Hugo Chávez’ proposal aims to:
1. In view of the failure of the capitalistic development
model in ensuring a just and optimal distribution of wealth among
the people, promote a new economical model with an emphasis on the
social and humanistic issues, with the aim of satisfying the necessities
of all society with equity and justice. Economical projects must
be accompanied of a social and humanist counterpart.
2. Consolidate a participative and protagonist democracy,
based on the progressive transfer of power to people. For the benefit
of the Venezuelan reality, invent, build and get acquainted with
our original people and afro descendant teachings, as Simón
Rodríguez, teacher of the Liberator Simón Bolívar,
would say.
3. Create awareness of geographic territories and spaces.
For decades, the Neoliberalism ideology imposed
the absence of territorial awareness, decentralization at all costs
and strategic weaknesses. The Reform intends to reorganize and reconstitute
geographical spaces, in order to meet security, defence and development
needs, with the prevalence of a humanist view.
4. Encourage suffrage and participation
The protagonist role of popular masses is the root
of the process. The Reform intends to expand the means of people’s
participation, as well as their protagonist role, by exercising
their sovereignty; and for the construction of Socialism. These
means constitute the following figures: election of public positions,
referenda, popular consultation, mandate revocation, constitutional
and constituent legislative initiatives, town meetings, citizens
binding assemblies, councils of popular power. The Reform will allow
enlarging the Presidential term to seven years; and establishes
the President can be re-elected immediately for a new term, leaving
it to the will of the People to determine the permanence of the
President in power, as it is done in many countries of the world,
including 17 European nations
5. Respect Social and Labour Rights
A participative people can not be abandoned. The
Reform incorporates non dependent workers to the revolutionary social
security for non dependent workers, through the creation of the
“Fund for social stability of independent workers”.
Likewise, the Reform proposes a substantial and decisive improvement
in the quality of life by reducing the working day schedule to six
hours.
6. State a New Economic Model
A full social life requires a socialist economy.
The Reforms proposes an intermediate, diversified and independent
Productive Economic Model, based on humanist values of cooperation
and prevalence of common interests over individual interests. The
Republic will foster and develop different types of enterprises
and economic units of both direct or communal and indirect or state-owned
social property; as well as enterprises and economic units of social
production and/or distribution, that can be jointly owned by the
State, the private sector and the communal power. This will allow
creating better conditions for the collective and cooperative construction
of a Socialist economy.
The Reform will emphatically forbid the creation
of monopolies. Likewise, it establishes the State has the right
to reserve the exploitation of natural resources or any other strategic
properties of the nation; as well as the provision of vital public
services.
7. Establish Public, Social, Collective and Private
Properties, among others.
The development of the Socialism of the 21st century
demands new types of property. The draft Reform recognizes: 1) public
property, belonging to the State; 2) social property, belonging
to the whole people and their future generations; 3) collective
property, belonging to social groups or persons for common use and
enjoyment; 4) mixed property, formed by public, social, collective
and private sectors, in different combinations, to get resources
or holding activities, always subject to the full respect for economic
and social sovereignty of the nation; and 5) private property, owned
by natural persons or corporations, it is recognized over goods
of use and consumption and production means legally acquired.
8. Preserve the environment as guarantee of life
in the planet
The sovereign exercise over the environment must
be guaranteed. Our spaces are not a common heritage of international
organizations or hegemonic powers. Environment and natural resources
are heritage of all Venezuelans for their sustainable use and wellbeing
of future generations.
9. Recognise and Promote multiethnic and cultural
diversity
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the historical
product of the mixture of several cultures. Therefore, the State
recognizes the diversity of expressions, and values the indigenous,
European and Afro descendant roots that originated our Great South
American Nation. Popular cultures: indigenous and afro descendant,
who constitute the Venezuelan culture, enjoy special attention,
as intercultural views are recognized and respected, under the principle
of cultures equality. The law will establish incentives and encouragements
for people, institutions and communities that promote, support,
develop or finance cultural plans, programmes and activities in
the country, as well as the Venezuelan culture abroad.
The
key themes of the Constitutional Reform on foreign and international
policy aim to:
Promote pluripolarity by democratising international
relations, in order to foster an approach of the socialist ethics,
based on the principles of equality, solidarity, equity, justice,
peace and complementarity. The challenge posed by the construction
of a pluripolar world goes beyond multipolarity. The United Nations
is the multilateral organization par excellence. Nevertheless, it
has been proved, during the time of its functioning, that this organization
lacks legitimacy. In the same way, these organizations, under the
disguise of multilateralism, hide a real unipolarism view. As a
result of this, the pluripolar view must transcend the multipolar
view.
Promote and consolidate new forms of integration
never thought from the creation of free trade areas with pre-eminence
of multinational companies, but mechanisms of political and cultural
integration, as the Bolivarian Alternative for The Americas (ALBA),
the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Petrosur, Petrocaribe,
Petroandina, Bank of the South, University of the South, Telesur,
Radio Sur; for the construction of a new group of institutions based
on a participative democracy, the inclusion of peoples and their
participation in international mechanisms.
Peace as a fundamental pillar, as well as the right to legitimate
defence, will not be diminished, they will rather be set as principles
of internationalisation, jointly proposed with the inclusion of
the strategy of the asymmetric war as existent technique to defend
the sovereignty of our country. Likewise, the Communal Organization
for State Defence and Security will be an issue of the foreign and
international policy.
The reform
proposed is currently subject to national consultation and will
only be approved by the Venezuelan people through a free, transparent
referendum open to international observation.
September, 12th, 2007
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