MIDEAST: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA, NATIONALIZATION

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000580 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR SUBJECT: MIDEAST: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: VENEZUELA, NATIONALIZATION PROGRAM, PRESS FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS; SCO PAULO ¶1. "Chavez' New Constitution" Main editorial in center right O Estado de S. Paulo (7/2) says: "The first measure Hugo Chavez took once he became president of Venezuela in 1998 was to reform the constitution.... With the 1999 constitution Hugo Chavez was able to begin to tailor Venezuela to the "bolivarian" format....Now [Chavez says] the 1999 constitution has "residues of the old order"...and therefore it is time to write a new one that reflects the goals of the dictator. The text is almost ready.... From what is known about the project...private property will be tolerated according to the convenience of the dictator of the moment. Economy will be continuously socialized...the central bank will lose its autonomy...indefinite reelection of the president will be allowed.... Chavez also intends to formalize the Bolivarian militias and the community police's role as a national defense force. The Armed forces will perform "strategic functions" to defend the country from an invasion of U.S. troops-a fantasy threat used by the dictator to mobilize part of the population.... The Bolivarian militias are actually a group of brutes ...the community police...is a copycat of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution which Fidel Castro uses to keep the population in line, It will be no different in Venezuela." McMullen