by Frederick A. Babb

Created on: May 03, 2010

Many will argue about the democratic values of the Presidency of Hugo Chavez.  His programs, his regulations and his laws all bear the resemblance of dictatorship.  Many may confuse his grasp on power with the definition of a dictatorship because his government is accused of controlling the freedom of the people.  Some might even dispute that his rule complies with the contemporary usage of the definition of dictatorship because they accuse him of absolute rule by leadership with no law, constitution or other political decrees to prevent him from doing what he wants.  Nothing can be further from the truth.

Hugo Chavez once pursued the acquisition of power through the infamous coup attempt in 1992.  Leading up to the coup, Chavez had mistakenly believed the popular dissatisfaction and economic decline the country lived under then President Carlos Andres Perez would provide the support he sought when he planned to take over control of the government through military force.  On 04 February 1992, he placed five army units into key places with the intention of taking Perez into custody and, in turn, he would take control of the government.  A miscalculation on his own ego cost him dearly.  His loyalty amongst the Venezuela’s military was at ten percent; much lower than he estimated.  As such, his coup soon turned south with numerous betrayals, defections and a series of errors and unforeseen circumstances leaving him and his small group of loyalist hiding in the Military Museum.  While his coup failed, his national television exposure did provide him with the roots of support he would use later on to win the power of the government in elections.  His coup left the impression to many of the poor that he was the figure representing them to stand up to the corrupt government.

Two years in jail and a change of government saw Chavez being pardon by new President Rafael Caldera.  Chavez was still not dissuaded from getting into power; rather he was determined to do it on a legal basis.  He mounted a new political movement under the group Fifth Republic Movement.  He used an ideology based heavily on Bolivarianism to persuade the poor to vote for him to improve their own situation.  With his ostentatious style of speaking, he was able to convince fifty-six percent of the voters in the 1998 presidential elections.

Once in power, Chavez proposed a referendum to change the Venezuelan Constitution. 

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