In the bustling streets of the popular areas of Venezuela, there is a change in people’s electoral preferences that transforms the political landscape of areas that were once solidly dominated by the ruling ‘chavista’ party.
lapatilla.com
A devastating economic crisis, endemic corruption, and the erosion of civil liberties have undermined the historic support these communities provided to Chavismo for more than two decades.
Today, the inhabitants of these emblematic neighborhoods voice disenchantment and disillusionment. Here the promises of prosperity and social justice have faded over time in the face of the harsh reality of low purchasing power, unemployment, rampant inflation and the chronic deficiency of public services, a result of disastrous government management.
As living conditions have worsened, the desire for change has intensified and the search for viable political alternatives takes part in the growing support for other voices, such as that of the candidate of the Unitary Platform, Edmundo González, and the democratic opposition leader María Corina Machado, who represent the hope of a better future for Venezuelans.
From the country’s main cities to the most remote towns, the clamor for a different future resonates ever louder, marking a turning point in the country’s political history.
To learn more about this reality, we spoke with a Venezuelan sociologist who is an alumnus of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), who preferred not to reveal his name because he has worked in the chavista public administration for many years and fears reprisal.
Has the ruling party lost political support, especially in the popular areas of the country?
The ruling party has progressively lost support over the years, but this phenomenon is now more evident because it moved into the popular areas that were bastions of support for Chavismo thanks to the social policies implemented during the first years of Hugo Chavez’s government.
However, the ruling party has lost these spaces as a result of the economic crisis, where inflation, unemployment and shortages of basic products have hit hardest. In addition, to this is added the inability of the government to fulfill the promises of the late Chávez to improve living conditions with quality public services, leaving as a result a disillusioned population and this is reflected in the decrease in popular support for this government model.
Is the decline in social benefits the focus of social discontent?
Social discontent and the population’s loss of support for the ruling party in Venezuela are not based exclusively on social programs, although these play an important role. Initially, the ruling party’s social programs, such as the “missions,” were very popular and provided significant benefits in various areas such as health, education, and food security.
Over time, the effectiveness of these programs has not only decreased in scope, but many of them have ceased to exist, causing the population to perceive them more as temporary palliatives than as sustainable long-term solutions.
But beyond that, corruption and the perception that the leaders of the ruling party have prioritized their personal interests over the collective well-being have been determining factors in this loss of support.
Has the Venezuelan Government’s discourse changed over the years?
In the initial stage of the so-called “Bolivarian Revolution” the focus was on social inclusion, justice and the redistribution of wealth through missions and social programs. However, the discourse has evolved towards a narrative of resistance and defense against internal and external “enemies”, focusing on national sovereignty and the fight against imperialism.
But not only has the discourse changed, but it has also translated into actions. A Government that talks about sanctions, blockades and economic war as impediments to increase the salaries of public employees, but holds free concerts, imports the latest model vans for its security fleet, is obviously going to be rejected by those who bought the idea that ‘being rich was bad’.
Wear and tear of the political model
After more than two decades of Chavismo rule, many Venezuelans, including those who were former supporters, perceive an exhaustion of the current political model. The lack of renewal and effective response to everyday problems has led to a search for new alternatives and leadership that can offer concrete solutions to the country’s challenges.
To know about the other side of the coin, we spoke with María de Jesús Pacheco, a resident of a populous area located in the south of Aragua State, where – in her opinion – “the miracle” of public policies was only fulfilled during the time of political campaign and nearing elections, a reason that led her to desert the political model of “Bolívar and Chávez.”
For 25 years, Pacheco, like many of his neighbors, believed in the promises of real improvements and changes that the government leaders made every time the elections approached, promising solutions to their problems, improvements in public services and opportunities for all, but once the elections were over, those promises faded away.
“We saw how the candidates arrived with their speeches and caravans, promising heaven and earth. They organized events, distributed aid and told us that our problems would be solved. But as soon as they won, they disappeared. We didn’t see them again until the next election campaign. Meanwhile, our streets were still full of potholes, drinking water was still missing, electricity was deteriorating every day and not to mention healthcare or education,” she said.
The story of María de Jesús seems to be similar to that of Carlos Colmenares, who lost his house due to the flooding of Lake Los Tacariguas (Lake Valencia) and is still waiting to be awarded a decent home as promised in one of the many electoral campaigns for the governorship of the Aragua State.
“We realized that we were only important to the Government when they needed our votes. The campaign began and the first area they visited was this. That changed. We no longer believe in empty promises or ‘pañitos calientes’ ( lit. ‘warm washcloths’, useless remedies). For this reason, today many of us affected have focused on mobilizing the community, informing and educating about how to vote in the presidential elections on July 28th. We believe that political change is possible and we trust that with this each of us will be able to build the house that we have longed for for years,” Colmenares stated.