Analysis: Law and Justice

Smoke and Mirrors: An Analysis of Human Rights Watch’s Report on Venezuela

By Gregory Wilpert - Venezuelanalysis.com, Oct 17th 2008

The September 18, 2008 Human Rights Watch report, “A Decade Under Chavez,” raises a few problems with regard to the protection of political rights in Venezuela, but the few places where it is on target are almost completely drowned in a sea of de-contextualization, trumped-up accusations, and a clear and obvious bias in favor of the opposition and against the government.

Human Rights Watch in Venezuela: Lies, Crimes and Cover-ups

By James Petras, Sep 29th 2008

A close reading of the recent Human Rights Watch "Report" on Venezuela reveals an astonishing number of blatant falsifications and outright fabrications, glaring deletions of essential facts, deliberate omissions of key contextual and comparative considerations and especially a cover-up of systematic long-term, large-scale security threats to Venezuelan democracy posed by Washington.

Venezuelan Legal System

By Michael Albert - ZNet, Sep 26th 2008

An interview with Fernando Ramón Vegas Torrealba, justice of the Venezuelan Supreme Court, who talks about the role of the law and legal system in the new Venezuela.

Decalogue of the 26 Law-Decrees

By Ministry of Communication and Information, Sep 23rd 2008

The following is a translation of a document produced by the Venezuelan Ministry for Communication and Information. It is a summary of the content of the 26 laws passed by the National Executive and also seeks to debunk some of the myths spread by the opposition.

The Truth Suffers in Human Rights Watch Report on Venezuela

By Venezuela Information Office, Sep 19th 2008

Human Rights Watch focuses on the issues of political discrimination, the separation of powers, and the media in Venezuela, but misrepresents the realities of all three, taking what are at best isolated incidents and portraying them as common occurrences.

Corporate Media Bashes Venezuelan Government's Law Decrees

By Stephen Lendman, Aug 15th 2008

Chavez critics don't explain Venezuelan law or how Supreme Court rulings interpret it. Nor do they report how the Enabling Law works, that the nation's Constitution authorizes it, that four other presidents used it, among many other things. How can they? It would expose their false accusations and discredit their entire argument.

The Facts about the List of “Banned Candidates” in Venezuela

By Francisco Dominguez - Dissident Voice, Jul 24th 2008

Sections of the Venezuelan opposition are opposing a decision by Venezuela’s Comptroller General, who has submitted a list of 386 individuals to be banned from standing for public office for (being guilty of) corruption and/or misuse of public funds. In fact, the Comptroller General is merely implementing existing legislation — a great deal of which precedes the Chavez government.

Suitcasegate - A Politically Motivated Prosecution Directed Against Venezuela?

By Revolter - BoRev.net, Jul 8th 2008

Since December, three Venezuelans and a Uruguayan have been detained in Miami without bail. Their alleged crime involves the supposed cover-up of the delivery of money between the Venezuelan and Argentine governments. Does it sound like something the U.S. justice system should be involved in? Probably not. Even worse, the U.S. case is sort of laughable.

Making Sense of Venezuela’s Constitutional Reform

By Gregory Wilpert – Venezuelanalysis.com, Dec 1st 2007

The Venezuelan government's effort to create "21^st century socialism" is moving ahead full-steam. While tensions and confusion about the reform are rising in Venezuela, it is important to realize that this reform will mean both less and more than most outside observers seem to think.

What is Venezuela’s Constitutional Reform Really About?

By Chris Carlson - Venezuelanalysis.com, Nov 23rd 2007

Only an understanding of the political project that Chavez plans to develop in the country, and the specific political, economic, and social structure that it entails, allows us to fit the constitutional reform into the larger context and understand the real role it plays in laying the groundwork for the future plans of the Chavez government.

Venezuela’s Constitutional Reform: An Article-by-Article Summary

By Gregory Wilpert – Venezuelanalysis.com, Nov 23rd 2007

The following is an article-by-article summary of the changes being proposed to Venezuela's 1999 constitution. Venezuelans will vote on the reform on December 2^nd and will do so in two blocks. Block "A" includes President Chavez's original proposal and 13 articles introduced by the National Assembly. Block "B" includes another 26 reform articles proposed by the National Assembly. Voters may vote "Yes" or "No" on each block.

Venezuela: Still A Democracy

By Mark Weisbrot - New Statesman, Nov 22nd 2007

Planned Venezuelan constitutional reforms are portrayed as 'another Chavez power grab', a notion challenged by Mark Weisbrot of US thinktank CEPR

Reforming Venezuela's Constitution

By Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, Nov 20th 2007

Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez Herrera during a lecture at the Portland Central America Solidarity Comittee. Photo Credit: Chris Leck

The reforms to the Constitution are fully consistent with the changing needs of a democratic country like Venezuela that is seeking an alternative model of participation and development. Critics of the reforms not only misunderstand their purpose, but they also fail to recognize that since Chávez was first elected, their worst fears and warning have not come true.

Constitutional reforms in Venezuela

By Embassy of Venezuela in the US, Oct 26th 2007

The constitutional reforms speed the redistribution of Venezuela’s resources to benefit the poor, de-centralize political power to grant citizens more direct say in their affairs, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, and protect afro-Vene

Reforms to the Venezuelan Constitution aim to speed the redistribution of resources, allow more direct citizen participation in the democratic process, prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and protect afro-Venezuelan heritage and culture, among other rights.

The Terrorists Among US

By Sarah Stephens - Huffington Post, Oct 8th 2007

Luis Posada Carriles (Archive)

Think of how angry Americans would be if Pakistan's government let Osama bin Laden emerge from his cave of refuge and take up open residence in Islamabad? A scene just like that is the reality here in the United States where Luis Posada Carriles, who ranks in the top ten list of the world's most prolific terrorists, is living freely in Florida.