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Features: Law and Justice

Chapter by Chapter Summary of Venezuela’s New Labour Law

Venezuelanalysis.com brings readers this detailed, chapter by chapter summary of the new Organic Law of Work and Workers (LOTTT), a law which has been under discussion in both the national assembly and by workers and movements since 2003.  The law contains 554 articles.

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If Venezuela were Measured by the Majority

What real democracy looks like: A communal council in Merida votes for its electoral commission in July 2010 (Tamara Pearson).

When Newsweek ranked Venezuela last out of 100 countries for “economic dynamism” it had a certain kind of economy and benchmarks in mind. Venezuela is constantly attacked and demonised by U.S based “studies”, “experts”, and “reports”, but what if its economy and political life were to be measured according to the benchmarks of the Venezuelan majority?

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Fighting Corruption or Persecuting Political Opponents in Venezuela? A Response to the New York Times

On April 3rd, the New York Times lent a hand to Venezuela’s elite, neo-liberal opposition by warping positive news about the government’s anti-corruption efforts into a profoundly biased diatribe about supposed political persecution.

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Venezuela’s Reformed Communal Council Law: When Laws Aren’t Just for Lawyers and Power Is Public

Lisbeida Rangel helping to paint a community noticeboard (Tamara Pearson)

We talked about it in the car, we talked about it with friends, we met in one member’s house and talked about it over tea, and we talked about it in moonlit darkness caused by blackouts before various meetings. Our communal council had a few concerns and many praises about the reform to the communal council law, which had just been approved in first discussion.

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Venezuelan Education Law: Socialist Indoctrination or Liberatory Education?

Venezuelan opposition activists allege that the new Education Law is unconstitutional, anti-democratic, politicizes the classroom, threatens the family and religion, and will allow the state to take children away from their parents for indoctrination. Are they correct?

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Human Rights and Police Reform in Venezuela: A Venezuelan Perspective

Seeking an experienced, nuanced, and Venezuelan perspective on human rights and insecurity in Venezuela, Venezuelanalysis.com spoke with the Venezuelan human rights organization Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz (Support Network for Peace and Justice).

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Crime in Venezuela: Opposition Weapon or Serious Problem?

The opposition uses crime to discredit the Chavez government, yet despite being one of the only countries with decreasing unemployment, despite its social missions and increased grassroots political participation, crime seems to be increasing in Venezuela- why?

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

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.

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

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 2nd 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.

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The U.S. and Venezuela: Constitutional Worlds Apart

Although imperfect, no country anywhere is closer to a model democracy than Venezuela under President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias. In contrast, none is a more shameless failure than the U.S.A., but it was true long before the age of George W. Bush.

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Building Socialism of the 21st Century in Venezuela

In the same way that Marx was prepared to change his own views in the light of the Paris Commune, we have to think about socialism now in the light of the experiences of the 20th Century. Many of these lessons have been learned and are embodied in the Bolivarian Constitution of Venezuela.

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“The Venezuelan Judicial System always was the Cinderella of the State Powers”

Carlos Escarrá, a former Supreme Court judge and critical supporter of the Bolivarian process, talks about the controversial new Supreme Court law, the recall referendum, and the theory and practice of justice in Venezuela.

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Venezuela’s New Constitution

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