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Features: Participation

Understanding the Venezuelan Presidential Election Outcome

"The most simple of us, we will win", activists painted above this barrio entrance in Merida (Tamara Pearson/ Venezuel

Why was the presidential election result so close, and why did some government supporters switch to supporting Capriles? As the opposition causes violence around the country, calling "fraud", what was it that worked with Capriles' campaign, and that didn't with Maduro's?

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The 14 April Venezuelan Presidential Election Campaign: Start of a New Era

Although the results of the presidential elections in a few weeks are quite predictable, we are going through a fragile, vulnerable period, with a future that is less predictable. These elections, because of their place in history- the start of the era of the Bolivarian revolution without Chavez – have some special characteristics and factors.

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Grassroots Activists Speak on Chavez’s Absence: “We’ll Fight Even Harder”

At a recent march in Merida city (Tamara Pearson / Venezuelanalysis.com)

If anyone is clearest about what Chavez’s absence means and what it could mean in the future, it is the grassroots activists and revolutionaries in Venezuela. While private international and national media paint a picture of hopelessness, economic chaos, a power vacuum and power struggles in Venezuela, the grassroots are experiencing a different reality, and have a much more positive outlook for the future.

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Venezuela’s State Elections: When Winning Comes before Revolution

Supporters rally for PSUV candidate for Merida, Alexis Ramirez. Their placards say “Alexis – governor, loyalty always” (YV

Internal debate and criticism of the PSUV and its current state election campaign, as well as proper grassroots involvement, has been put off, and put off, because in this incredibly democratic country there is always some kind of election coming up. Yet for how long will such sacrifices be made in the name of defeating the capitalist opposition?

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Venezuela’s Presidential Elections: An Imperfect-Victory

People celebrating the victory outside the Miraflores Palace (Tamara Pearson / Venezuelanalysis.com)

Venezuelanalysis.com examines the causes and consequences of yesterday's election results.

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Impressions of the Venezuelan Election: Participatory Democracy vs. Western Democratic Decline

A young activist explains why she supports Venezuela's Bolivarian revolution at a mass pro-Chavez rally: "I support th

I’ve witnessed the self-assured superiority of Paris, the imperial arrogance of Washington, the capitalist decadence of New York’s Manhattan, parliamentary elections in Germany, and my fair share of elections in Britain. In none of them have I encountered a democratic political culture as profound as Venezuela’s. 

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A Story about Rubbish: Communities Takeover from Opposition Mayor

Rubbish in Petare (Patria Grande)

Smack in the middle of tourist season, in little, tranquil, and stunningly beautiful Merida, with the giant green Andes hugging it on all sides, artisans in the plaza, beard trees in the parks, and  tourists from Caracas standing in the doorways of pastel coloured posadas with their cameras –the opposition mayor decided to just stop collecting rubbish.

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Revolutionary Democracy in the Economy? Venezuela’s Worker Control Movement and the Plan Socialist Guayana

An outdoor worker assembly in Alcasa, August 2011 (Prensa Alcasa)

In this in-depth investigative analysis, Ewan Robertson evaluates the advances and setbacks of the worker control movement in Venezuela, and what Venezuela's experience in worker control means for the Bolivarian revolution and movements for radical social change worldwide.

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Beautiful Venezuela: Tourism with a Social Conscience

One of Venezuela's many beautiful sites, La Azulita caves, Merida state (Tamara Pearson/Venezuelanalysis.com)

Rather than Disneyland tourism, rather than humiliating “third word” selling itself to the  rest tourism, in stunning Venezuela, tourism is taking a new turn towards community and state run exploration of history, culture, and biodiversity.

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Interview: The Great Patriotic Pole (GPP) - How Thousands of Movements are Constructing their Revolutionary Organisation

Jessica Pernia (Tamara Pearson- Venezuelanalysis.com)

In this interview Venezuelanalysis talks to one of the activists who has been involved in the formation of the GPP almost right from the start. Although the GPP, an organisation which formally unites 35,000 Venezuelan movements and collectives, is just in its initial stages, we try to get a hang of what kind of organisation it could be, and the processes and forces that have been involved in its formation.

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[Part I] One Interview, Two Voices: A Look at Venezuela Today

A year and a half before Venezuela’s December 2012 presidential elections, the debate has already begun. As is often the case, both pro-Chavez and opposition forces are discussing their views amongst themselves, and not with each other. In an attempt to bring opposing Venezuelan voices together, two members of opposing political forces were asked a series of questions relating to political life, education, and the media, among other things. Here are their answers.

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Venezuela’s 21st Century Socialism and the Difficult Journey from ‘Me’ to ‘Us’

The Venezuela of today is a nation mobilized in defense of a new ideal – a proposal for the future referred to simply as Socialismo del Siglo 21, or 21st Century Socialism. In this analysis, Rosales seeks to contextualize a few of the guiding principles being used by the Venezuelan people in their struggle to consolidate a socialist society, and takes a brief glimpse at the challenge faced by 21st Century Socialism in the fight against capital’s culture of consumption that remains quite present in the Venezuela of the Bolivarian Revolution.

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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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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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