United Socialist Party of Venezuela Registers Officially as a New Party

Caracas,
April 18, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) – More than one year on since Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez first called for the formation of the United Socialist
Party of Venezuela (PSUV) as "a political instrument that puts itself at the
service of the people … at the service of socialism," the new party has
officially registered with the National Electoral Council in time for the
regional elections in November.

William
Lara, the national electoral coordinator of the PSUV, explained that the PSUV
has assumed the registration and funds of Chavez's old party, the Movement for
a Fifth Republic, and as such "inherits the rights that applied to the MVR for
being the principal political force in the country," including being the first
party convoked by the CNE to chose its position on the ballot paper. 

"We will be
asking the CNE to place us on the top left hand corner of the ballot paper, the
same position as the MVR," he added.

After a
year long process of formation, during which, some 5.7 million Venezuelans
registered as aspiring members of the new party, and a two month long founding
congress that culminated with national leadership elections on March 9, the
PSUV has for the past several weeks, been undergoing a process of selecting
regional leaderships. 

As part of
the process, each active member in the grass roots ‘socialist battalions' or
cells of the new party was able to nominate up to three candidates.

According
to Aristóbulo Istúriz, PSUV vice president for the Capital District and the
states of Miranda and Vargas, an average of 58 PSUV militants from each
socialist battalion, totalling some 725 000, participated in the nominations
process that closed on April 6. 

Out of the
top 60 candidates nominated from each region, the national executive of the PSUV
will then select a final 30, including 15 full delegates and 15 substitute delegates,
for each regional leadership body, taking into account the representation of
women and minorities. The results of the regional leadership selection process
are due to be announced shortly.

The PSUV
national leadership has also initiated discussions with coalition parties,
including Homeland for All (PPT), the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) and the
Electoral Movement of the People (MEP), among others, in order to form a
Patriotic Alliance of all those who support the Bolivarian revolution for the
upcoming regional elections for governorships and mayors. 

However,
first vice-president of the PSUV, Alberto Müller Rojas, explained that the
Patriotic Alliance is not simply an electoral front, but a "strategic project"
in order to contribute to the construction of a socialist government model.

Secretary
General of the PPT, José Albornoz, concurred, "The behaviour of the Patriotic Alliance
does not correspond only to the electoral act rather complies fundamentally
with its strategic character." 

Oscar
Figuera, from the PCV added, "Within the alliance exists a commitment to a
political project… we have begun to work towards an electoral campaign and the
application of that project."

The
selection of candidates for the PSUV and the Patriotic Alliance is scheduled
for July the leaders confirmed. Although the exact method for selecting
candidates has not been finalised the Patriotic Alliance is investigating a
polling system to determine support for candidates. 

In a speech
at the School of Planning
in Caracas this
week, Chavez emphasised that the construction of unity of all those who support
the Bolivarian revolution, is essential in order to obtain victory in the
regional elections.

The
socialist leader also called on the Venezuelan people not to give "political
space to the enemy. If there are criticisms, it is necessary to make them, but
we must not lose the spaces we have won. United popular power is
indispensable." 

He also
called on people not to be duped by the demagogic campaigns of opposition
parties that "are ultimately derived from Democratic Action and COPEI."

"Today
there are candidates of the opposition who have dared to say they want to win
the elections in order to improve Mission Barrio Adentro and other missions.
Does anyone believe that our missions could exist with a capitalist
government?" he asked. 

Chavez
reiterated that the candidates from the PSUV must be nominated and chosen by
the grassroots and be accountable to the communities.

"Although
we still have not selected candidates for the PSUV, it is necessary to put
conditions on them, they must commit themselves to the project, not just to a
slogan," he asserted.

These
candidates, as well as functionaries who currently occupy posts in the
government, and members of popular organisations, must dedicate themselves to
confront the bureaucracy and pay attention to the necessities of the people
Chavez explained.

"One of the
deviations that we must confront every day is bureaucratization. We must attend
to the needs of the people…No one can shut themselves away, rather we should be
in the streets, listening to the people."

In this sense Chavez argued it was necessary to
defeat the "anti-values of capitalism" and resolve basic problems such as
access to clean water, food, housing, clothing, health and education for all
the Venezuelan people.