Venezuela's new National Assembly will sit Wednesday, but have moved the legislative body the last President Hugo Chávez rendered virtually powerless and the stage for months of confrontation between the populist President and an embittered opposition.
The September passed by elections which large gains in Congress, Mr Chávez and his allies in the lame duck was opposition legislator a series of laws that, among other things the President rule by decree for the next 18months was bypassing congressional power.
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images members in the National Assembly with the outgoing Venezuela on your last session Monday. The pro-Chávez body laws that say incoming opposition lawmakers passed the legislature defanged.The tug of war between the new defanged Assembly and Mr. Chávez Venezuelan politics for the coming year will shape and guide how both sides approach 2012 national elections. Mr Chavez, a former officer tried another 11 years where the power is four-year term.
Incoming opposition lawmakers have said that as much of the Assembly have removed constitutional powers, legislators also will try your case in the streets. You have called Venezuelan what you call to protest to the abduction of the Government.
"The law changes have us silence to bring and leave us with very little ability to function", opposition said Member Hermes Garcia. "If we have no voice, we will get a voice." People have in the streets protesting. "Venezuelan people need."
The recent moves by Mr Chavez, highlight how Venezuela has lost its status as a full democracy in the eyes of most analysts while those in dictatorships like Cuba or North Korea, failure.
"It is very, very difficult to talk about a democracy if you officials [in a legislative], have chosen their authority, not exercise", said Michael shifter, President for policy at the Inter-American dialogue, a regional non profit based in Washington, D.C.
Under the new Venezuelan laws intended to strengthen authority Hugo Chavez:
Confers power to rule by decree for the next 18months Chavez enabling law, prohibits allowed, the National Assembly.Law for social media bypass "[ing] to unrest in the public stir up or disturb public order" which international organizations say below could stall on free speech. Financial sector law reclassifies banks as public utilities, making it easier for you to nationalized.New rules for National Assembly limit days in session, to be time for the debate. Debates promoted guided by broadcasters, the Government.Survey Chavez candidates won the popular vote in September, but gerrymandering limits you to 67 seats in the body of 165 member. Still, that was enough to deprive the judgment United Socialist Party of Venezuela of two-thirds majority, the President of the Socialist agenda rubber stamp.
Mr Chávez supporters say the President emergency powers to deal with the recent fatal floods required. Critics say the total package of laws by the lame duck Assembly leaves little doubt that is the intention, power to consolidate.
The new legislative was to replace those retiring due to vote on the approval of new members of the Supreme Court.
But since these voices require a two-thirds majority, and have led the outgoing Pro Chavez legislator would approved haggling with the opposition, a new set of candidates, all Pro Chavez.
The Assembly were also rewritten, potentially internal rules limit the legislature, as little as four sessions, one month and restrictive talk to 15 minutes. The rules say debates are guided channels only on Government, broadcast effectively allows to gag the Chávez Government to members of the opposition. Change rules bar now also legislators, Mr Chavez own party defecting would prevent parties, a movement, the members.
The outgoing Assembly issued a flurry of action, giving autonomy from government interference universities higher State control over the Internet and accept television and local non governmental organisations to prohibit foreign funds. It reclassified banks as public utilities, making it easier for you to nationalized, and some powers to local and State Governments to the Socialist citizens committees - part a broader effort to circumnavigate institutions and directly to govern.
The University law and the seizure of farmland in Western Venezuela sparked protests in December of students and workers.
"It's how the Government is going to decide everything I can take classes where I go what major I choose," said Ariadne doctors, a 21-year old student who was among the demonstrators of the higher education act in December. This month organize another round of protests students groups, she said.
The social responsibility in radio, television and electronic media law prohibits the broadcasting of all, what can say "stir up trouble in the public or disturb public order" which international organizations below could stall on freedom of expression.
Teodoro Petkoff, a former presidential candidate and current editor of the opposition newspaper Tal cual, has the objectives of the Act said that the last remaining opposition channel, Globovisión and the way the scathing comment it provides against the Chávez administration.
"This constant transmission of all kinds of laws on freedom of expression cut down," he said.
Analysts say its handle makes for easy to demoralize the opposition Mr Chavez may be betting. But you say, the last election the opposition momentum before the next year was vote.
Venezuela economy - she shrank in 2009 and 2010 - remains a problem for the free issues populist as high inflation and crime.
"There are reasons for the opposition to be pessimistic, but I'd still argue that you are now in a better position than they previously were" the choice, said Kevin Casas-Zamora, a former Vice President of Costa Rica and senior fellow of the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.-based think tank.
Write toDavid Luhnow at the david.luhnow@wsj.com
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