As we approach the end of this mandate, by means of a revocatory referendum called for next August 15^th, it becomes necessary to refresh our memories in reference to the disaster and farce resulted from the revolutionary rhetoric, which has been so devoid of successes during the five years and a half that it has remained in the power.

Ever since the country entered, 25 years ago, into the vicious circle of poverty - product of inflation and devaluation, reflected on the public and private investment fall, the decrease of productive employment and the deterioration of personal and familiar income -, there had not been such confusion as the one lived in Venezuela today.

The inefficiency of the public spending is reflected on the main macroeconomic variables. Gross National Product decreased in 3,6% and Per Capita National Product in 5.4 per cent.  Unemployment goes up to around 18% of the working population (about 2,2 million people), 52% of the population able to work was employed under irregular conditions and 67.3% of Venezuelan homes live below the poverty line (32% live in extreme poverty).  Devaluation with tax aims has put up the official exchange rate from Bolivars 600/US $ in 1999 to Bolivars 1920/US $ and the inflation stays around the 26 per cent, the highest of Latin America and one of highest in the world.

If a government, instead of working to overcome the problems that afflict the great majority of the nation, calls for a revolution -although it was not elected towards that purpose- threatens to “pulverize and annihilate” it adversaries, and tries to gain more power by exerting illegal influence on the powers and institutions, then the nation drifts around.

When the official authorities do not have scruples to violate the constitution and the laws by rigging the rule of law, the republic is deadly wounded.  Amongst the violations, the following must be underlined:  the enactment of a Telecommunications Act on June 1^st 2000, authorizing the Executive to enact “the necessary regulations on the contents of radio and television broadcasts”, and which the president has used to perform more than 580 hours of unimportant and proselytising speeches; the law passed by the Supreme Court's Constitutional Division in June 30^th 2000, on the civil society organizations’ system, that limits the rights and safeguards to freedom of association and participation and eliminates the primacy of international human rights treaties signed by the nation; the hiding of the results of the elections made in October 2001 by the Venezuelan Workers’ Confederation, which were won by the candidates of the opposition, challenging the trade union freedom established in the American Convention and in the International Labour Organization Agreements; the 53 law-decrees approved, without previous consultation, by the President of the Republic in the Cabinet in November 2001 under the Empowerment Act (Ley Habilitante 2000), of doubtful constitutional grounds; the packing law of May 2004, which undermines the autonomy of the judiciary and has brought uprisings from the Academy of Legal Sciences, the Federation of Schools of Lawyers,  the National Universities Schools of Law and Human Rights Watch’ representatives.

The Chief of State has committed speculation and misappropriation of the Nation’s resources. Thus happened with Plan Bolivar 2000, when thousands of millions of bolivars were spent without any control; with the US$ 2000 billion Investment Fund for Macroeconomic Stabilization; with the oil pact signed between Venezuela and Cuba -in spite of the objections from oil technicians- which amounts near US$ 800 millions debt; with the US$ 3000 million of oil incomes which were diverted, thus failing to observe The Law of the Central Bank of Venezuela and with the undercapitalisation, with political aims, of the Fund for Deposit Warranties.

Corruption rambles by the official world of petroleum (PDVSA and Ministry of Energy and Mines) and finances (Bandes, Industrial Development bank, FOGADE, Ministry of Finances) with the endorsement of the National Assembly, the Monetary Authority and the collaboration of the Contraloría General de la Republica. 

Abuses committed by the military, ministers, lawmakers and judges are an everyday issue. Most of the actions taken by the Security Forces of the nation do not abide by the law and many civilians who are charged with inexistent offences are put in custody of military judges. Employees and officials of the public administration have been unfairly dismissed for having signed a request for a presidential revocatory referndum. Twenty thousand workers in the oil industry have been from their savings and pensions. More than 130 journalists have been assaulted and prohibited from exerting their profession. The modification of the Regulation on Procedures and Debates by the National Assembly restricts and clips the right to discuss draft bills.

The prevailing insecurity in cities and towns causes more deaths and damages than war.  It is believed that this year the number of deaths will exceed twelve thousands. The kidnappings of citizens by hampa comun as well as the Colombian and Venezuelan revel groups have increased to the point that in these five years there have been more crimes than in the past 40 years of democratic governments altogether.

The deterioration of Education and Public Health systems, which the government tries to make up with “inefficient and expensive missions”, constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights.  In the case of states and regions governed by members of the opposition, the basic health and educational services have been restricted by the central government. Public hospitals and local GPs lack of materials and equipment, while Cuban doctors carrying out the Mision Barrio Adentro (medical assistance), and who practice illegally in the country, are taking advantage of this situation.

The private sector is continuously harassed by the government and this is shown in the following acts:  the to productive property offices and houses, SENIAT (Venezuelan Tax Authority) closes companies to generate fear among industrialists. Industry and commerce sectors have been suffering currency restrictions, measure which has brought the productive apparatus to a standstill. The government intervention on price regulation and the lack of labour flexibility threaten the necessary participation of the private sector in national development plans.

By means of vividness and deceit, the government is trying to buy the people’s consciences and it accuses of fascists and “coup participants” to those who do not sympathize with the process. The government has seed fratricide hate and this is the cause of abuse, outrages and dozens of dead people in the hands of pro-government paramilitary groups. Although Venezuela has always been recognised as a country of immigrants, frustration has been the reason for thousands of young people to emigrate. Certainly, for most of Venezuelans, from all socio-economic conditions: Five years and a half is enough.