News / Politics
Hugo Chavez to Steer Venezuela Towards Socialism
After collecting 63 percent of Sunday’s vote, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez appears confident that he can direct his country towards a socialist ideology. Speaking about the 7.2 million voters that cast their ballot for his re-election Chavez said “Those who voted for me didn't vote for me. They voted for the socialist plan, to build a profoundly different Venezuela.”
That different Venezuela is expected to shift the country to one rooted in socialist ideals. Chavez already provides programs that are designed to eliminate poverty, provide free education, and allot monetary funds for single mothers.
With those “missions” already in place Chavez may be looking to nationalize Venezuelan industries. The countries oil industry already provides the resources to support the socialist programs implemented under Chavez.
Chavez is also expected to reform the Venezuelan constitution so that he may run again in 2012.
His victory was marked by celebration from several leftist governments. Chavez received a congratulatory message from Cuban President Fidel Castro stating “The victory was resounding, crushing and without parallel in the history of our America.”
A resurgence in leftist ideals has been seen in recent elections in Nicaragua, Brazil, and Ecuador.
How this will affect the Venezuelan /United States relationship is yet to be seen. While the U.S. is Venezuela’s largest purchaser of oil there has always been a rift between Chavez and the American government. Chavez has openly called the U.S. President “the devil” and when he addressed the United Nations the day after George Bush spoke he commented that he could still “smell the sulfur” from Bush’s presence.
U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield has tried to put those dividing issues aside and said “We recognize that and we're ready, willing and eager to explore and see if we can make progress on bilateral issues.”
