Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Venezuela // Chávez extols the anti-imperialist aspects of Bolivarianism, which were first kindled during his college years, in an address to hundreds of thousands of chavistas along Caracass Avenida Bolívar on May 16, 2004. ... Mission Barrio Adentro (Mission Into the Neighborhood) is a Bolivarian social welfare program established under current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez that provides comprehensive free health care, dental care, and sports training to poor and traditionally underserved communities in Venezuela. ... Plan Bolivar 2000 (launched 27 February 1999) was the first of the Bolivarian Missions enacted under of administration of current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mision Hábitat (Mission Habitat) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that has as its goal the construction of thousands of new housing units for the poor. ... Mission Mercal (officially launched on April 24, 2003) is a Bolivarian Mission established in Venezuela under the government of Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Ribas (launched November 2003) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that provides remedial high school level classes to the five million Venezeulan high school dropouts; named after independence hero José Felix Ribas. ... Misión Sucre (launched in late 2003) is one the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Robinson (launched in July 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Robinson (launched in July 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Guaicaipuro (launched 12 October 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Identidad is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Miranda is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Piar is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Vuelta al Campo (Return to the Countryside; implementation announced in mid 2005) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Vuelvan Caras (Mission Turn Faces) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Zamora is a land reform program in Venezuela, created in law by the Ley de Tierras (Law of Land), part of a package of 49 decrees made by Hugo Chávez in November 2001. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_Venezuela. ... Politics of Venezuela takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Venezuela is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ...

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Venezuela | Politics

The Bolivarian Missions are a series of social justice, social welfare, anti-poverty, educational, electoral and military recruiting programs implemented under the administration of the current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. They draw their name from the historical Venezuelan hero, Simón Bolívar. The President of Venezuela (Spanish: Presidente de Venezuela) is the English political nomenclature that designates both the head of state and head of government of Venezuela. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... The Cabinet of Hugo Chávez is the circle high level ministerial officials and appointees who coordinate the day to day management of the Venezuelan federal government in conjunction with the current President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. ... The National Assembly (Spanish Asamblea Nacional) is the current legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. ... Cilia Flores is (as of 2007) the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela. ... Political parties in Venezuela lists political parties in Venezuela. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... // Chávez extols the anti-imperialist aspects of Bolivarianism, which were first kindled during his college years, in an address to hundreds of thousands of chavistas along Caracass Avenida Bolívar on May 16, 2004. ... Criticism of Hugo Chávez discusses allegations and criticism against the current President of Venezuela. ... Elections in Venezuela gives information on election and election results in Venezuela. ... Map of Venezuela Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados), 1 Capital District (Distrito Capital) and the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales de Ultramar) that consist on a large number of Venezuelan islands. ... Venezuelas states, capital district, and federal dependencies have been grouped into administrative regions since a 1969 decree on regionalization that institutionalized a process of region development. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Venezuelas declared priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for... The foreign policy of Hugo Chávez concerns the policy initiatives made towards other nations by the current President of Venezuela Chávez. ... // Hugo Chávez era Since Hugo Chávez was elected President of Venezuela, the long-standing close diplomatic relationship between Venezuela and the United States have progressively worsened. ... Israel-Venezuela relations have historically been strong. ... Since the Elections of Hugo Chavez in 1999. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Venezuela_(state). ... Map of Venezuela Venezuela is divided into 23 states (estados), 1 Capital District (Distrito Capital) and the Federal Dependencies (Dependencias Federales de Ultramar) that consist on a large number of Venezuelan islands. ... This is a list of cities in Venezuela. ... A map showing the location of Lake Maracaibo. ... Nickname: La Sultana del Avila (English:The Avilas Sultan) La Sucursal del paraiso Motto: Ave María Santísima, sin pecado concebida, en el primer instante de su ser natural. ... Nickname: La Tierra del Sol Amada (English:The Beloved Land of the Sun) Motto: Muy noble y leal Coordinates: Country Venezuela State Zulia Counties Maracaibo  - Mayor Gian Carlo Di Martino (2000 – 2008) Area    - City 550 km²  (212. ... City motto: (English:) City nickname: Capital industrial de Venezuela (English: Industrial capital of Venezuela) Location of Valencia Mayor Francisco Cabrera Santos (2004 – 2008) Population   â€“Total (2001)   â€“Density Metropolitan area 1,400,000 xxx - km² Time zone UTC –4 Latitude Longitude 10º 10´11 N 68º.59´12 W Official website... Politics of Venezuela takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Venezuela is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Elections in Venezuela gives information on election and election results in Venezuela. ... List of Presidents of Venezuela José Antonio Páez (1830-1835) José María Vargas (1835-1837) Carlos Soublette (1837-1839) José Antonio Páez (1839-1843) Carlos Soublette (1843-1847) José Tadeo Monagas (1847-1851) José Gregorio Monagas (1851-1855) José Tadeo Monagas (1855-1858) Julián Castro (1858... The National Assembly (Spanish Asamblea Nacional) is the current legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. ... Political parties in Venezuela lists political parties in Venezuela. ... In April 2006 the Venezuelan government passed The Law of Communal Councils (consejo comunales) which empowers local citizens to form neighbourhood based elected councils that initiate and oversee local policies and projects towards community development. ... Venezuelas declared priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for... The foreign policy of Hugo Chávez concerns the policy initiatives made towards other nations by the current President of Venezuela Chávez. ... This is the history of Venezuela. ... The Venezuelan War of Independence in 1811-1812 was Venezuelas first war for independence from Spanish colonial rule. ... The Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given to a group of colonial provinces in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia. ... Bolívars War refers to a series of independence wars in South America from 1811 to 1825 led by the famous South American nationalist and general Simón Bolívar. ... The Battle of Carabobo was fought between South American independence fighters, led by Simón Bolívar, and royalist forces seeking to preserve Spanishs American empire. ... Antonio José de Sucre (February 3, 1795 – June 4, 1830) was a South American independence leader. ... The Battle of Lake Maracaibo was fought on July 24, 1823 in Venezuelas Lake Maracaibo between Almirante (Admiral)José Prudencio Padilla and Royalist Captain Ángel Laborde. ... Angostura was the name of the town in Eastern Venezuela that was renamed Ciudad Bolívar in 1846. ... Map showing Gran Colombia The Republic of Gran Colombia, or Greater Colombia, was a short-lived republic in South America consisting of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... // Chávez extols the anti-imperialist aspects of Bolivarianism, which were first kindled during his college years, in an address to hundreds of thousands of chavistas along Caracass Avenida Bolívar on May 16, 2004. ... The Demographics of Venezuela are the condition and overview of Venezuelas peoples. ... The Venezuelan people have a very rich and very diverse cultural heritage. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Bolivarian Missions

The "Bolivarian Missions" have entailed the launching of massive government anti-poverty initiatives,^[1][2] the construction of thousands of free medical clinics for the poor,^[3] the institution of educational campaigns that have reportedly made more than one million adult Venezuelans literate,^[4][5] and the enactment of food^[6] and housing subsidies.^[7] There have been marked improvements in the infant mortality rate between 1998 and 2005.^[8][9] A boy from an East Cipinang trash dump slum in Jakarta, Indonesia shows what he found. ...

The Missions have overseen widespread experimentation in what Chávez supporters term citizen- and worker-managed governance,^[10][11] as well as the granting of thousands of free land titles, reportedly to formerly landless poor and indigenous communities.^[12] In contrast, several large landed estates and factories have been, or are in the process of being, expropriated.

Education =

• Mission Robinson (launched July 2003) – uses volunteers to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic to Venezuelan adults.
• Mission Ribas (launched November 2003) – provides remedial high school level classes to Venezeulan high school dropouts; named after independence hero José Felix Ribas.
• Mission Sucre (launched in late 2003) – provides free and ongoing basic education courses to adult Venezuelans who had not completed their elementary-level education.

Mission Robinson (launched in July 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Ribas (launched November 2003) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that provides remedial high school level classes to the five million Venezeulan high school dropouts; named after independence hero José Felix Ribas. ... José Félix Ribas (born 19 September 1775 in Caracas; died 31 January 1815 in Tucupido) was a distinguished Venezuelan revolutionary and independence hero who fought against Spanish rule in Venezuela under the nationalist Second Republic. ... Misión Sucre (launched in late 2003) is one the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Electoral

• Mission Florentino (launched June 2004) – organized by Hugo Chávez to coordinate the population to vote "No" in the Venezuelan recall referendum of 2004. The organizational centers of the Mission were named "Comando Maisanta" and were the ideological central headquarters for those who wished to keep Chávez as the President of Venezuela for the remainder of his presidential period.

Logo of the Mission Florentino/Comando Maisanta Mission Florentino was a Bolivarian mission organized by the government of Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, to coordinate the populace to vote No in the Venezuelan recall referendum of 2004 to keep him in office. ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... Chávez greets supporters during the August 15, 2004 presidential recall referendum. ...

Environmental

• Mission Energía (launched November 2006) – has begun a campaign to reduce environmental degradation by replacing incandescent lightbulbs with more energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs.

An incandescent light bulb and its glowing filament. ... Spiral compact fluorescent light bulb A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also known as a compact fluorescent light bulb, is a type of fluorescent lamp which screws into a regular light bulb socket, or plugs into a small lighting fixture. ...

Food and nutrition

• Mission Mercal – seeks to provide access to high-quality produce, grains, dairy, and meat at discounted prices. Seeks to provide Venezuela's poor increased access to nutritious, safe, and organic locally- and nationally-grown foodstuffs. Seeks also to increase Venezuela's food sovereignty.

Mission Mercal (officially launched on April 24, 2003) is a Bolivarian Mission established in Venezuela under the government of Hugo Chávez. ... Food sovereignty is a term originally coined by members of Via Campesina in 1996 to refer to a concept advocated by a number of farmers, peasants, and fishermens organizations, namely the claimed right of peoples to define their own food and agriculture, in contrast to having food largely subject...

Healthcare

• Mission Barrio Adentro ("Mission Inside the Neighborhood") – a series of initiatives (deployed in three distinct stages) to provide free, comprehensive, and community health care (at both the primary (Consultorios y Clínicas Populares or popular clinics) and secondary (hospital) levels), in addition to preventative medical counsel to Venezuela's medically under-served and impoverished barrios.

Mission Barrio Adentro (Mission Into the Neighborhood) is a Bolivarian social welfare program established under current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez that provides comprehensive free health care, dental care, and sports training to poor and traditionally underserved communities in Venezuela. ... Health care or healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions. ... A clinic or outpatient clinic is a small medical facility that provides health care for ambulatory patients - as opposed to inpatients treated in a hospital. ... Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district. ...

Housing

• Mission Hábitat – has as its goal the construction of new housing units for the poor. The program also seeks to develop agreeable and integrated housing zones that make available a full range of social services — from education to healthcare — which likens its vision to that of new urbanism. Critics have denounced the slow rate of construction (less than 10,000 housing units built over the last six years).^{[citation needed]}

Mision Hábitat (Mission Habitat) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that has as its goal the construction of thousands of new housing units for the poor. ... The New urbanism is an American urban design movement that arose in the early 1980s. ...

Identification

• Mission Identidad – provides Venezuelan national identity cards to facilitate access to the social services provided by other Missions.

Mission Identidad is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Indigenous rights

• Mission Guaicaipuro (launched October 2003) – carried out by the Venezuelan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, this program seeks to restore communal land titles and human rights to Venezuela's numerous indigenous communities, in addition to defending their rights against resource and financial speculation by the dominant culture.

Misión Guaicaipuro (launched 12 October 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Land reform

• Mission Zamora – provides a comprehensive land expropriation and redistribution program that mainly benefits poor Venezuelans. Several large landed estates and factories have been, or are in the process of, being expropriated.

Mission Zamora is a land reform program in Venezuela, created in law by the Ley de Tierras (Law of Land), part of a package of 49 decrees made by Hugo Chávez in November 2001. ...

Rural development

• Mission Vuelta al Campo ("Return to the Countryside"; announced mid– 2005) – seeks to encourage impoverished and unemployed urban Venezuelans to willingly return to the countryside.

• Mission Arbol (Mission Tree, announced June 2006) – seeks to recover Venezuelan forests, with plans to plant 100,000 trees in 5 years. The project is also to involve the rural population, in an effort to stop harm to forests through from slash/burn practices by promoting more sustainable agriculture, such as growing coffee or cocoa. The projects aim to achieve this through self organisation of the local populations.^[13]

Mission Vuelta al Campo (Return to the Countryside; implementation announced in mid 2005) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Science

• Mission Ciencia ("Mission Science" launched February 2006) – includes a project to train 400,000 people in open source software,^[14] and scholarships for graduate studies and the creation of laboratories in different universities.^[15]

Socioeconomic transformation

• Mission Vuelvan Caras ("Mission Turn Faces") – has as its objective the transformation of the present Venezuelan economy to one that is oriented towards social, rather than fiscal and remunerative, goals. It seeks to facilitate increased involvement of ordinary citizens in programs of endogenous and sustainable social development, emphasizing in particular the involvement of traditionally marginalized or excluded Venezuelan social and economic sectors, including those participating in Venezuela's significant "informal" economy. The mission's ultimate goal, according to Hugo Chávez, is to foster an economy that brings "a quality and dignified life for all". In January 2006, Chávez declared that, after fulfilling the first stage of the mission, the goal of the second stage will be to turn every "endogenous nuclei of development" into "military nuclei of resistance against American imperialism"^[16] as part of a continuous program to create "citizen militias".^[17]

Vuelvan Caras (Mission Turn Faces) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Civilian militia

• Mission Miranda – establishes a Venezuelan military reserve composed of civilians who could participate in the defense of the Venezuelan territory.

Mission Miranda is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Mission Liebertz

The mission used to educate gringos that immigrate to Venezuela

Cuban expertise

Many of these programs involve importing expertise from abroad; Venezuela is providing Cuba with 53,000 barrels (8,000 m³) of below-market-rate oil a day in exchange for the service of thousands of physicians, teachers, sports trainers, and other skilled professionals.^[18]

Impact

The literacy programs that comprise Mission Sucre are centered on fostering universal literacy among Venezuela's adult populace; an adjunct to this is the facilitation of their comprehension of the Venezuelan Constitution of 1999 and the inherent rights that they, as Venezuelan citizens, are guaranteed under this document.^[19]

Mission Barrio Adentro, one of the flagship Bolivarian Missions of widest social impact, has drawn international praise from the Latin American branch of the World Health Organization,^[20] UNICEF,^[21] the UN, and Saudi representatives who have visited Venezuela in order to study the Barrio Adentro public free clinics: Saudi officials are considering implementing a similar government program in Saudi Arabia. The Venezuelan government reports that 18 million people, or nearly 70% of the population, have been treated free of charge through Mission Barrio Adentro clinics, CDIs, and hospitals.^{[citation needed]} The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... UNICEF Logo The United Nations Childrens Fund or UNICEF (Arabic: ; French: ; Spanish: ) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ...

Under Chávez's presidency, significant social and economic transformation has swept through Venezuela. Chávez's policies most clearly defy neoliberal principles by expressly bolstering heavily state-supported anti-poverty, educational, and health initiatives. Chávez's policies are designed to mostly benefit Venezuela's poor majority. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Oil profits, being about US$25 billion in 2004, have allowed the Chávez administration to carry out what he calls a "new socialist revolution." The leftist platform involves a remarkable increase in spending on social programs. The Chávez administration has thus built free health care clinics, subsidized food and created small manufacturing cooperatives. Between them, these programs have constructed and modernized thousands of public medical and dental clinics, launched massive literacy and education initiatives, subsidized food, gasoline, and other consumer goods, and established numerous worker-managed manufacturing and industrial cooperatives. Critics allege that these programs are corrupt and inefficient, while a number of international organizations — including the UN^{[citation needed]}, UNICEF^{[citation needed]}, and the WHO^[20] — have praised the programs as positive models for bringing about social development. This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... UNICEF Logo The United Nations Childrens Fund or UNICEF (Arabic: ; French: ; Spanish: ) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946. ... Who can refer to: WHO, World Health Organization The Who, a British rock band The Guess Who, a Canadian rock band who (pronoun), an English language interrogative pronoun. ...

Quality of life figures

Unemployment figures

Monthly unemployment figures measured throughout Hugo Chávez's tenure, between February 1999 and September 2005. Particularly notable is the spike following the opposition strike/lockout between December 2002 and February 2003. Data from the INE

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1120x534, 18 KB) Summary Graph of Venezuela unemployment rate between 1999 and 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1120x534, 18 KB) Summary Graph of Venezuela unemployment rate between 1999 and 2005. ...

Bolivarianism

On 30 January 2005 at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Chávez declared his support for democratic socialism as integral to Bolivarianism. Chávez proclaimed support for "a new type of socialism, a humanist one, which puts humans and not machines or the state ahead of everything."^{[citation needed]} He later reiterated this in a February 26 speech at the 4^th Summit on the Social Debt held in Caracas. To charges from business leaders that Chávez is eroding private property rights, and from the Roman Catholic cardinal that he was becoming a dictator, he said that Venezuelans must choose between "capitalism, which is the road to hell, or socialism, for those who want to build the kingdom of God here on earth." This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Coordinates: Country Brazil State Rio Grande do Sul Incorporated March 26, 1772 Government  - Mayor José Fogaça (PPS) Area  - City 496. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: La Sultana del Avila (English:The Avilas Sultan) La Sucursal del paraiso Motto: Ave María Santísima, sin pecado concebida, en el primer instante de su ser natural. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually a bishop, of the Roman Catholic Church, a member of the College of Cardinals which as a body elects a new pope. ... Dictator is originally the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ... Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) Hell, according to many religious beliefs, is an afterlife of suffering where the wicked or unrighteous dead are punished. ... The Kingdom of God or Reign of God (Greek basileia tou theou,[1]) is a foundational concept in Christianity, as it is the central theme of Jesus of Nazareths message in the synoptic Gospels. ...

Criticism

Criticism of Hugo Chávez discusses allegations and criticism against the current President of Venezuela. ...

Economic policy, unemployment and poverty

Chávez was first elected on an anti-corruption platform and on promises of redistributing wealth to the poor, but Michael Shifter of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service says that "despite record oil profits that are funding social spending, his initiatives have yielded only very modest gains",^[22] and The Economist reports that his policies are most vulnerable in the areas of corruption, jobs and crime.^[23] Georgetown University, incorporated as the The President and Directors of the College of Georgetown, is a private university in the United States, located in Georgetown, a historic neighborhood of Washington, D.C. With roots extending back to March 25, 1634 and founded in its current form on January 23, 1789...

During Chávez's presidency from 1999 to 2004, per-capita GDP dropped 1–2%,^[24] but with the help of rising oil prices, the end of the oil strike, and strong consumption growth, recent economic activity under Chávez has been robust. GDP growth rates were 18% in 2004,^[25] 9% in 2005,^[26] and 9.6% in the first half of 2006, with the private sector growing at a 10.3% clip.^[27] From 2004 to the first half of 2006, non-petroleum sectors of the economy showed growth rates greater than 10%.^[28] Most of that growth was in the poorest sectors of society, with real income growth of 55% reported between 2003 and 2005.^[29] Some economists argue that this subsidized growth could stop if oil prices decline,^[30] and some social scientists and economists claim that the government's reported poverty figures have not fallen in proportion to the country's vast oil revenues in the last two years.^[25] The president of the private Venezuelan research firm which documented 55% real income growth among the poorest sectors of society said that, although his surveys showed rising incomes because of subsidies and grants, the number of people in the worst living conditions has grown. "The poor of Venezuela are living much better lately and have increased their purchasing power . . . [but] without being able to improve their housing, education level, and social mobility," he said. "Rather than help [the poor] become stakeholders in the economic system, what [the government has] done is distribute as much oil wealth as possible in missions and social programs."^[31]

According to government figures, unemployment has dropped by 6.9% since the start of Chávez's presidency.^[32][33] Despite high oil revenues, Venezuela's rate of unemployment remains at 10% in February 2006 from the 2003 high of 20%, which occurred during a two-month strike and business lockout that shut down the country's oil industry. However, some economists argue that recent job creation may not be permanent, for it relies on an expanded public payroll that will become unaffordable if oil prices fall.^[25] With the help of an expanded public payroll, unemployment has been reduced from the 2003 high under Chávez of 20%, but some economists argue that the jobs may not be permanent, and critics question the government's reported poverty figures, based on contradictory statistics and definitions,^[22] which they say have not fallen enough considering the country's vast oil revenues in the last two years.^[25] The Economist reports that both poverty and unemployment figures under Chávez have not seen significant improvement and that official corruption under his government continues to be rampant,^[34] and point to the 1-2% drop in Venezuela's per-capita GDP early in Chávez's term, before the 2004 surge in oil prices.^[24] According to The Boston Globe, critics say the government defines "informal workers, such as street vendors, as employed, and exclud[es] adults who are studying in missions from unemployment numbers." When the president of the Venezuelan National Statistics Institute released numbers in 2005 which showed that poverty had actually risen by more than 10 points under Chávez (to 53% in 2004), Chávez called for a new measure of poverty, defining a "social well-being index". Under this new definition, poverty registers at 40 percent.^[31] The minimum wage in Venezuela in July 2006 covered only 65 percent of the cost of the basic food basket.^[35] The Boston Globe is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ...

The Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom ranked Venezuela 152 out of 157 countries, among the 12 economies of the world labelled "repressed".^[36] The Heritage Foundation is a conservative public policy research institute based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. ... Map of Economic Freedom released by the Heritage Foundation. ...

The government and independent observers refute the charges of economic decline by pointing out that the renewed economic growth of the last two years has brought rapid reductions in poverty, especially when one considers the vast expansion of non-cash income represented by subsidized food distribution and other social programs.^[37]

Decaying infrastructure

At the same time, The Economist opines that the administration's unwillingness to utilize private sector resources has resulted in a crumbling public infrastructure and a deficit in housing.^[25] Critics cite the many public hospitals that lack basic medicine and hygienic supplies. They also question the motives behind the Bolivarian Missions' regular cash and in-kind payments to the millions of poor Venezuelans enrolling in their social programs. With many enrollees participating in more than one Mission simultaneously, receiving a steady and unearned income, critics worry that work ethic will be corrupted and enrollees will be predisposed to support and vote for Chávez. There have been marked improvements in the infant mortality rate between 1998 and 2005.^[38][9] The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ...

Housing construction

According to Venezuela's El Universal, one of the Chávez administration's outstanding weaknesses is the failure to meet its goals of construction of housing. Chávez promised to build 150,000 houses in 2006, but in the first half of the year, completed only 24 percent of that target, with 35,000 houses.^[39]

Standard of living

According to The Boston Globe, the head of Mission Sucre, a program to provide free and ongoing education, says that “investments in education, health, and infrastructure will have a lasting effect on standard of living”. Data from a private Venezuelan research firm shows the incomes of the “poorest Venezuelans have risen because of subsidies and grants”. The Globe reports that the government has “subsidized markets in poor neighborhoods that sell staple foods up to 40 percent cheaper than elsewhere.” Low income residents are reportedly living better because of subsidies that boost household income, decrease food costs, and provide access to free schooling and basic medical care. Chavez’s “missions” offer education, aid to the needy, soup kitchens, and medical care.^[31] The Boston Globe is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ... Misión Sucre (launched in late 2003) is one the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

Crime

Since he took office, The Economist reports that the murder rate has almost tripled, and that Venezuela's capital – Caracas – has become South America's most violent, with police implicated in some of the crimes.^[23][40] The United Nations reported in 2005 that Venezuela had the highest number of deaths by gunfire per capita in the world,^[41] garnering for Venezuela claim to the title of the world's most violent crime capital.^[42] The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Critics claim that Chávez's policies are responsible for some of these declines.^[43][42] and the U.S. State Department says there is unchecked concentration of power in the executive.^[44]

Critics accuse the Bolivarian Circles Chávez founded of furthering violence,^[45] and say Chávez's new civil reserve defense force is intended to intimidate domestic opponents and repress internal dissent.Chávez government officials respond that the reserve is similar to civilian reserves and forces in many nations, including the United States.^[17] According to a study by Brigham Young University scholars, the "Bolivarian circles" also help the government identify opponents, who are then denied services.^[46] The Bolivarian Circles are a 2. ... // BYUs origin can be traced back to 1862. ...

Other

Some criticism has come from Chávez's supporters. Chávez's own political party, Fifth Republic Movement (MVR), has been criticized as being riddled with the same cronyism, political patronage, and corruption that Chávez alleged were characteristic of the old "Fourth Republic" political parties. Venezuela's trade unionists and indigenous communities have participated in peaceful demonstrations intended to impel the government to speed up labor and land reforms. These communities, while largely expressing their sympathy and support for Chávez, criticize what they see as Chávez's slow progress in protecting their interests against managers and mining concerns, respectively.^[47][48][49] The Fifth Republic Movement (Spanish: Movimiento V [Quinta] República, MVR) is a left-wing political party in Venezuela which was founded by Hugo Chávez, the current President of Venezuela. ...

Farmers have protested about the lack of a consistent policy addressing prices, smuggling, insecurity and crime.^[50]

According to an article in The Washington Post a program called "Mission Identity", to fast track voter registration of immigrants to Venezuela — including Chávez supporters benefiting from his subsidies — has been put in place prior to the upcoming 2006 presidential elections.^[30] Mission Identidad is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ...

See also

Topics related to Hugo Chávez
Biography	Early life | Military career | Presidency
Political events	Coup attempt of 1992 | Coup attempt of 2002 | Recall referendum of 2004 | Putative coup attempt of 2004
Elections	Presidential election of 1998 | Presidential election of 2000 | Presidential election of 2006
Governance	Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas | Bolivarian Circles | Bolivarianism | Bolivarian Revolution | Cabinet | Chavismo | Constitution | Foreign policy
Bolivarian Missions	Barrio Adentro | Guaicaipuro | Hábitat | Identidad | Mercal | Miranda | Piar | Plan Bolivar 2000 | Ribas | Robinson | Sucre | Vuelta al Campo | Vuelvan Caras | Zamora
Reactions	Criticism | Media representation | ¿¡Revolución!? | The Revolution Will Not Be Televised | Súmate

Image File history File links Flag_of_Venezuela_(state). ... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_Venezuela. ... The early life of Hugo Chávez concerns the childhood, college years, and military career of the current President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, prior to his failed 1992 coup attempt and his rise to political power. ... The military career of Hugo Chávez spans the seventeen years (1975–1992) that the current President of Venezuela spent in the Venezuelan army. ... // Early presidency Shortly after taking office on February 2, 1999, Chávez and his allies first worked to defeat the Puntofijismo of Venezuela’s ancien régime. ... Hugo Chávez meets with fellow conspirator Francisco Arias Cárdenas prior to the February 4, 1992 coup attempt. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Chávez greets supporters during the August 15, 2004 presidential recall referendum. ... The putative Venezuelan coup of 2004 was a hypothesized plot to overthrow Hugo Chavez, who is the current President of Venezuela. ... A presidential election was held in the Republic of Venezuela on 6 December 1998. ... A presidential election was held in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on 30 July 2000. ... The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held presidential elections on 3 December 2006, to choose a president for the six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007. ... The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (Spanish: Alternativa Bolivariana para las Américas or ALBA - which also means dawn in Spanish) is a political, social and economic cooperation and complementation vision of integration between the Latin American countries, proposed by the government of Venezuela as an alternative to the Free... The Bolivarian Circles are a 2. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... // Chávez extols the anti-imperialist aspects of Bolivarianism, which were first kindled during his college years, in an address to hundreds of thousands of chavistas along Caracass Avenida Bolívar on May 16, 2004. ... The Cabinet of Hugo Chávez is the circle high level ministerial officials and appointees who coordinate the day to day management of the Venezuelan federal government in conjunction with the current President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. ... Chavismo or Chavezismo is the name given to the left-wing political ideology based on the ideas, programs and government style associated with the present president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, also referred to as Bolivarianism. ... The foreign policy of Hugo Chávez concerns the policy initiatives made towards other nations by the current President of Venezuela Chávez. ... Mission Barrio Adentro (Mission Into the Neighborhood) is a Bolivarian social welfare program established under current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez that provides comprehensive free health care, dental care, and sports training to poor and traditionally underserved communities in Venezuela. ... Misión Guaicaipuro (launched 12 October 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mision Hábitat (Mission Habitat) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that has as its goal the construction of thousands of new housing units for the poor. ... Mission Identidad is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Mercal (officially launched on April 24, 2003) is a Bolivarian Mission established in Venezuela under the government of Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Miranda is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Piar is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Plan Bolivar 2000 (launched 27 February 1999) was the first of the Bolivarian Missions enacted under of administration of current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Ribas (launched November 2003) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that provides remedial high school level classes to the five million Venezeulan high school dropouts; named after independence hero José Felix Ribas. ... Mission Robinson (launched in July 2003) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Misión Sucre (launched in late 2003) is one the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Vuelta al Campo (Return to the Countryside; implementation announced in mid 2005) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Vuelvan Caras (Mission Turn Faces) is one of the Bolivarian Missions (a series of anti-poverty and social welfare programs) implemented by current Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. ... Mission Zamora is a land reform program in Venezuela, created in law by the Ley de Tierras (Law of Land), part of a package of 49 decrees made by Hugo Chávez in November 2001. ... Criticism of Hugo Chávez discusses allegations and criticism against the current President of Venezuela. ... The media representation of Hugo Chávez involves the portrayal of the current President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, in the domestic Venezuelan media, including both private corporate and state-owned outlets. ... ¿¡Revolución!? is 2006 political documentary directed by Quebec journalist and filmmaker Charles Gervais. ... The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (a. ... Súmate (Spanish for Join In) is a Venezuelan volunteer civil association, founded in 2002 by a group of Venezuelan citizens, led by Maria Corina Machado and Alejandro Plaz. ...

Notes

// Chávez extols the anti-imperialist aspects of Bolivarianism, which were first kindled during his college years, in an address to hundreds of thousands of chavistas along Caracass Avenida Bolívar on May 16, 2004. ... Who can refer to: WHO, World Health Organization The Who, a British rock band The Guess Who, a Canadian rock band who (pronoun), an English language interrogative pronoun. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... The Millennium Development Goals are eight goals that 191 United Nations member states have agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015. ... UNICEF Logo The United Nations Childrens Fund or UNICEF (Arabic: ; French: ; Spanish: ) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946. ...

References

• Niemeyer, Ralph T. (2004), Under Attack: Morning Dawn in Venezuela, iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-66208-0.

External links

• (Spanish) Gobierno en Línea: Misiones — Official government website detailing the Bolivarian Missions.
• (Spanish) Misión Barrio Adentro — Official government Mission Barrio Adentro web portal.
• (Spanish) Instituto Nacional de Estadística — Venezuela's National Institute of Statistics; has web several portals for accessing demographic and economic data related to the impact of Bolivarian Missions.
• (Spanish) Barrio Adentro — Official government dossier on Barrio Adentro (in Spanish)
• (Spanish) Aló Presidente 225 — Video of a July 2005 episode of Hugo Chávez's talkshow Aló Presidente that features an eight hour tour of a new Barrio Adentro II CDI (Centros de Diagnóstico Integral) in Maturín, Monagas state, Venezuela.
• (Spanish) Programa Nro. 225 - Aló Presidente — Transcript of Aló Presidente 225.

Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ) (born July 28, 1954) is the current President of Venezuela. ... Aló, Presidente! is a talk show hosted by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and broadcast on Venezuelan media every Sunday promptly at 11:00 AM (Venezuelan time). ... Aló, Presidente! is a talk show hosted by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and broadcast on Venezuelan media every Sunday promptly at 11:00 AM (Venezuelan time). ...

Articles

• (English) Barrio Adentro II: Victim of its Own Success — Interview the Director of a Barrio Adentro II Hospital
• (English) An Oil-for-Aid Deal that Really Works
• (English) Free Neighborhood Clinics Spread Across Venezuela
• (English) Inside The Barrio: Venezuelan Health Care Takes Off
• (English) Saudi Minister affirms his country wants to apply Venezuelan missions
• (English) Venezuela's Cooperative Revolution from Dollars & Sense magazine