BOLIVARIAN CARACAS

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BOLIVARIAN CARACAS
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BOLIVARIAN CARACAS

• 23 de Enero

• Urban Gardens

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(No Transcript)
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Municipal Elections 2005 Capital District

• Alfredo Peña (incumbant) withdraws after polls
  suggest that he will lose
• Bolivarian candidate Juan Barreto (63) against
  38 for the opposition candidate
• Greater Caracas Council (Cabildo Metropolitano)
• 13 members (Bolivarian majority in 2005 municipal
  elections)
• Powers similar to state legislature

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The Message of the Opposition Political Parties
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Municipal Elections 2005Middle Class Municipios

• Baruta - Henrique Capriles Radonski (77)
• Chacao Leopoldo López (80)
• El Hatillo- Alfredo Catalán Schick opposition

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Municipal Elections 2004Libertador and Sucre

• Freddy Bernal comfortable margin (74) against
  opposition candidate Carlos Melo (19) in
  Libertador
• José Vicente Rangel (52) in eastern municipio of
  Sucre

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Juan Barreto Alcalde Mayor
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Metropolitan Police

• Controlled by the Governor of Caracas (named by
  president -1961 constitution )
• Transfered to Alcalde Mayor in 1999
• Protected opposition between 1999 2005
• Disarmed by President Chávez
• Regained influence following election of Juan
  Barreto as Alcalde Mayor

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• Health care a major issue among the urban poor
• Barrio Adentro established in 2003 as one of the
  Revolutions special MISIONES
• Cuban doctors provide medical care of the poor
  areas on a 24/7 basis
• Barrio Adentro paid for through a budget
  controlled directly by President Chavez
• D o not go through any of the social ministries

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Three Tier Health Care System

• Barrio Adentro doctors provide most immediate
  care to residents
• Popular clinics perform simple operations
  such as tonsillectomies and appendectomies
• Hospital of the People treat the most serious
  illnesses and conditions

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Education Missions (Controlled by National
Government)

• Robinson
• Rivas
• Sucre

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• Aves
• Embutidos
• Enlatados
• Leguminosas
• Cereales
• Lácteos
• Harinas       Pastas
• Aderezos
• Endulzantes
• Pescados
• Quesos

• Located in poor neighborhoods
• Subsidized prices
• Cultivates image of Bolivarian revolution with
  urban poor
• Ongoing tension with the commercial supermarkets

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Elections of 23 November 2008 Mixed Results

• Alcalde Mayor passes to opposition (Antonio
  Ledezma)
• Libertador Municipio remains with PSUV
• Sucre passes to opposition
• Middle Class municipios remain with opposition
• Chacao
• Baruta
• El Hatillo

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APRIL 2009 Return of Centralized Control over
the Capital District

• Territorial reorganization aimed at political
  subdivisions controlled by the opposition

• National Assembly passes Special law for the
  regime of the Capital District
• Jacqueline Faría appointed Autoridad Unica
• Ledezma opposition challenge constitutionality
  of the Special Law

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Government in Metropolitan Caracas The Future

• Institutional development in a state of flux
• Restoration of the old Federal District and
  control by the president
• Increasing power/influence of Communal Councils
  Misiones
• Conflict between role of component municipal
  institutions, metropolitan institutions and
  institutions of national government is ongoing

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Government in Metropolitan Caracas (How
Democratic?)

• Bolivarian Revolution President Chavez
  essentially opposed to decentralization
• Middle class municipios of metropolitan Caracas
  remain a thorn in the side of the national
  government
• Aristobolo Isturiz the alcaldes will eventually
  disappear

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Caracas Remains the Center of Venezuelan Politics

• Who controls the capital city rules the nation