Comments on: Venezuela’s Polarized Society Split by Another Issue: Chávez’s Robust Educational Reform Roils the Political Waters

By: Olivia Hearst

Olivia Hearst — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:46:38 +0000

If the strides in education are so great, why does Venezuela need a new educational law?
What you've got now is another controversy in an already divided Venezuelan society.

Secondly, the language I see is needed to be prohibited is the one that comes from government media (did you ever see La Hojilla or Alo Presidente?). I have worked at Venezuelan schools and never heard any language that I thought was improper.
Third, if you have lived in Venezuela for 22 years, I am certain that you know that under Chavez, violence has risen dramatically.

What Venezuela needs are not new laws, but enforcement of the ones that already exist – not to forget combating corruption.

By: Ian Kocher

Ian Kocher — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:51:00 +0000

When you combine a one-party-dominant political system with an ever longer list of government run employers, many flush with cash, and then add regional governors and mayors with unlimited terms of office, you have the ingredients for political ossification and corruption, the likes of which are rarely possible elsewhere in the world today.

I wish Chavez well, and believe that he is personally sincere, but the system he put in place cannot possibly lead to anything but grief for his nation.

By: Braulio Perez

Braulio Perez — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:06:44 +0000

The latest polls show significant erosion in Chavez’ popular support. One problem he faces is his reliance on cash disbursements and other transfers to the population, which are based on high oil prices and a reasonably efficient oil industry. This, alas, isn’t what it used to be. Both oil prices and oil industry efficiency are down, and therefore the government is increasingly unable to disburse the cash. The problem is compounded because the rest of the economy is slowly dying as he continues nationalizing portions of the economy using a fairly adhoc method. As the cash flow ceases, the masses don’t support him the way they did, so it’s going to get very interesting in the next few years.

By: John Hayes

John Hayes — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:53:22 +0000

The language prohibited in schools now includes things such as Jesus' admonition that money-changers must leave the temple, the Beatitudes--feed the hungry, clothe the poor, clothe the naked, love thy neighbor as you seek to be loved yourself, etc., as well as factual reporting of floods, seismic events, etc.. All one has to do is watch any of the Government Controlled TV stations, basically all but Globovision, to learn the language of violence and schadenfreude. Read full response here

By: Lisa Sullivan

Lisa Sullivan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:47:23 +0000

Please try to be more accurate. The Venezuelan legislature is a one-body entity, there are no senators. You mention that “opposition senators and widespread street demonstrations”. I worry that COHA doesn’t consult non-opposition sectors IN Venezuela. The U.S. press is so entirely one-sided on issues of Venezuela, we need a breath of fresh air the perspectives coming from those in Venezuela’s lower income brackets. As someone who has lived in Venezuela for 25 years, in the barrios of Barquisimeto, I welcome efforts by the govt. to curb violence, by trying to prohibit this language in schools. I see that only as positive. I’m disappointed at your neglect of mentioning the huge strides in making all levels of education so available to all levels of society. Venezuela’s achievements in education are a model for all of Latin America. I have worked with you in the barrios for 22 years. In the first 10, about 5% of them went on the college. IN the past 2 years, 100% of the youth leaders that I work with in the barrio are in college. It’s surprising that COHA would not focus on such strides in areas of education with this kind of article., Lisa Sullivan, Latin America coordinator, SOA WATCH