Is Chavez learning finally from Putin? [News on NGOs]

[Die Neue Zeit]

http://english.eluniversal.com/2010/11/25/en_pol_esp_national-assembly-to_25A4775451.shtml



By Pedro Pablo Peñaloza

President Hugo Chávez's requests have been heard. On Tuesday evening, the Venezuelan Head of State said in the National Assembly: "I beg you to pass a very strict law" to prevent political parties groups and non-governmental organizations from being financed by the "US empire."

Roy Daza (ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, PSUV, state of Aragua), the President of the National Assembly's Foreign Policy Committee, said on Wednesday that the Venezuelan Parliament will discuss on December 1 a "final draft" of the Bill on International Cooperation.

The original text was approved in a first session on June 13, 2006. Although Daza did not provide further details, he hinted that the lawmakers will add several clauses before passing the bill. "Cooperation activities in Venezuela currently have a different scope than they had four years ago," the legislator said.

Daza summarized some of the new features to be included in the law. "We have to differentiate between most NGOs, which work in social policy areas, and those involved in political activities, because the latter try to replace the role of the State."

He cited opposition civil association Súmate as an example of NGOs involved in politics. According to Daza, such NGO would have tried to replace the National Electoral Council. "There are other (NGOs). At this time, I just want to point out this example. But there is a dossier on the case," Daza said, when asked about other Non-governmental organizations involved.

With regard to the NGOs working in social policy areas, the ruling party lawmaker said: "cooperation activities related to social work should support Venezuelan government programs in different areas. International cooperation cannot be something different. It must go hand in hand with State policies," he argued.

"Organizations undermining State powers cannot be granted any funds," he added.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Saúl Ortega (PSUV- state of Carabobo) told state-run news agency AVN that the National Assembly is drafting a regulation to "control foreign agents."

The Bill on International Cooperation provides the creation of a Comprehensive Registration System, where the NGOs should be registered.

[Red Commissar]

How will they enforce this? Are they going to require NGOs to disclose their funding or is the legislation used as a way to grant the state the ability to give them the power to check their activities?

[RedSonRising]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.

[Spawn of Stalin]

This is something which should have been done a very long time ago. No doubt Chavez with be accused of authoritarianism because of it though.

[MellowViper]

political parties shouldn't get external funding from other countries. If I found out a major American political party was being funded by the Chinese, I'd be even more angry than I am knowing they're funded by multinationals.

[Die Neue Zeit]

And what about socialist parties receiving funding from socialist parties abroad?

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

How will this work in practice?

Is there a danger that the right-wing bureaucrats could use this to funnel state funding away from more left-wing chavista-supporting grassroots organisations? I'm not sure of the intricacies of the goings on in Venezuela, but am suspicious of granting central government the power of attorney over the funding of what is a very generalised and murky sector.

Better to just smash any US-backed NGO that is working to undermine the revolution. Fuck em.

[gorillafuck]

This is something which should have been done a very long time ago. No doubt Chavez with be accused of authoritarianism because of it though.
I don't think it's authoritarianism, because it doesn't centralize or bureaucratize the decision making processes any more, it doesn't impede democracy and the participatory politics that are arising in Venezuela (which I am supportive of but always skeptical of).

But yes, he will be accused of it nonetheless.

[Rusty Shackleford]

well, US parties, especially third and minor parties are not allowed to be funded by outside organizations or countries.

so, this will help to balance the game a bit.

[Tzonteyotl]

well, US parties, especially third and minor parties are not allowed to be funded by outside organizations or countries.

so, this will help to balance the game a bit.

In that regard, it makes sense. I too, however, am curious as to how it will actually work. And as for the "authoritarianism" of it, that will depend on how easily an organization can be designated as undermining state power. Theoretically though, it sounds like a good idea.