Chávez Reaches 12 Years of Term

On Wednesday, President Hugo Chávez celebrated12 years of government, although he offered an apology for his failures, he assured being in the battle for the reelection in 2012.

“I apologize for my faults, my mistakes, but I think … beyond faults, beyond the errors in these twelve years, my government colleagues and I always were in the front, we have been assuming a responsibility that has always tried to live up to that hope,” said Chávez at a public school act in the capital, where he celebrated his twelve years in the power.

A rising crime cipher, high inflation, year and a half of economic contraction and most public services deterioration are some of the claims held by the Venezuelans on Chávez.

The proliferation of street protests in the country in recent years, according to figures from a local human rights group “Provea” increased from 459 in 2006 to 1,053 last year, this is an indicator of the rising discontent with Chávez’s management.
The director of the private pollster Datanálisis, Luis Vicente Leon, affirmed that the popularity of 70% achieved by Chávez in 2006, currently maintains a backup of “around 50%,”which shows the intense polarization that prevails in Venezuela.

Leon told to AP that while Chávez has not resolved people life problems in twelve years, but the President has the support of about half of the country because it is a “very charismatic leader who understands the DNA of most poor Venezuelans and somehow speaks their own language.”

“Thanks to the Venezuelan people for their faith, confidence, persistence, strength, and awareness,” said the leftist leader after urging his supporters to renew the “strength” and “fighting ability” to move forward in the direction that “people appoint.”

Chavez praised in radio and television chain, the achievements of his government in education and argued that “only selfish opposition” do not want to recognize the progress in that area.

“We have been making significant progress,” he said speaking about the crime, but he admitted that “we must ensure that every Venezuelan walk in the streets without fear of being mugged or being shot, or punched.”

Referring to poverty, Chavez said that at the beginning of his term in February 1999,”it covered more than the half of the population,” but “today it has dropped dramatically.”

Source: AP