Politics
Antonio Ledezma, who was elected last November 23rd, will be a penniless and homeless mayor. Besides cutting the budget allotted to his Metropolitan Mayoralty, the legislators loyal to President Hugo Chávez who passed the Special Law on the Organization and Governance of the Capital District evicted Mayor Ledezma from what should have been his office.

The bill passed at the regular session of the National Assembly on Tuesday included an article that did not appear in the original draft, which was discussed last April 2. Now, the fifth provision reads as follows: "The seat of the Capital District government will be the historic Palace of Government of the former Governor's Office of the Capital District, which is located on north the Caracas' Bolívar Square." The building was thus far the seat of the Caracas Metropolitan Mayoralty.

Opposition legislators representing For Social Democracy (Podemos) and the Humanist People's Front (Frente Popular Humanista) voted against the bill, arguing that it violates the Constitution and ignores the will of the people who elected Ledezma last November 23.

Podemos' legislator Juan José Molina said that the building that will be the office of the newly created position of "head of the government of the Capital District," who will be appointed by the President, "is a Pandora's box" that hides evidence of the alleged abuses perpetrated by Juan Barreto, the former Metropolitan Mayor.

According to Molina, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela does not want any opposition leader into the building because "if the box is opened, evidence of corruption will come out."

Ismael García, secretary general of Podemos, stressed that the Venezuelan "government is removing any leaders who do not belong to the PSUV from their legitimate seats." García complained that the Venezuelan president is fostering a "culture of violence." "The opposition leaders are not allowed to rule because the government does not believe in democratic institutions," he added.
Meanwhile, legislator Pastora Medina, from the Humanist People's Front, once again voiced fear that the Special Law on the Organization and Governance of the Capital District may ignite violence throughout Venezuela.

Replying to criticisms, pro-government lawmaker Carlos Escarrá accused the opposition mayors and governors of "usurping the spaces of popular power," because they have allegedly expelled government-sponsored social programs from their government seats in the countryside.

Less money
While legislators of pro-government parties Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) and the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) supported the law, none of their members participated in the debate, which lasted more than five hours. Both political parties, which are allies of the PSUV, had reservations about the legislation. The PCV had weighed the option of refraining from casting their vote and even wrote a paper to express their views. The leaders of the Communist Party are not enthusiastic about the fact that President Hugo Chávez will select the top authority of Caracas, rather than people. However, they decided to remain silent and supported the majority decision.

The "head of the government of Caracas District" elected by Chávez will rule an area that will include the Libertador Municipality and its 22 parishes. In addition to that, the head of the government will have at his / her disposal the funds coming from the resources allocated at the state level, the special subsidies to the Capital District and the Law on Special Allocations. This package of resources was formerly allocated to the metropolitan mayor, but now Ledezma will get funds from the contributions of the five municipalities (equivalent to 10 percent of their budgets) that comprise the metropolitan area.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Pedro Pablo Peñaloza
EL UNIVERSAL