Politics
Topics such as expropriations, transfers of powers and funds from state governments to the Executive branch of government, social ownership and the closure of the private TV news network Globovisión do not have the approval of the majority of Venezuelans, according to the latest survey conducted by the polling firm Instituto Venezolano de Análisis de Datos (Venezuelan Institute for Data Analysis, IVAD) owned by Félix Seijas.

The study carried out throughout the country, between June 17 and June 26, 2009, shows that 52.9 percent of the population considers that Venezuela's current situation is unfavorable. They think that the major problems in the country are: insecurity (82.3 percent), unemployment (42.3 percent) and cost of living (15 percent).

A striking aspect of the poll carried out by IVAD is that the Venezuelan people begin to identify President Hugo Chávez as the responsible for the difficulties they face, rather than top government officials.

On the autonomy of public powers, 65.8 percent consider that government agencies depend upon the Head of the State, while only 24.7 percent consider that they are independent from the Executive power.

The poll conducted by IVAD shows that 55.6 percent of the population consider that Venezuelan democracy is at risk and that there is no freedom of expression in the South American country (53.9 percent).

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Vivian Castillo
EL UNIVERSAL