Venezuela’s fabric of solidarity has become an individualistic and competitive black market

He questions, from his position on the Left, the attempt to legitimise the Bolivarian process based on what already exists whilst at the same time intensifying the rentier- state oil model. When the so-called Bolivarian revolution was proclaimed socialist in 2005, the vertical and Leninist organisation of the communes and communal councils aborted autonomy and participatory democracy, at a time when everything was rojo, rojito [unthinkingly declared socialist]. Authoritarianism, an espirit de corps and the opacity of the military do not fit well in a democracy. The social missions [launched by Chavez] had created a social network but faced with an economic crisis, inflation and shortages, the people’s response was not one of solidarity, but rather one based on individualism and competitiveness. More…