This article was originally posted by The Latin American Tribune
At VenEconomy’s seminar “Venezuela 2010- 2012?” held this Wednesday, October 27, several questions were raised: Are Venezuelans aware of the dangers currently facing Venezuelan democracy? Are politicians prepared to accept the challenge of defending democracy? and Is society in general aware of the responsibilities that this entire situation puts on its shoulders?
Unfortunately, the almost unanimous perception of the participants was no.
Summing up why there was no such awareness of the risks facing the country, former Ambassador to the United Nations Diego Arria said that people “continue to view the country’s situation in the context of an election year calendar, when it is clear that they are on the brink of turning us into a communist society.”
In Diego Arria’s opinion, the fundamental issue for confronting this grave crisis of the country’s democratic institutions is “national reunification.” It is necessary to “rebuild consensus looking forward to the future, not looking back to the past, learning from the mistakes of our country’s experience.” It is a matter of building bridges so that the unity is the country’s unity.
This reunification of the democratic sectors would include the Church, the political parties, whether or not they are part of the Coalition for Democratic Unity, businessmen, trade unions and workers, academe and students, and civil and neighborhood organizations; in other words, society as a whole.
Unfortunately, no one has understood this self-evident truth better than the government, and for that reason its strategy is to divide.
Given this situation, the kidnapping of and subsequent attack on Fedecámaras directors Noel Álvarez, Luis Enrique Villegas, Ernesto Villasmil, and Albis Muñoz give cause for particular concern.