The government of Nicolas Maduro is “authoritarian and undemocratic”. This time, it is not the right that says it but the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV). Long allies of Chavista power, the Communists today claim to be its victims. Friday, August 11, the Superior Court of Justice (TSJ) announced the dismissal of the leadership of the PCV, deemed illegitimate, and its replacement by an ad hoc leadership, responsible for “restore democratic processes within the party”. For Oscar Figuera, the dismissed PCV secretary general, “the party was the victim of an assault by power”.
A week earlier, the Venezuelan Red Cross had been the subject of a very similar legal intervention: the magistrates of the TSJ dismissed Mario Villarroel, who had headed the humanitarian organization since 1978, and appointed “a restructuring council”.
This is not the first time that Venezuelan justice has brought a political party to heel by dismissing its leadership in favor of a group of militants who are more docile towards power. In 2020, the historical leaders of the opposition parties Voluntad popular, Primero justicia, Accion democratica, had also lost control of their structure.
Venezuela’s oldest party
Henry Parra was appointed to lead the team tasked with getting the VCP back on track. A long-time member of the party, Mr. Parra had returned his card in 2021 to get closer to the leaders of the Unified Socialist Party (PSUV). In a press release published on Saturday, the outgoing leadership of the PCV treats Mr. Parra and his collaborators of “mercenaries” power. A paradox of Venezuelan politics, the entire opposition, including the ultra-liberal right, demonstrated its solidarity with the old Communist Party on Saturday.
Founded in 1931, the PCV is the oldest party in Venezuela. An early ally of Hugo Chavez (1999-2013), the Communists gradually distanced themselves from his successor, criticizing the “neoliberal shift” government economic policy, the end of exchange and price controls, the de facto dollarization of the economy and the opening of the Orinoco mining region to foreign investors. The Communists have become increasingly critical of the prevailing corruption and the deprivations that power imposes on the workers. From an ally, the PCV has become an adversary.
Diosdado Cabello, the powerful vice-president of the United Socialist Party, which hosts a weekly television program, had been reminding us of this for months. According to him, the base of the Communist Party did not approve of the critical line set by the leadership. Last week, just before the TSJ made its decision public, Diosdado was on an official visit to Havana, presumably to enlist the support of his Cuban friends.
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