CLIMBING Impetuous
not be true if we say that the rapid rise of R is exclusively due to the social crisis, economic and political, the discrediting and failure of the old address party and the search for new alternatives for a country skeptical and frustrated. In climbing impetuous Causa R had taken place, no doubt, all elements involved in the deterioration of the Venezuelan situation. However, a successful political strategy and a new conception of the role of "vanguard" and its relationship with the popular movement, full of imagination and daring, contributed decisively to the success.
formed in the ranks of the Communist Youth of 57-67 years. Participated in the guerrillas of the decade Betancourt Leoni as chief in command of the detachment of the FALN "Ponte Manuel Rodríguez" that operated in the east, the Sierra de San Bonifacio, Caripe, the mountains of Monagas and Sucre. When the crisis and division of PCV in 1970, Maneiro first appeared in the MAS. It was the fleeting moment because, as explained later, was not satisfied with the mindset and intentions of its founders.
began, then, with only ten followers, an incredible organizational and political effort. Maneiro
reinvented, if we may call the theory and practice of building a political party
1. Advance a political organization should be created not as the beginning but as the result of a mass revolutionary movement.
2. The daily practice of a group of social activists can lead to raise awareness and organization of the popular movement.
3. The ongoing daily practice within the masses can create conditions to give a political content to the astonishing and spontaneous ability to mobilize the people.
4. It is necessary to participate in the endless and varied forms of popular movement with the deliberate purpose of restoring the right and widespread skepticism about the existing parties in the confidence that masses can and must resolve, by themselves, the issue of political leadership.
5. A political activist need not be condemned, so that their actions have meaning, an activist in a party whose structure closely rejects with styles, attitudes and practices that did not attract their enthusiasm.
Alfredo Maneiro, founder of La Causa R, assistant to the historic nineteenth
full of PCV, the speaking right Pompey
Martinez and Teodoro Petkoff.
In conclusion: "Far from a party structure as given and work accordingly to their benefit, we hope that the mass movement to take in hand the task of producing , from her womb and under the observation and control, a new leadership. "
Maneiro were given to the conditions, the growing politicization of the country and deepening rejection of the prevailing political leadership to form a political organization "from below." That organization should arise not from a conference, convention or agreement, but practice and living experience of the masses. The question of ideology should be resolved in practice. The ideas, guidelines should be "discovered and concentrated" in the context of a frank and open policy, as argumentation and synthesis of practical experience.
Armed with audacity, with zero resources, accompanied by a tiny little youth environment, Maneiro titanic company began in college, Catia and Guyana. Central university founded in Prague, among engineering students. At the University of the Andes SPEAKER. In Catia, CATIA PRO Center and the group Guiana Matancera, in the steel. Began the 70's. Edited newspapers, distributed leaflets, were mixed in all the struggles. Taking initiatives such as the creation of West Park, the "day of shut-down, construction of walkways. The idea was that in the protests and demonstrations, even small, the masses forge and discover their leaders, develop the construction of 'the cutting edge. " Pablo Medina was in charge of Guyana. There, 1971, following the Sidor strike and retaliatory dismissal of 514 workers, spread the creative breath of the Cause R.
since its founding. La Causa R refused labels. Rejected call themselves "left" or "right." Not assumed dogmatic or accept any inheritance you will be placed in any specific field. It was not an opportunistic position or repudiation of principles. Maneiro said that the assumed "perfectly the past." But I was aware that, within the framework of political and ideological confusion characteristic of the popular movement after the defeat of the sixties, when many disparate groups and extravagant, broken profiteers, were called "Marxist" and "left" the use of labels was dropped in a game of mistakes and lose their transparency to the masses.
In the 1978 elections, the Causa R won 12,573 votes, barely 0.24%. These figures Caracas with 5,610 votes and 4,458 were Bolivar who contributed. In the rest of the country virtually nonexistent.
However, already emerging as a force of association. SUTISS won the election and moves his wealth in other large companies of Guyana. Official intervention in the union steel workers in order to ignore the victory of the Causa R and protect union members from CTV, instead of weakening their influence, raised the prestige of its leaders, including Andrés Velásquez y Tello Benítez. As usual, the victories always have a positive impact. As a seismic wave reaches across a broad periphery moving beyond epicenter of the air triumphantly.
Leaders of the 60's. From left to right, top
Alfredo Marcano Coello and Maneiro. Then Adam and Alexis
Tirso Pinto.
culminated in 1982 political strategy Alfredo Maneiro proclaimed repeatedly. For the old parties could only derrotárseles an effort was forged "beyond the left", breaking free of old patterns, blocks and labels and assuming the task of winning the "center." It was to find formulas to match hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans tired of the failures of bipartisanship, but that, however, did not reach the height of acceding to the proposals of the "left." Came the meeting with the presidential candidacy of Jorge Olavarria. Maneiro dies unexpectedly, when there were just 100 days to finish the campaign as a coup attempt Olavarría hand to control the direction of the Causa R, concludes the surprising and unpredictable alliance. The elections
1983, the Causa R won 34,404 votes and Andrés Velásquez, who replaces the formula presidential Olavarria, 5,917 votes. Fairly low numbers. To 0.54 and 0.09 percent respectively. That's when the deepening political crisis, economic and social is to inflate the sails of the political project. Rampant corruption, the mockery of people's trust, the gross enrichment of a minority, the squandering of public resources, the dramatic deterioration of living conditions of workers and middle and, especially, the inability of the class leader to provide effective solutions to the problems of the country, moving thousands of voters, formerly under different flags, to embrace the new proposal.
As a foal by a espuelazo whipped in the stretch, the Causa R began its violent jerk. In the 1988 elections won 115,799 votes, 1.46 percent. Three times more than in 1983. Andres Velasquez, also a presidential candidate this time, there was a high turnout: 26,257 votes, but five times more than five years ago. Now for the first time, will have a parliamentary representation. Three Members: Aristobulo Isturiz, Andres Velasquez and Carlos Azpurua.
scale continued. In next year's election for governor, Andrés Velásquez won the governorship of Bolivar state, where until recently was only a labor leader discriminated. For the first time, Democratic Action receives an overwhelming defeat in the region considered to be one of the most closed electoral fiefdoms. Meanwhile, in a surprise victory, predicted that even the best pollsters, Istúriz Aristobulus conquered the Mayor of Caracas, in a contest where the losers are not only the two traditional parties, Accion Democratica and COPEI but also the MAS and broad coalition center-left led by the owner of one of the most influential newspapers, El Nacional, Miguel Henrique Otero. The elections
1993 the rise was impressive. Its presidential candidate, Andrés Velásquez again, sumo 1,232,653 votes, 21.95 percent, in a close confrontation with the Democratic Action candidate, COPEI and the confederation of forces represented by Rafael Caldera, under the name of convergence.
the death of Maneiro, Andrés Velásquez, with his brilliant performance in Guyana became
in maximum leader of La Causa R.
70,000 votes penalties under the AD candidate and only 9,000 of COPEI. A feat election. La Causa R. became the third political force in the country. Of three members stands at forty and zero representation in the Senate up to nine. He also received a large force in most legislatures, especially in the states as important as Aragua, Miranda, Carabobo, Anzoategui, Bolivar.
In the ideological field, the Causa R, is defined as a radical democratic party. Radical democracy is, as its leaders, the expansion and deepening of democracy. In politics have advocated a comprehensive reform of political system by convening a National Constituent Assembly. The new Venezuelan constitution must enshrine a society more free, fair and equitable through a real and direct popular participation in all processes of national life. In the election manifesto presented the slogans such as "cultural transformation", who understand the effort of society to assume a new culture in the service of man and the "productive revolution" which would base the rational use, technological and scientist of the country's resources to achieve sustained economic development and independent to satisfy the core of the popular majority. The first goal of the political project is to take power by democratic means.
The organizational structure of the Causa R is original and different from other parties. No militants entered or card. There is no upper or lower organisms. There are no disciplinary tribunals. Do not vote, but that discussion will reach an agreement. Do not hold meetings or conventions or assemblies. Whoever wants to be a member of the Causa R is sufficient to express and feel as such. No expulsions in their ranks, because he disagrees exclude it. Andres Velasquez said, however, that "democracy within the party does not reach terms anarchy, so that each person does what he pleases. There must be order and discipline. Who rebels against this, as not eject anyone, put themselves outside the organization. "
The characteristics of the Causa R has provoked widespread criticism of his opponents, including many of his friends. Expressed doubts about the 'internal democratic character. " They say a "small heart" makes all the decisions without consulting the base. This "small heart" never fails to convene a conference or a meeting. Decided authoritatively. Thus decisions have been as controversial as the attitude of parliamentarians of the Causa R in refusing to support President boiler in the suspension of financial guarantees to address the financial crisis or voting in the legislative chambers next to COPEI and Democratic Action against the policies of President Caldera.
Many come to doubt the ability of the Causa R to stay on the crest of the wave due to their fragile ideological and alluvial character of its adherents, including their leaders, who come from different ideological and partisan sources. Note the lack of consistency in the parliamentary and the Legislature. There is no unity of thought against the division or in the daily responses to political problems. Recently there a crisis in the municipal council of Caracas. Five council members abstained from voting on solid waste management ordinance proposed by Mayor Aristobulo Isturiz. Pablo Medina accused of being manipulated by a private contractor service. The councilors said they faced arbitrary and inconclusive decisions of the mayor. In elections to replace the governor of Anzoátegui Ovidio Gonzalez, dismissed by the Legislature, the Causa R dropped significantly vote. This was taken as an indication that the rash was climbing at an end.
has said the intensification of distances and contradictions within it, especially since the attitude by President Caldera to maintain constitutional guarantees are suspended. Some support to Caldera. Others reject it. Alexis Rosas, journalist, member of the Causa R, said in a radio program after receiving numerous calls from the public to support the decision of Caldera
"The people support the strong willingness of the President to stop the banking mafia. I can not stand behind the people. The chamber will vote in favor of maintaining the suspension of safeguards and contradicts the party line. "
The struggle for leadership of the Causa R has been split, in practice, their leaders, though not transcend publicly. In positions estaría Andrés Velásquez y Lucas Matheus, en otras Pablo Medina y los principales lideres en Caracas.
No tiene nada de extraño. Mientras la Causa R fue un grupo pequeño, cuyos linderos no sobrepasaban los límites de Catia y la Siderúrgica del Caroní, todo podia resolverse en familia. No había «cogollo». Bastaba una reunión entre Velásquez y Pablo Medina para dar cualquier respuesta o eludir cualquier situación compleja. Había muy pocos escenarios. Ahora si la situación cambió. Existe una fracción de 40 parlamentarios en la cámara de diputados y 9 en el senado. Hay 13 concejales de la Causa R en la cámara edilicia de caracas. Además fracciones numerosas en muchas asambleas legislation. Guidance should be given strong trade unions and take responsibility for municipal government. There are journalists asking questions for TV, radio and newspapers. Decisions must be made to unexpected issues of great rides for the life of the country affecting millions of people. You can not go to the Causa R as in 1979, except as in 1973.
huge growth of the Causa R raised a situation that was scheduled to address. Exceeded their capacity, limited responses and craft solutions. It is as if an adult would you wear the same shoes as a child. There is a problem of political leadership and organizational structure, participation the group and the exercise of democracy that would surely have resolved the wise and bold intelligence Alfredo Maneiro, but is not up to the current leadership team honest. As these balloons as they increase in size at risk of bursting, the big problem of the Cause R. "Paradoxes of the unexpected, was growing too soon and too.
However, the fact is that, at this juncture, the Causa R is a key promoter of change. Their presence in national life reveals the new Venezuelan political trends. The talent of its leaders to rise above difficulties and limitations, of their vocation to interpret the will and feeling of the masses, to reaffirm the thought Alfredo Maneiro on the ability of people to, through their practices and experiences in themselves solve the problem of political leadership depends on its present and future and to a large extent, the nature of the new time open to Venezuela.
Research Department current policy. The new Venezuelan political trends. Fondo Editorial Venezuela, Caracas 1994.
In his political writings Alfredo was a bold and assertive, with an incredible futuristic vision, but equally, with a capacity of Venezuelan society to analyze your time, and therefore its leadership, very clearly. From there came off biting positions, that I wanted to distance himself from the political leadership, which he predicted as being responsible for years of suffering for our people. This attitude led him to found a political organization that broke the mold presets, an organization that puts aside ideological debates to focus on addressing the problems of the people, their weaknesses, and how to intervene in them to accompany their struggle. 
the death of Maneiro, Andrés Velásquez, with 
Latest 
