Editing Hugo Chávez (section)

====United Socialist Party of Venezuela and domestic policy====
[[File:Demostration by the opposition against the reform - caracas.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans during the [[2007 Venezuelan protests]] demonstrating against [[2007 Venezuelan constitutional referendum|Chávez's proposed constitutional referendum]]<ref name="BBCMarch">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7120133.stm|title= Students stage anti-Chavez rally|work= BBC News |date=30 November 2007|access-date=3 December 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071203105852/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7120133.stm| archive-date= 3 December 2007 | url-status=live}}</ref>]]

On 15 December 2006, Chávez publicly announced that those leftist political parties who had continually supported him in the Patriotic Pole would unite into one single, much larger party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (''Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela'', PSUV). In the speech which he gave announcing the PSUV's creation, Chávez declared that the old parties must "forget their own structures, party colours and slogans, because they are not the most important thing for the fatherland".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6192105.stm |title=Venezuela head seeks party merger |first=Greg |last=Morsbach |date=19 December 2006 |website=[[BBC News]] |access-date=16 October 2013}}</ref>

[[File:United Socialist Party of Venezuela logo.gif|thumb|The logo for the [[United Socialist Party of Venezuela|PSUV]], Chávez's socialist political party founded in 2007 succeeding the [[Fifth Republic Movement]]]]

Chávez had initially proclaimed that those leftist parties which chose to not dissolve into the PSUV would have to leave the government. Party membership rose to 5.7&nbsp;million people by 2007,<ref name="bloomberg.com">Walter, Mathew. [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aqg5jOxmM.Vg%20 "Venezuela May Lower Voting Age, Add Gay Rights in Constitution"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916205622/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive |date=16 September 2015 }}. ''Bloomberg''. 11 October 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2010.</ref> The United Nations' [[International Labour Organization]] expressed concern over some voters' being pressured to join the party.<ref name="eluniversal.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/06/16/eco_art_en-pdvsa-y-sidor-se_1433965.shtml |title=En Pdvsa y Sidor se concentra criminalización de las protestas – Economía |newspaper=El Universal |date=16 June 2009 |access-date=28 September 2010|language=es}}</ref>

On 28 December 2006, President Chávez announced that the government would not renew [[RCTV]]'s broadcast license which expired on 27 May 2007, thereby forcing the channel to cease operations on that day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6215815.stm|title=Chavez to shut down opposition TV|date=29 December 2006|access-date=27 May 2007|publisher=BBC}}</ref> On 17 May 2007, the government rejected a plea made by RCTV to stop the TV station's forced shutdown.<ref name="universities26">{{Cite web|url=http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37828|title=Marches and Counter-Marches Over TV Station's End|date=21 May 2007|publisher=Inter Press Service News Agency|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612203557/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37828|archive-date=12 June 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref> Thousands of protesters marching both against and in support of the government's decision remained on the streets in Caracas. Other marches took place in [[Maracaibo]] and [[Valencia, Carabobo|Valencia]].<ref name="universities26"/> On 21 May 2007, hundreds of journalists and students marched in Caracas carrying a banner reading "S.O.S. Freedom of Expression".<ref name="universities26" /> A few days later, on 25 May 2007, university students from the [[Universidad Católica Andrés Bello]], the [[Simón Bolívar University (Venezuela)|Universidad Simón Bolívar]] and the [[Universidad Central de Venezuela]] protested against the government's intentions.<ref name="universities15">{{cite news|url=http://politica.eluniversal.com/2007/05/25/rctv_ava_estudiantes-de-la-uc_25A874209.shtml|title=Estudiantes de la UCAB y la USB protestan en apoyo a RCTV|date=25 May 2007|newspaper=[[El Universal (Caracas)|El Universal]]|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070527074433/http://politica.eluniversal.com/2007/05/25/rctv_ava_estudiantes-de-la-uc_25A874209.shtml|archive-date=27 May 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref><ref name="universities35">{{cite news|url=http://politica.eluniversal.com/2007/05/25/rctv_ava_ucevistas-protestaro_25A874355.shtml|title=Ucevistas protestaron en la autopista Francisco Fajardo cierre de RCTV|date=25 May 2007|newspaper=[[El Universal (Caracas)|El Universal]]|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831010331/http://politica.eluniversal.com/2007/05/25/rctv_ava_ucevistas-protestaro_25A874355.shtml|archive-date=31 August 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref> On 26 May, tens of thousands of protesters marched in support of RCTV to their headquarters.<ref name="REUT20076">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-television-march-idUSN2621739620070526|title=Venezuelans march against closure of TV station|last1=Ellsworth|first1=Brian|date=26 May 2007|access-date=29 March 2015|work=Reuters|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402214351/http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/05/26/us-venezuela-television-march-idUSN2621739620070526|url-status=live}}</ref> Since the week prior to the shutdown of RCTV, many individuals, international organizations and NGOs—including the [[Organization of American States|OAS]]'s [[Secretary General of the Organization of American States|Secretary General]] [[José Miguel Insulza]]<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.oas.org/OASpage/press_releases/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-001/07|publisher=Organization of American States|title=Secretary General expresses concern over decision not to renew broadcasting license of Venezuelan television station|date=5 January 2007|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref> and its [[OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression|Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cidh.oas.org/relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=688&lID=1|title=Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression expresses concern over the situation of RCTV in Venezuela|date=31 December 2006|publisher=Organization of American States|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref> the [[Inter American Press Association]],<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.sipiapa.com/pressreleases/srchcountrydetail.cfm?PressReleaseID=1828|title=IAPA assails Venezuela's Chávez over non-renewal of TV station license|publisher=Inter American Press Association|date=29 December 2006|access-date=28 May 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928061613/http://www.sipiapa.com/pressreleases/srchcountrydetail.cfm?PressReleaseID=1828|archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/22/venezu15986.htm|title=Venezuela: TV Shutdown Harms Free Expression|date=22 May 2007|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]|access-date=28 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114234127/http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/22/venezu15986.htm|archive-date=14 November 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Committee to Protect Journalists]],<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/americas/ven12jan07na.html|title='Lack of transparency' in Venezuelan broadcast case|publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists|date=12 January 2007|access-date=28 May 2007}}</ref>—have expressed concerns for freedom of the press following the shutdown.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/82816|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804061313/http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/82816|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 August 2012|title=Non-renewal of RCTV license a threat to media pluralism, will cost 2,000 their jobs, says IFJ|publisher=International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX)|date=24 April 2007|access-date=27 May 2007}}</ref> However, Secretary Insulza also stated that it was up to the Venezuelan courts to solve this dispute<ref name="ElUniversal20071805">{{cite news|url=http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/05/18/en_pol_art_insulza:-rctv-case-w_18A870835.shtml|title=Insulza: RCTV case will be solved by Venezuelan courts|date=18 May 2007|newspaper=[[El Universal (Caracas)|El Universal]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901111430/http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/05/18/en_pol_art_insulza%3A-rctv-case-w_18A870835.shtml|archive-date=1 September 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=17 June 2007}}</ref> and that he believed that this was an administrative decision.<ref name="ElUniversal20070611">{{cite news|url=http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/06/11/en_pol_art_insulza-hopes-venezu_11A883121.shtml|title=Insulza hopes Venezuela "to continue to be democratic"|date=11 June 2007|newspaper=[[El Universal (Caracas)|El Universal]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122060100/http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/06/11/en_pol_art_insulza-hopes-venezu_11A883121.shtml|archive-date=22 January 2013|url-status=dead|access-date=17 June 2007}}</ref>

In 2007, the Bolivarian government set up a constitutional commission to review the 1999 constitution and suggest potential amendments to be made to it. Led by the prominent pro-Chávez intellectual [[Luis Britto García]], it suggested measures that would have increased many of the president's powers, for instance increasing the presidential term limit to seven years, allowing the president to run for election indefinitely and centralizing powers in the executive. The government put the suggested changes to a [[2007 Venezuelan constitutional referendum|public referendum in December 2007]].<ref name="reuters20070816">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1526395420070816|title=Venezuela's Chávez calls for end to term limits|access-date=16 August 2007|work=Reuters|date=16 August 2007|last=Ellsworth |first=Brian}}</ref> Abstention rate was high however, with 44% of registered voters not turning out, and in the end the proposed changes were rejected by 51% of votes.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/world/americas/04venezuela.html |title= Venezuela Vote Sets Roadblocks on Chávez Path |work= The New York Times|date = 4 December 2007 |access-date=26 February 2010 |last=Romero |first=Simon}}</ref> This would prove to the first electoral loss that Chávez had faced in the thirteen electoral contests held since he took power, due to the top-down nature of the changes, as well as general public dissatisfaction with "the absence of internal debate on its content, as well as dissatisfaction with the running of the social programmes, increasing street crime, and with corruption within the government".<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 December 2007 |title=Chávez: "Fue una victoria de mierda y la nuestra una derrota de coraje" |url=https://www.libertaddigital.com/mundo/chavez-fue-una-victoria-de-mierda-y-la-nuestra-una-derrota-de-coraje-1276318942/ |access-date=23 April 2023 |website=Libertad Digital}}</ref>

In mid 2010, tons of rotten food supplies imported during Chávez's government through subsidies of state-owned enterprise [[PDVAL]] were found. Due to the scandal, PDVAL started being administrated by the [[Vice President of Venezuela]] and afterwards by the Alimentation Ministry.<ref name="great">{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/epa/article/ALeqM5hGxTMTytdWbdjg85kySFN_Z4ZBZQ|title=Unos 170 millones de kilos de alimentos importados por Venezuela se han vencido, afirma la oposición|access-date=31 July 2010|publisher=[[Agencia EFE]]|date=31 July 2010|work=Google|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804174844/http://www.google.com/hostednews/epa/article/ALeqM5hGxTMTytdWbdjg85kySFN_Z4ZBZQ|archive-date=4 August 2010}}</ref> Three former managers were detained,<ref name="elnacional20100729">{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/www/site/p_contenido.php?q=nodo/147369/Nacional/Audiencia-preliminar-por-caso-Pdval-ser%C3%A1-el-10-de-agosto|title=Audiencia preliminar por caso PDVAL será el 10 de agosto|author=Agencia Venezolana de Noticias|date=1 August 2010|website=[[El Nacional (Venezuela)|El Nacional]]|language=es|access-date=29 July 2010|author-link=Agencia Venezolana de Noticias}}{{dead link|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/www/site/p_contenido.php?q=nodo%2F147369%2FNacional%2FAudiencia-preliminar-por-caso-Pdval-ser%C3%A1-el-10-de-agosto|bot=InternetArchiveBot|date=March 2019}}</ref> but were released afterwards<ref name="elmundo20111106">{{cite web|url=http://www.elmundo.com.ve/noticias/petroleo/pdvsa/los-tres-acusados-por-el-caso-pdval-seran-enjuicia.aspx|title=Los tres acusados por el caso PDVAL serán enjuiciados en libertad condicional|last=García Mora|first=Ileana|date=6 November 2011|website=[[El Mundo (Venezuela)]]|access-date=14 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522213123/http://www.elmundo.com.ve/noticias/petroleo/pdvsa/los-tres-acusados-por-el-caso-pdval-seran-enjuicia.aspx|archive-date=22 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> and two of them had their positions restored.<ref name="ultimasnoticias20120514">{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/imputados-de-pdval-volvieron-a-sus-cargos-en-pdvsa.aspx|title=Imputados de PDVAL volvieron a sus cargos en Pdvsa|date=14 May 2012|website=[[Últimas Noticias (Venezuela)|Últimas Noticias]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712120057/http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/imputados-de-pdval-volvieron-a-sus-cargos-en-pdvsa.aspx|archive-date=12 July 2012|access-date=17 May 2012}}</ref> In July 2010, official estimates stated that 130,000 tons of food supplies were affected, while the political opposition informed of 170,000 tons.<ref name="great" /> As of 2012, any advances in the investigations by the [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]] were unknown.<ref name="globovision20120515">{{cite web|url=http://globovision.com/news.php?nid=230805|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411005550/http://globovision.com/news.php?nid=230805|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2013|title=Rechazan incluir en orden del día caso de alimentos descompuestos de PDVAL|last=Ackerman|first=Sasha|date=15 May 2012|website=[[Globovisión]]|access-date=17 May 2012}}</ref> The most accepted explanation of the loss of food supplies is the organization of PDVAL, because the food network allegedly imported supplies faster than what it could distribute them. The opposition considers the affair as a corrupt case and spokespeople have assured that the public officials deliberately imported more food that could be distributed to embezzle funds through the import of subsidized supplies.<ref name="bbcresumen">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/economia/2010/06/100608_venezuela_escandalo_alimentos_lr.shtml|title=Venezuela: escándalo por alimentos vencidos|author=Valery, Yolanda|date=8 June 2010|work=[[BBC]]|language=es|access-date=29 July 2010}}</ref>

During an address on Chávez's birthday in 2011, he called on the middle classes and the [[private sector]] to get more involved in his Bolivarian Revolution, something he saw as "vital" to its success.<ref>[[#BBC11b|BBC News 2011b]].</ref> 

In August of 2011, Chávez announced that his government would nationalize Venezuela's gold industry, taking it over from Russian-controlled company Rusoro, while at the same time also moving the country's gold stocks, which were largely stored in western banks, to banks in allied countries such as Russia, China and Brazil.<ref>[[#Gua11|''The Guardian'' 2011]].</ref>

To ensure that his [[Bolivarian Revolution]] became socially ingrained in Venezuela, Chávez discussed his wish to stand for re-election when his term ran out in 2013, and spoke of ruling beyond 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chávez dice que seguirá en el poder hasta 2030 |url=https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/internacionales/Chavez-dice-que-seguira-en-el-poder-hasta-2030-20111001-0037.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |website=[[El Economista (Mexico)|El Economista]] |date=October 2011 |language=es}}</ref> Under the 1999 constitution, he could not legally stand for re-election again, and so brought about a [[2009 Venezuelan constitutional referendum|referendum on 15 February 2009]] to abolish the two-term limit for all public offices, including the presidency. Approximately 70% of the Venezuelan electorate voted, and they approved this alteration to the constitution with over 54% in favor, allowing any elected official the chance to try to run indefinitely.{{sfn|Carroll|2009}}<ref>{{Cite news|last=Forero |first=Juan |date=16 February 2009 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/15/AR2009021500136.html |title= Chávez Wins Removal of Term Limits |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

[[File:Fórum Social Mundial 2008 - AL.jpg|250px|thumb|Chávez (far right) with fellow Latin American leftist presidents in 2009 (from left to right: Paraguay's [[Fernando Lugo]], Bolivia's [[Evo Morales]], Brazil's [[Lula da Silva]] and Ecuador's [[Rafael Correa]])]]