MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Venezuela third largest city mayor arrested for corruption; Maduro asks for special powers
State security agents have arrested the mayor of Venezuela's third-largest city for alleged corruption after President Nicolas Maduro asked lawmakers to grant him decree powers he says he needs to fight graft. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesThe way to get rid of corruption in government is to get rid of government functions. Fewer permits, licences etc. Then there is no reason to request or pay bribes. Just try freedom, maybe the bulk of people will realise one day, but most will die old and foolish.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 09:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0You mean to say that Venezuela never created the law that if you do wrong you go to prison.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 10:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0I guess Maduro doesn't use mirrors...
Oct 16th, 2013 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0@1 Yes, what a good idea. Anyone can do whatever they like. Then a “government” is unnecessary, isn't it? That won't please the crazy piss-taker, MADuro.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 12:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“We will not protect anyone who commits a crime involving public funds, which are sacred because it's the people's money. There are no untouchables here,” Of course that's right. And it's very difficult to cream off your percentage if someone else gets there first!
Isn't Venezuela's National Assembly capable of formulating something that will only permit Maduro to go after “graft”? How about a bar on using decree powers to fast-track legislation with no connection to corruption?
@2 In Venezuela, it seems that you go to prison if you displease the President, but if matters were arranged so that your local mayor does little more than collect the garbage and keep the cops honest and fire brigade ready, and keeps the roads in good order, then bribery is unlikely to be a problem.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 12:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@4 Well if you think that Venezuela's government is necessary to the extent that it is, you have no grounds to criticise it.
Seems to me that he might be working up some useful new power to rule by decree, looks like the Assembly may be redundant.
Funny how a word can have different meanings depending on its context.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 02:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Fighting graft sounds like a tradition in Venezuela
Anybody know what 'decree powers' are?
Oct 16th, 2013 - 02:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 07 GeoffWard2
Oct 16th, 2013 - 03:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Apparently, Presidents (as in elected) who have done this suspend virtually ALL laws in the country from a constitutional point of view.
Those who have done it are:
North Korea;
Mugabe for “40 days and 40 nights” after his last “election triumph”;
Venezuela (Chavez did it for 18 months);
Fiji;
Obuma has tried it via executive orders but hasn't managed it formally.
All weak and egotistical people.
It seems to me Venezuela is having its own version of the Servilleta's war...I thought the SEBIN responded to Diosdado Cabello.
Oct 16th, 2013 - 04:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0''Rule by decree' (Wiki)
Oct 16th, 2013 - 06:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0is a style of governance allowing quick, unchallenged creation of law by a single person or group, and is used primarily by dictators and absolute monarchs.
The expression is also sometimes used as a pejorative and polemical hyperbole when describing actions of democratic governments that are perceived to unduly bypass parliamentarian or popular scrutiny.
Rule by decree allows the ruler to arbitrarily create law, without approval by a legislative assembly.'
So ... its the removal of democracy by a dictator.
Well, that won't change much for Venezuela.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!