(CARACAS, VENEZUELA)The opponents of President Hugo Chavez agree on one thing: They want Mr. Chavez out. Beyond that, they spend almost as much time fighting among themselves as they do fighting the current government.
The more than 40 political parties and nongovernmental organizations that make up the country's opposition say that President Chavez has ruined Venezuela's economy and moved the country toward a tyrannical, Communist-type state....
But these opponents are becoming increasingly worried that an anti-Chavez platform is not enough. Though they want to reduce poverty, improve education, and bolster the economy - positions similar to the platform Chavez ran on five years ago when he swept into power - opposition leaders say that without a clear message, a strong candidate, and a unified front, removing Chavez could be just the beginning of their troubles.
"Having five presidents in five weeks like Argentina, that's a real possibility if we don't pull ourselves together," says Leopoldo Lopez, the young mayor of Chacao, a district of metropolitan Caracas, and a member of Justice First, an opposition party made up of young professionals....
Mayor Lopez says that a priority for opponents is to convince Chavez to call early elections because, right now, many people still support the strike. Chavez says that early elections are unconstitutional, and points to the Venezuelan Constitution, which says that a referendum on his presidency can take only take place in August 2003.
But as gas grows increasingly scarce and other necessities run out, people may begin to blame the opposition for their worsening situation, says Lopez at a funeral for a police officer killed last week. "We're walking a fine line."...
To be successful in their efforts, the opposition must do three things, he ["Enrique Mendoza, the governor of Miranda state and the leading name being thrown about for president"] says. First, it must be united. Second, it must have real answers to societal problems. And third, it must have active participation by the people in the economic process.
"Mine is the only state in the country where participation is a state policy," says Mr. Mendoza, adding that 60 percent of the hospitals are owned by the people.
Experts say that a divided opposition may not be able to beat Chavez at the ballot box - and even if they can, they may have difficulty pulling Venezuela out of chaos once that common goal is met.
"The opposition is not very well organized. They may be good at getting people into the streets, but putting together a coherent coalition doesn't seem to be their strong point," says Terry McCoy, director of the Latin American Business Environment Program at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "One thing is certain: The post-Chavez Venezuela is not going to be a very stable place."
Chavez's opponents run across the political spectrum. Some are traditional parties that were in power before Chavez took office, such as the Democratic Action party and COPEI.
Others are left-leaning parties, such as Mas and Bandera Roja, which evolved out of the 1960s guerilla movement. Still others swing more to the right, such as Venezuelan Project and Justice First. In between, there are dissident military officers, civil activists, business leaders, and labor unions - each with their own ideas and agendas.
"The opposition is a very diverse group of people, no doubt about it. And there is a certain amount of distrust among them," says Janet Kelly, director of the Institute for Higher Administrative Studies, a research group here. "With all their infighting about issues, they are bound to fight about candidates as well."...
Beyond beginning to work out issues and candidates, the opposition says it is helping people in real ways.
For instance, Democratic Action leaders say they are distributing food and gas to meet growing demand, launching voter registrations aimed mostly at young people, and throwing a massive Christmas party for children in Caracas. --- Sent from UnionMail Service [http://mail.union.org.za]