About this Blog:

Venezuelan Politics and Human Rights, a blog hosted by the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), is a unique resource for journalists, policymakers, scholars, activists and others interested in understanding Venezuelan politics and human rights.

The contributors call it as they see it, providing insights on Venezuela’s politics that go beyond the polarized pro-Chávez/anti-Chávez debate. The views expressed in the posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect WOLA’s institutional positions.

About the Bloggers:

David Smilde, moderator of the blog, is a WOLA Senior Fellow and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Georgia. He has lived in or worked on Venezuela since 1992. He is co-editor of Venezuela's Bolivarian Democracy: Participation, Politics and Culture under Chávez (Duke 2011).

Hugo Pérez Hernáiz is Associate Professor of Sociology at the Universidad Central de Venezuela.

Rebecca Hanson is a graduate student in sociology at the University of Georgia doing doctoral research on police reform and citizen participation in Venezuela.

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October 8, 2012

Chávez Addresses Nation from People’s Balcony

David Smilde

Surrounded by ministers and family members, Hugo Chávez addressed followers from the Balcón del Pueblo (the People’s Balcony). The speech was broadcast on a national cadena (transmitted on all television and radio stations).

Chávez began by recognizing the Venezuelan people for an electoral turnout that exceeded 80%. He also immediately recognized the opposition for recognizing the election result, saying it was “important for the construction of peace and tolerance.” He said they would be invited “to dialogue, debate and work together for Bolivarian Venezuela.” Towards the end of his speech he again recognized “the opposition leadership for not lending themselves to destabilization plans.”