Radical Cause
Encyclopedia
The Radical Cause is a working class political party
in Venezuela
, part of the Venezuelan opposition to president Hugo Chavez
. Although La Causa R no longer has a true national presence, it remains influential in its home region of Guayana
.
of syndicalist tendencies. It was formed in 1971 by Alfredo Maneiro, an intellectual and one-time Communist Party of Venezuela
guerrilla who believed that the Communists
and the Movement towards Socialism were not serious enough about organizing the working class as a revolutionary force.
The party's focus throughout the 1970s and 1980s was on organizing factory workers in the Guayana Region
(officially: Bolivar (state)
) through the so-called Matanceros Movement, as well as workers in the west side of Caracas
(Catia
).
Maneiro's premature death of a heart attack in 1982 left the party's leadership in the hands of the young labor activists he had trained.
. In 1989, one of La Causa's leaders, Andrés Velásquez
, became the first Venezuelan elected governor who did not belong to either of the two major political parties (Accion Democratica and COPEI
), winning the Bolívar governorship on the Causa R ticket.
In the 1993 presidential elections
, the party nominated Andrés Velásquez
, and came close to winning. Many party activists, including Velasquez, believed he had been denied the presidency through fraud. In the 1992 local elections, Aristóbulo Istúriz
was elected mayor of Caracas for La Causa, where he initiated processes of citizen participation which, although cancelled after his term ended in 1995, would later influence the Bolivarian Revolution
.
Francisco Arias Cárdenas
, one of the main co-conspirators in Hugo Chávez
's 1992 coup attempt, later joined La Causa R and was elected Governor of Zulia State.
In 1997, the Party split between a radical faction led by Pablo Medina, Aristóbulo Istúriz
and Alí Rodríguez Araque and a moderate faction led by Andrés Velásquez. The radical faction, which was favored by a majority of party members, left to found a new party - Patria Para Todos (PPT), or Homeland for All
- and went on to support Hugo Chávez
's candidacy for the presidency the following year.
state. The party remains strongly opposed to the Chavez government, joining the Coordinadora Democrática
in 2002, supporting Manuel Rosales
in the 2006 presidential elections, and opposing the 2007 proposed constitutional reform
.
At the legislative elections
on 30 July 2000, the party won 4 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly of Venezuela
. Four years later, it won no seats amid high opposition abstention.
In the Venezuelan regional elections, 2008
, held on November 23, Andrés Velásquez narrowly failed in his bid to win the Bolívar State governorship once again, due to splits within the opposition. Causa R's Victor Fuenmayor was elected mayor of the state's second largest city, Ciudad Bolivar
, the party's best result in the election. The party earned less than 1% of the nationwide vote for the various governorships.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, part of the Venezuelan opposition to president Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
. Although La Causa R no longer has a true national presence, it remains influential in its home region of Guayana
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
.
Early history
La Causa R was founded as a revolutionary socialist political partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
of syndicalist tendencies. It was formed in 1971 by Alfredo Maneiro, an intellectual and one-time Communist Party of Venezuela
Communist Party of Venezuela
The Communist Party of Venezuela is a Marxist-Leninist political party, and the oldest continuously existing party in Venezuela...
guerrilla who believed that the Communists
Communist Party of Venezuela
The Communist Party of Venezuela is a Marxist-Leninist political party, and the oldest continuously existing party in Venezuela...
and the Movement towards Socialism were not serious enough about organizing the working class as a revolutionary force.
The party's focus throughout the 1970s and 1980s was on organizing factory workers in the Guayana Region
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
(officially: Bolivar (state)
Bolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
) through the so-called Matanceros Movement, as well as workers in the west side of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
(Catia
Catia
Catia may refer to*Catia - neighbourhood of Caracas*Catia La Mar - Venezuelan town*Catia - a family in Ancient Rome*Catia - type of butterfly*CATIA...
).
Maneiro's premature death of a heart attack in 1982 left the party's leadership in the hands of the young labor activists he had trained.
Elections
With the 1989 introduction of elections for local and regional offices, La Causa for the first time had the opportunity to compete electorally with a chance of success. In December 1988 La Causa sent three deputies to the Venezuelan Chamber of DeputiesVenezuelan Chamber of Deputies
The Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of Venezuela's legislative under its 1961 constitution; the Venezuelan Senate was the upper house...
. In 1989, one of La Causa's leaders, Andrés Velásquez
Andrés Velásquez
Andrés Velásquez is a Venezuelan politician associated with Radical Cause . Formerly the general secretary of the steelworkers union of SIDOR, he became one of the leaders of Radical Cause after the death of its founder, Alfredo Maneiro, in 1982...
, became the first Venezuelan elected governor who did not belong to either of the two major political parties (Accion Democratica and COPEI
COPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
), winning the Bolívar governorship on the Causa R ticket.
In the 1993 presidential elections
Venezuelan presidential election, 1993
General elections were held in Venezuela on 5 December 1993. The presidential elections were won by Rafael Caldera of National Convergence, who received 30.5% of the vote. Democratic Action remained the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, which were elected on separate ballots for...
, the party nominated Andrés Velásquez
Andrés Velásquez
Andrés Velásquez is a Venezuelan politician associated with Radical Cause . Formerly the general secretary of the steelworkers union of SIDOR, he became one of the leaders of Radical Cause after the death of its founder, Alfredo Maneiro, in 1982...
, and came close to winning. Many party activists, including Velasquez, believed he had been denied the presidency through fraud. In the 1992 local elections, Aristóbulo Istúriz
Aristóbulo Istúriz
Aristóbulo Istúriz is a Venezuelan politician and academic. He was a professor at the Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. He was elected to Parliament several times for Acción Democrática, representing the Federal District , before joining the Radical Cause...
was elected mayor of Caracas for La Causa, where he initiated processes of citizen participation which, although cancelled after his term ended in 1995, would later influence the Bolivarian Revolution
Bolivarian Revolution
The “Bolivarian Revolution” refers to a leftist social movement and political process in Venezuela led by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, the founder of the Fifth Republic Movement...
.
Francisco Arias Cárdenas
Francisco Arias Cárdenas
Francisco Javier Arias Cárdenas is a Venezuelan politician and career military officer. He participated in Hugo Chávez' unsuccessful February 1992 coup attempt, being pardoned in 1994 by Rafael Caldera, along with the other conspirators...
, one of the main co-conspirators in Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
's 1992 coup attempt, later joined La Causa R and was elected Governor of Zulia State.
In 1997, the Party split between a radical faction led by Pablo Medina, Aristóbulo Istúriz
Aristóbulo Istúriz
Aristóbulo Istúriz is a Venezuelan politician and academic. He was a professor at the Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. He was elected to Parliament several times for Acción Democrática, representing the Federal District , before joining the Radical Cause...
and Alí Rodríguez Araque and a moderate faction led by Andrés Velásquez. The radical faction, which was favored by a majority of party members, left to found a new party - Patria Para Todos (PPT), or Homeland for All
Homeland for All
Fatherland for All is a left-wing political party in Venezuela. It was founded in 1997 by members of The Radical Cause party who supported Hugo Chávez. It is led by José Albornoz....
- and went on to support Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
's candidacy for the presidency the following year.
Post-split
After the 1997 breakaway of a majority of its members to from the Patria Para Todos, La Causa's influence was much diminished. It retained the name Causa R, shed most of its radical ideology, and later went into opposition to the Chávez government. To day it maintains a token presence in various areas of the country, but is strong only in BolívarBolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
state. The party remains strongly opposed to the Chavez government, joining the Coordinadora Democrática
Coordinadora Democrática (Venezuela)
The Coordinadora Democrática was an umbrella group of Venezuelan political parties and organisations opposed to President Hugo Chavez. Founded on 5 July 2002, it was involved in organising the Venezuelan general strike of 2002-2003 and the Venezuelan recall referendum, 2004...
in 2002, supporting Manuel Rosales
Manuel Rosales
Manuel Antonio Rosales Guerrero is a Venezuelan educator and politician and was the most prominent opposition candidate in the 2006 presidential election, losing to incumbent Hugo Chávez...
in the 2006 presidential elections, and opposing the 2007 proposed constitutional reform
Venezuelan constitutional referendum, 2007
A constitutional referendum was held in Venezuela on 2 December 2007 to amend 69 articles of the 1999 Constitution. Reform was needed, according to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, to implement his socialist agenda; detractors said he was using the reforms to become a dictator.The referendum was...
.
At the legislative elections
Elections in Venezuela
||Elections in Venezuela gives information on elections and election results in Venezuela.Venezuela elects on a national level a head of state a president and a unicameral federal legislature. The President of Venezuela is elected for a six-year term by the people, and is eligible for re-election...
on 30 July 2000, the party won 4 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly of Venezuela
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
. Four years later, it won no seats amid high opposition abstention.
In the Venezuelan regional elections, 2008
Venezuelan regional elections, 2008
The regional elections of Venezuela were held on Sunday, 23 November 2008, to choose22 governors, 2 metropolitan mayors, 328 mayors and 251 aldermen for a four-year term . These were the first elections to be held since incumbent President Hugo Chávez founded the PSUV.In these elections, 17,308...
, held on November 23, Andrés Velásquez narrowly failed in his bid to win the Bolívar State governorship once again, due to splits within the opposition. Causa R's Victor Fuenmayor was elected mayor of the state's second largest city, Ciudad Bolivar
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
, the party's best result in the election. The party earned less than 1% of the nationwide vote for the various governorships.