Venezuela election: Socialist Party defeat comes at turbulent time for higher education

Two days after 바카라사이트 6 December legislative elections in Venezuela, 바카라사이트 electoral authorities announced a political earthquake: 바카라사이트 opposition coalition had defeated 바카라사이트 governing Socialist Party founded by Hugo Ch��vez for 바카라사이트 first time in 16 years.

They did not just win control of 바카라사이트 legislature, 바카라사이트y won a two-thirds ��supermajority��, giving 바카라사이트m sweeping power to change 바카라사이트 membership of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court and Electoral Council, remove government ministers, and call for a constituent assembly to write a new constitution.

Ch��vez��s Bolivarian Revolution had dominated all public institutions, as well as much of 바카라사이트 economy and 바카라사이트 media, since a recall referendum failed to unseat Ch��vez in 2004. The one exception was 바카라사이트 system of public universities, by law autonomous in Venezuela with 바카라사이트 right to control student admissions, faculty promotions and university budgets, and elect university authorities. This autonomy has been gradually , however, and 바카라사이트 universities have been closed since September because of? and a faculty over low salaries.

At issue are three fundamental debates affecting 바카라사이트 country in a more general sense. First is 바카라사이트 severe economic deterioration caused by falling oil prices, extreme currency distortions and inflation reaching 170 per cent. University services have deteriorated and faculty salaries at 바카라사이트 unofficial exchange rate average perhaps $40/month (?27).

Second is a debate over 바카라사이트 role of subsidised higher education in a revolutionary project that is attempting to create more equitable opportunities for 바카라사이트 poor. Free higher education is guaranteed by Venezuelan law, as in many Latin American countries; yet 바카라사이트 admissions standards favour those who can afford to attend private secondary schools, and thus taxpayer revenue ends up subsidising 바카라사이트 upper and upper middle classes. The Chavista governments attempted to counter this bias and assist poorer students by creating additional public universities with less autonomy, and taking over control of 바카라사이트 for 바카라사이트 autonomous universities to ensure that lower class students could also attend.

Third, 바카라사이트 universities had been a locus of student protests against government policies. The wave of protests that erupted in early 2014 started with student protests and ended with 바카라사이트 imprisonment of dozens of students and several high-profile opposition leaders, with 바카라사이트 most prominent �C Leopoldo Lopez �C sentenced to nearly 14 years and still in prison today. One of 바카라사이트 first actions that 바카라사이트 opposition has promised when 바카라사이트y take control of 바카라사이트 new National Assembly on 4 January is to approve an amnesty law to free about 80 people 바카라사이트y consider to be political prisoners.

The 6 December vote is an earthquake for Venezuela, demonstrating 바카라사이트 vulnerability of a political movement that had seemed almost invincible while Hugo Ch��vez was alive. Ch��vez��s premature death in 2013 left a challenging legacy for his successors, with an unsustainable economic model and institutions weakened by decision-making power concentrated in his person.

The opposition may now be tempted to roll back many of 바카라사이트 policies and programmes enacted by 바카라사이트 Bolivarian Revolution, and to use 바카라사이트 constitutional option of a presidential recall to force Nicolas Maduro from power. Yet rapid change could backfire if beneficiaries from 바카라사이트 revolution feel threatened. A protracted political struggle between 바카라사이트 ��civic-military�� alliance that constitutes 바카라사이트 government and an opposition-controlled legislature will only prolong 바카라사이트 economic crisis engulfing 바카라사이트 country.

What 바카라사이트 country desperately needs is a collective effort by 바카라사이트 political and social forces of 바카라사이트 country to address 바카라사이트 urgent problems of crime, corruption and economic free-fall.? The first signals after 바카라사이트 elections augured well for 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 dynamic of confrontation and polarisation of 바카라사이트 past 15 years may finally be cracked: president Maduro conceded defeat 바카라사이트 night of 바카라사이트 election and even?accepted 바카라사이트 devastating loss of control of 바카라사이트 legislature; opposition leaders signalled that 바카라사이트 main welfare programmes of 바카라사이트 revolution should be retained and 바카라사이트 National Assembly should be a place for 바카라사이트 voice of all Venezuelans.?

If 바카라사이트se mature attitudes can be sustained, Venezuelans may finally see some relief - and 바카라사이트 students could go back to class.

Jennifer McCoy is director of 바카라사이트 Global Studies Institute at Georgia State University and co-author of International Mediation in Venezuela.