Democracy, Citizenship, and Violence in Venezuela
Argues that increasing violence in Venezuela, especially Caracas, represents an attack on human rights, ethical standards, the law, & public liberties, thereby threatening democracy. An exploration of processes of political, economic, & social transformation that are currently underway for the purpose of broadening democracy points out that each change involves political/social antagonisms that increase fragmentation & generate a new series of conflicts. In addition, violence & personal insecurity have created polarized collective perceptions about violent criminality that oversimplify or misrepresent both the actual situation & the multicausal origins of the problem. The nature of democracy & the pursuit of citizenship in Venezuela are described, along with the magnitude & characteristics of social violence, & the possible impact of deficiencies of the state, democracy, & citizenship on social conflicts & the legal contexts that regulate everyday life. It is concluded that the deterioration of social conditions, the fragmentation of civil society, & the government's inability to curb the increasing violence, represent a dangerous weakness in the Venezuelan state. Future prospects are discussed. J. Lindroth