*Adecos are the militants of Accion Democratica (AD) political party.
By David Hernandez – Jun 16, 2020
The recent decision of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) to suspend the board of directors of the AD confronts the adecos. This is another reliable proof of the internal contradictions of the [party of the white banner], that without a leadership and unable to settle their conflicts behind closed doors, were forced to go to an arbitrator, the TSJ.
What is unusual in this new conflict is that the AD leadership tries to place the responsibility for its division on Chavismo, when the history of that party is itself a story marked by treason and division.
- 1958 : One of the most important divisions suffered by AD, was led by young radicals, disgusted by the party system (Puntofijismo). The birth of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) would mark a milestone in organized resistance, after this new movement led the armed struggle.
- 1963 : Raúl Ramos Giménez, failing to position himself for the 1963 presidential elections, decides to separate and form the Revolutionary Party for Nationalist Integration (PRIN)
- 1968 : The most significant division would occur with the departure of Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa and Jesús Ángel Paz Galarraga, who were robbed of the presidential candidacy. The birth of the People’s Electoral Movement (MEP) would achieve the division of the vote, facilitating the defeat of AD and the victory of Rafael Caldera (COPEI)
- 1970 : This decade marked by the leadership of Carlos Andrés Pérez (CAP), allowed the emergence of internal currents, the most notorious being led by Luis Piñerúa Ordáz who kept CAP in his sights.
- 1997 : CAP’s departure from power was imminent, the connection with acts of corruption could not last another day. AD “closes” the door to the culprit of its worst credibility crisis. The moment was used by CAP to found the National Opening and Participation Movement, a platform with which he was defeated in the 1998 parliamentary elections.
- 1998 : This year it would correspond to the ex-mayor of Caracas, Claudio Fermín. Expelled from the party, he forms the organization Encuentro Nacional, with which he presented his presidential candidacy, which he withdrew due to lack of popular support.
- 2000 : Antonio Ledezma also kicked the table, giving birth to the Alianza Bravo Pueblo (ABP) party that brought together the conservative wing of AD.
- 2007 : Other sectors moved away, directly facing the general secretary, Henry Ramos Allup. Forming dated outreach organizations including the Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT), a party whose main force was in the state of Zulia, but managed to have national reach.
Thereafter, AD militants have marched comfortably through various parties. As is the case with Liliana Hernández and Alfonzo Marquina jumping from one party to the other after quitting AD, meaning ABP, UNT and Primero Justicia (PJ) respectively.
Division or survival strategy?
AD stands for anything but unity. Its current secretary general has been suspiciously linked to several moments of crisis in which the party has purged itself of those that are “uncomfortable”, he has been accused of being the “fox in the hen house” of national politics for negotiating and arriving at the very last consequences to survive in his position.
The current scenario of the Venezuelan opposition leaves much to be desired. The possibility of disappearing from the political table after refusing to participate in an election process is a high cost for a “traditional” party. Ramos Allup already in 2017 contradicted the decisions of the Unity Table, achieving 5 governorates against all odds.
The reason why opposition sectors made their distrust known. Is this another strategic move by Ramos Allup?
Some analysts like the Venezuelan journalist, Mary Pili Hernandez, have stressed that this might be one of those Allup’s strategic moves to try to look nice with the gringos and at the same time keep control of Accion Democratica, creating a charade of confrontation with Bernabe Gutierrez to retreat with elegance from AD, allowing his party to move to parliamentary elections and at the same time maintain his alleged support of the anti-political G4+Gringo option.
Featured image: Bernabé Gutiérrez y Henry Ramos Allup. File photo
OT/JRE/EF
