VENEZUELA/FILE: In post-Chavez Venezuela, National Assembly President Cabello set to play pivotal role

Record ID: 187238

  • Title: VENEZUELA/FILE: In post-Chavez Venezuela, National Assembly President Cabello set to play pivotal role
  • Date: 5th March 2013
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) LEADERS OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY IN A NEWS CONFERENCE, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: HEAD OF CHAVEZ'S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN, JORGE RODRIGUEZ; CABELLO; VENEZUELAN POLITICIAN AND SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, BLANCA EEKHOUT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING: "In the hands of commander Chavez, President of the Republic, peace, stability, democracy, sovereignty is guaranteed. Happiness is guaranteed, the happiness of all Venezuelans and that is not just a little thing for the future of the homeland. Here, we are not going to hand over the country to the foreigners and we are not going to hand over the country to the empires of the world. Here we are going to defend it." CABELLO IN NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6ZVFNJIMU4Z0IA2LBR70QO6T
  • Story Text: After losing out to Nicolas Maduro as President Hugo Chavez's successor, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly and vice president of the country's Socialist party is positioned to remain a major force in Venezuelan politics following Chavez's death.

    A military comrade of Hugo Chavez, who was once Venezuela's president for a day and emerged as a key voice in the debate over Chavez's inauguration, is expected to remain a major influential force following Chavez's death.
    The rise of National Assembly President, Diosdado Cabello, coincided with the late president's battle against cancer and, at one point, set tongues wagging that he could be the chosen one as successor.
    However, in early December, Chavez quelled speculation by naming Vice President Nicolas Maduro as his replacement and urging supporters to vote for him if an election is held.
    The selection of Maduro temporarily sidelined Cabello, and the burly army lieutenant said later that he would obey Chavez's instructions without question.
    But it wasn't long before Cabello emerged as a major player in the intense constitutional debate over whether or not to swear in Chavez for a fourth term, though he remained ill and out of public view in Cuba.
    According to the Constitution, Cabello - as National Assembly President - should have assumed the presidency on January 10 if Chavez could not attend inauguration. He was then supposed to call for new elections within thirty days.
    However, Chavez allies pushed forward a campaign to delay the inauguration with Cabello and Maduro leading the charge.
    Maduro stood by Cabello's side just after he was inaugurated for a second time as the National Assembly's president and pledged unwavering loyalty to Chavez.
    "Now, Comandante Chavez, the leader of the revolution, the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, he has been granted a permission from the National Assembly for unanimity, and even the opposition, who were at this session, they voted to give President Chavez permission to be attended to medically," Cabello said.
    "With the support of the people, and the saints and our prayers, comandante Hugo Chavez will be with us and this will be the truth that we will convey," he added.
    Just days later, it was Cabello who stood by as Maduro rallied the Chavistas during a rally on January 10, the day that inauguration was supposed to occur. The two tried to dispel rumors of friction in the ranks by standing arm-in-arm and embracing.
    "They come worried because they (world press) say that [National Assembly President] Diosdado [Cabello] and I are killing each other, when we are killing each other with love for the people, we are killing each other with loyalty for Chavez and the fatherland. We are here on this land, we are with Chavez and the fatherland," said Maduro, as Cabello joined him.
    In addition to his role as National Assembly President, Cabello also served as the Vice President of the ruling Socialist Party, second only to Chavez.
    During Chavez's frequent absences in Cuba for treatment, 48-year-old Cabello often fronted government news conferences and led rallies, leading many to think he held a protaganistic role.
    However, Chavez frequently shuffled his top aides and eschewed all talk of succession.
    In public, Cabello tends to shows more charisma and more of a popular touch than the staid Maduro, though he is still a long way from Chavez's own famous "connection" with the masses.
    Cabello joined Chavez's abortive military coup in 1992, served time in jail alongside him as a result, and then helped steer his successful 1998 election campaign. However, Cabello's star waxed and waned during his boss's 14-year rule.
    In the ministerial merry-go-round that Chavez favoured to keep everybody on their toes, Cabello served as vice president, led five ministries and had a handful of other important posts in government.
    At some points, Chavez none-too-subtly relegated Cabello when he seemed to be becoming too big for his boots.
    One of the world's shortest-lived presidents, Cabello even held the top job for a turbulent day in 2002.
    As a brief coup against Chavez collapsed, Cabello stepped in, and his only act as president was to send commandos to bring Chavez back from captivity on an island naval base and restore him to power.
    Cabello remained loyal to Chavez until the end.
    "In the hands of commander Chavez, President of the Republic, peace, stability, democracy, sovereignty is guaranteed. Happiness is guaranteed, the happiness of all Venezuelans and that is not just a little thing for the future of the homeland. Here, we are not going to hand over the country to the foreigners and we are not going to hand over the country to the empires of the world. Here we are going to defend it," he said as the president was still struggling against his illness.
    Seen as a pragmatist rather than ideologue, Cabello has sway with the military and lawmakers plus close links to businessmen.
    However, the opposition's presidential candidate, Henrique Capriles, humbled Cabello by beating him in a 2008 election for the Miranda state governorship. Capriles' team say they uncovered a mass of irregularities by Cabello's outgoing administration.
    Cabello denies corruption accusations and the government has been silent on allegations against him - none of which have resulted in charges being brought.
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