If I were president (I)

I have been writing articles that have been published in the Daily Journal for almost one year now. I realize that most (although not all) have been quite critical. As a result, I have been the target for calls from acquaintances who ask me things like “quit criticizing so much; what would you do­?” I herewith try to answer these questions. This is the first of two parts, the second of which will appear in tomorrow’s issue.

Upon contemplating the current state of affairs, it is evident that we urgently need to restructure everything (or almost everything), and that the latter should probably be much more radical than what our official presidential candidates imagine or would dare talk about. The following would be my agenda for the first 100 days, were I to sit in Miraflores as President of Venezuela.

Day 1 / Morning: There would be a very simple swearing-in ceremony that would not be attended by visiting dignitaries. At least 50% of the attendees to this ceremony would be young people, less than 18 years old. Immediately thereafter there would be an emergency session of Congress during which Venezuela would be declared in a state of emergency, a state that is in perfect sync with reality. Emergency powers that would allow the President to confront such a situation would be requested. These powers would be similar to those awarded anyone out to perform a salvage operation and without which nobody reasonably sane could be expected to assume the responsibility of restructuring our country.

During this same session, Congress must approve a Bond issue under the acronym Public Sector Restoration Bonds (PSRB). These bonds are to be 30-year instruments, US Dollar denominated and carrying interest rates similar to those paid by the United States. These resources will be used to liquidate public payrolls. Immediately thereafter, two constitutional reforms should take place as follows:

First Amendment: A total reform of the mechanisms that are used to elect Judges. Any of the many projects that have been tabled recently can be used, most of which are useful but none of which have found their way to implementation.

Second Amendment: A total ban on any new net foreign indebtedness for the public sector (including PDVSA). In addition, the country must accept the obligation to amortize a minimum of 1/30th of the current global debt annually. Venezuela’s current oil income should be sufficient to cover all public sector spending. If it is not, the government is being inefficient and the last thing we should be doing is accepting further a heavier debt load.

Day 1 / Evening: Should Congress balk at these requests, I, as National Executive must strive with all available means, including that of closing Congress, to achieve the reforms. Should this still not be enough, I would immediately offer my resignation and convene new elections. This would avoid a) further degeneration of the stature of the office of the President and b) the wasting of another five years of the country’s destiny.

Days 2 through 99: We would initiate a series of emergency measures aimed at the reorientation of our nation’s destiny. As an example, among these would be the following:

Social Security: A single central system would be put into place to implement the payment of pensions for public sector employees. The regulations for this would establish that a) the minimum and maximum payment amounts; the maximum cannot be more that three times the minimum; b) any pensioner that is eligible for various pensions can add them up until he reaches the maximum established; c) payments will be made in strict inverse order, that is, the lower payments will be handled before the higher ones; no way will we pay out millions while our grandparents (los viejitos) have to take to the streets; d) we will unify, downwards if necessary, the pension amounts to be received by retired people of the same category and seniority; we will not differentiate between teachers with 30 years’ seniority that retired in 1976 from those retired in 1996.

If all of this means that some current obligations are not covered, so be it. Remember, the country has been declared in a state of emergency. The default of these obligations will be explained face-to-face, and not as it has been done until today, by hiding behind the curtain of inflation.

Government team: The government’s duties will be executed by a multidisciplinary team, small enough to be housed in one building. We will initiate the relocation of Congress and the administrative and clerical functions of government other cities in Venezuela.

Part II will follow tomorrow with more examples of my government’s agenda.