Venezuela: Information on goals, policies and activities of political party Gente Emergente, its relationship to the Movimiento Electoral del Pueblo (MEP) and whether party members were harassed by Venezuelan government during the period 1990-1994
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | VEN19625.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Venezuela: Information on goals, policies and activities of political party Gente Emergente, its relationship to the Movimiento Electoral del Pueblo (MEP) and whether party members were harassed by Venezuelan government during the period 1990-1994, 1 February 1995, VEN19625.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab778.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information concerning the Gente Emergente was obtained in a telephone interview with a representative of the Jesuit Organization for Social Research in Caracas (3 Feb. 1995). Gente Emergente (GE) is not a political party, according to the representative, but a small "insignificant" faction of the Movimiento del Pueblo (MEP) that has been around for approximately two years (ibid.). The representative described the GE as a democratic-left grouping of "ethical, well-intentioned" individuals, who are "not radicals, nor subversives." The last known GE meeting took place five to six months ago. The source did not know of any incidents of authorities ill-treating GE supporters.
A political science expert on Venezuela at Webster University in St. Louis, described the MEP as a "fading leftist party" in a telephone interview (2 Feb. 1995). The political scientist stated that the MEP had battled with the Acción Democrática political party over control of the labour movement in the 1970s, but following the December 1993 elections the MEP was "almost wiped out" (ibid.).
According to a report in the Andean Newsletter, the MEP was one of 16 parties which supported the winning presidential ticket of Rafael Caldera, a Christian Democrat running under the banner of the Convergencia Nacional grouping of political parties (20 Dec. 1993, 6).
In December 1989 elections for state governors, the MEP candidate won the governorship of the state of Anzo tegui, running on an anti-corruption platform (Latin American Weekly Report 14 Dec. 1989, 3).
For further information on the MEP, please see attachments.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Andean Newsletter [Lima]. 20 December 1993. No. 85. "Venezuela: New Political Scene."
Department of Political Science, Webster University, St. Louis. 2 February 1995. Telephone interview with Venezuelan specialist.
Jesuit Organization for Social Research, Caracas. 3 February 1995. Telephone interview with representative.
Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 14 December 1989. "Fewer Than Half the States go to AD."
Attachments
Andean Newsletter [Lima]. 20 December 1993. No. 85. "Venezuela: New Political Scene," p. 6.
Latin American Political Movements. 1985. Edited by Ciar n O Maol in. London: Longman Group UK, pp. 255, 258.
Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 14 December 1989. "Fewer Than Half the States go to AD: Left Advances as Debate on Wages Becomes Main Issue," p. 3.
Political Parties of the Americas: 1980s-1990s. 1992. Edited by Charles D. Ameringer. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, p. 619.