What Does President Maduro Proposes for His Re-Election With the 7T Plan?
Since the beginning of the year the Venezuelan Head of State Nicolás Maduro has presented a strategic approach for the next period of government that presents the Plan of the Homeland of the 7 Transformations (7T) as a result of the active participation of more than 63 thousand assemblies in the formulation of goals and transformations through a participatory process called Consultation, Debate and Action (CDA).
These transformations, many of them already under way and with remarkable results in the economic, social and political life of the country, seek to consolidate a new cycle in the political project initiated by Commander Hugo Chávez, adapted to current challenges.
Firstly, the focus is on the energy sector, which recognises the importance of exploiting the vast reserves of oil and gas. It is proposed not only to export raw materials, but also to develop the derivatives industry to generate greater added value.
It reaffirms the need to diversify the economy and overcome oil renting, betting on the creation of a favorable environment for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises. It is proposed to create a fund of state financing with the objective of supporting those who wish to venture into new businesses.
As for the defense of the bolivar as a national currency, the need arises to preserve economic sovereignty through inflationary control and maintain the stability of the currency. It also promotes the simplification of procedures and the reduction of bureaucracy to facilitate economic activity, as well as the possibility of private participation in public enterprises.
It also stresses the importance of strengthening social programmes and consolidating the recovery of the minimum income, with a view to which a National Observatory of Social Rights will be created to guarantee the social welfare of the population. It also proposes a progressive tax reform that increases the tax burden on the higher income sectors, which seeks greater equity in the distribution of wealth.
The strengthening of national identity is sought through education, based on the recovery of classical authors who promote a “patriotic” vision, with an approach aimed at strengthening the country’s autonomy. It also proposes adapting the educational curriculum to strategic areas for national sovereignty.
Regarding the commitment to technology, it seeks to promote science and technology in education, with initiatives in robotics and innovation, as well as establishing a system of grants for training in new technologies with partner countries. It also recognizes the importance of infrastructure and connectivity in educational centers for the technological development of the country.
The proposed centralised digital government will simplify and digitise bureaucratic procedures through a centralised “Single Procedure System” with interoperability. It proposes the creation of a “National Strategy for Digital Transformation of the State” for a more efficient and transparent interaction between the State and citizens, as well as the creation of a digital card that centralizes identity, transit, health and social security data.
This proposal shows a comprehensive approach that seeks to address the security of the population from different areas.
The first is related to the strengthening of the defense of the national territory, with emphasis on the need to consolidate border control and reaffirm the commitment to reclaim the Guyana Esequiba. It is also proposed to strengthen the civic-military-police union by strengthening the Bolivarian Military Doctrine at all levels.
In terms of citizen security, concrete measures are proposed such as the implementation of preventive policies, the creation of community networks and the consolidation of the Quadrants of Peace. These actions seek to involve the community in the fight against crime and address the social causes of insecurity.
In addition, it is proposed to create spaces such as the “Houses of Justice and Peace”, which allow the articulation of the justice system at the local level and bring justice closer to communities. It proposes the modernization of the justice system through digital tools and the promotion of a culture of orality to streamline judicial processes.
This point is based on the strengthening of existing social programmes and the promotion of national production. In this sense, it seeks to direct the transfers of the Homeland System to the most vulnerable sectors of the population, and thus provide them with economic and social support. In addition, it aims to strengthen the missions and large missions that have seen their effectiveness reduced due to international sanctions, with the aim of resuming the successful social policy of the Venezuelan government implemented in previous times.
Among the measures proposed, we highlight the improvement in the distribution of CLAP boxes based on the prioritization of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and persons with disabilities. Emphasis is placed on the need for 100 per cent domestic distribution, which would strengthen the focus on domestic production and import substitution.
On education and health, the Maduro government plan seeks to reinvigorate policies of educational quality, with a focus on the permanence of students and teachers in the education system. To achieve this, it is proposed to expand the work of the BRICOMILES, a school repair program with military participation, and strengthen the school feeding program.
In the area of health, the aim is to provide health centres and community pharmacies, with an emphasis on preventive health and the promotion of well-being. The aim is to guarantee access to quality health services for the population.
The focus of the political transformation is on the consolidation of “popular power” as the basis of the political system, while at the same time seeking to continue promoting spaces for national unity agreements that guarantee governance in the country.
This is part of the initiative to promote a “Great National Agreement for Peace 2030”, with the aim of encouraging the renunciation of violence by all political actors and commitment to peace and respect for electoral processes. This aims to ensure the necessary stability and harmony in the country to implement the other transformations.
It also emphasizes the consolidation of popular power and reaffirms the commune as a strategic project, which must be promoted with greater adherence and activation. It is proposed to strengthen citizen participation in community assemblies and in the formulation of projects, as well as the transfer of competences and resources to the organizations of the people’s power, and to establish a policy of attention to community leaders.
Another crucial aspect is the promotion of transparency and ethics in political management. It seeks to promote a protocol of listening to the people organized by political structures to encourage greater citizen participation. It is proposed to create a code of ethics for political leaders at all levels in order to combat corruption. It also seeks to strengthen the channels of communication and denunciation against indolence and corruption by reinvigorating the role of inspectors.
The aim of ecological transformation is to generate environmental awareness and education through the promotion of a new generation of environmentalists and the promotion of links with nature, a project in which the support of youth is essential.
With the aim of addressing the climate emergency and promoting sustainable practices, it is proposed to develop a policy of prevention against the climate emergency, with compensatory funds to address natural disasters, in addition to reducing indiscriminate burning and pollution in green areas, as well as promoting agroecological practices and the substitution of agrochemicals.
It highlights the importance of ensuring the right to the green city, through the preservation of natural areas and urban planning that insists on sustainability and improves the quality of life of citizens.
The proposal focuses on three key points: regional integration and South-South cooperation, challenge to American hegemony and peace diplomacy and international projection.
With regard to regional integration and South-South cooperation, efforts are being made to strengthen integration mechanisms such as ALBA, Unasur, Celac, Mercosur and Petrocaribe. This implies resuming the “march for the Latin American union” and promoting scientific and technological cooperation with the Brics. In addition, it seeks to develop alternative payment methods with emerging countries to reduce dependence on the US-dominated financial system.
In relation to the challenge to US hegemony, the Maduro government seeks to consolidate Venezuela as a “nation friendly to the people,” and align itself with countries that oppose the established world order, such as the Brics. For this, it is proposed to develop a new financial architecture that will combat “imperial hegemony” and create an alternative logistics and trade system to deal with international sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.
In the field of peace diplomacy and international projection, it is proposed to expand the Venezuelan presence through informal mechanisms such as cultural, academic and social exchange, with the presence of Venezuelan social movements in the world. In addition, the Return to the Homeland Plan is maintained to facilitate the return of Venezuelans who emigrated during the crisis and seeks to meet the requirements of foreigners in Venezuela, both in regular and irregular condition.