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Declining State of Democratic Institutions and the Implications for Governance
that major rehabilitation of the physical infrastructure of this large
city was attributed to them. The mayor, an opposition figure, was so
successful that his party went on to win the state governorship. The
increasingly authoritarian central government responded to the success
of the CLPPs by defunding FIDES and bypassing the CLPP law. The
central government realized (too late) that in the empowerment of
the communities, bringing them to work together with their elected
leader to solve real problems, they were enabling local democracy.
These CLPPs were replaced with the communes, a partisan committee
responsible to the Venezuelan Socialist Party and with membership
and benefits exclusive to party loyalists.
Employment/Economic Growth
Finally, oneof themost significant continuing issues of concern identified
by local citizens in the region has been the lack of employment and
economic opportunity. Addressing this issue is especially important
given that it is the inherent responsibility of local government and those
who govern to spearhead local economic development. This work,
while improving citizens’ quality of life, also allows public institutions
to proactively create local revenue which bolsters institutions and
promotes the development of the municipality. In many instances this
can be challenging, since so much of economic activity can depend
upon conditions set by the central government.
In the municipality of Potosí in Bolivia, IRI carried out a municipal
diagnostic which identified the potential for tourism of the old town.
Potosí is a town of immense historic importance, not only for Bolivia
but for Latin America. At its peak in the 1500s, Potosí was the wealthiest
and largest city in the Western Hemisphere. IRI helped the municipal
government develop the plan
Potosí 365 Days and Nights
to establish
Potosí as an important center for national tourism. The municipality
organized a forum with universities, hotel chains and small artisans to
diversify the economy by creating a silversmith school whereby local
artisans create items out of the silver mined in Potosí.
