Mesa de la Unidad Democrática
Encyclopedia
The Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (Coalition for Democratic Unity, MUD) is an electoral coalition of Venezuela
n political parties formed in January 2008 to unify the opposition to President Hugo Chávez
' United Socialist Party of Venezuela
in the Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2010
. A previous opposition umbrella group, the Coordinadora Democrática
, had collapsed after the failure of the Venezuelan recall referendum, 2004. In the September 2010 election for the national assembly (Congress)the MUD won around 52% of the vote nationally, however it only gained 65 seats (of 165) due to changes in population-vote distribution introduced by the incumbent national assembly that had a government party supermajority. In the same elections, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela
won 48% of the vote and 98 seats, while the Patria Para Todos (PPT) party got only 2 seats in the National Assembly elections in September 2010.
. By April 2010 the MUD included around 50 political parties, of which 16 were national in scope (the rest regional), and had support from some other social organisations and opinion groups. The main parties included in MUD are the traditional Democratic Action
and COPEI
(which held power from 1958 to 1998); the left groups Movement for Socialism
, Radical Cause
and Red Flag Party
; and more recently established parties Project Venezuela
, A New Era
, Justice First
and For Social Democracy
("PODEMOS").
The Mesa is supported by the Movimiento 2D
opposition movement led by El Nacional
editor and proprietor Miguel Henrique Otero.
(of Súmate
) and Iván Simonovis, one of nine police officials serving time for participating in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt. Several others of the nine, regarded by the MUD as political prisoners, were also nominated, in districts with a real chance of opposition success; winning would require their release due to parliamentary immunity
. Manuel Rosales
, the opposition's candidate in the Venezuelan presidential election, 2006
and now in exile in Peru due to corruption charges (which Rosales denies), was also nominated.
In the September 2010 election the MUD won around 47% of the vote nationally, and gained 67 seats (of 165). The leading parties in the coalition were Justice First
and A New Era
(with 10 seats each), and Democratic Action
and COPEI
on 8 and 5 respectively. Notable new deputies included María Corina Machado
and Enrique Mendoza
(both representing Justice First
in districts in Miranda State).
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n political parties formed in January 2008 to unify the opposition to President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
' United Socialist Party of Venezuela
United Socialist Party of Venezuela
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela is the name of a democratic socialist political party in Venezuela which resulted from the fusion of some of the political and social forces that support the Bolivarian Revolution led by incumbent President Hugo Chávez...
in the Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2010
Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 parliamentary election in Venezuela took place on 26 September 2010 to elect the 165 deputies to the National Assembly. Venezuelan opposition parties, which had boycotted the previous election, thus allowing the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela to gain a two-thirds...
. A previous opposition umbrella group, the Coordinadora Democrática
Coordinadora Democrática (Venezuela)
The Coordinadora Democrática was an umbrella group of Venezuelan political parties and organisations opposed to President Hugo Chavez. Founded on 5 July 2002, it was involved in organising the Venezuelan general strike of 2002-2003 and the Venezuelan recall referendum, 2004...
, had collapsed after the failure of the Venezuelan recall referendum, 2004. In the September 2010 election for the national assembly (Congress)the MUD won around 52% of the vote nationally, however it only gained 65 seats (of 165) due to changes in population-vote distribution introduced by the incumbent national assembly that had a government party supermajority. In the same elections, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela
United Socialist Party of Venezuela
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela is the name of a democratic socialist political party in Venezuela which resulted from the fusion of some of the political and social forces that support the Bolivarian Revolution led by incumbent President Hugo Chávez...
won 48% of the vote and 98 seats, while the Patria Para Todos (PPT) party got only 2 seats in the National Assembly elections in September 2010.
Overview
The MUD was formally launched on 23 January 2008, and restructured on 8 June 2009. In June 2009 MUD included 11 political parties, and was led by Luis Ignacio Planas, President of COPEICOPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
. By April 2010 the MUD included around 50 political parties, of which 16 were national in scope (the rest regional), and had support from some other social organisations and opinion groups. The main parties included in MUD are the traditional Democratic Action
Democratic Action
Democratic Action is a centrist Venezuelan political party established in 1941. The party and its antecedents played an important role in the early years of Venezuelan democracy, and led the government during Venezuela's first democratic period...
and COPEI
COPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
(which held power from 1958 to 1998); the left groups Movement for Socialism
Movement for Socialism (Venezuela)
Movement for Socialism is a center-left political party in Venezuela.-History:The Movement for Socialism is a social-democratic political party in Venezuela. MAS was founded in 1971 by a faction of the Communist Party of Venezuela, with a view to emphasising a socialist message...
, Radical Cause
Radical Cause
The Radical Cause is a working class political party in Venezuela, part of the Venezuelan opposition to president Hugo Chavez...
and Red Flag Party
Red Flag Party
Red Flag Party is a communist party in Venezuela. It was formed in 1970 by anti-revisionist members of the Movement of the Revolutionary Left...
; and more recently established parties Project Venezuela
Project Venezuela
Project Venezuela is a political party in Venezuela.At the legislative elections, 30 July 2000, the party won 7 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly of Venezuela. The legislative elections of 2006 were boycotted by the party...
, A New Era
A New Era
A New Era is a centrist political party of Venezuela arising from the Third Way tradition. It is the largest party in Venezuela's fractured opposition, earning 11% of the vote in the 2008 gubernatorial elections...
, Justice First
Justice First
Justice First Movement is a centrist political party in Venezuela.-History:Primero Justicia was created in 1992 as a Civil Association by a group of university students who were concerned about what they saw as a deterioration of judicial power in the country and joined their efforts to...
and For Social Democracy
For Social Democracy
PODEMOS is a political party in Venezuela. In the 2005 legislative elections the party won 15 out of 165 seats in the National Assembly....
("PODEMOS").
The Mesa is supported by the Movimiento 2D
Movimiento 2D
The Movimiento 2D is a Venezuelan opposition movement led by El Nacional editor and proprietor Miguel Henrique Otero...
opposition movement led by El Nacional
El Nacional
El Nacional is a Venezuelan publishing company under the name C.A. Editorial El Nacional, most widely known for its El Nacional newspaper. It, along with Últimas Noticias and El Universal, are the most widely read and circulated daily national newspapers in the country, and it has an average of...
editor and proprietor Miguel Henrique Otero.
2010 legislative elections
In April 2010 the MUD held primaries in 15 electoral districts, with 361,000 voters participating, and selecting 22 candidates (the remaining 143 candidates were chosen "by consensus"). The candidates chosen included María Corina MachadoMaría Corina Machado
María Corina Machado Parisca is a founder, former vice president, and former president of the Venezuelan volunteer civil organization Súmate, along with Alejandro Plaz....
(of Súmate
Súmate
Súmate is a Venezuelan volunteer civil association founded in 2002 by María Corina Machado and Alejandro Plaz. Súmate describes itself as a vote-monitoring group; it has also been described as an election-monitoring group....
) and Iván Simonovis, one of nine police officials serving time for participating in the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt. Several others of the nine, regarded by the MUD as political prisoners, were also nominated, in districts with a real chance of opposition success; winning would require their release due to parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
. Manuel Rosales
Manuel Rosales
Manuel Antonio Rosales Guerrero is a Venezuelan educator and politician and was the most prominent opposition candidate in the 2006 presidential election, losing to incumbent Hugo Chávez...
, the opposition's candidate in the Venezuelan presidential election, 2006
Venezuelan presidential election, 2006
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held presidential elections on 3 December 2006, to choose a president for the six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007...
and now in exile in Peru due to corruption charges (which Rosales denies), was also nominated.
In the September 2010 election the MUD won around 47% of the vote nationally, and gained 67 seats (of 165). The leading parties in the coalition were Justice First
Justice First
Justice First Movement is a centrist political party in Venezuela.-History:Primero Justicia was created in 1992 as a Civil Association by a group of university students who were concerned about what they saw as a deterioration of judicial power in the country and joined their efforts to...
and A New Era
A New Era
A New Era is a centrist political party of Venezuela arising from the Third Way tradition. It is the largest party in Venezuela's fractured opposition, earning 11% of the vote in the 2008 gubernatorial elections...
(with 10 seats each), and Democratic Action
Democratic Action
Democratic Action is a centrist Venezuelan political party established in 1941. The party and its antecedents played an important role in the early years of Venezuelan democracy, and led the government during Venezuela's first democratic period...
and COPEI
COPEI
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente...
on 8 and 5 respectively. Notable new deputies included María Corina Machado
María Corina Machado
María Corina Machado Parisca is a founder, former vice president, and former president of the Venezuelan volunteer civil organization Súmate, along with Alejandro Plaz....
and Enrique Mendoza
Enrique Mendoza
Enrique Mendoza is a Venezuelan politician. From 1989 until 1996, Mendoza was the mayor of Sucre Municipality, Miranda of Caracas; he was governor of Miranda state from 1995 to 2004, being re-elected in 1998 and 2000. In 2004 Mendoza was chosen as head of the Coordinadora Democrática.The U.S...
(both representing Justice First
Justice First
Justice First Movement is a centrist political party in Venezuela.-History:Primero Justicia was created in 1992 as a Civil Association by a group of university students who were concerned about what they saw as a deterioration of judicial power in the country and joined their efforts to...
in districts in Miranda State).