Finding Meaning in the ANC’s New Godgiven Presidency

Diosdado Cabello is the new president of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC). Does Maduro not know giving more power to Diosdado is dangerous, level mono-con-hojilla?

Photo: Con El Mazo Dando

So, Diosdado Cabello has just been appointed (by “acclamation”) as the new constituent assembly’s president, and I think this can have a broader political impact than we imagine now.

The narrative Maduro has pushed is that this assembly (ANC, by its initials in Spanish) is “plenipotentiary” and all branches of power, including his, are held to it. Actually, a few days after it’s installation last year, Maduro swore obedience to the constituyentes, repeating the act after the “victory” of May 20.

The ANC has been Maduro’s political creation, and although he’s used it to solve various issues, recently the ANC has had no relevance whatsoever.

This might change under the Cabello presidency.

I think this can have a broader political impact than we imagine now.

Diosdado Cabello is now the head of a political organization that oversees and commands the rest of the branches of power. In fact, in the interpretation given to the constituyente powers since 1999, a new ANC is not only in charge of writing a new Constitution: it can also remove anyone in any charge.  

Because of this, from an institutional and political point of view, Cabello holds in his hands a blank notebook. Did Maduro foresee it when he appointed Delcy Rodríguez as vice-president?

It’s quite likely the ANC will be politically more active from now on.

The interesting part will be identifying what it’ll do to chavista officers inside the machine.