State and Civil Society: Perspectives on Citizenship in Venezuela

The objective of this paper is primarily to analyze the relations between state and civil society based on the new meanings of citizen participation generated in Venezuela through promulgation of the 1999 Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic, resulting in the approval of a series of mechanisms and administrative bodies that strive to promote participatory practices in public affairs with a view to finding solutions for collective problems. The methodology is qualitative, seen from the perspective of a hermeneutical approach, considering that this redefinition is a dialectical and intersubjective construction of values, actions and rules in the political environment that tries to explain how participatory democracy is made viable in Venezuela, considering citizen participation as a key element to strengthen the democratic political system, mainly based on local government. Specifically, the research studies the administrative and operational space the system has as one of its functions to channel, include and guide various associative forms in their interaction with the State. The conclusion is that the horizontal model of participative exercise in political matters has not been consolidated and presents serious weaknesses.