The PSUV is the ruling political party in Venezuela and holds a substantial majority in parish, municipal, state and national assemblies throughout the country. It was founded on March 24th 2007 with Hugo Chávez as its President and after his unfortunate passing on March 5th 2013 he was succeeded by current Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as PSUV leader.

The PSUV is an amalgam of various political parties such as the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR), People’s Electoral Movement (MEP), The Tupamaros, The Socialist League and the Movement for Direct Democracy (MUDD). It is the largest left-wing political party in the western hemisphere with approximately 7.6 million signed up members. This represents 25% of Venezuela’s current population of some 29.6 million and proportionately is the largest political party on earth.

Before the appearance of Hugo Chávez on the Venezuelan political scene as President in 1999 many Venezuelans were apolitical, did not vote and had little interest in politics.

However, with the new Bolivarian Constitution passed in a national referendum on December 15th 1999 after a constituent assembly process where all sectors of society were consulted about the re-founding of the nation, representative or bourgeois democracy was replaced by “participatory and protagonic democracy.”

This sort of democracy gives the organized population a more direct say in local and national issues and wrests much of the power from traditional ruling groups that governed in their own interests in the past.

The PSUV has its own anthem which faithfully reflects Bolivarian, socialist, national and sovereign values of modern day Venezuela that was previously a “colony or gas station” of the United States on the northern tip of the South American continent.

The anthem’s lyrics and music were composed by Gustavo Arreaza who is the brother of the current Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, who is the late President Chávez’s son-in-law.

The Tree of Three Roots, Simón Rodríguez, Ezequiel Zamora and Simón Bolívar

It is interesting to note that the lyrics of the PSUV anthem faithfully reflect the content and values expressed in the preamble to the 1999 Bolivarian Constitution as well as the fundamental inspiration of Bolivarian philosophy. This is embodied in “The Tree of Three Roots” – Simón Rodríguez (Bolívar’s mentor), Ezequiel Zamora (General of the Sovereign People during the Federal War for the land from 1859 – 1864 and who assassinated by traitors  on early 1860) and the Libertador himself, Simón Bolívar.

For Axis readers here is the PSUV Anthem with the original lyrics in Spanish and English, translated by Arturo Rosales – so that English speaking readers can better appreciate the revolution taking place in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Translation by Arturo Rosales for Axis of Logic

Himno del PSUV Letra y Música: Gustavo Arreaza

Anthem of the PSUV Lyrics and Music: Gustavo Arreaza

I Estrofa Con la emoción Del poder popular en acción Militante es la hora del pueblo Tomamos las riendas de nuestra nación Es el honor El valor que transfiere virtud Al PSUV que es pueblo glorioso y hoy rompe cadenas de la esclavitud

1st Verse Fired by the emotion Of popular power in action Militants now is the time to act For us to take control of the nation back It is the honor And the courage that transfers virtue To the PSUV and the glorious people So as to break the chains of slavery

Coro I El PSUV unido con pasión Retoma el sueño del Libertador y lo encarna, alza su vista Va construyendo la patria socialista Somos millones una sola voz Un pueblo libre en revolución Somos presente el gran mañana Vamos forjando la patria soberana

Chorus I With passion the united PSUV Retakes the dream of the Libertador Embodies it and gazes skyward To go on building our socialist revolution We’re millions with a single voice A free people making our nation’s choice We are present for the morrow To create our sovereignty without any sorrow

II Estrofa Triunfo es unión Socialismo la liberación Solidario es el tiempo de vida Amor la semilla de un mundo mejor Es la verdad Una antorcha que enciende la paz Al PSUV lo encarga el destino De alumbrar caminos por la dignidad

2nd Verse Triumphing creates union And socialism is liberation Solidarity is a time of life And love is the seed of a better world It is the truth A torch that will light up peace For the PSUV to take on destiny And light up the paths of dignity

Coro II El PSUV unido con pasión Retoma el sueño del Libertador y lo encarna, alza su vista Va construyendo la patria socialista Con tres raíces como inspiración Florece el árbol de emancipación Son nuestros héroes Que ahora nos guían Simón Rodríguez, Zamora y Bolívar

Chorus II With passion the united PSUV Retakes the dream of the Libertador Embodies it and gazes skyward To go on building our socialist revolution With three roots as our inspiration Flowers the tree of our emancipation There are our heroes There to guide us Simón Rodríguez, Zamora y Bolívar

Coro III Unir América en una nación Inmenso reto del Libertador Alerta el mundo que ya camina Y hace justicia la espada de Bolívar Somos millones una sola voz Un pueblo libre en revolución Somos presente el gran mañana Vamos forjando la patria soberana

Chorus III To unite America in a single block The challenge of the Libertador Now alert the world, that his sword Is meting out justice to all those abroad We’re millions with a single voice A free people making our nation’s choice We are present for the morrow To create our sovereignty without any sorrow

READ MORE ANALYSIS AND ESSAYS BY
AXIS OF LOGIC COLUMNIST, ARTURO ROSALES