Venezuela

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Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:20 pm

more on Venezuela here:

http://www.thebellforum.net/Bell2/www.t ... l?t=143061

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Venezuela Under Siege by U.S. Empire
by DAVID W. PEAR


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It is all about the oil. Whatever else one hears about Venezuela, it is all about the oil. That is what one needs to know first about why the U.S. Empire has Venezuela under siege. It is about the oil.

When President Trump says, “Venezuela is a mess; Venezuela is a mess, we will see what happens”, it is all about the oil. When the U.S. Empire imposes sanctions on Venezuela, it is all about the oil. When the mainstream corporate media (i.e. Fake News) cries crocodile tears about democracy, human rights and political prisoners in Venezuela, it is about the oil. When the U.S. calls into session emergency meeting of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, it is about oil.

Venezuela has the largest known reserve of oil in the world, and Venezuela controls its own oil, not international corporations; and it uses its oil for the benefit of its people. The U.S. Empire instead wants to control that oil and it wants the profits from the oil to go to U.S. oil corporations, especially ExxonMobil. Everything else one hears now about Venezuela is prologue or epilogue. The main plot is about the oil.

The first scene opens with protesters screaming and yelling in the streets of Caracas. Barricades are blazing, people are choking on the smoke, and their eyes are red from teargas. Traffic is backed up for miles. It is chaos. The streets are filled with anti-government protesters, and out of sight of the mainstream media cameras are pro-government supporters. Most of the violence one sees and hears about is from the anti-government protesters, but mums the word about that from the mainstream corporate media. The mainstream corporate media is the Fake News, it is the propaganda horn for the U.S. Empire and those that really control what happens in the world.

There is blood in the streets of Venezuela, and overhead the U.S. Empire regime change vultures are circling. In the United Nations, in the Organization of American States, in the Oval Office of the White House, on the floor of the U.S. Congress, and in the Fake News people are seen wringing their hands about human rights and democracy. Tucker Carlson on Fox News is reporting about the failure of Venezuela’s socialist government:

“”there is no toilet paper or meat there, the currency is worthless, the murder rate is perhaps the highest in the world, the Supreme Court has tried to abolish the entire legislature for daring to oppose a dictator who’s running the place into the ground, and you can go on and on and on, it is a disaster there in Venezuela.”

Behind Tucker there is a scene playing. It is showing young people, all of them anti-government protesters, many wearing masks one supposes to protect their identity from what we are supposed to believe are government thugs. The protesters are throwing rocks, one supposes at government security forces. A water cannon sprays the protesters and they disperse to get away from it. Groups of protester run back and forth in the street, it is chaos, smoke is everywhere. What is it all the chaos about? The Fake News says it is all about democracy, the economy and human rights violations from a tyrannical government. It isn’t.

It is all about the oil.

Scene two of this deadly serious mini play opens in a boardroom behind closed doors, somewhere in Washington, D.C. Politicians, generals, spies, and oil company executives from ExxonMobil and Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson are meeting. They are talking in hushed voices about Venezuela. They are sharpening their axes and talking about oil. Venezuela has it? How do they get it? How can they control it? How do they keep others from controlling it? Who are the forces against them? Who are the forces for them? How can they create more chaos to destabilize the government of President Nicolas Maduro? How do they pull off a coup d’état? The plot thickens.

It is about the oil.

What we see happening in Venezuela is another tragedy unfolding on the world stage. There is bloodletting, and it will get much, much worse. Venezuela is approaching the edge of a civil war between the haves and the have-nots. It is class warfare. The rich and upper middle class want a regime change and an end to socialism for the poor. The rich want lower taxes, and ending social programs for the have-nots, and they want the privatization of vital government enterprises so that they can loot the country. And most of all, they want the privatization of the oil in their hands. They want to be billionaire oligarchs just like oligarchs in other oil-rich countries.

The have-nots support the government. They want the government to keep control of the oil for the benefit of the people, the have-nots. The have-nots are in the streets too, they are supporting the government, and they are being violently attacked by the hoodlums of the haves and the mercenaries for the U.S. Empire. The have-nots are being stoned, they are being shot down in the streets by anti-government rioters, they are being beaten with steel rods, and they are even being burned alive by anti-government protesters—let’s call them what they are, terrorists. We do not see or hear that from the Fake News. The have-nots want to keep their government provided healthcare, their government provided education, their government provided housing, their government provided mass transportation, their government provided food distribution centers, and all their government provided social services from the oil wealth.

The U.S. Empire wants a regime change in Venezuela. The Empire has been working on it for decades. We have seen their smoking guns before. Their guns now are smoking overtly and covertly behind the curtain, supporting the anti-government protesters and terrorists.

The Empire’s propaganda horn sounds off as if it is the government that is doing all the killing of peaceful protesters. Trump says Venezuela is a mess. The Empire has helped made it a mess; that is what the Empire wanted all along. The Empire’s Congress wants to impose more economic sanctions on a people that are already suffering. Congress wants more sanction on top of Obama’s sanctions. The U.S. is meddling, adding to Venezuela’s economic misery, trying to isolate Venezuela politically in Latin America, and trying to push Venezuela over the edge into civil war, if that is what it is going to take to get a regime change. Venezuela could turn into another human disaster like Syria, maybe even worse. Venezuela has twice the population of Syria and the largest proven oil reserves in the world. Venezuela could be on the cusp of a human catastrophe, a holocaust even.

The U.S. Empire has absolutely no concern about the population of Venezuela, any more than it is concerned about the people of Syria. Neither the Empire’s backing of terrorists in Syria, nor its backing of terrorists in Venezuela is about democracy, freedom, human rights, political prisoners, the economy and the thousands of people suffering and dying. The human suffering is of no importance or concern to the Empire’s foreign policy objectives. If one has any doubts about that, just ask Madeleine Albright:

Lesley Stahl: “We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that’s more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?”

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: “I think this is a very hard choice, but the price–we think the price is worth it, if it furthers U.S. foreign policy objectives.”

This was no slip of the tongue by Madame Albright, and notice she said “we”. She is talking about the “we” that is the Clinton Administration and everybody on his foreign policy team. This is how they really think, act and care-not in private.

The foreign policy objectives and thinking of the Empire do not chance from one presidential administration to another. It has not made any difference whether the administration is Clinton, Bush, Obama or Trump. A half million brown babies in Asia, Africa or Latin America is of no concern to them, especially when those babies get in the way of the Empire’s foreign policy objectives. One million dead babies is of no concern. Five million is of no concern. It is as cold as that, and if one is in doubt then take a look at what is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 8 million dead and increasing every day, with U.S. meddling and support of the killers.

What is of vital concern to the U.S. Empire is its foreign policy objectives. One important Empire foreign policy objective is the profits of corporations; not democracy and human rights. The Empire is not even that concerned about the best interests and welfare of U.S. citizens, not unless they are bigtime campaign contributors and bribers of politicians.

The corporate profits that the U.S. is concerned about could be for corporate owned banana plantations, cheap labor pools for sweatshops, opening foreign markets to U.S. corporations, or any natural resources below, on, or above the ground. Anything for corporate exploitation in game.

Of vital importance to the Empire is when its foreign policy objectives have to do with oil company profits and anything to do with oil, natural gas, and their shipping lanes, and the strategic pipeline routes for that oil and gas. Oil is vital to the Empire.

Oil has a special roll in U.S. foreign policy. Oil is the important driver of the American way of life (figuratively and literally); oil is important to keep the U.S. economy greased (figuratively and literally); oil is important to fuel the U.S. military which is literally the largest single consumer of oil; and it is of vital importance to control all the oil in the world, all the time. Oil is what the U.S. Empire wants to control for fueling the Empire, and to keep it from fueling potential enemies and their military. Control of oil is the Empire’s way of keeping friends in a straight line too.

Oil serves another vital purpose. It is what backs the U.S. dollar. Oil is literally black-gold. As long as all the oil in the world is transacted in U.S. dollars, then there will always be a demand for U.S. dollars, according to the Empire’s foreign policy thinking. As long as there is a demand for oil, then they think they can print all the U.S. dollars it wants.

The U.S. can seemingly print and create dollars out of thin air, and use those fiat dollars to pay for all the foreign trade deficits with every other country. If one understands how important oil is for the U.S. dollar, then one can understand why half a million dead babies is “worth it”; or a million dead babies, or ten million dead babies; especially if they are brown dead babies and as long as their mangled little corpses are kept out of sight. The corporate Fake News’s job is to keep those dead babies out of the media, and that is what they do unless it is of some propaganda advantage for the Empire to display them.

Once one internalizes just how absolutely vital oil is strategically, militarily and economically to the U.S. Empire, then one can make sense out of U.S. foreign policy objectives. It is absolutely vital for the U.S. Empire to control oil, all of it, all of the time; to control the corporations that explore, refine and market oil; and to control the countries and governments that have the oil in their ground; and to control the countries and the governments that have the transportation routes for that oil (and natural gas). And oil is used to control its friends as well as enemies that vitally need the oil too.

Any country that has oil or the pipeline routes, and a government that is in noncompliance with the U.S. Empire oil policies, then that government is a marked government for regime change. It really does not matter to the Empire’s foreign policy objectives if that marked country is capitalist, fascist, totalitarian, or theocratic; an oligarchy, monarchy or a democracy. Nor do the human rights record of any country matter to U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Any government that uses its oil wealth for the benefit of its own people will sooner or later become a marked government for regime change. Any government that decides to sell its oil in other than U.S. dollars will be a marked government by the Empire. By definition any oil rich socialist government will be marked. Venezuela has a socialist government that controls its own oil, uses that oil for the benefit of its own people and does not sell that oil exclusively in U.S. dollars. Its government is marked for regime change, it has been for a long time and it is under siege now by the Empire.

Looking at U.S. oil policy one realizes that there is no Empire foreign policy contradictions. It does not matters to the Empire if the country is Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria, Mexico or Canada. The policy is the same and there is no squawking about democracy and human rights as long as a foreign government stays compliant. That is why there is no contradiction for the Empire if a marked government for regime change is a democratically elected governments such as Syria in 1949, Iranian in 1953, Guatemalan in 1954, Chile 1973, Haiti 1991, and Honduras 2009.

A democratically elected socialist government of an oil rich nation that uses its oil for social programs and sells that oil in other than U.S. dollars will definitely be on the Empires hit list. That is why the U.S. Empire has Venezuela in its crosshairs, under siege, and is using overt and covert forces to overthrow the government of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.

The form of government and human rights only enters the Empire’s foreign policy equation when it is dealing with a marked government for regime change. A marked government will never be democratic-enough, and their human rights will always have the spotlight shined on it and criticized. Democracy and human rights are only important if they serve a propaganda purpose, no matter how democratic the government is or what its human rights record. The Fake News is the Empire’s best and faithful propaganda horn that will toot that the marked country is not democratic-enough and violates it peoples human rights.

Once U.S. foreign policy objectives are understood vis-a-vis oil, then one can have a rational understanding of why Venezuela and its oil is so important to the U.S. Empire. It is not about democracy and human rights. Get that straight in your mind.

The only reason the Empire has Venezuela under siege is because of the oil. Are there any questions?

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/07/21 ... -s-empire/

Well, Venezuela is most certainly not socialist but anything hypothetically close is good enough for the capitalists's lackeys. If it were the local opposition would have been strangled long ago.
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:35 pm

People’s Summit Backs Venezuela, Slams Mercosur

By RYAN MALLETT-OUTTRIM

Puebla, Mexico, July 21, 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Social movements from across South America condemned Thursday Merocsur’s suspension of Venezuela, amid speculation the regional bloc could take further action against Caracas.

Outside the bloc’s summit in Mendoza, Argentina, protesters demanded Mercosur retract Venezuela’s suspension.

“The People’s Summit categorically rejects the illegal and arbitrary suspension of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from Mercosur, because it constitutes a serious blow to the institutionality of the regional bloc,” activists said in a statement.

Bringing together more than 80 grassroots movements from across South America, the People’s Summit has held its own annual meeting on the sidelines of Mercosur talks for over a decade. The summit often discusses issues organisers say can go neglected by Mercosur itself, such as environmental preservation and social justice. In past years, the activist summit has received support from the host country, though this year Argentina’s right-wing President Mauricio Macri refused, citing security concerns.

Despite the lack of support, the People’s Summit has continued to organise. This year, the summit’s focus was on issues such as colonialism and national sovereignty – including of Venezuela.

“The popular movements gathered here recognise and support the constitutional government led by the President … Nicolas Maduro Moros, and offer our full and solid support to the people of Venezuela,” the People’s Summit said.

The statement continued by endorsing Venezuela’s upcoming National Constituent Assembly, which it described as “a mechanism for dialogue and cooperation of all actors in Venezuelan society, and genuine expression of the will of the people and the only way to peace”.

They also accused the US of continuing to seek to overthrow Venezuela’s leftist government.

“We strongly reject the interventionist threats of the United States, that are made evident by the threat of blockade … against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as all those governments that are accomplices of American interference,” they said.

The White House has hinted it may consider new sanctions against Venezuela.

Responding to the People’s Summit, Venezuela’s ambassador in Argentina, Carlos Eduardo Martinez, welcomed the social movements’ support for Caracas.

"We must keep in mind that what is happening today in the continent, especially in Venezuela, is an imperialist attack that has as fundamental objective to recolonise us, to end our sovereignty and to take possession of all the abundant natural resources of our countries,” he said.

Venezuela itself has no representative at this year’s Mercosur summit. Ahead of talks, Maduro declared the official Mercosur meeting illegal. A statement from his government condemned “the ongoing reckless use of a body for integration as a means of political hostility against the government and people of Venezuela”.

Mercosur’s Rift with Venezuela

Venezuela and Mercosur have been at odds since last last year. In December 2016, the regional bloc suspended Venezuela, with critics accusing Caracas of failing to adopt many of Mercosur’s trade rules. At the time of suspension, then Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez accused a group of right-wing leaders such as Macri of staging a “coup” at Mercosur.

Despite protests from Caracas, speculation was growing ahead of Friday’s talks between Mercosur leaders that the bloc could impose more penalties on Venezuela. That speculation was only sharpened when on Friday morning, Argentine media reported the Venezuelan flag was absent from the Mercosur meeting.

"We do not reject the possibility of new sanctions against Venezuela to exclude it from the participation in the bloc's governing bodies," Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie said, according to Mitre Radio.

He continued, “Our expectations are that Mercosur could urge Venezuela and local authorities to fully restore democracy and full respect for human rights.”

More Unrest Deaths in Venezuela

As the leaders’ summit was set to start in Mendoza, back in Caracas there were new reports of deaths from the Venezuelan opposition’s protests on Thursday.

Six people have been reported killed, though only five have been confirmed by authorities. The first reported death was Andres Uzcategui. Local media have reported Uzcategui was involved in anti-government protests in Valencia when he was allegedly gunned down by the National Guard. A second death was also reported under similar circumstances, with the victim identified as Robert Lugo. Prosecutors say they are investigating the incident. In a second alleged protester death, 24 year old Ronny Tejera was reportedly killed in a firefight in Santa Eulalia de Los Teques. Another possible protester death was also reported in Maracaibo, when Jhovanna Martinez was killed by unknown attackers amid protests.

Two more deaths were reported in Zulia, after a public housing complex was allegedly set ablaze by a group of unidentified attackers. Dozens of residents were reportedly injured, though the deaths haven’t been officially confirmed. No suspects have been identified, though opposition groups have attacked public services in recent months, ranging from hospitals to the transport system.

PUBLISHED ON JUL 21ST 2017 AT 11.39AM

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/13258
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri Jul 28, 2017 1:08 pm

Election meddling: US sanctions 13 Venezuela officials, warns against electing Constituent Assembly
Published time: 26 Jul, 2017 20:33
Edited time: 27 Jul, 2017 09:07

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Supporters of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro participate in a rally in support of the National Constituent Assembly in Caracas,Venezuela May 31, 2017. © Marco Bello / Reuters

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on 13 senior Venezuelan officials and threatened drastic economic measures if Caracas goes ahead with Constituent Assembly elections. The interference has been justified by the body’s “threat to democracy.”
Among the 13 officials placed on the Treasury Department’s sanctions list for “undermining democracy” are President of Venezuela's National Electoral Council Tibisay Lucena, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol, national police chief Carlos Perez, army commander General Jesus Suarez, and National Guard commander Sergio Rivero.

'Venezuelan crisis won't be resolved by violence, killing & regime change'
The vice-president for finance of Venezuela’s state oil corporation PDVSA, Simon Zerpa, also made it to the sanctions list.

"Anyone elected to the National Constituent Assembly should know that their role in undermining democratic processes and institutions in Venezuela could expose them to potential US sanctions,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday.

Under the sanctions, the blacklisted officials are barred from traveling to the US, any assets they may have in the US will be frozen, and Americans are prohibited in doing business with them.

Speaking to reporters on background, two senior Trump administration officials said the sanctions were a message to the government in Caracas not to proceed with the election for the Constituent Assembly, scheduled for July 30.

“It is our hope that Maduro will change his mind, but if he does go through with it, they can expect strong and swift economic actions,” one official said. Potential future measures include financial sanctions that would ban the use of dollars in buying and selling Venezuelan oil, or a total ban on oil imports into the US, Venezuela’s biggest customer.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was dismissive of the measures, calling Washington’s sanctioning of officials a “recognition” of their loyalty to the country.

He said the sanctions represent a moral “victory” for the Venezuelan state, Correo del Orinoco quotes.

“American imperialism cannot in the 21st century pretend to put itself above international law, above nations,” Maduro said, adding that a foreign government cannot hope to pick whoever it pleases in another nation.

Venezuelan Education Minister Elias Jaua, who is also the head of the Presidential Commission for the National Constituent Assembly, a former Venezuelan foreign minister and one of the people on the US blacklist, tweeted that he considers sanctions “a recognition [of] my 34 years of struggle for national sovereignty, for the poor of this land.

The Secretary General of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), listing Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela among its members, denounced the sanctions and called on the South American and Caribbean nations to join him in actively protesting the measure.

“The authorities have an obligation not to accept such statements and I do not understand why many of them remain silent,” David Choquehuanca said on Wednesday, arguing that Venezuela had fallen victim to outside aggression aimed at seizing its natural resources, such as oil, gold and freshwater.

President Maduro says that Sunday’s election is the only way of establishing a legitimate government and restoring peace after four months of violent protests that have claimed over 100 lives.

In March, Venezuela’s Supreme Court dissolved the National Assembly, saying the legislature was in contempt of the law for swearing in lawmakers whose elections were ruled invalid. The assembly had been controlled by Maduro’s opponents since January 2016.

US officials described the election as an “incredible threat to democratic institutions” and a line that, if crossed, “could be the end of democracy in Venezuela.”

Image
A protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela July 26, 2017. © Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters

On Monday, Maduro accused the US of plotting “regime change” in Caracas, after CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a comment about discussing “transition” in Venezuela with the authorities in Mexico and Colombia.

“Suffice to say, we are very hopeful that there can be a transition in Venezuela,” Pompeo said over the weekend at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, adding that he recently discussed the issue during his visit to Mexico City and Bogota, “trying to help them understand the things they might do so that they can get a better outcome for their part of the world and our part of the world.”

Asked about Pompeo’s statement Wednesday, the Trump administration officials said he was “speaking on his own behalf” and that they had no further comment.

https://www.rt.com/usa/397628-venezuela ... y-threats/

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Maduro to Trump: ‘Stop aggression against Venezuela, stop meddling in Latin American affairs'
Published time: 27 Jul, 2017 07:21
Edited time: 28 Jul, 2017 09:07

Image
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during a meeting with supporters in Caracas, Venezuela July 26, 2017. © Miraflores Palace / Reuters

The US must abandon its interventionist policy towards Venezuela and steer clear of the internal affairs of other Latin American countries, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in a message to Donald Trump while speaking to RT.

In an interview with RT Spanish, Maduro stressed that his country strives to live peacefully with its neighbors, and called on US President Donald Trump to yield to reason and put an end to his administration's aggressive policy towards the Venezuelan government.

“As a president, I appeal to him, to President Donald Trump: Stop aggression towards Venezuela. Venezuela is a fundamental basis of stability in the whole Caribbean Basin,” Maduro said, adding that he hopes his words do not fall on deaf ears.

“Think well, US strategists, Venezuela wants to live in peace, it wants to live quietly. Stop your aggression,” Maduro said. He added that in the worst case scenario, “the Bolivarian revolution will have to take up arms and we will be again fighting under the same flag and across our border.”

Attempted blockade
Slamming the US for its attempt to disrupt Venezuela’s economy with an “indirect blockade” targeting the country’s financial system, Maduro said that Venezuela is ready for “any scenario.”

The ultimate goal of that blockade is to trigger a default of Venezuela’s economy, Maduro argued, adding that the US attempted to do the same thing in 2015 and 2016, with no success.

READ MORE: ‘Burn her alive’: US reporter tells RT about death threats from Venezuela opposition protesters

“We have economic power, economic capacity. Venezuela [has] always paid all its bills, met its obligations. And it will do so in 2017, 2018, and 2019,” he assured, adding that Venezuela’s economic well-being is not exclusively dependent on Washington.

“If we suffer a blow from the north, the roads leading to the west, to the south, and to the east, fortunately, will stay open for Venezuela,” he stressed.

Opposition gone radical

Weighing in on Venezuela's ongoing unrest which has been ravaging the Latin American country since April, Maduro said he believes the solution to the crisis will only be reached "through democracy, popular vote."

More than 100 people are now estimated to have lost their lives in violent clashes between government supporters and opposition activists over the past four months. The opposition has ramped up its protest activity in the run-up to the election of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), scheduled for July 30, announcing a week of protests and launching a two-day nationwide strike that kicked off on Wednesday.

Maduro said he attempted to reach out to the opposition and engage with them in a political process that would have been within the rule of law.

“In May, I spent three and half weeks seeking a direct dialogue with the opposition for them to become members of the Constituent Assembly, but they refused to,” he said, adding that the opposition has found itself in a downward spiral since declining his proposal.

“They have gone to the radical right. They have become prisoners of strategies of local violence, not giving the way to even those groups of people who voted for them.”

Stronger Russian relations

The ongoing political turmoil in the country has not affected Venezuela’s strategic cooperation with Russia, first and foremost in the gas and oil industry, Maduro told RT, adding that such cooperation is actually strengthening.

“We have a strong alliance with Russia,” he said, specifically noting Russia's decision to boost investment in the Orinoco oil basin and the Venezuelan gas industry.

“I can say that in the second semester we will sign important documents that would expand mutual investment between Russian oil and gas companies and our PDVSA [Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., a state-owned oil and natural gas company].”

https://www.rt.com/news/397656-maduro-t ... agression/
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:03 pm

Over 8 Million Vote in Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly Election
Published 30 July 2017 (11 hours 10 minutes ago)

The National Electoral Council announced that voter turnout for the National Constituent Assembly was over 41 percent.
The president of the National Electoral Council Tibisay Lucena has announced that turnout in Venezuela's historic National Constituent Assembly was over 41 percent, indicating that over 8 million people voted in the elections.

"Peace has won. If peace has won, Venezuela has won," she said at a televised press conference. "Despite the violence and threats, Venezuelans were able to express themselves."

Lucena said the CNE had to relocate some voting centers to avoid violence, and that on Tuesday the Indigenous communities will choose its eight remaining representatives.

President Nicolas Maduro spoke to a large crowd in Caracas and thanked their support to reach peace in the country. Maduro said it was one of the highest voter turnouts of the Bolivarian Revolution with 8,089, 320 voting for their representatives

"Eight million in the middle of threats, there were states where they crossed rivers and mountains, and they voted," Maduro said.

"The people of Venezuela have given a lesson on democracy,” President Maduro said.

Maduro thanked Latin America and the Caribbean countries for their support against what he called interventionist moves by the United States. Referring to President Donald Trump's promise that he would not accept the results of this election, Maduro said: “We don’t care what Trump says, we care about what our people say”

"This election will mark the future years of the independence of Latin America," Maduro said. "Latin America will begin a new wave of struggle."

The Venezuelan president repeated that the first step before the legislative body begins the Constituent process will be to call, yet again, for a dialogue with the right-wing opposition in the country. Maduro also called on the opposition to abandon violence and return to doing politics.

Voting hours were extended by one hour due to the overwhelming response, as hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans from across the country lined up long before dawn to cast their ballots for the 545 candidates.

The voting process has been peaceful with the exception of a few isolated incidents of violence as opposition supporters protested and staged guarimbas in a bid to shut down the election.

A feeling of excitement filled the crowds in the center of Caracas, as citizens sang, danced and laughed after the end of the process to choose its delegates to the legislative body that will draft the new Constitution.

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/O ... -0040.html

Video at link

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What Mainstream Media Got Wrong About Venezuela's Constituent Assembly Vote 0Comentarios +
Venezuelans voted Sunday for representatives of the National Constituent Assembly, amid what the government has called a targeted media campaign to destabilize the country and destroy its sovereignty.

Venezuelans voted on Sunday for the members of the National Constituent Assembly.
RELATED:
The World Reacts to Venezuela's Historic Constituent Assembly

International media outlets rushed to discredit the vote, sharing grossly misrepresentative accounts of the historic electoral process.

The U.S. newspaper Washington Post, for instance, wrote "the decision to hold the vote appeared set to prolong and deepen the suffering of the people of Venezuela" — despite assurances from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that the purpose of the election was to ease economic and political conflicts with the opposition.

The Washington Post also insisted the nation’s 2.8 million state workers "risked losing their jobs if they did not vote."

The media outlet went even further, claiming the internal and democratic election represented "a direct challenge" to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump after it demanded that the government cancel the vote.

It said Maduro "defiantly followed through Sunday with his pledge" to hold the election, "creating a critical new stage in a long-simmering crisis that could mint the Western Hemisphere’s newest dictatorship."

These inflammatory comments, however, do not acknowledge that the right to call a National Constituent Assembly is included in the country's Constitution and supported by several articles of its text. Indeed the absolute independence of the members of the Constituent Assembly to make changes to the Constitution is protected under these articles.

Germany's Deutsche Welle meanwhile said the election "will cement a socialist dictatorship" — ignoring the fact that Venezuelans have the right to call for a Constituent Assembly and that the new Constitution will need to be approved by the people.


The British media outlet BBC referenced the recent deaths during violent protests in Caracas, placing the full responsibility for the clashes between protesters and security forces.

But Venezuelan Armed Forces have denied these accusations. In a press conference Sunday, Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that none of the injuries or deaths could be attributed to the Armed Forces. The article also ignores the eight members of the Armed Forces who were severely injured while protecting Venezuelans' right to vote.

The CNN, a longtime critic of the Venezuelan government, argued the Constituent Assembly was controlled by Maduro and that the "vote would give the president immense political power."

This statement fails to take into account that no other state institution may interfere in the new legislative body. Only the 545 officials elected by the citizens from different sectors of society can draft the new Constitution.

CNN also reported that Maduro would replace Venezuela's National Assembly — a situation that has never been stated in the decree to call for an open and direct vote.

Canada's Globe and Mail said "voters broadly boycotted" the election, ignoring the numerous of photos and videos of people lining up to vote at dawn and even wading through swamps to reach the voting centers. The article also does not include the countless reports of seniors and people with disabilities eagerly casting votes across the country.

"Caracas was largely shut down with deserted streets and polling stations were mostly empty, dealing a blow to the legitimacy of the vote," said the Globe and Mail without any evidence.

The Guardian joined the mainstream criticism, calling the election an action that will "seal the demise of the oil-rich nation’s democracy."

Again, the article failed to acknowledge the thousands of people who fought to earn the opportunity to be candidates in this historical event, including candidates from the LGBT community, student organizations and women and campesino groups.

Finally, the New York Times reported on the election with the headline: "As Venezuela Prepares to Vote, Some Fear an End to Democracy."

The article reported, "Maduro is pushing a radical plan to consolidate his leftist movement’s grip over the nation," forgetting that candidates are not voted for according to their political parties but through individual candidacies.

In one of the bluntest accusations, the newspaper argued Maduro "has refused to negotiate with street protesters," a claim that blatantly ignores Maduro's ongoing calls for peaceful dialogue and guidance from the Vatican.

It concludes by accusing the president of Venezuela of seeking an "unchecked authority not seen since the juntas that haunted Latin American countries in decades past," as Maduro and the Bolivarian Revolution have vowed to fight the same external interference that brought the U.S. backed dictatorships to the region in the 60s.

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/analys ... -0037.html
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:18 pm

Background information;

The CIA Was Involved In the Coup Against Venezuela's Chavez
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By EVA GOLINGER - VENEZUELAFOIA.INFO, November 22nd 2004
On April 12, 2002, White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer stated:

“Let me share with you the administration's thoughts about what's taking place in Venezuela. It remains a somewhat fluid situation. But yesterday's events in Venezuela resulted in a change in the government and the assumption of a transitional authority until new elections can be held.

The details still are unclear. We know that the action encouraged by the Chavez government provoked this crisis. According to the best information available, the Chavez government suppressed peaceful demonstrations. Government supporters, on orders from the Chavez government, fired on unarmed, peaceful protestors, resulting in 10 killed and 100 wounded. The Venezuelan military and the police refused to fire on the peaceful demonstrators and refused to support the government's role in such human rights violations. The government also tried to prevent independent news media from reporting on these events.

The results of these events are now that President Chavez has resigned the presidency. Before resigning, he dismissed the vice president and the cabinet, and a transitional civilian government has been installed. This government has promised early elections.

The United States will continue to monitor events. That is what took place, and the Venezuelan people expressed their right to peaceful protest. It was a very large protest that turned out. And the protest was met with violence.”

On that same day, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Philip T. Reeker, claimed:

“In recent days, we expressed our hopes that all parties in Venezuela, but especially the Chavez administration, would act with restraint and show full respect for the peaceful expression of political opinion. We are saddened at the loss of life. We wish to express our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and look forward to working with all democratic forces in Venezuela to ensure the full exercise of democratic rights. The Venezuelan military commendably refused to fire on peaceful demonstrators, and the media valiantly kept the Venezuelan public informed.

Yesterday's events in Venezuela resulted in a transitional government until new elections can be held. Though details are still unclear, undemocratic actions committed or encouraged by the Chavez administration provoked yesterday's crisis in Venezuela. According to the best information available, at this time: Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans gathered peacefully to seek redress of their grievances. The Chavez Government attempted to suppress peaceful demonstrations. Chavez supporters, on orders, fired on unarmed, peaceful protestors, resulting in more than 100 wounded or killed. Venezuelan military and police refused orders to fire on peaceful demonstrators and refused to support the government's role in such human rights violations. The government prevented five independent television stations from reporting on events. The results of these provocations are: Chavez resigned the presidency. Before resigning, he dismissed the Vice President and the Cabinet. A transition civilian government has promised early elections.

We have every expectation that this situation will be resolved peacefully and democratically by the Venezuelan people in accord with the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The essential elements of democracy, which have been weakened in recent months, must be restored fully. We will be consulting with our hemispheric partners, within the framework of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, to assist Venezuela.”[ii]

Why re-cite these statements here? These statements from the highest levels of the U.S. Government show the prepared version of the events that took place during the April 11-12 coup d’etat against Venezuelan President Chávez. Moreover, these revealing statements now prove, in light of documents recently obtained from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), that this prepared version of events was knowingly false and made with the intention of deceiving the international community in order to justify a violent overthrow of a democratic government.

The White House and the State Department both claimed that the Chávez government had provoked violence and actions that resulted in the President’s alleged resignation. They also asserted that the Chávez government had fired on unarmed, peaceful protesters and that the Venezuelan military and police had refused orders to “support the government’s role in human rights violations”. The U.S. Government referred to the protests and actions of that day as though they were spontaneous, unplanned events. The U.S. Government has also continued to deny to this day any involvement whatsoever in the April 2002 coup d’etat.

However, there is a vast amount of evidence that has surfaced since the coup demonstrating that the events on April 11, 2002 were entirely premeditated by a sector of the opposition intent on overthrowing the Chávez government. Furthermore, my own investigations have provided a plethora of evidence proving the U.S. involvement in the coup on various levels. Most revealing on the Venezuelan front was a news program on Saturday morning, April 12, 2002, “24 Horas” with host Napoleon Bravo. On that program, Bravo interviewed Vice-Admiral Carlos Molina Tamayo, a professed coup leader, and Victor Manuel Garcia, Director of the polling company CIFRA who claimed to have represented the “civil society” during the coup. Both Molina Tamayo and Garcia gave a jaw-dropping, detailed account of the events leading up to the coup and those key Venezuelans involved, including crediting the private televisions stations for their complicity and aide. Their testimony, along with Chacao municipal mayor Leopoldo Lopez of the Primero Justicia political party and Napoleon Bravo’s own admissions of complicity in the coup, provided plenty of proof that the overthrow of Chávez was a premeditated event.

Later, an extraordinary and award-winning documentary by filmmaker Angel Palacios, “Puente Llaguno: Claves de un Masacre”, revealed how the Venezuelan private media had manipulated and distorted the events that unfolded on April 11, 2002 in the opposition march, which resulted in widespread violence and death. The documentary also provided sufficient proof that snipers unrelated to the Chávez government had provoked the violence in the opposition march that justified the forced removal of Chávez from office. Furthermore, the documentary succeeded in proving that a well-planned military-civilian coup d’etat had taken place that day and that those involved were connected to the highest levels of the U.S. government.

But the evidence of actual U.S. involvement in the coup itself remained scarce up until recently. On www.venezuelafoia.info, I have posted hundreds of documents that evidence the intricate financing scheme the U.S. government has been carrying out in Venezuela since 2001, that includes financing well over twenty million dollars to opposition sectors. The funding of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a quasi-governmental entity in the U.S. financed entirely by Congress and established by congressional legislation in 1983, has provided more than three million dollars since late 2001 to opposition groups, many of which were key participants in the April 2002 coup. And in June 2002, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), set up an Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) in the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, allegedly for the purposing of helping Venezuela to resolve its political crisis. The OTI in Caracas has counted on more than fifteen million dollars in funding from Congress since June 2002 and has recently requested five million more for 2005, despite the fact that it was only supposed to be a two-year endeavor. All evidence obtained to date shows that the OTI has primarily funded opposition groups and projects in Venezuela, particularly those that were focused on the August 15, 2004 recall referendum against President Chávez.

I have written other articles explaining the intervention model applied through NED and USAID in Venezuela. This method of intervention is very sophisticated and complex, as it penetrates civil society and social organizations in a very subtle way and is often either undetectable or flimsily justified by the concept of “promoting democracy”, which is what the NED claims to do around the world, despite evidence to the contrary. The mere fact in Venezuela that the NED has financed exclusively anti-Chávez groups and those very same organizations that were involved in the April 2002 coup shows that “democracy” is far from the NED’s intention.

But the CIA intervention in Venezuela is of the crudest, simplest kind. Top secret documents recently obtained and posted on www.venezuelafoia.info show that in the weeks prior to the April 2002 coup against President Chávez, the CIA had full knowledge of the events to occur and, in fact, even had the detailed plans in their possession. An April 6, 2002 top secret intelligence brief headlining “Venezuela: Conditions Ripening for Coup Attempt”, states, “Dissident military factions, including some disgruntled senior officers and a group of radical junior officers, are stepping up efforts to organize a coup against President Chávez, possible as early as this month, [CENSORED]. The level of detail in the reported plans – [CENSORED] targets Chávez and 10 other senior officers for arrest…” The document further states, “To provoke military action, the plotters may try to exploit unrest stemming from opposition demonstrations slated for later this month…”[iii]

So the CIA knew that a coup attempt would take place soon after April 6, 2002, and moreover, they knew the plan would include Chávez’s arrest and an exploitation of violence in the opposition march. In other words, they knew the plans before the coup occurred and surely they knew the actors involved, many of whose names are probably in the censored parts of the top-secret documents. One could assume that if the CIA had the detailed plans in their possession in the weeks prior to the coup it was because they were associating and conspiring with the coup plotters. So, when Ari Fleischer and Philip Reeker made those statements on April 12, 2002 on behalf of the U.S. Government, they did so with full knowledge that a coup had taken place, Chávez had been arrested and the violence in the opposition march, which they attributed to Chávez, had actually been a premeditated part of the coup plot. The top secret documents that prove this information show they were sent to the U.S. Statement Department and the National Security Agency, which means frankly, the White House knew what was happening all along.

Furthermore, the CIA documents make no mention of any attempts to have Chávez forcibly resign from office. The CIA warnings indicated as early as March 5, 2002 (which is the date of the earliest document provided) that a coup was on the rise and even hinted that prospects for a successful coup were limited. The CIA rightfully felt the opposition was too disperse and divided to successfully overthrow Chávez. But the concept that Chávez had “resigned” as the White House and State Department “confirmed” on April 12, 2002 was merely a set-up, a false claim made with the intention of deceiving the U.S. public and the international community. Remember that the U.S. stood practically alone in the world in its endorsement of the coup-implemented Carmona Government, which it later weakly condemned but only after the coup came tumbling down and the U.S. realized it needed to save face quickly.

A top secret CIA document from April 14, 2002 shows concern that Latin American governments will view U.S. foreign policy as “hypocritical” because of its sole endorsement of the Carmona coup government. The CIA also seems surprised that the region of Latin America so quickly rejected the coup in Venezuela and that the Carmona government “stunningly collapsed”, which demonstrates a possible out-of-date view of the hemisphere and a failure in intelligence gathering and analysis. In fact, the CIA never imagined the coup would buckle because of support for Chávez – their analysis all along showed possible failure due to lack of opposition unity and hasty actions. This is a very important point, because it demonstrates that although the CIA was involved in the coup plotting and the collaborations with dissident military factions and opposition leaders, it was fairly detached from the reality of Venezuelan society.

The CIA’s intelligence failures in Venezuela were apparently repeated during the oil industry strike later in 2002 and the guarimba destabilization attempt, an old-school CIA tactic applied in Chile and Nicaragua. Both of these harsh actions injured the Venezuelan economy and affected the government’s international image, but failed in their goal to oust President Chávez. The NED’s and USAID’s tens of millions of dollars in financing to build and maintain the opposition movement and finance the recall referendum campaign against President Chávez also failed to achieve their mission. In fact, all of these bungled attempts by the U.S. government and its marionette opposition movement have served to strengthen Chávez’s support within Venezuela and paint him as a strong and solid international leader.

Now that some of the top-secret documents have surfaced that show the CIA’s complicity and involvement in the April 2002 coup, it leaves one to wonder what is next on the agenda. In September 2001, shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, President Bush unconditionally authorized former CIA Director George Tenet’s “Worldwide Attack Matrix”, which targets leaders and prominent figures in 80 countries around the world for assassination. The authorization of the Worldwide Attack Matrix provided the CIA with a virtual carte blanche to conduct political assassinations abroad, justified under the “war against terrorism”. The “Attack Matrix”, a top secret CIA document, authorizes an array of covert CIA anti-terror actions that range from “routine propaganda to lethal covert action in preparation for military attacks”.[iv] The plans give the CIA the broadest and most lethal authority in history. Some analysts have indicated that Venezuela is possibly included in the plans.

The recent assassination of Venezuelan Prosecutor Danilo Anderson, conducted in a style reminiscent of CIA operations, could be setting the stage for future political murders. History shows that when the CIA fails to remove a target via non-lethal means, more desperate measures are taken. Despite the fact that the Venezuelan government and its supporters appear to have foiled the CIA numerous times already over the past few years, vigilance, intelligence and increased security measures should become a priority.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases ... 412-1.html

[ii] http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2002/9316.htm

[iii] http://www.venezuelafoia.info/CIA/ SEIB_04-06-02-pre-Coup-conditions_ripen/CIA-04-06-02.htm

[iv] http://www.i2osig.org/cia.html

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/800
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:29 pm

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Posted by admin at 8:20 AM

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This Sunday, July 30, 2017, during the elections for the National Constituent Assembly in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Venezuelan people have demonstrated to the world that it is full owner of their sovereign rights and that militates decisively on the side of peace, in defense Citizen security, independence and self-determination of their homeland, as they have done throughout the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, from Bolivar.

Venezuela turned to the polls like never before in a constituent process. These people, who defied the barracks, guarimbas, economic sabotage and international threats, defeated with their votes the strategy of imperialism and the oligarchies and an opposition that has not hesitated to unleash the most brutal expressions of cruelty. It offends the cynicism of all those who pretend to blame the government and the defenders of the people for the crimes committed.

Cuba denounces the launch of a well-concerted international operation, directed from Washington, with the support of the Secretary General of the OAS, aimed at silencing the voice of the Venezuelan people, ignoring their will, and imposing surrender by means of attacks and economic sanctions.

The United States government, for its part, has imposed directly on the Constitutional President Nicolás Maduro Moro unusual sanctions, violations of international law and arbitrary sanctions, which we repudiate.

We know all these interventionist practices well. They believe that through that they will achieve the submission of the people to a puppet opposition that they financed and that now promises to make the country burn.

Once again, we reiterate what was expressed by the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, General of the Army Raul Castro Ruz, on July 14 in the National Assembly:

“La agresión y la violencia golpista contra Venezuela dañan a toda «Nuestra América» y solo benefician los intereses de quienes se empeñan en dividirnos para ejercer su dominación sobre nuestros pueblos, sin que les importe generar conflictos de consecuencias incalculables en esta región, como los que estamos presenciando en diferentes lugares del mundo”.

“Alertamos hoy que quienes pretenden derrocar por vías inconstitucionales, violentas y golpistas a la Revolución Bolivariana y Chavista asumirán una seria responsabilidad ante la historia”.

Nada puede detener a un pueblo dueño de su destino. Solo los venezolanos pueden decidir cómo superar sus problemas y trazar su futuro. Basta de injerencias, de conciliábulos, de traiciones al espíritu bolivariano.

We reiterate our unwavering solidarity with the Bolivarian and Chavez people and government and with its civic-military unity led by the constitutional president Nicolás Maduro Moros. As Fidel said at the Central University of Caracas during his visit in January 1959: "The position of the Cuban Revolutionary Government will be a firm and unhesitating stance of any kind, because it is time for the people to know how to defend themselves and know how to raise their rights".

Havana, July 31, 2017

http://www.minrex.gob.cu/es/declaracion ... eriores-55

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Tue Aug 01, 2017 8:15 pm

Exemplary victory in Venezuela
Deep thanks and appreciation to the Venezuelan people, who in the hours of last night continued to make ranks to exercise their right to vote, transmitted the first vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello

Author: Alina Perera Robbio | Perera@juventudrebelde.cu
July 30, 2017 23:07:14

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Millions of Venezuelans filled Sunday polling stations in Venezuela despite the boycott of the right and international pressures. Photo: AVN

CARACAS, Venezuela.-Deep thanks and appreciation to the Venezuelan people, who yesterday evening was still in the ranks to exercise their right to vote, transmitted the first vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello.

In a press conference offered from the headquarters of the Constituent Campaign Command Zamora 200, which was broadcast by Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the Chavista leader called undefeated and victorious that sea of ​​citizens who this July 30 came to elect the More than 500 members of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC).

"Popular victory, victory of the homeland, exemplary victory." With such words Diosdado Cabello defined the electoral day that in his opinion has been "a beautiful manifestation of love."

He stressed that despite all attempts at sabotage that were not even concealed or concealed, despite acts of violence called by the opposition leaders to avoid the vote of the people, a day has been held that is a lesson for the country and for the world.

Revolutionary solidarity, impressive demonstration, pride in the popular attitude, a seed sown by Chávez and now germinated Diosdado spoke, who also emphasized that whoever does not have eyes to appreciate what has been lived in the land of Bolivar would make the mistake History of underestimating the people.

"Today we feel victorious," said the Chavista fighter, who invited all the citizens of his country to join in his contributions to the ANC that is born.

Around midnight on Sunday, the president of the National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, offered a balance of the day. According to the official, more than eight million Venezuelans went to the polls, which is equivalent to 41.53% of voters.

Lucena described the popular participation of "massive" and added that in a certain sense surprised the commission by the conditions under which the election of the assembly was made under threats and boycott of the right.

"The balance is very positive, because it won the peace. When peace wins, Venezuela wins, "he said.

http://www.granma.cu/mundo/2017-07-30/v ... 7-23-07-14

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:01 pm

The Reality About Venezuela: Five myths debunked

During the last months, the bourgeois mainstream media- as well as various sources throughout the internet- have circulated numerous lies and inaccuracies about the situation in Venezuela. Within this framework of half truths and counteless inaccurcies, someone can read the most outrageous things about the Latin American country. After all, the imperialist centers and their collaborators in the mass media are experts in how to mislead and manipulate public opinion, by sowing misinformation and distorting reality.

Here, we will refer to five major lies (really blatant ones) about Venezuela and the turbulent political situation in the country and we will try to restore the truth.

MYTH #1: “Venezuela is a socialist country” / “The Maduro government is a socialist one”.

This is the most outrageous of the lies that various anticommunists use when refering to Venezuela. The political and economic system of Venezuela has nothing to do with Socialism (with the marxist-leninist meaning). The means of production are not in the hands of the working class, as it would happen if the country had undergone a socialist revolution. There is a “mixed economy”, which means there are both privately-owned and state-owned businesses.

The private sector controls the overwhelming majority of economic activity. It is characteristic that between 1999 and 2011, the private sector’s share of economic activity increased, from 65% to 71%. Therefore, the economy of Venezuela is a capitalist, not a socialist one.

The coalition government of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), under Nicolas Maduro, is a government of social democratic characteristics. Following the path of the late Hugo Chavez, the current government is based on the theory of the so-called “21stcentury Socialism” which in fact consists a management form of the capitalist economy with “left-wing” characteristics.


ΜΥΤΗ #2: “Venezuela is an example of Socialism's failure”.

Based on the above lie (of the supposed socialist system in Venezuela), the apologists of capitalism use the economic turnoil in Venezuela in order to vilify socialism and communism. The reality is totally different. The crisis is a result of the capitalist way of production.

Indeed, Venezuela is passing a severe economic crisis which has many dimensions (oil crisis, food crisis, shortages crisis, inflation). More specifically, by the first quarter of 2014, the Venezuelan economy was already in recession, even though international oil prices were more than US$100 a barrel. By January 2015, prices had fallen to US$48 a barrel, and are about the same today. This depleted the government's revenue by a similar percentage, and the government resorted to printing money to cover expenses. The money creation would not necessarily accelerate inflation but in the context of the inflation-depreciation spiral it certainly did. So inflation rose even faster.

The various mismanagements of Venezuela's government in economy consist the one side of the coin. The other side is the existence of an economic war that the Venezuelan right-wing opposition (with the open support of the U.S.) has unleashed against Maduro's administration. For example, food importing companies owned by the country’s wealthy right-wing elite are manipulating import figures to raise prices. Following the PSUV’s defeat in the December 2015 parliamentary elections, there were numerous reports on social media that products missing before the election had reappeared on grocery shelves.

On the above we must add the indirect effects that the diplomatic and political warfare of the U.S. (both by Obama and Trump administrations) has caused to Venezuela's economy. The recent U.S actions have had a significant and highly detrimental impact on Venezuela's economy at a time when the country is in a desperate need of dollars. Moreover, the diplomatic warfare of the U.S. and OAS against Venezuela has definitely discourages foreign financial institutions, inverstors and bankers from continuing business (swap for gold, loans, other economic agreements, etc) with the Venezuelan state.

Summarizing all the above, we say: Venezuela's example shows that a pro-people management of capitalism is impossible. Any experiments to “humanize” the savage capitalist system lead to failure and mess.


MYTH #3: “The opposition in Venezuela is comprised by well-intentioned, independent leaders”.


The right-wing, reactionary opposition in Venezuela has been rooted in violence since the beginning of the Bolivarian process that began with the election of Hugo Chavez in 1999, having amped up their violence since Nicolas Maduro beat their candidate in elections in 2013.

From the 2002 coup attempt against Chavez to the oil lockout in 2003, the Venezuelan opposition has done everything to destabilize the country at the expense of the Venezuelan people. The so-called “guarimbas”- the street blockades- are not comprised by “peaceful protesters” as bourgeois mainstream media say. There is a number of well-documented instances where opposition “protesters” have burned black people alive, just because they thought they were “Chavistas”.

But, what about the leaders of the opposition? The truth is that the four prominent members of the right-wing Venezuelan opposition (Henrique Capriles, Leopoldo López, Antonio Ledezma and Maria Corina Machado) are related to a number of U.S. governmental “institutions” which aim in overthrowing the legally elected Venezuelan government. There is solid proof (e.g. leaked telegrams and documents which have never been disputed) that the leadership of the Venezuelan opposition works closely with the U.S. governments. Since at least 2009 the U.S. Department of State has budgeted up to US$49 million in total to support right-wing opposition forces in Venezuela.

“Independency” is therefore something that cannot be attributed to Venezuela's right-wing opposition. Henrique Capriles Radonski, the opposition presidential candidate who lost two electoral battles against Chavez and Maduro, is known for his role in the 2002 failed coup against the Chavez government, while his party (Justice First) was created through USAID funds. Leopoldo López, a dark political figure and leader of the far-right “Popular Will” party, whose historical background includes corruption, promotion of violence and participation in coup attempts.

The political efforts of the right-wing Venezuelan opposition have been actively supported by U.S. institutions such as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute.


MYTH #4: “The majority of the Venezuelan people are against the government of Maduro”.


While the bourgeois mainstream media shows images of large crowds demonstrating against the government in Caracas, the vast majority of the Venezuelans seem to disapprove the violent tactics of the right-wing opposition and the “guarimbas”. More specifically, according to a nationwide survey conducted by polling organisation “Hinterlaces” last April, 76% of those surveyed disapprove of a possible international intervention which would overthrow Maduro from the presidency, and 87% rejected any military intervention in the country.

Even if President Maduro and his social democratic government has lost a significant portion of his popularity, Chavismo remains the most popular political platform within the population. It is characteristic that according to a survey conducted by the polling organisation Datanalisis (which has an anti-governmental orientation) last March, Maduro's popularity was at 24.1%, which is higher compared to other Latin American leaders (e.g. Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico, Brazil's Michel Temer or Chile's Michelle Bachelet).

Furthermore, according to the survey conducted by Hinterlaces, 35% of the people expressed support to political parties allied with Chavismo, 29% to those with the opposition, and 36% declined to support any political force.

Therefore, is there any solid evidence that the majority of the Venezuelan people want a political overthrow? The answer is “No”.


MYTH #5: “The Venezuelan dictatorial government controls the media and brainwashes the people”.

This is a tremendous lie. As a capitalist country, where the private sector is dominant, Venezuela has mostly privately-owned media. Most Venezuelans are getting informed from TV channels, the vast majority of which belong to anti-governmental private business groups. The largest TV network is Venevisión, owned by the Cisneros group, while there are 9 other privately-owned TV channels (5 regional ones) as well as a TV network owned by the Catholic Church. There are 3 state-owned TV channels (Venezolana de Television, Vision Venezuela, Televisora Venezolana Social).

According to the U.S. think-tank COHA (Council of Hemispheric Affairs), 9 in 10 of the largest newspapers in the country belong to the “anti-chavista” camp. Only in Caracas, someone can find 21 newspapers!

Taking the above into account, it becomes obvious who has the “upper hand” in the media sector and that is the Capital and the monopolies.

https://communismgr.blogspot.com/2017/0 ... myths.html
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri Aug 04, 2017 2:53 pm

Eyewitness Report: Venezuelans Brave Opposition Violence to Vote
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By KATRINA KOZAREK - VENEZUELANALYSIS, August 4th 2017
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National Constituent Assembly 2017
On July 30, Venezuela celebrated the elections for the National Constituent Assembly, despite the road blockades, the besieging of more then 200 electoral centers, bombings and violent protests by sectors of the opposition who called to sabotage this controversial electoral process. Though many polling centers were able to maintain their electoral process in complete normality, many Venezuelans overcame all fears with heroic demonstrations: waiting in long lines in alternative polling centers opened by the National Electoral Council for voters in areas of conflict, such as the stadium ¨Poliedro¨ in Caracas, some crossed barricades on foot and even rivers in order to exercise their right to vote, resulting in the remarkable voter turnout of more than 8 million voters.

There are many indicators that the large voter turnout in part was due to a a reverse reaction to the violence instigated by the opposition since April of this year. María J. Berrío, candidate to the constituent assembly who after casting her vote in an electoral center that was violently attacked the night before, told Venezuelanalysis that, "Since 7 in the morning, the people have shown up to vote, without fear.”
Condemning the opposition, she said, “Violence can never be the way in Venezuela to resolve conflicts, to confront our differences in ideas and politics. I am very happy to see that the people are responding to this call for peace."
Another voter said, "It [voting] is the only way that we can stop this chain of hatred, because they [violent protesters] are destroying what has been built, and what we want is tranquility and peace…"

Elizabeth Gonzalez, a PSUV activist, said she voted to demonstrate "…to the world that we are a free, sovereign and democratic country” in response to the criticism and threats reiterated by the government of the United States and allied countries.

Other voters, like Maribel Luca, cast their vote to push forward proposals and a political agenda for the ANC. "We want to include the system of missions, the communal councils and communes…to give power to the young people as well as the culture and ethnicity, and [guarantee] the preservation of our ecological system…"

The voting process came to a close well into the evening hours. In Caracas, anxious and energetic voters gathered in the Plaza Bolivar to await the first results from the National Electoral Council. However, only certainty is that this electoral process marks only the beginning of a whole new chapter for Venezuela. Maria J. Berrío reminds us that…"from here will we build the proposals for the constituent assembly… It [the constituent assembly] will not be 500 people who decide for the rest of society…we have that mandate from here on out… discuss, debate and make sure our proposals arrive at the national constituent assembly.”



https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/13284
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Sat Aug 05, 2017 1:28 pm

4 Venezuela Constituent Assembly Members You Need to Know About

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The National Constituent Assembly installed its new members during a ceremony in Caracas. | Photo: Constituyente Para Todos

Published 4 August 2017 (22 hours 10 minutes ago)

The elected members of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly, ANC, have been sworn in at a ceremony joined by thousands of supporters in Caracas.

Over eight million people voted in Venezuela's election Sunday — a turnout of over 41 percent, according to electoral authorities — to choose from 6,120 candidates for the 545-member ANC.

364 members were chosen through a territorial vote, one member for each of Venezuela's municipalities, two for each one that is a state capital and seven for the Libertador municipality of central Caracas.

Eight were elected through a vote conducted by Indigenous communities on Aug. 1, according to their customs and traditions, while the remaining 173 were elected according to different sectors.

Eight were for campesinos and fishermen, five for business people, five for persons with disabilities, 24 for students, 28 for pensioners, 24 for communal councils and 79 for workers in public administration, services, social areas, commerce, self-employed, industry, construction, transportation and the oil industry.

Among this diverse pool, four candidates stand out.

An artist defending Venezuela's traditional music

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Musician Gino Gonzalez | Photo: Constituyente Para Todos

Gino Gonzalez was elected as one of the ANC members from the workers' sector. But he is best known as one of Venezuela's most famous songwriters and performers.

Gonzalez is also a poet and professor of language and literature.

He said in a recent interview that he was confident that the ANC can generate better leadership and even bring forward a new opposition that differs from the current one by not being violent or manipulated by wealthy and powerful figures.

"If one looks at history, that long history we have, there is that avaricious sector, it's a world minority that has everything, but that is not enough for them," Gonzalez said. "They need people that flatter them, who make them feel superior."

The artist said he rejected the idea that after former President Hugo Chavez died, the Bolivarian Revolution would die.

"So as long as these historical inequalities persist, how will Chavismo be in crisis?" Gonzalez asked.

Gonzalez is also a defender of revolutionary Venezuelan music and a promoter of traditional rhythms from the country.

"We must begin to want our own, to consume our products planted and harvested with our own hands from our fields, to start emerging from this crisis, being self-sufficient and independent," the artist said.

He organized the Philosophical Meetings for the Poor, a platform to discuss political, social and economic matters in neighborhoods across the country.

"For too long 'the wise' have spoken and exposed theories on behalf of those who 'do not know.'"

He said it's time to change that.

A rapper representing the youth

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Feminist rapper Rodbexa Poleo | Photo: Constituyente Para Todos

Rodbexa Poleo, who has a strong passion for hip-hop and rap, was chosen as one of the representatives from the social sector and now represents the young people of Venezuela.

As an ANC member, Poleo believes in strengthening the country's laws with help from communal councils and popular consultations.

The rapper, who has written and performed several songs on issues like equality and social justice, wants to ensure that the youth employment program promoted by the government continues to work and becomes stronger.

This plan aims to include a greater number of young Venezuelans in the productive sectors of the economy.

She also says that during her work as an ANC member, she will promote culture so that it can serve as a basis for every discussion inside of the political body.

"We are believers in the transfer of power to the people, but for there to be such a transfer, the people must be educated and organized," Poleo said.

She added that her political proposal is to have a "governance project" in which cultural, athletic and economic activities are strengthened.

A Campesino seeking equality

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Campesino activist Braulio Alvarez | Photo: Constituyente Para Todos

From the list of Venezuela's campesinos and fishermen, one name stands out: Braulio Alvarez.

A campesino leader, human rights defender and former lawmaker, Alvarez has fought against large landowners in the country and has even received death threats for his work.

One of his main battles has been to protect workers and other rights leaders from threats and murders from large foreign corporations.

"This historical assembly helps all campesinos of Venezuela. We will fight against the empire and build socialism," Alvarez said.

He said the ANC will discuss and debate two models of state and society: capitalism and socialism.

"If we talk about sovereignty and independence, we have to get rid of the neoliberal commercial businesses and terrorists who participate in coups, like Monsanto, Cargil and Bayer, among others. It is a debt we have," he said.

Alvarez also urged the creation of organized campesino communities to protect their lands from large landowners, who have murdered hundreds of leaders in the countryside.

A father fighting for justice for his son

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Luis Rafael Duran, father of slain Venezuelan motorcyclist Elvis Duran de la Rosa | Photo: Constituyente Para Todos

Luis Rafael Duran joined the ANC following one of the saddest moments of his life.

The elected member from the capital district of Caracas lost his son to the violent "Guarimba" protests that killed dozens of people in 2014.

Elvis Duran de La Rosa, 29, was riding his motorcycle when he hit a road blockade held together by a strong rope placed by right-wing opposition protesters who pushed him off of his vehicle. He didn't survive the incident.

Since then, his father has become a member of the Committee of Victims of the Guarimba and wants the ANC to ensure that there are no more violent deaths in the country.

Duran believes that there are some loopholes that need to be closed in the Constitution so that those responsible for these deaths don't go unpunished.

"In order for peace to exist in the country, it is necessary for the judicial bodies to work properly so that there's justice in the country. That is the only way that the relatives of the victims of political violence sponsored by the Venezuelan right in the years 2013, 2014 and 2017 can forgive their perpetrators," Duran said.

The newly-elected ANC members have since created a Truth Commission to investigate the acts of violence that have shaken the country during past years.

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