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Post by nightbreed on Sept 26, 2004 13:07:36 GMT -5
Hello comrades. Any views on the current situation ?? When do you think Bush is going to turn his attenton to this oil producing nation?
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wheelchairman 2 lazy 2 login
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Post by wheelchairman 2 lazy 2 login on Sept 26, 2004 17:18:08 GMT -5
The CIA already has invested interest in Venezuela.
Personally I support Chavez as being one of the most progressive things to happen to Venezuela in a long while.
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Post by RandomCommunist on Oct 4, 2004 22:39:26 GMT -5
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Post by Andrei_X on Oct 7, 2004 10:48:34 GMT -5
The Revolutionary Worker did an article about this a little less than 2 years ago... here are some quotes from it: Reactionary Plots and U.S. Interests in VenezuelaRevolutionary Worker #1180, December 22, 2002, posted at rwor.orgUnder George Bush, the U.S. has declared a policy of "regime change"--claiming for itself the right to dictate what sort of government countries around the world should have. The U.S. has used this nakedly imperialist logic to attack Iraq. And, in South America, the U.S. has been pushing for a "regime change" in Venezuela--backing right-wing forces who want to overthrow the government of President Hugo Chavez. On December 2, forces opposed to Hugo Chavez began a "general strike" to demand that Chavez submit to early elections. The strike is being led by big business owners and bankers, along with some trade union officials. This is the fourth such strike in the past year. A strike in April led to a military coup against Chavez--a coup which had the handprints of the U.S. all over it. The coup quickly collapsed in the face of large pro-Chavez demonstrations and support for Chavez within the armed forces as well as opposition from other Latin American governments. Chavez, a former officer in the Venezuelan military, was elected in 1998 with 58% of the vote. His term expires in 2006. The Venezuelan constitution allows for a recall election halfway through a presidential term--which would be August 2003 in the case of Chavez. But the Chavez opponents want an election right away--and they have the support of the U.S. government. Chavez Becomes U.S. TargetThe Chavez government has attempted some reforms within Venezuela's economy, which is centered on oil production and dominated by the U.S. His populist message and actions--such as a new land law promising to give some land to the landless--has gained Chavez support among large sections of the poor. But his policies are not aimed at fundamentally recasting the class relations in Venezuela--a society where 80% of the people live in poverty while the upper classes live in semi-fortified apartment buildings and hilltop compounds with pools and landscaped gardens. And Chavez's policies do not aim to actually liberate Venezuela from the grip of U.S. imperialism. Still, some of his actions and policies have challenged certain aspects of the World Bank/IMF "model" for third world countries as well as U.S. interests in Latin America and internationally. And this has made Hugo Chavez a target of U.S. schemes.... you can read the rest here: rwor.org/a/v24/1171-1180/1180/venezuela.htmI personally see Chavez basically in a similar way: I support him as a progressive bourgeois-democratic nationalist struggling to maintain the self-determination and national identity of his country, but nevertheless he is just that: bourgeois and nationalist. Thus, he will never bring actual liberation to the people of Venezuela- THAT would require a people's war led by the proletariat under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Of course, I still support the current struggle in Venezuela against any CIA bullshit and any enroachments upon the people's right to self-determination.
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Burningman
Revolutionary
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"where it is by proxy it is not"
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Post by Burningman on Oct 7, 2004 16:16:10 GMT -5
It's hard not to like Chavez, if you judge the man by his enemies. I remember the jubilation I felt in my gut when the coup against him failed under the rising of the Caracas proletariat. Bourgeois democracy is still a HUGE step forward in much of the world, much to the chagrin of Venezuela's national bourgeoisie.
He has also done more to lift Cuba out of the pit it fell into after the Russians fell apart than anyone. Just for that he deserves our support. One of the key ways the US controls countries is through energy supplies. By trading oil for doctors, Cuba is providing health care to the slums of Venezuela, while electricity is made available to the Cubas. Awesome.
He is a moderate nationalist. Not a revolutionary, a left-social democrat. And given the current constellation of international forces, that seems an important exception to the rulers. Tariq Ali's essay "Changing the World By Taking Power" is a good start.
From the USA, we need to stop imperialism and that's our primary responsibility.
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JC
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Post by JC on Oct 14, 2004 21:22:04 GMT -5
Thats odd . A maoist Endorising a troyt like tariq ali ( I assume were talking about the pakistani fellow and not the iraqi general ) .
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Burningman
Revolutionary
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"where it is by proxy it is not"
Posts: 194
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Post by Burningman on Oct 15, 2004 10:31:42 GMT -5
Socialism isn't identity politics, meaning -- it doesn't really matter to me what Tariq Ali's pedigre is. He's a left social-democrat who's argument in the essay I mentioned is important. I've read Trotsky to. And I appreciate the writing, generally, of Alex Callnicos, another Trot in the UK.
Chavez isn't a Maoist or a Trot or even a socialist. So what? The Zapatistas are anti-Maoist. But they should still be supported. Communists support rebellions, even where it's important to criticize their limitations and fight for something more profound.
The RW's article on Chavez is totally correct. I'd be a bit more charitable, but I don't have to represent the Maoist party line. Still, they support Chavez insofar as he makes a positive change for Venezuelans and opposes US imperialism. The limitations of the Bolivarian "revolution" are real. And such is the world we live in.
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If the Trots ever pulled off a revolution, I'd totally support it. It's the fact that they never will that makes me skeptical of their methods and dubious historiography. Doesn't mean they can't write good analysis...
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Post by RandomCommunist on Oct 16, 2004 15:10:45 GMT -5
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Post by RandomCommunist on Nov 24, 2004 0:09:06 GMT -5
Extraordinary meeting of Chavez with workers in Madrid www.marxist.com/Latinam/chavez_madrid.htm"Later we found out what had happened. A group of people, led by Manolo Espinar of the Haydee Santamaria organisationa and JM Municio from El Militante, had gone to the Circulo de Bellas Artes, where Chavez was meeting a group of intellectuals and actors, and explained to him that 1500 workers and youth were waiting for him in the CCOO meeting hall. And they managed to bring him along! When Chavez found out that we were waiting, he did not hesitate: “I am going over there, even if it is just to give a 15 minute greeting”. As he himself said later: “thank you, you have rescued me from the intellectuals to bring me to the workers”."
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Post by RandomCommunist on Nov 25, 2004 2:14:56 GMT -5
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Post by RC on Dec 1, 2004 15:39:45 GMT -5
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Post by Random Communist on Jan 20, 2005 16:08:57 GMT -5
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Post by RandomCommunist on Jan 31, 2005 20:00:25 GMT -5
Chavez proclaims "Socialism is not dead" www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5046"Everyday I become more convinced, there is no doubt in my mind, and as many intellectuals have said, that it is necessary to transcend capitalism. But capitalism can’t be transcended from with capitalism itself, but through socialism, true socialism, with equality and justice. But I’m also convinced that it is possible to do it under democracy, but not in the type of democracy being imposed from Washington," www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1486
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Post by RandomCommunist on Mar 9, 2005 16:40:50 GMT -5
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Post by RandomCommunist on Apr 28, 2005 16:47:59 GMT -5
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