Venezuela Analysis: Opinion & Analysis

The Bolivarian Revolution and the Caribbean

Fidel Castro - CubaDebate — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:36:57 -0430

I liked history, as most boys do. Wars as well, a culture that society sowed in male children. All the toys offered us were weapons.

In my childhood they sent me to a city where I was never taken to a movie theater. Television did not exist then, and there was no radio in the house in which I lived. I had to use my imagination.

By Fidel Castro - CubaDebate

Cubans Attempt to Resolve Venezuelan Electricity Shortage Despite Living in Constant Blackout

Belén Fernández - Pulse — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:55:44 -0430

The latest complaint among the Venezuelan opposition to President Hugo Chávez revolves around his decision to bring Cuban Minister of Information Technology and Communications Ramiro Valdés to Venezuela to help rectify the current electrical crisis, intensified by diminishing water levels at the country’s primary hydroelectric dam.

By Belén Fernández - Pulse

US Intelligence Report Classifies Venezuela as “Anti-US Leader”.

Eva Golinger - The Chavez Code — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:48:40 -0430

3 February 2010 – As is custom at the beginning of each year, the different US agencies publish their famous annual reports on topics ranging from human rights, trafficking in persons, terrorism, threats, drug-trafficking, and other issues that indicate who will be this year’s target of US agression. Yesterday, it was the intelligence community’s turn. Admiral Dennis Blair, National Director of Intelligence, presented the Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

By Eva Golinger - The Chavez Code

Truth over delusion: Hugo Chavez did not accuse the U.S. of causing the Haitian earthquake

The Anti Press — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:39:04 -0430

On January 19, Spanish newspaper ABC, a newspaper of record in Spain, published a story entitled Chavez accuses US of causing earthquake in Haiti.

By The Anti Press

Alberto Muller Rojas on Bureacracy in the PSUV

Alberto Muller Rojas, Vladimir Villegas- Indymedia — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:16:36 -0430

This interview was first published on 24 November 2009. Vladamir Villegas is the ex-President of VTV and ex-Venezuelan Ambassador to Mexico. Alberto Muller Rojas is the vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

By Alberto Muller Rojas, Vladimir Villegas- Indymedia

The Challenges of 21st Century Socialism in Venezuela:

William I. Robinson, Chronis Polychroniou - Znet — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:27:29 -0430

An interview with William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, University of California at Santa Barbara, by Chronis Polychroniou - Editor, Greek daily newspaper Eleftherotypia

There are scare stories coming from Venezuela. The border is heating up, infiltration is taking place, a new Colombian military base near the border, US access to several new bases on Colombia and constant subversion. Is the regime concerned about a possible invasion? If yes, who is going to intervene?

By William I. Robinson, Chronis Polychroniou - Znet

The Community Revolution

Pablo Navarrete, Steve Ellner - Red Pepper — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:34:34 -0430

February 2009 marked ten years since Hugo Chávez took office in Venezuela, following a landslide election victory that swept the country’s traditional parties out of power. Since assuming the presidency, Chávez has presided over a controversial process of radical change, commonly referred to as the ‘Bolivarian revolution’ – after Simón Bolívar, who liberated Venezuela and much of South America from Spanish colonialism.

By Pablo Navarrete, Steve Ellner - Red Pepper

The Washington Post “knocks” the Bolivarian Revolution

Rafael Rico Rios – Rebelion — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:17:14 -0430

On 25 January 2010 the Washington Post published the article, ‘How Hugo Chavez’s revolution crumbled’ By Jackson Diehl, a writer for the Washington Post who specialises in international analysis. This article was published just before the terrible media storm unleashed by the case of the television channels [that were temporarily suspended]. A shame for the author because he might have had one more argument for his eager attempt to shoot down revolutions.

By Rafael Rico Rios – Rebelion

Revolution within the Revolution in Venezuela

Lainie Cassel - MRZine — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:36:35 -0430

In 1999, under newly elected President Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan people were given a rare opportunity: to participate in the writing of what would become arguably the world's most radical constitution. The result of an extensive constitutional process and an assembly voted on by Venezuelan citizens contrasts with the United States constitution, one created by white landholders centuries ago.

By Lainie Cassel - MRZine

Fifth International?!

Michael Albert - Znet — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:39:35 -0430

To be a contender, "21st Century Socialist" vision needs elaboration, advocacy, and program. To improve focus and increase power, worldwide anti-capitalist organizations, projects, and movements need shared coherence and mutual solidarity. To fulfill these needs, Venezuela's President Chavez recently announced to widespread support and also some critical response that a gathering in Caracas this April would establish a new International.

By Michael Albert - Znet

Currency Adjustment: Necessary, but is it Socialist?

Gregory Wilpert - Correo del Orinoco International — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:30:20 -0430

There is little doubt, even among some opposition leaders (who normally oppose just about anything the government does), that the recent currency adjustment of the bolivar was economically necessary. It is a matter of basic math to realize that if inflation averaged 22% between 2005 and 2009 and each bolivar thereby lost about 72% of its purchasing power since the last currency adjustment, then maintaining the exchange rate at the same level during this entire period means imports become ever cheaper and Venezuelan-produced exports become ever more expensive in the rest of the world.

By Gregory Wilpert - Correo del Orinoco International

Voices of Participatory Democracy in Venezuela: A Review of Venezuela Speaks!

Hans Bennett - Upsidedownworld.org — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:38:12 -0430

Book Review: Venezuela Speaks! Voices from the Grassroots, By Carlos Martinez, Michael Fox, and JoJo Farrell (PM Press, 2010)

By Hans Bennett - Upsidedownworld.org

A Quick Response to BBC’s Article, “Venezuela’s economy in further slide”

Tamara Pearson - Venezuealanalysis.com — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:32:38 -0430

There are few things more condescending and arrogant than a journalist who arrives in a foreign country, walks around briefly in its streets, and from a few superficial observations, believes they can make a judgement on the entire economic situation of a country, as well as the social movements and hopes of millions of members of that country. In yesterday’s article “Venezuela’s economy in further slide”, BBC journalist Robert Plummer admits it’s been a long time since he set foot in Venezuela.

By Tamara Pearson - Venezuealanalysis.com

Nicaragua, ALBA, and Intellectual Betrayal

Toni Solo — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:24:44 -0430

People in Latin America have frequently found themselves fighting regular forces and mercenary contractors coordinated ultimately by the United States Southern Command, the State Department and related US government bodies. That was true in Central America in the 1980s. It has been the case in Colombia for many years. On a smaller scale it is happening now in Honduras. Shortly, they may well find themselves fighting regular forces and mercenary contractors coordinated by NATO.

By Toni Solo

In Defence of Hugo Chavez’ Call for a Fifth Socialist International

Ann Robertson & Bill Leumer - Workers Action — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:01:59 -0430

January 15, 2010 -- Critics who have planted themselves firmly on the sidelines have been lobbing all kinds of disapproving missives at Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez’ call for a new international, urging others who have been carried away by enthusiastic support to join them on the sidelines. The laundry list of complaints is extensive: Chavez is the head of a bourgeois government; Chavez only pursues reformism, not genuine revolution; he made his call in the presence of an audience that included avowed supporters of capitalism; and so on.

By Ann Robertson & Bill Leumer - Workers Action

Venezuela Speaks!

Nancy Lopez - Mission Local — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:33:09 -0430

If mainstream media coverage of Venezuela invokes the singular figure of president Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías as the sole decision-maker of a socialist-bound country, Venezuela Speaks! Voices from the Grassroots reveals a politically active populace who says that “with or without Chávez” they will continue spearheading the revolution from below, like they always have.

By Nancy Lopez - Mission Local

Year of Resistance: Interview with Eva Golinger

Cindy Sheehan – MRZine — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:19:52 -0430

Eva Golinger: Venezuela is a very wealthy country in oil and gas reserves. It's actually one of the largest oil producers in the world. It has over 24% of oil reserves in the entire world. That's a lot for a country of 27 million people. And of course it lies close to the United States.... It's only two and a half hours approximately to fly to Miami, and in fact Venezuela's maritime territory borders US territory: it borders the colony of Puerto Rico. So, this is a very strategic place.

By Cindy Sheehan – MRZine

The Coups d'État in Latin America and the Dangers Facing Venezuela

Alejandro Torres Rivera — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:50:56 -0430

Venezuelan Vice President and Defense Minister Ramón Alonso Carrizales stated that his nation's government held objective proof of the violation by a U.S. military aircraft of Venezuelan air space.

He said the following: “On May 17, 2009, an American war plane took off from Curaçao, violated our air space and a flight-exclusion zone, the Orchilla Air Base. We have a record of the dialogue between the control tower and the aircraft, in which the pilot was asked if he had authorization to overfly the area and what the motive for his incursion was.”

By Alejandro Torres Rivera

Party of Socialism and Liberty, Brazil: Chavez’s call to form the Fifth International and the world situation

Pedro Fuentes - Links, International Journal of Socialist Renewal — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:17:59 -0430

January 11, 2010 -- At the meeting of left-wing political parties and socialists held in Caracas on the eve of the congress of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez called for the formation the Fifth Socialist International.

By Pedro Fuentes - Links, International Journal of Socialist Renewal

The Necessary Cultural Revolution

Eduardo Parra Istúriz - Aporrea — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:05:07 -0430

It is becoming more and more clear to me that the revolutionary process suffers from the absence of a fundamental factor, a vital key of any people: Consciousness of their cultural identity.

The symptoms are, in real terms, the presence of expressions – in some cases terrible expressions – of the mass entertainment industry in events organised by the government that should be marked by a traditional character.

By Eduardo Parra Istúriz - Aporrea

Avatar is real: Pandora is located in Central and South America and Africa.

Carlos A. Quiroz - Venezuelanalysis.com — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:24:14 -0430

Indigenous peoples are displaced by wars and corporations

If you haven’t seen Avatar then you are missing out a good movie. The film excels in creativity, imagination, excitement stories and technical work. The result is overwhelmingly pleasing to the senses and I suggest you watch its 3D version to enjoy it the best.

By Carlos A. Quiroz - Venezuelanalysis.com

US Combat Plane Stationed at the Military Base in Curaçao Violated Venezuelan Airspace Yesterday

Eva Golinger- Postcards from the Revolution — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:44:12 -0430

Caracas, January 9, 2009 - Yesterday’s violation of Venezuelan airspace by a P-3 US military combat plane is another example of the escalation in provocations against Venezuela and evidence of the danger US military presence in the region represents. During a live television broadcast on the evening of January 8, President Hugo Chávez revealed that at approximately 12:55pm earlier that day, a US P3 combat plane took off from the air base in neighboring Curaçao and entered Venezuelan airspace during a 15-minute period.

By Eva Golinger- Postcards from the Revolution

The Future of Bolivarism: The Long March in Latin America

Vijay Prashad - Counterpunch — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:31:26 -0430

In mid-2008, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) came under strong criticism from both Brazil's Lula and Venezuela's Chavez. Lula said, "The waging of armed struggle as a means of achieving power should end in Latin America. The belief that armed struggle can solve anything is out of date." Chavez mirrored these views, saying, "The guerrilla war is history. At this moment in Latin America, an armed guerrilla movement is out of place."

By Vijay Prashad - Counterpunch

Venezuela: The Hip Hop Movement Gets Organized

Hip Hop Revolucion — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:57:03 -0430

Over the 17, 18 and 19 of December the first conference of activists and militants of the Venezuelan Hip Hop movement was held. Convened and organized by the Hip Hop Revolution collective and with the participation of activists from over 8 states from the west of the country, the [congress] discussed and debated the creation of urban art schools, a joint project of the HHR Collective and the Ministry of Communes.

By Hip Hop Revolucion

U.S. - Venezuelan Relations: Imperialism and Revolution

James Petras - The People's Voice — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:11:38 -0430

Historically Latin America has been of great importance to the United States on numerous counts: the region has in the past, provided the US with a trade surplus; its outflows of licit and ill-begotten funds to US banks, numbers annually in the tens of billions; the US has been, up to recently, the major trading partner in the region; Latin America has provided a lucrative outlet for US buyouts of oil, telecoms, banking and related strategic mining companies during the golden age of imperial pillage (1975 – 1999).

By James Petras - The People's Voice

No fare deal for London or Venezuela

Alex Holland - The Samosa — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:47:02 -0430

Not many Londoners can be happy as they grope through the frozen murkiness of the commute to their first days back at work after the winter break. Adding to their misery is London's mayor, Boris Johnson, who has made their journey much more expensive with huge fare rises.

By Alex Holland - The Samosa

Latin America's Decade

Emir Sader - Pravda — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:27:44 -0430

The 1990s was the worst that America has ever lived. The debt crisis — with its consequences: IMF, letters of intent, tax adjustments, etc… — Military dictatorships opened the way for it to impose neoliberal governments in almost every continent. We became the world region with the greatest amount of neoliberal governments and their more radical procedures.

By Emir Sader - Pravda

CIA Agents Assassinated in Afghanistan Worked for “Contractor” Active in Venezuela, Cuba

Eva Golinger — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:13:57 -0430

At least eight U.S. citizens were killed on a CIA operations base in Afghanistan this past Wednesday, December 30. A suicide bomber infiltrated Forward Operating Base Chapman located in the eastern province of Khost, which was a CIA center of operations and surveillance. Official sources in Washington have confirmed that the eight dead were all civilian employees and CIA contractors.

By Eva Golinger

Bolivarians need to defeat the capitalism that persists in Venezuela

Luis Britto/Manuela Sisa- Basil de Fato — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:26:10 -0430

Unlike past years of polarization and launching of social plans and projects, 2009 in Venezuela was not one of the most remarkable. The international financial crisis, which during the first half of the year led the executive to a conservative application of the budget, was the first of many blocks to the promise of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to "rectify, re-launch and revise" his government's project. For the Venezuelan analyst and writer Luis Britto, 2009 was a "static" year.

By Luis Britto/Manuela Sisa- Basil de Fato

COP15: An Insider's Report from the ALBA Delegation

Ron Ridenour - Tlaxcala — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:37:16 -0430

December 23, 2009 -- “Nobel War Prize winner walked in and out of a secret door, and that is the way capitalism and the United States Empire will end up leaving the planet, through a secret back door.” So spoke Venezuela President Hugo Chavez from the plenary podium on the last afternoon, December 18, of the 12-day long Copenhagen climate conference (COP15).

By Ron Ridenour - Tlaxcala