Hands Off Venezuela!
VENEZUELA DESERVES DEMOCRACY, but that is not what Venezuela is going to get. What it will get – as the whole world is currently witnessing – is a brutal assault on its people by the world’s most powerful nation. Venezuela is being threatened with economic strangulation, civil war and, should these stratagems prove ineffective in dislodging the government of President Nicolas Maduro, a full-scale military invasion led by the United States itself.
That such an invasion would constitute a flagrant violation of the United Nations’ Charter will count for nought. The world stood by and did nothing in 2003 when the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia violated the UN charter by invading Iraq – a country whose armed forces had not committed the slightest act of aggression against the belligerent powers, or any other UN member state.
The New Zealand Government, regardless of its private misgivings, will remain silent and inactive as the Venezuelan people are tortured into submission by the United States and its allies. To follow any other course of action would attract the attention of the very forces who have fastened Venezuela to the rack. Not wishing to be hit with US sanctions; unwilling to risk the seizure New Zealand’s overseas assets; Jacinda Ardern and Winston Peters will keep their mouths shut and their heads down.
If they’re lucky. Because a shameful silence is about the best we can hope for from the Coalition Government. If we are unlucky, the murderous thugs who are currently managing the subjugation of Venezuela will decide that New Zealand keeping its head down is insufficiently supportive of US policy. In these circumstances, Jacinda and Winston will be required to publicly endorse the Trump Administration’s excesses. Lest silence be misinterpreted by the rest of the world as disapproval or, God forbid! – defiance.
Regardless of Washington’s ultimate directive to its “very, very, very good friends” in New Zealand, the Coalition Government will be beset by a chorus of right-wing voices demanding that New Zealand recognise immediately the self-proclaimed “Interim President”, Juan Guaido, as Venezuela’s legitimate head-of-state. This pressure from the Right will only intensify as, one after the other, the USA’s closest allies abandon Maduro in favour of Guaido. That recognising this puppet politician will make New Zealand complicit in a US-backed coup d’état will in no way deter the Right from testing the Coalition Government’s “commitment to democracy”.
To facilitate just such an outcome, the Right has, for several weeks, been waging a co-ordinated campaign against the current Venezuelan Government, along with the “Bolivarian Revolution” championed by Maduro’s charismatic predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Right-wing commentators, led by Liam Hehir, have characterised the economic crisis brought on by the collapse of world oil prices; intensified by the economic sabotage perpetrated by Venezuela’s capitalist class; and aided immeasurably by the constricting effects of US sanctions and asset seizures; as evidence of the inevitable fate of any nation foolish enough to embrace socialism.
In eerie anticipation of the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo’s, invitation for governments to “pick a side”, in this looming fight, Hehir has publicly demanded that all those left-wing commentators (myself included) who have, in the past, proclaimed their support for and/or admiration of Hugo Chavez and his Bolivarian Revolution, must immediately recant their criminal folly and join with the Right in demonizing Maduro, Chavez, Bolivarian Socialism, and all its works.
Hehir does not appear to be the least bit ashamed by his embrace of the very worst tactics of 1950s McCarthyism. One almost expects him to demand of all those unwilling to endorse the overthrow of a sovereign government: “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?”
Significantly, Hehir is either ignorant of, or unwilling to acknowledge, the fact that the private sector’s share of the Venezuelan economy has actually grown under Maduro’s presidency, not shrunk. Or, that the nationalisation of Venezuela’s oil industry took place more than 40 years ago – long before Chavez and Maduro were ever elected to the Venezuelan presidency.
The straightforward facts of Venezuela’s economy: that it has always relied in an extremely narrow range of commodity exports (coffee, oil) for its national income, and that it has consistently failed to make itself less dependent on imported necessities – especially food – by diversifying and/or industrialising its economy – are omitted. Hehir is simply not interested in informing his readers that severe economic crises – sparked by sudden collapses in key commodity prices – have been a regular feature of Venezuela’s economic history.
Maduro’s failures – and there are many – are attributable less to his socialist beliefs than to his own, and his predecessor’s, failure to use the massive economic surpluses, racked up when oil was fetching almost twice as much on the international markets as it is currently, to diversify Venezuela’s economy. That they were more concerned to lift the living standards of the poorest Venezuelans as quickly as possible, while understandable, was also – given the country’s history – unforgiveable.
Both Chavez and Maduro should have understood that economic crises experienced under right-wing governments are regarded very differently by the United States than economic crises which strike when left-wing and/or anti-American governments are in power. In the case of the former, the nation’s troubles are merely the result of impersonal market forces. In the latter’s case, however, economic crisis is presented as incontestable proof of socialism’s failure. And, if the economic and social elites can magnify the hardship and suffering of those on whose behalf the left-wing government has been acting, then why wouldn’t they? Especially when the US Government is so willing to help them out with money and advisers. “Make the economy scream”, said President Richard Nixon’s advisers – back in the early 1970s, when the US was faced with another democratically elected left-wing government in South America. It worked then – it’s working now.
It’s what I find so hard to forgive about the position taken by Hehir and his right-wing colleagues. That they are aligning themselves with those who are most to blame for the travails of the Venezuelan people. The Bolivarian Revolution, itself, grew out of the popular resistance inspired by the vicious austerity measures which the poorest of the Venezuelan poor were expected to bear in order to rescue the economy form yet another commodity-price collapse back in the 1990s.
Hehir has nothing to say about the coup mounted against Chavez by Venezuela’s economic and social elites in 2002, after the wretched inhabitants of the capital city’s slums had had the temerity to vote him into power. Or how the education Chavez’s Bolivarian Revolution had given them in their constitutional rights as citizens propelled the poor onto the streets in their thousands to rescue their president – and their democracy.
Hehir and his ilk would like us to believe that all those protesting against Maduro’s inept handling of the unceasing political and economic crises by which he has been beset are unanimously for Guaido and his American puppet-masters. They are not. They are seeking new elections and new leaders. But, they are not seeking a restoration of elite power. Nor will they countenance an American invasion of their homeland.
Those who await with such eagerness the tramp of military boots on the streets of Caracas are partisans of coup, counter-revolution, and the violent repression of the poorest citizens of Venezuela. The Right is, therefore, ranging itself alongside the most ruthless and selfish elements of Venezuelan society. Elements whose democratic rights have, for more than a decade, been upheld by the very government they are pledged to destroy: with democracy, if possible; without it, if necessary. Hehir lambasts Chavez and Maduro as the Lenin and Stalin of socialist Venezuela. It’s a puerile accusation. Had Chavez been a genuine Leninist, and Maduro an unashamed Stalinist, then the streets of Caracas would have run red with bourgeois blood.
And yet, unaccountably, the Venezuelan elites have survived: to plot in safety, and protest in their tens-of-thousands. Demanding, like the Chilean elites before them, that the military intervene ruthlessly on their behalf. Confident, in equal measure, that the Americans will not let them down, and that the rivers of blood flowing through the streets of Caracas will not be theirs.
“Venezuela isn’t a socialist economy because most of the economy is in private hands.. For all their talk of revolution, they haven’t actually made a revolution. Income tax is not higher in Venezuela than it is in Teresa May’s Britain. The proportion of the economy in private hands is not less than it was in Margaret Thatcher’s era in Britain. That is not a socialist country. And in my opinion they are paying the price for talking about revolution but not actually making one. I had the benefit of being in a room with Fidel Castro, and Hugo Chavez, not an easily forgotten occasion. And I don’t think I am giving away any secrets when I say that Fidel’s advice was, not to talk about socialism and revolution quite so much, and do a bit more socialism and revolution instead, and then when people like it, you can say to them, yeah, that’s socialism.”
George Galloway and Adam Garrie discuss the historical background to the country and its Bolivarian Revolution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r05IcTGYL_I&feature=share
Wow, interesting g I deed I would like to know more about his you happened to be in that room…what were you doing there?
Sorry for wrong words its the device I am using! What I meant was…how interesting you were in a room with Castro et al and what were you doing there in such august company
Actually., your first attempt at wit said more… about you. This willful stupidity, common to the less than useful in any societal sense, is why we can’t have the nice things anymore…
The powerful “world compact” of elite billionaires is actively planing to get The oil out and destroy Venezuela! in the rotting process.
So if you got worried at the oil barons doing what they did to the “Nigerian delta” by destroying there rivers and water supply wait until all those sharks go after Venezuela’s oil, it will kill this delicate country.
We saw Yugoslavia become a slave to these Global barons then now Ukraine, Greece then Venezuela!!
Originally posted as a reply to Mike Treen’s blog, but probably fits better here.
So those mass murdering warmongering scumbags are at it again, attempting to install a puppet leader in a sovereign country with the sole intention of raping and pillaging that nations resources. If these lying assholes really gave a fuck about oppressed peoples they would have spent the last decades invading country’s like Zimbabwe, Israel for perching on Palestinian land, saudi arabia, all the other South American country’s where they have installed and supported murderous dictators and war lords ad infinitum. What really worries me, is not so much the diatribes from pomposity, burton, etc. i expect that from the gang, but the way a large part of the world has been only to eager to line up, bend over and wait to please the master. Maybe they think they could be next in line if dissenting? I must say i have been quite impressed with Peters statements that the problems are Venezuela’s to decide, but unfortunately i can not see that lasting, and that nu zild will soon shuffle in to line and bend over. Please if one more person mentions DEMOCRACY i will throw up. I would also recommend that people do a little research on the background of the self appointed us puppet who has declared himself president of Venezuela.
The vice president of Venezuela (elected) has just declared me president of the us.
Are you sure m’sieur? Not even one waffer-thin democracy?///
Actually, they’ve been doing it for several years. Decades in fact.
And that, of course, is actually the problem. Venezuela can’t actually support itself and that seems to be a direct result of trade.
If countries actually developed their own economies to the point where they could support themselves then trade would minimise and the capitalists don’t want that as it would eliminate their ticket clipping – their bludging.
Which is what they’ve always done. The right-wing do not like democracy – they like strong dictators.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/381037/nz-will-not-give-official-recognition-to-one-side-in-venezuelan-crisis
New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, said it’s not New Zealand’s practice to make statements recognising governments.
Venezuela should be allowed to decide its own fate through free and fair elections, he said.
Glad you pointed this out, was going myself.
Maduro should talk with Guaido and agree terms for new elections.
His real problem is Venezuela is a failed economy, and thus the government cannot continue as it has. So unless he has some means to quickly socialise the state and ensure domestic supply to the the people of their food and other supply needs and is willing to have a go at doing this without getting an electoral mandate first – then elections it should be.
What we are witnessing is the blatant posturing of the U.S.Fourth Reich Empire under its moronic great leader Herr Trump.We have not seen the like since Herr Hitler invaded the Sudetenland. Unable to foot it with other states like Russia and China economically, the U.S.Nazi State moves to the only weapons left in its arsenal, that of the threat of military force and the use of economic sanctions. Economic sanctions have been compared to the practice of surrounding a city in medieval times to strangle it. It is an act of war! And predictably just about all the U.S.Empire vassal states have moved in unison to back this blatant interference, except for Italy and N.Z.
Never since the rise of the Fascist powers in 1939 have we seen such a happening, which goes to show absolute proof that Western civilization itself is entering a terminal phase, bereft of moral compass !!!
So who is going to tell the US to stop war-mongering and interfering? (Preferably before they get all geared up for the next presidential fest)
Have the Democrats got it in them to thwart this as they seem to be doing for Trump’s wall?
North American interests have caused more than enough harm to the south. It’s time to remind that hopeful nation to work on the messes inside its own borders before creating any more business for its oversized armaments sector.
Unfortunately – nobody.
The rest of the world still thinks that the US is there to help them despite hundreds of years of the US fucking over the rest of the world.
With the patience of a saint Russia seems to be winning Syria , though I admit the jury is still out on that. But it looks hopeful in terms of Syria eventually regaining her sovereignty. They have made it very clear what they think of US antics re Venezuela …http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/51026.htm.
And have assured Maduro of their support.
Bolton Pompeo et al are warmongering freaks. They are characters from some Monty Python type parody and I don’t think they know what they are doing. Trump may be far smarter than anyone thinks. Watch how they react when he pulls the plug on this escapade leaving them high and dry. (Just a thought , have to indulge my fantasies sometimes).
D J S
David Stone: “Bolton Pompeo et al are warmongering freaks.”
Yes, they are. As others have noted, the US has not experienced large-scale military invasion. there is, therefore, no understanding of what that entails for any country or its people.
Moreover, the endless stream of propaganda from Hollywood lulls Americans into a false sense of security. They truly believe that they are invincible; that they won WW2, including the war in Europe. This belief permeates US society, including in the heart of the Washington Establishment – which institution is the entity calling the foreign policy shots now. As it has done for all of my longish life.
Commentators deride Trump for not being a pollie, and for his ignorance of foreign affairs. Just take a look at US foreign policy: most of it developed by unelected officials; the best one can say about it is that it is Disneyland stuff. And given Hollywood’s influence, who’d be surprised by that?
Any US president which has tried to gainsay Washington Establishment foreign policy either is hornswoggled or suborned into toeing the Establishment line, or meets a sticky end. Jack Kennedy, eg. And Robert, of course: offed, just in case he did actually win the presidential election that year.
“Watch how they react when he pulls the plug on this escapade leaving them high and dry. (Just a thought , have to indulge my fantasies sometimes).”
I do hope you’re right! Though I’m less optimistic about that now, than I was a couple of years ago.
What do you do when you are the elected representative of your country and are faced with this situation?
You might reason that less blood will be shed if you resign and hand over to the US puppet. It might be the right thing to do. You know that from then on your countries resources will be harvested for the profit of US corporate interests and will be lost to the people you represent, but it will probably result in an improvement in their lives in the short term, and may forestall a bloody revolution, but it may not. And it is your responsibility to lead as you were elected to do. You shouldered that responsibility. You can’t abandon it without a mandate. And do you conform to a foreign countries’ dictate of when that election should be? He can’t do anything but carry on as best he can.
It might be that I read more news than I used to, but it seems to me that the US might have gone too far too quickly and too blatantly this time. Too clear a pattern is emerging, too many people get the picture.
I don’t think it’s going to work this time, China and Russia are ready to work out a way for Venezuela to trade what she has for what she needs. And help her get to stand on her own feet in terms of feeding herself , using oil exports as a bonus to her economy rather than the life blood.
There is an interesting angle on it here…http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/51031.htm.
D J S
You kick all the Americans out.
You pass a law that makes it illegal for local political bodies to accept support from any foreign body.
Any political body that uses foreign support gets jailed and their assets nationalised.
That foreign support is lambasted as interference in national politics the same as the Russian interference in US elections.
Unlikely – see the death squads of Iran, Chile and other places which had a US puppet.
Nope. Handing over control of the nation to another nation is never the right thing to do. Outright war is a far better option than kowtowing to the capitalists.
Never has done before and this time won’t be any different.
Really?
The US has been building to this point for 20+ years. They only took two years to invade and fuck over Iraq.
To bad that they didn’t get that picture in 1953. It was just as clear then.
I’m reasonably certain that China and Russia are fully ready to step in with full military support. The present ME quagmire has proven that the US can’t project power.
The actions of China in the SCS has proven the UN toothless.
Thanks for that link D J S,very interesting, had already watched Richard Wolff.
Trouble is, there is NO one united ‘people of Venezuela’, same as there is not a united ‘people of the USA’ or a ‘people of New Zealand’.
Venezuela has been and remains to be a very divided country. The ones suffering are mostly the middle class, as they like to call themselves. They never cared all that much about the people in the slums, and some used them for cheap labour, as maids and whatsoever, people desperate to earn a few Bolivars, so they could be ‘hired’.
Yes, there have been many failings by the governments of last, and they should have used the oil revenue to create a new economy, less dependent on oil exports.
So as that was not done, and as other things were not done, and as the mighty USA, now under Trump, does not condone a revolutionary firebrand amongst its nearest neighbours (Cuba is only put up with, reluctantly).
Hence they have decided to deal to the regime in Caracas.
As the ‘middle class’, always mindful of their little privileges, same as the property loving and owning middle class here, is desperate to return to their kind of lifestyle, they are now rallying in the streets, again. They do not care whether the US or any other power influences their country, they are always for sale, for perks, privileges, material lifestyles, so they will embrace the US and risk a civil war.
New Zealanders put up with division here, the downtrodden never seem to stand up much for themselves, rather duck their heads, and hence we will likely have a return to the nasty Nats in 2020, as the middle class will vote for them, giving Jacinda the heave ho, as she will not deliver them enough prospect for a nice lifestyle on property speculation and a lifestyle on borrowed money.
The whole worlds is screwed because of what goes on, forget unity, fight for revolution, and no revolution will succeed without some bleeding and suffering. But the bourgeoisie deserve to bleed, they will never honestly care for the less well off.
That is why they love migrants in NZ Inc, doing the dirty and hard work, so the middle class can enjoy the goodies. Dangle the carrot PR in front of them, they will do anything.
Yes and the migrants are also good for sowing a bit of disunity into the working class. See if you cant get them fighting amongst themselves over whose stealing whose jobs and driving down wages though no one has yet explained the mechanism how that works. Never mind adds to the confusion and then they’ll all just be grateful even to have a job
Venezuela’s collapse is a window into how the Oil Age will unravel
Japan and Germany?
Both the Red Cross and Caritas, the Catholic Church-affiliated aid group, have refused to participate in any operation involving the US “humanitarian corridor,” citing their principles of neutrality and independence.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-venezuela-politics-un/u-n-warns-against-politicizing-humanitarian-aid-in-venezuela-idUKKCN1PV2IK