The end of Chavismo

[Catherina]

The end of Chavismo
- Michael Roberts
Wednesday, 06 March 2013 03:32

The international media that supports the strategists of capital have been delighted at the news of the death of Venezuela's socialist president Hugo Chavez. And they are now predicting the quick demise of Chavez's government and political movement, either by defeat in the ensuing presidential elections or by some 'popular' uprising against his 'autocratic' and 'dictatorial' rule. We'll see.

The pro-capitalist media both inside and outside Venezuela has been unending in its claim that Chavez was a dictator and yet, as one commentator put it, "Every sin that Chávez was accused of committing—governing without accountability, marginalizing the opposition, appointing partisan supporters to the judiciary, dominating labor unions, professional organizations and civil society, corruption and using oil revenue to dispense patronage—flourished in a system the United States held up as exemplary."

Over the last 14 years, Chávez submitted himself to fourteen national votes, winning thirteen of them by large margins, in polling deemed by Jimmy Carter to be “best in the world” out of the ninety-two elections that he has monitored. And in the last presidential ballot, which Chávez won with the same percentage he did his first election yet with a greatly expanded electorate,even his opponents have admitted that a majority of Venezuelans liked, if not adored, the man. And why was that?

Well, we have to go back to before Chavez. Venezuela’s economic fortunes are tied to world oil prices. Petroleum prices began to fall in the mid-1980s. Venezuela had grown lopsidedly urban, with 16 million of its 19 million citizens living in cities, well over half of them below the poverty line, many in extreme poverty. In Caracas, as in many other Latin American countries, poor people lived, cut off from municipal services. The spark came in February 1989, when a recently inaugurated president who had run against the IMF said that he no choice but to submit to its dictates. He announced a plan to abolish food and fuel subsidies, increase gas prices, privatize state industries and cut spending on health care and education. That's when opposition to the rule of Venezuela's rich, in league with American imperialism and the IMF, began.

Read the rest at http://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/104-104/16349-the-end-of-chavismo

[Scootaloo]

1. Yes, but he didn't build enough skyscrapers in Caracas!

[nxylas]

3. And he shut down a TV station!

If by "shut down" you mean "turned from a broadcast network into a basic cable network".

[Judi Lynn]

2. Completely thought provoking article. Thanks. n/t

[bvar22]

4. DURec.

I'm sure that the Corporate Eye of Sauron is focused on Venezuela,
along with financing from the bottomless vaults of the IMF/Global Banks,
all conspiring to bring "change" to Venezuela.
I hope the People of Venezuela stand strong against the dark forces of the Global Empire.

[sabrina 1]

5. So far, the people of Venezuela have stood against the dark forces of the Global Empire. And

as pointed out before, it appears that Chavez, being a very intelligent man, was correct in his assessment that you had to bring women into the electoral process and that Education should be a priority so that people would never again be easily manipulated.

In so many interviews I have seen with Venezuelan people regarding their involvement in the electoral system now, women especially give credit to Chavez, often stating that before he provided them with access to education (many could not even read before) they did not see how elections affected them. But now, they say, they, again mostly women, realize how important their involvement is.

I hope there was enough time to ensure that the people know enough about the dark forces that are always hovering, mostly around their resources, that with fair elections, they will not forget or be fooled by the barrage of propaganda they are being subjected to.