The Shadow of Chile Falls on Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

The Shadow of Chile Falls on Venezuela
By Francisco Dominguez

Source: The Morning Star
Monday, November 11, 2013

Mayoral elections are to be held in Venezuela on December 8. Every mayoralty will be contested and, as is the case in Venezuela's vibrant democracy, both the right-wing coalition and Chavista candidates are busily campaigning up and down the country.

These municipal elections take place in a very different context to recent elections in Venezuela - they will be the first held since the death of Hugo Chavez. They are also the first following the violent response of the right-wing opposition to the presidential election in April.

Venezuela's anti-democratic opposition used the close election results to try to unseat the elected government of Nicolas Maduro. They alleged fraud but failed to provide any evidence. Nonetheless, their leader Henrique Capriles encouraged opposition supporters to "vent their anger." A wave of violence followed resulting in the death of 13 innocent people as well as the burning of vehicles, attacks on health centres, national electoral council buildings and houses of prominent members of the government.

The opposition also attempted to internationalise its false claim of fraud. Its political leaders travelled around the world linking up with right-wing politicians such as Jovino Novoa, senator for Chile's extreme right Union Democratica Independiente (UDI). The establishment of UDI was encouraged and assisted by Pinochet's dictatorship. Novoa notoriously served as general government undersecretary of the military dictatorship between 1979-1982.

This link with the Chilean right wing makes sense. The opposition in Venezuela is at the moment - just like its counterparts in Chile 40 years ago - waging economic war as a strategy to destabilise and bring down the government of President Maduro.

More:
http://www.zcommunications.org/the-shadow-of-chile-falls-on-venezuela-by-francisco-dominguez.html

[pscot]

1. All that oil in play

It's bound to draw global predators. Dr. K. is still out there dispensing advice.

[iemitsu]

2. And its a cinch that there is CIA efforts behind the

destabilization plans just like 40 years ago in Chile.
I hope that Maduro can thwart these efforts and continue the democratization of Venezuela.

[Socialistlemur]

6. I'd say Venezuela is becoming an autocracy

Given the recent move by the National Assembly to delegate its power to the president, and the completely subservient role of the Supreme Court I'd say Venezuela is ruled by an oligarchy which has a nominal autocrat. I say nominal because I suspect the Cuban dictatorship is the one running Maduro.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Hoping for him, as well. He has really sacrificed his life, too,

to accept the duty to continue the struggle.

There is no doubt whatsoever who will win, in the end, even though we see, truly fine people have been harmed so brutally already for their efforts on behalf of their needy brothers and sisters.

The people already know what direction they must go, even if it means leaders will fall, they still know the goal remains the same.

He's a very brave, decent man, getting a world of crap and viciousness from the sadistic, racist, classist, greedy, assholes of the right.

[iemitsu]

9. Thank you Judi, I agree with you 100%.

Latin Americans are keenly aware of their history, in association with the United States, and are, and will continue to, restructuring their states to be much more democratic and citizen friendly.
This while our country seems more and more like a Banana Republic, open for exploitation by corporations and the rich.
Men like Maduro and Chavez are heros.

[mitchtv]

3. K&R

n/t

[Judi Lynn]

4. More worthwhile comments from the original article:

They are organising shortages of vital food and other day-to-day essentials, carrying out sabotage attacks against key facilities such as electricity plants, the metro and oil refineries.

All this echoes the strategy of president Nixon in Chile designed to "make the economy scream" to "prevent Allende from coming to power or to unseat him."

As in Chile, they have unleashed psychological warfare in the media to sow confusion and despair among the poorest and most vulnerable as well as the middle classes.

The West's mainstream media readily and uncritically lends support to this campaign. In October alone the Washington Post ran an editorial headlined Venezuela, On The Path To Implosion, the Miami Herald right on cue announced Desperation In Venezuela and the FT followed with Chaos In Caracas. Foreign Policy magazine ran a piece called Is The US Ready For A Venezuelan Meltdown?

Just as with the ousting of the democratically elected Salvador Allende in Chile the influence of the US looms large in Venezuela.

Key bodies of the US foreign policy apparatus are very actively intervening in the internal affairs of the country by channelling millions of dollars of taxpayers' money into opposition political, social and media coffers.

Anyone who doesn't see the similarity in the events following Hugo Chavez' election either hasn't bothered to become informed on the subject, or is merely denying what informed people DO know, hoping to fool a few of the intellectually lazy.

We all have know they would NEVER give up until control of that country was back in the hands of the corrupt elite who betrayed the people in the first place, selling their resources to foreign interests, and enjoying the profits thrown their way for their dirty work and greed.

[Socialistlemur]

5. Shortages are caused by government policies

The shortages are a result of destruction of national productivity, and the lack of hard currency to buy imports.

Since the chavista/Maduro regime has been in power for about 14 years Venezuela's case isn't like Chile's. I'd say its closer to a mixture of Zimbabwe and Cuba.

[Bacchus4.0]

7. good call on the Zimbabwe and Cuba combo

nothing like Chile. The coup in Venezuela will be from within the chavistas.