J. Patras – De Azijnpisser

James
Patras heeft een artikel met de titel ‘Why Venezuela Has Not Been
Defeated’ geschreven, gepubliceerd op Information Clearing House.

Patras
betoogt dat zogenaamde deskundigen, analisten en politici al meer dan
5 jaar lang voorspellen dat het bewind Maduro binnen de kortste keren
zou omvallen, echter daar zaten deze figuren keer op keer naast. Men
vergeet dan ook dat Maduro een massale achterban heeft onder de arme
bevolking die onder zijn bewind en dat van zijn (vermoorde)
voorganger Chavez, het onnoemelijk veel beter hebben gekregen,
bijvoorbeeld door de bouw van meer dan 1 miljoen huizen voor deze
Venezolanen. Voorts zorgden Chavez en Maduro voor alfabetisering van de arme bevolking, het toegankelijk maken van het voortgezet onderwijs en de toegang tot medicijnen en medische hulp voor de arme bevolking

Deze
arme Venezolanen hebben veel te verliezen en te vrezen als bijvoorbeeld de VS
marionet en zwaar corrupte hufter Guaidó inderdaad door de VS in het
‘presidentszadel’ zou worden gewerkt. Duizenden arme Venezolanen
zullen worden vermoord, zoals eerder in 1989 gebeurde bij grote
protesten tegen de willekeur en het afknijpen van de arme bevolking
door het destijds dictatoriale bewind….. Miljoenen Venezolanen
leefden destijds in krottenwijken en werden uitgesloten van het
voortgezet onderwijs…… De VS leverde de wapens en gaven advies
aan politie, leger en politici hoe de protesten de kop in te
drukken……

Voorts is het wel duidelijk dat de VS ook achter de protesten tegen het Maduro bewind zit, zoals de CIA al veel vaker heeft gedaan, in diverse andere Latijns-Amerikaanse landen, maar ook in Europa, Azië, Afrika en het Midden-Oosten…….

In
zijn artikel noemt Patras alle pogingen van de VS om het Chavez dan
wel Maduro bewind te laten vallen…… De laatste poging is het
saboteren van de Venezolaanse elektriciteitsvoorziening en alle
pogingen om middels grove leugens het bewind Maduro zwart te
maken…. (er zijn er meer, zoals je in het artikel van Patras kan lezen) De VS is zelfs zover gegaan dat men daar liegt dat het
Venezolaanse volk honger lijdt en gebrek heeft aan allerlei andere
zaken, zoals medicijnen…… Al was de situatie vanaf ongeveer
halverwege vorig jaar desastreus, een situatie NB door de VS gecreëerd met haar economische oorlog tegen Venezuela…….

De
VS heeft de humanitaire hulp als propagandawapen gebruikt tegen
Maduro, ‘jammer genoeg’ voor de VS hebben het Rode Kruis en de VN de
Trump administratie beschuldigd van het politiseren van humanitaire
hulp, daar deze 2 organen met hulp van het Venezolaanse leger al lang
en breed humanitaire hulpgoederen hebben verspreid in het land…….

Deze
politisering van de hulp nadat Venezuela weigerde nog langer
humanitaire hulpgoederen uit de VS toe te laten op de vliegvelden van
Venezuela, nadat tussen zo’n lading hulpgoederen op het vliegveld van
Caracas wapens werden gevonden……. De VS poogde dit nog uit te
buiten door de wereld een paar vrachtwagens met hulpgoederen te
tonen, die de grens met Venezuela terecht niet over mochten…..

Daarna
probeerde men de Venezolaanse douane en leger te beschuldigen van
het in brand steken van die vrachtwagens, totdat videobeelden
opdoken, waarin te zien was dat terroristen die werken voor de VS, de
vrachtwagens in brand hebben gestoken…….

Lees
het volgende artikel van Patras en geeft het door, dagelijks worden
we door de reguliere media besodemieterd over de situatie in
Venezuela en heeft het westen al miljarden dollars aan Venezolaanse
tegoeden geconfisqueerd, waarbij de VS zelfs een kapitaal voor de
aankoop van medicijnen heeft gestolen*, terwijl dit land om het hardst
schreeuwt dat de Venezolanen geen medicijnen kunnen krijgen door
‘wanbeleid van het Maduro regime’ (terwijl de VS eerder haar
farmaceuten onder druk heeft gezet niet dan wel zo min mogelijk
medicijnen te leveren aan Venezuela…)

Let wel: in zijn lijst zet Patras een paar keer dat zaken als de sabotage van het elektriciteitsnet gebeurde van 2017 tot 2019, dit moet uiteraard tot en met 2019 zijn. Daarnaast is het zeker dat de VS (CIA) dit soort sabotages al eerder uitvoerde…… Ben het overigens niet eens met Patras wat hij tekortkomingen noemt van het Venezolaanse bewind, al kan ik wel meegaan in het verwijt dat Venezuela al lang niet meer afhankelijk had moeten zijn van zegge en schrijve 1 energiecentrale. Zijn verdere verwijten hebben m.i. van alles te maken met de illegale acties van de VS tegen het soevereine land Venezuela…….

Why
Venezuela Has Not Been Defeated

By
James Petras

April
15, 2019 “Information
Clearing House“– Over
the past half decade, a small army of US analysts, politicians,
academics and media pundits have been predicting the imminent fall,
overthrow, defeat and replacement of the Venezuelan government. They
have been wrong on all counts, in each and every attempt to foist a
US client regime.

In
fact, most of the US induced ‘regime changes’ has strengthened
the support for the Chavez – Maduro government.

When
the US promoted a military-business coup in 2002, a million poor
people surrounded the presidential palace, allied with the military
loyalists, defeated the coup. The US lost their assets among their
business and military clients, strengthened President Chavez, and
radicalized his social program. Likewise, in 2002-03 when state oil
company executives launched a lock-out.They were defeated, and
hundreds of hardcore US supporters were fired and Washington lost a
strategic ally.

A
more recent example is the overbearing role of President Trump’s
bellicose proclamation that the US is prepared to invade Venezuela.
His threat aroused massive popular resistance in defense of national
independence ,even among discontented sectors of the population.

Venezuela
is in the vortex of a global struggle which pits the imperial
aspirations of Washington against an embattled Venezuela intent on
defending its own, and like countries, in support of national and
social justice.

We
will proceed by discussing the multi-sided means and methods adopted
by Washington to overthrow Venezuela’s government and replace it by
a client regime.

We
will then analyze and describe the reasons why Washington has failed,
focusing on the positive strengths of the Venezuelan government.

We
will conclude by discussing the lessons and weaknesses of the
Venezuelan experience for other aspiring nationalist, popular and
socialist governments.

US
Opposition: What Venezuela Faces

The
US assault on Venezuela’s state and society includes:

(a)
A military coup in 2002
(b)
A lockout by the executives of the Venezuelan oil company
(c)
The exercise of global US power – organized political
pressure via clients and allies in Europe, South and North America
(d)
Escalating economic sanctions between 2013 – 2019
(e)
Street violence between 2013 – 2019
(f)
Sabotage of the entire electrical system between 2017 -2019
(g)
Hoarding of goods via corporations and distributors from 2014
– 2019
(h)
Subversion of military and civilian institutions 2002 – 2019
(i)
Regional alliances to expel Venezuelan membership from
regional organizations
(j)
Economic sanctions accompanied by the seizure of over $10
billion dollars of assets
(k)
Sanctions on the banking system

The
US direct intervention includes the selection and appointment of
opposition leaders and ‘dummy’ representatives overseas.

In
brief the US has engaged in a sustained, two decades struggle
designed to bring down the Venezuelan government. It combines
economic, military, social and media warfare. The US strategy has
reduced living standards, undermined economic activity, increased
poverty, forced immigration and increaser criminality. Despite the
exercise of US global power, it has failed to dislodge the government
and impose a client regime.

Why
Venezuela has Succeeded?

Despite
the two decades of pressure by the world’s biggest imperial power,
which bears responsibility for the world’s highest rate of
inflation, and despite the illegal seizure of billions of dollars of
Venezuelan assets, the people remain loyal , in defense of their
government. The reasons are clear and forthright.

The
Venezuelan majority has a history of poverty, marginalization and
repression, including the bloody massacre of thousands of protestors
in 1989. Millions lived in shanty towns, excluded from higher
education and health facilities. The US provided arms and advisers to
buttress the politicians who now form the greater part of the US
opposition to President Maduro. The US- oligarch alliance extracted
billions of dollars from contracts from the oil industry.

Remembrance
of this reactionary legacy is one powerful reason why the vast
majority of Venezuelans oppose US intervention in support of the
puppet opposition.

The
second reason for the defeat of the US is the long-term large-scale
military support of the Chavez-Maduro governments .Former President
Chavez instilled a powerful sense of nationalist loyalty among the
military which resists and opposes US efforts to subvert the
soldiers.

The
popular roots of Presidents Chavez and Maduro resonates with the
masses who hate the opposition elites which despise the so-called
‘deplorables’. Chavez and Maduro installed dignity and respect
among the poor.

The
Venezuelans government defeated the US-backed coups and lockouts,
these victories encouraged the belief that the popular government
could resist and defeat the US-oligarch opposition. Victories
strengthened confidence in the will of the people.

Under
Chavez over two million modern houses were built for the shanty town
dwellers; over two dozen universities and educational centers were
built for the poor, all free of charge . Public hospitals and clinics
were built in poor neighborhoods as well as public supermarkets which
supplied low-cost food and other necessities which sustain living
standards despite subsequent shortages.

Chavez
led the formation of the Socialist Party which mobilized and gave
voice to the mass of the poor and facilitated representation. Local
collectives organized to confront corruption, bureaucracy and
criminality. Together with popular militias, the community councils
ensured security against CIA fomented terror and destruction.

Land
reform and the nationalization of some mines and factories secured
peasant and workers support – even if they were divided by
sectarian leaders.

Conclusion

The
cumulative socio-economic benefits consolidate support for the
Venezuelan leadership despite the hardships the US induces in recent
times. The mass of the people have gained a new life and have a lot
to lose if the US- oligarchy return to power. A successful US coup
will likely massacre tens of thousands of popular supporters of the
government. The bourgeoisie will take its revenge for those many who
have ruled and benefited at the expense of the rich.

There
are important lessons to be learned from the long-term large-scale
successful resistance of the Venezuelan government’s experience but
also its limitations.

Venezuela
, early on, secured the loyalty of the army. That’s why the
Chavista government has endured over 30 years while the Chilean
governments of Salvador Allende was overthrown in three years.

The
Venezuelan government retained mass electoral support because of the
deep socio-economic changes that entrenched mass support in contrast
to the center-left regimes in Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador which won
three elections but were defeated by their right-wing opponents,
including electoral partners, with a downturn in the economy, and the
flight of middle-class voters and parties.

Venezuelas
linkages with allies in Russia, China and Cuba provided ‘life
jackets’ of economic and military support in the face of US
interventions, something the center- left governments failed to
pursue.

Venezuela
built regional alliances with nearly half of South America, weakening
US attempts to form a regional or US invasion force.

Despite
their strategic successes the Venezuelan government has committed
several costly mistakes which increased vulnerability.

(1)
Failure to diversify their exports, markets and banking
system. The US sanctions exploited these weaknesses.
(2)
Failure to carry out monetary reforms to reverse or contain
hyperinflation.
(3)
Failure to maintain the hydro-electoral system and secure it
from sabotage.
(4)
Failure to invest in and recruit new technical professional to
upgrade the operation of the financial system and prosecute
financial corruption in the banking system. Venezuela worked with
high officials who engaged in financial and real estate transactions
of a dubious nature.
(5)
The failure to recruit and train working class and
professional political cadres capable of oversight over management.