By Stephen Lendman
November 4, 2009
At a time of growing US poverty, hunger, homelessness, and despair, imperial wars without end, and the Obama administration even worse than its predecessor, Venezuela:
— is a model participatory democracy;
— holds free, fair and open elections;
— respects the rule of law, civil liberties, and human rights;
— doesn’t intimidate its neighbors;
— uses its resources responsibly for the people;
— provides essential social services for the needy;
— champions judicial fairness and the rule of law;
— has a model free and open media;
— wages no foreign wars;
— doesn’t torture or imprison its adversaries;
— conducts effective operations to halt illicit drugs trafficking;
— promotes global peace, solidarity, equality and social justice; and
— its only threat is its good example that shames its northern neighbor.
In contrast, America:
— is a serial belligerent and world class bully;
— spends more on militarism than the rest of the world combined at a time it has no enemies;
— backs the world’s worst dictators and faux democrats like Colombia’s Alvaro Uribe, a man closely linked to the country’s paramilitary death squads and drug cartels; and
— through the CIA, has actively engaged in global drugs trafficking since the agency’s 1947 founding; it profits hugely from its dealings with local traffickers; so do major US banks and other powerful business and financial interests.
In addition, Washington
— serves the rich at the public’s expense;
— tolerates corruption at the highest levels;
— subverts democracy through electoral fraud;
— has a closed, corrupted dominant media system serving the powerful, not the greater good;
— incarcerates hundreds of political prisoners;
— uses torture as official policy; and
— wages state-sponsored terrorism and global wars.
So consider the hypocrisy. On October 27, Rep. Connie Mack (Rep. FL) introduced HR 872: Calling for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its support of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP). Its sole co-sponsor was Rep. Ron Klein (Dem. FL).
Connie Mack is a notorious right-wing ideologue. In an accompanying statement he said:
“The evidence linking Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez to the FARC and Hezbollah – two of the most dangerous terrorist organizations, responsible for many bombings, kidnappings, killings and drug trafficking – is overwhelming. Naming Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism will strengthen the stability of the region. The Administration must not turn a blind eye to Chavez’s dangerous aggression and must add Venezuela to the state sponsors of terrorism with delay.”
Fact Check
Iran hasn’t attacked a neighbor in over 200 years, but has defended itself vigorously when attacked, including during the 1980-88 war with Iraq, a conflict the Carter administration triggered in an attempt to destabilize and weaken both countries.
Noted Latin America expert James Petras calls the FARC-EP the “longest standing, largest peasant-based guerrilla movement in the world (that was) founded in 1964 by two dozen peasant activists (to defend) autonomous rural communities from” Colombian military and paramilitary violence.
Hezbollah is no terrorist organization. It’s a legitimate resistance group, and, as a political party, is part of Lebanon’s elected government. In addition, it’s well respected for providing essential social services, including a network of schools, medical clinics, and organized relief after Israeli South Lebanon bombings in 1993, 1996, and 2006.
Also, according to Aijaz Ahmad writing in the Indian magazine, Frontline:
It’s “the only entity which has, through armed resistance, forced the Israelis to relinquish any territory that the Jewish state has ever captured” through decades of regional belligerency.
Mack Attack Round Two
HR 872 is round two for Mack. On March 13, 2008, he and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R. FL) introduced HR 1049 (with eight co-sponsors) “calling for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism (and) condemn(ing) the Venezuelan government for its support of terrorist organizations,” at that time referring to the FARC-EP. The resolution died in the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Referred there as well, the new one won’t fare better. Otherwise the implications are serious as state terrorism designation means halting normal relations, prohibiting US companies from exporting and operating there, and denying America vitally needed Venezuelan oil. It’s the nation’s fourth largest supplier after Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
In its “State Sponsors of Terrorism Overview,” the US States Department imposes the following sanctions:
1. “A ban on arms-related exports and sales.
2. Controls over exports of dual-use items (that may be anything, including oil), requiring 30-day Congressional notification for goods and services that could significantly enhance the terrorist-list country’s military capability or ability to support terrorism.
3. Prohibitions on economic assistance.
4. Imposition of miscellaneous financial and other restrictions, including:
— Requiring the United States to oppose loans by the World Bank and other international financial institutions;
— Lifting diplomatic immunity to allow families of terrorist victims to file civil lawsuits in US courts;
— Denying companies and individuals tax credits for income earned in terrorist-listed countries;
— Denial of duty-free treatment of goods exported to the United States;
— Authority to prohibit any US citizen from engaging in a financial transaction with a terrorist-list government without a Treasury Department license; and
— Prohibition of Defense Department contracts above $100,000 with companies controlled by terrorist-list states.”
In other words, it halts virtually all normal diplomatic, political and business dealings with “terrorist-list states.”
Corporate interests won’t tolerate it at a time every business opportunity counts. Nor will Venezuela with strong regional support given the political, security and economic implications.
As long as Bolivarianism flourishes, expect new efforts to vilify, isolate, destabilize, and topple Chavez, no more likely to succeed than others, and here’s why. According to the Venezuelan Institute of Data Analysis (IVAD), his latest approval rating tops 62% after nearly 11 years as president. Governing responsibly keeps him popular compared to Barack Obama’s noticeable slippage from his post inaugural high.
According to the November 3 Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll, only 28% of voters strongly approve of his performance, 41% strongly disapprove, 46% somewhat approve, 52% somewhat disapprove, and for Congress it’s far worse – 15% say its doing a good or excellent job compared to 53% ranking it poor.
Given Washington’s inattention to essential needs, watch for even greater erosion compared to Chavez remaining popular by a two-to-one margin – a profile befitting a democrat, not a state-sponsor of terrorism.
Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Global Research News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday – Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national issues. All programs are archived for easy listening.
The Hunger Site
February 2, 2010 at 2:04 am
I start:
First and foremost, I understand “America” as a double continent. I suppose the author meant “USA”.
The first time the name of America was used on a map, it was right where Northern South America was. I use the Humboldt terminology and that of most “Americans”, from Alaska to Argentina.
I can be very critical of US (or other country)’s rolle in Iraq, in Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Palestine, etc, etc.
No crime from one government justifies those of another. Now I talk about those of the Venezuelan government and your claims.
– is a model participatory democracy;
* That is a farce. Although Venezuela is not even a socialist country, we can fairly say the “soviety” (councils) of the USSR were much more real than anything Venezuela has.
It is a chavecracy: the people had a say on the 2007 referendum on many issues (not just against reelection in a presidential system, which is completely different as in a parliamentary one) and they rejected all proposals and yet the government introduced them all,
* a huge gerrymandering has taken place and representativity is violated for parliamentary elections and this, as opposed to the US, is very clearly against the constitution
* the president chooses all candidates for his Unified Socialist Party of Venezuela
– holds free, fair and open elections;
* carter centre my foot: they had no IT expert, a software is always a blackbox unless people can follow source code to binary used (just impossible), the paper trail did not work even for the president’s dad or for an official governor (and many others), so no proof, votes abroad are no longer counted, there are lots of inconsistencies, the voting centres are managed by chavistas, the cne is managed by chavistas (two of their highest officials even said publicly before being selected that they would do anything in their power to guarantee the so-called “revolution” staying in power. Please, read the account of one of the European Union observers in 2006 (the truth about EU observers).
The government uses millions just some weeks before each election distributing free mattresses, mixers, beer (never mind sustainable development)
– respects the rule of law, civil liberties, and human rights;
The judges are completely under the president’s thumb,
Venezolana de Television plays illegally recorded conversations of oppo politicians, the government used a list of those who signed for calling a referendum (not voting, just calling for it) to sack massively people and to use as a filter: those who sign are against us;
the president constantly insults the opposition – at least half the population – as traitors, scum, etc.
He said our victory in the referendum of 2007 (which he then ignored) was just a victory of “shit”. He said that three time and said that on national TV.
– doesn’t intimidate its neighbors;
Venezuela cannot intimidate Brazil. It has intimidated colombia time after time.
– uses its resources responsibly for the people;
Sure, it gives millions to the Kirchner government for election purposes (and Argentina is much wealthier and it i illegal), it spends 6.5 billion dollars since 2002 in Russian weapons, it gives salaries to deputies that are higher than in Germany; but pays basic school teachers a misery, it gives overpriced deals to Spanish companies (Diosdado cabello), it kept a highly overpriced Bolivar for many years destroying the small national manufacturing industry, it gives lavish budget to the president but all the time less for public primary and secondary education
– provides essential social services for the needy;
It has gives the crumbles of the biggest oil boom we have ever had: 90% of Venezuela’s oil revenues have come for many, many decades from oil. When the price is low (in the eighties and nineties it was around $12-14), there is less spending. Now the oil price is around $70 per barrel, SEVERAL TIMES what the government had in 1998. Still, the spending has not kept up with the increases. It is just more…but no wonder and not enough by far. Most has been stolen by the Arne chacon and Jessie chacon and the Diosdados.
– champions judicial fairness and the rule of law;
This is a joke. The HRc ha a lot to say on this.
– has a model free and open media;
* We have a sort of Venezuelan “FOX News”. It is bad, very bad, but the only critical TV station there is now. The others
broadcast mostly soap operas and baseball or, if they are of the government, propaganda and insults.
Now, unless you live in the capital or have cable/satellite dish/Internet, you cannot watch Globo.
Over 70% of the population cannot watch anything critical of chavez. Get out of the capital and Valencia and see for yourself. Don’t go to the hotels that have cable. Go to the houses of most.
* the government forces TVs and radio channes to
broadcast several hours a week the speeches of the president
* the opposition has no way to express themselves freely in the national TV (VTV) or radio (Radio nacional de Venezuela): apparently, the state TV and radios are only for
the government to use
* the president has never ever after been elected in 1998 accepted an open debate with opposition leaders, journalists are screened as they are not screened even in the US (and I don’t see the US media as a role model: it i just that even THAT is better)
There is no way in Venezuela the president would accept a debate as heads of states have in Europe all the time, not just on election time.
– wages no foreign wars;
It just sends military personnel to Bolivia and provides haven to the Farc guerrilla
– doesn’t torture or imprison its adversaries;
It does. See reports from HRW.
– conducts effective operations to halt illicit drugs trafficking;
Is this a joke? Drug trafficking through Venezuela has increased dramatically. Anyway: the point should be an open discussion about the issue. Venezuela’s role in cocaine trade, specially with Africa-Europe, has increased a lot in the last years. Even the EU says so.
– promotes global peace, solidarity, equality and social justice; and
The anual murder rate in Venezuela was 19×100000 in 1998. Now it is over 60, higher than anywhere in South America. This shows equality is even worse than before (and it was very bad before).
– its only threat is its good example that shames its northern neighbor.
Well, how do you proove that? You could have said “it is more beautiful than its neighbour” and it would not be more objective.
Why is the Venezuelan government refusing to let Venezuela take part in the PISA programme to show what the real education level of poor pupils is?
Why did the Venezuelan government stop sending the stats about murder rate to the United Nations in 2002?
Why does Hugo chavez refuse to have an open debate on real time himself?
Why does the Venezuelan government say nothing about the human right violations in Iran?
Why does the Venezuelan government say nothing about th human right violations in Sudan?
May 9, 2013 at 11:35 am
you speak your, watch your, instead of talking so much you should get help and stop the tantrum you have, only what is sulfur boots inside you, this country is the most beautiful thing God has made ..
February 1, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Dear Mr. Lendman, you are displaying as much ignorance as the people that support Hugo Chavez but i must say it is easy to see the situation in Venezuela like you see it when you do not live in Venezuela and have to see that today we have more poor people than we had 10 years ago, you see children in almost every corner begging for money, you see Hugo Chavez giving money to Haiti, Africa, etc, free gas to countries and we have to go without electricity several hours every day because the money budgeted for our energy development was wasted helping countries that are in better situation than ours.
We used to be a pacific, friendly country, we used to have great relationship with Colombia and the rest of latin america but now because some countries do not believe in Chavez’s ideology then we are spending our money on buying weapons that we could never use even though the world knows Venezuela could never stand a war against the US or Colombia.
Come live in Zulia State, where we share now our space with the colombian gorillas because Hugo Chavez allows it to happen and has offered them a safe heaven. If you decide to come you could also share the most profitable business these days in Venezuela, kidnapping of hard working people, which happens almost every day.
Please, bring your children so they, like ours, are tought a whole career in 3 years, and they can also be killed just because someone likes and wants their shoes.
Come help us see that the people that are in jail because they opposed Hugo Chavez are just a factor of our imagination.
Come help us see how the supreme court is fair even though they only rule in favor of Hugo Chavez and his system.
Come explain us how come we cannot just walk into a bank and buy dollars or euros or any other currency
Come show us the media you mention as “free”
You should move to Venezuela, with family and all, our government is still giving away our citizenship if you agree to vote for Chavez so take advantage of that.
Just remember, as Venezuelan, you are only allowed $2,500 dollars a year in credit card expenses, $500 cash a year, and $400 that you can spend a year buying “almost whatever” you want on the internet.
May 9, 2013 at 11:42 am
You do not know anything about life in the us stop talking and intrometerte in country you well and do not look at who the pazzzz is the best we can do to help make this world stop sinking … and stop complaining so much and work more and talk less. with that aid does not destroy … peace for the planet …
November 6, 2009 at 11:57 am
The Republicans don’t like Hugo Chavez. Why? Because he has spent more than the U.S. in aid in Latin America and the Caribbean in an effort to blunt U.S.-backed economic policies there. He has made an international reputation with his strident opposition to our policies there. Remember Chavez’s opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas at the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and his unsuccessful bid to win the Latin American and Caribbean nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council (the seat ultimately went to Panama). And who can forget Chavez calling President Bush “the devil” in his September 2006 speech to the UN General Assembly, and in March 2007, calling Bush “history’s greatest killer” and “the devil.” Chavez’s histrionics find a sympathetic ear in many Latin American countries and certainly to his constituency in Venezuela. Chavez has a long memory too. Remember the Bush administration financed and supported an abortive coup against him in 2002.
May 9, 2013 at 11:26 am
I think you all are wrong in what they say if ciierto Venezuela is home to the liberators of this world which is full of politicking is not true policies, opponents do nothing but kill thousands of people in the streets and justify their should you intention is to leave the politicking and spend all their assets to help this country if they really want that in their governments if there was much pobresa and inequality, Venezuela is respected and will not allow any part of psychological warfare that you already know your thinking and how they act, you are a fariceos hypocritical liars, farzantes, capricious, selfish they do not want anyone and try to get as doves and are wolves …. the opposition and all those farzantes oppositionists only left is to leave this country that do not work ..