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<h1><b>Coup D'Etat Rumblings in
Venezuela</b></h1><font size=3>
<a href="http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=45&ItemID=14325" eudora="autourl">
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=45&ItemID=14325</a>
<br><br>
by Stephen Lendman <br>
November 19, 2007<br><br>
<br>
</font><font size=2>The Bush administration tried and failed three prior
times to oust Hugo Chavez since its first aborted two-day coup attempt in
April, 2002. Through FOIA requests, lawyer, activist and author Eva
Golinger uncovered top secret CIA documents of US involvement that
included an intricate financing scheme involving the quasi-governmental
agency, National Endowment of Democracy (NED), and US Agency for
International Development (USAID). The documents also showed the White
House, State Department and National Security Agency had full knowledge
of the scheme, had to have approved it, and there's little doubt of CIA
involvement as it's always part of this kind of dirty business. What's
worrying now is what went on then may be happening again in what looks
like a prelude to a fourth made-in-Washington attempt to oust the
Venezuelan leader that must be monitored closely as events
develop.<br><br>
<br><br>
Since he took office in February, 1999, and especially after George
Bush's election, Chavez has been a US target, and this time he believes
credible sources point to a plot to assassinate him. That information
comes from Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh, president of the Hugo Chavez
International-Foundation for Peace, Friendship & Solidarity
(HCI-FPFS) in a November 11 press release. Sankoh supports Chavez as
"a man of peace and flamboyant champion of human dignity (who
persists in his efforts in spite of) growing US blackmail, sabotage and
political blasphemy."<br><br>
<br><br>
HCI-FPFS sources revealed the plot's code name - "Operation Cleanse
Venezuela" that now may be unfolding ahead of the December 2
referendum on constitutional reforms. According to Sankoh, the scheme
sounds familiar - CIA and other foreign secret service operatives
(including anti-Castro terrorists) aiming to destabilize the Chavez
government by using "at least three concrete subversive plans"
to destroy the country's social democracy and kill Chavez.<br><br>
<br><br>
It involves infiltrating subversive elements into the country, inciting
opposition within the military, ordering region-based US forces to shoot
down any aircraft used by Chavez, employing trained snipers with shoot to
kill orders, and having the dominant US and Venezuelan media act as
supportive attack dogs. Chavez is targeted because he represents the
greatest of all threats to US hegemony in the region - a good example
that's spreading. Venezuela also has Latin America's largest proved oil
reserves at a time supplies are tight and prices are at all-time
highs.<br><br>
<br><br>
Sankoh calls Washington-directed threats "real" and to "be
treated seriously" to avoid extending Bush's Middle East adventurism
to Latin America. He calls for support from the region and world
community to denounce the scheme and help stop another Bush
administration regime change attempt.<br><br>
<br><br>
More information on a possible coup plot also came from a November 13
Party for Socialism and Liberation article headlined "New US plots
against the Venezuelan Revolution." It states Tribuna Popular (the
Communist Party of Venezuela) and Prensa Latina (the Latin American News
Agency) reported: "Between Oct. 7 and Oct 9, high-ranking US
officials met in Prague, Czech Republic, with parts of the Venezuelan
opposition (where they were) urged to convene social uprisings, sabotage
the economy and infrastructure, destroy the food transportation chain and
plan a military coup." It said Paul Wolfowitz and Madeleine Albright
attended along with Humberto Celli, "a well-known coup-plotter from
the Venezuelan party Accion Democratica."<br><br>
<br><br>
The article further reported Tibisay Lucena, The National Electoral
Council chairman, said the Venezuelan corporate media was "stoking a
mood of violence amongst right-wing students" through a campaign of
agitprop, and Hermann Escarra from the "pro-coup" Comando
Nacional de la Resistencia openly incited "rebellion" last
August and then called for constitutional changes to be stopped
"through all means possible."<br><br>
<br><br>
The Venezuelan news agency, Diaria VEA, also weighed in saying
"anonymous students planned on committing acts of
destabilization" as the December 2 vote approaches. Venezuelan Radio
Trans Mundial provided proof with a recorded video of a youth dumping
gasoline into an armored vehicle, ramming metal barricades into police on
top of other vehicles, and knocking them from their roofs and hoods onto
the ground.<br><br>
<br><br>
The Threat of Street Protest Violence<br><br>
<br><br>
For weeks, protests with sporadic violence have been on Venezuela's
streets as anti-Chavistas use middle and upper class students as imperial
tools to destabilize the government and disrupt the constitutional
process. The aim is to discredit and oust the Chavez government and
return the country to its ugly past with Washington and local oligarchs
in charge and the neoliberal model reinstated.<br><br>
<br><br>
Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro, weighed in on this on
November 8. He accused Washington of meddling by staging violent Caracas
street protests against proposed constitutional reforms to extend the
country's participatory social democracy. Referring to a November 7
shootout at Caracas' Central University, he said: "We don't have any
doubt that the government of the United States has their hands in the
scheme that led to the ambush yesterday" that Chavez calls a
"fascist offensive." Several students were wounded on the
streets from a clash between pro and anti-Chave zelements.<br><br>
<br><br>
"We know the whole scheme," Maduro added, and he should as it
happened before in 2002, again during the disruptive 2002-03 oil
management lockout, and most often as well when elections are held to
disrupt the democratic process. These are standard CIA operating tactics
used many times before for 50 years in the Agency's efforts to topple
independent leaders and kill them. Chavez understands what's happening,
and he's well briefed and alerted by his ally, Fidel Castro, who survived
over 600 US attempts to kill him since 1959. He's now 81 and very much
alive but going through a difficult recovery from major surgery 15 months
ago.<br><br>
<br><br>
Chavez has widespread popular support throughout the region and from
allies like Ecuador's Raphael Correa and Nicaraguan President Daniel
Ortega who expressed his "solidarity with the revolutionary people
of Venezuela and our friend Hugo Chavez, who is being subjected to
aggression from a counterrevolution fed by the traitors from inside the
country and by the empire (referring to the US)." He compared the
situation to his own country where similar efforts are being
"financed by the United States Embassy" in Managua to support
elements opposed to his Sandinista government even though it's very
accommodative to Washington.<br><br>
<br><br>
Even Brazil's Lula chimed in by calling Chavez's proposed reforms
consistent with Venezuela's democratic norms, and he added: "Please,
invent anything to criticize Chavez, except for lack of
democracy."<br><br>
<br><br>
Constitutional Reform As A Pretext for Protests<br><br>
<br><br>
Washington's goal from all this is clear, but why now? Last July, Chavez
announced he'd be sending Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) a proposed
list of constitutional reforms to debate, consider and vote on. Under
Venezuelan law, the President, National Assembly or 15% of registered
voters (by petition) may propose constitutional changes. Under articles
342, 343, 344 and 345, they must then be debated three times in the
legislature, amended if needed, and then submitted to a vote that
requires a two-thirds majority to pass. Finally within 30 days, the
public gets the last word, up or down, in a national referendum. It
represents the true spirit of democracy that's unimaginable in the US
where elitists control everything, elections are a sham, and the people
have no say.<br><br>
<br><br>
That was true for Venezuela earlier, but no longer. In its history, there
have been 26 Constitutions since its first in 1821, but none like the
1999 Bolivarian one under Chavez that's worlds apart from the others. It
created a model participatory social democracy that gave all citizens the
right to vote it up or down by national referendum and then empowered
them (or the government) later on to petition for change.<br><br>
<br><br>
On August 15, Chavez did that by submitting 33 suggested amendment
reforms to the Constitution's 350 articles and explained it this way: The
1999 Constitution needed updating because it's "ambiguous (and) a
product of that moment. The world (today) is very different from (then).
(Reforms are) essential for continuing the process of revolutionary
transition" to deepen and broaden Venezuelan democracy. That's his
central aim - to create a "new geometry of power" for the
people along with more government accountability to them.<br><br>
<br><br>
Proposed reforms will have little impact on the nation's fundamental
political structure. They will, however, change laws with regard to
politics, the economy, property, the military, the national territory as
well as the culture and society and will deepen the country's social
democracy.<br><br>
<br><br>
The National Assembly (AN) completed its work on November 2 adding 25
additional articles to Chavez's proposal plus another 11 changes for a
total of 69 articles that amend one-fifth of the nation's Constitution.
The most important ones include:<br><br>
<br><br>
-- extending existing constitutional law that guarantees human rights and
recognizes the country's social and cultural diversity;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- building a "social economy" to replace the failed neoliberal
Washington Consensus model;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- officially prohibiting monopolies and unjust consolidation of economic
resources;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- extending presidential terms from six to seven years;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- allowing unlimited presidential reelections so that option is
"the sovereign decision of the constituent people of Venezuela"
and is a similar to the political process in countries like England,
France, Germany and Australia;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- strengthening grassroots communal councils, increasing their funding,
and promoting more of them;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- lowering the eligible voting age from 18 to 16;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- guaranteeing free university education to the highest level;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- prohibiting foreign funding of elections and political
activity;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- reducing the work week to 36 hours to promote more
employment;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- ending the autonomy of Venezuela's Central Bank to reclaim the
country's financial sovereignty the way it should be everywhere; today
nearly all central banks are controlled by private for-profit banking
cartels; Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul wants to end that
status in the US and correctly explains the Federal Reserve Bank is
neither federal nor does it have reserves; it's owned and run by Wall
Street and the major banks;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- adding new forms of collective property under five categories: public
for the state, social for citizens, collective for people or social
groups, mixed for public and private, and private for individuals or
private entities;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- territorial redefinition to distribute resources more equitably to
communities instead of being used largely by economic and political
elites;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination and enacting gender
parity rights for political candidates;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- redefining the military as an "anti-imperialist popular
entity;"<br><br>
<br><br>
-- in cases where property is appropriated for the public good, fair and
timely compensation to be paid for it;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- protecting the loss of one's home in cases of bankruptcy; and<br><br>
<br><br>
-- enacting social security protection for the self-employed.<br><br>
<br><br>
The National Assembly also approved 15 important transitional
dispositions. They relate to how constitutional changes will be
implemented if approved until laws are passed to regulate them. One
provision is for the legislature to pass 15 so-called "organic
laws" that include the following ones:<br><br>
<br><br>
-- a law on "popular power" to govern grassroots communal
councils (that may number 50,000 by year end) that Chavez called
"one of the central ideas....to open, at the constitutional level,
the roads to accelerate the transfer of power to the people (in an)
Explosion of Communal (or popular) Power;" five percent of state
revenues will be set aside to fund it;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- another promoting a socialist economy for the 21st century that Chavez
champions even though he remains friendly to business; and<br><br>
<br><br>
-- one relating to the country's territorial organization; plus others on
education, a shorter workweek and more democratic changes.<br><br>
<br><br>
Under Venezuelan law, and in the true spirit of democracy, these proposed
changes will be for citizens to vote up or down on December 2. The
process will be in two parts reversing an earlier decision to do it as
one package, yea or nay. One part will be Chavez's 33 reforms plus 13
National Assembly additions, and the other for the remaining 23
articles.<br><br>
<br><br>
Coup D'Etat Rumblings Must Be Taken Seriously<br><br>
<br><br>
Now battle lines are drawn, opposition forces are mobilized and events
are playing out violently on Venezuela's streets. The worst so far was on
November 7 when CNN falsely reported "80,000" anti-Chave
zstudents demonstrated "peacefully" in Caracas to denounce
"Hugo Chavez's attempts to expand his power." The actual best
estimates put it between 2000 and 10,000, and long-time Latin American
expert James Petras calls the protesters "privileged middle and
upper middle class university students," once again being used as an
imperial tool.<br><br>
<br><br>
In their anti-government zeal, CNN and other dominant media ignore the
many pro-Chavez events writer Fred Fuentes calls a "red
hurricane" sweeping the country. An impressive one was held on
November 4 when the President addressed hundreds of thousands of
supporters who participated in an 8.5 kilometer Caracas march while
similar pro-reform rallies took place at the same time around the
country. They're the start of a "yes" campaign for a large
December 2 turnout that's vital as polls show strong pro-reform support
by a near two to one margin.<br><br>
<br><br>
In an effort to defuse it, orchestrated opposition turned violent and
officials reported eight people were injured in the November 7 incident.
No one was killed, but one was wounded by gunfire when at least
"four (masked) gunmen (who looked like provocateur plants, not
students) fir(ed) handguns at the anti-Chavez crowd." In an earlier
October demonstration, opposition students clashed with police who kept
them from reaching the National Assembly building and a direct
confrontation with pro-Chave zsupporters that might have turned
ugly.<br><br>
<br><br>
It did on November 7 when violence erupted between pro and
anti-government students, but it wasn't as reported. Venezuelan and US
corporate media claimed pro-Chavez supporters initiated the attack. In
fact, they WERE attacked by elements opposing the President. They seized
this time to act ahead of the referendum to disrupt it and destabilize
the government as prelude to a possible planned coup.<br><br>
<br><br>
One pro-Chavez student explained what happened. She and others were
erecting posters supporting a "yes" referendum vote when they
were attacked with tear gas and crowds yelling they were going to be
lynched. Avila TV had the evidence. Its unedited footage showed an
opposition student mob surrounding the School of Social Work area where
pro-Chavez students hid for safety. They threw Molotov cocktails, rocks,
chairs and other objects, smashed windows, and tried to burn down the
building as university authorities (responsible for security) stood aside
doing nothing to curtail the violence. Another report was that
corporate-owned Univision operatives posing as reporters had guns and
accompanied the elements attacking the school in an overt act of
complicity by the media.<br><br>
<br><br>
The pattern now unfolding on Caracas streets is similar to what happened
ahead of the April, 2002 aborted coup attempt, and Petras calls it
"the most serious threat (to the President) since" that time.
The corporate media then claimed pro-government supporters instigated
street violence and fired on "unarmed" opposition protesters.
In fact, that was later proved a lie as anti-Chavez "snipers"
did the firing as part of the plot that became the coup. A similar scheme
may now be unfolding in Caracas and on other campuses around the country
as well.<br><br>
<br><br>
In his public comments, Foreign Minister Maduro accused the major media
and CNN of misrepresenting events and poisoning the political atmosphere.
It's happening in Venezuela and the US as the dominant media attacks Hugo
Chavez through a campaign of vilification and black propaganda.<br><br>
<br><br>
US Corporate Media on the Attack<br><br>
<br><br>
On November 12, The Venezuela Information Office (VIO) reported that
growing numbers of "US print newspapers lodged attacks against
Venezuela" using "outdated cold-war generalizations" and
without explaining any of the proposed democratic changes. Among others,
they came from the Houston Chronicle that claimed:<br><br>
<br><br>
-- constitutional reforms will "eliminate the vestiges of
democracy" in Venezuela when, in fact, they'll strengthen it, and
the people will vote them up or down;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- Chavez controls the electoral system when, in fact, Venezuela is a
model free, fair and open democracy that shames its US equivalent. The
Chronicle falsely said reforms will strip people of their right to due
process. In fact, that's guaranteed under article 337 that won't be
changed.<br><br>
<br><br>
VIO also reported on a Los Angeles Times editorial comparing Chavez to
Bin Laden. It compounded that whopper by claiming reforms will cause a
global recession due to higher oil prices that, of course, have nothing
to do with changes in law. In another piece, the LA Times inverted the
truth by falsely claiming a public majority opposes reforms. Then there's
the Miami Herald predicting an end to freedom of expression if changes
pass and the Washington Post commenting on how high oil prices let Chavez
buy influence.<br><br>
<br><br>
The Post then ran an inflamatory November 15 editorial headlined
"Mr. Chavez's Coup" if which it lied by saying November 7
student protesters "were fired on by gunmen (whom) university
officials later 'identified'....as members of government-sponsored
'paramilitary groups' when, in fact, there are no such groups. The
editorial went on to say Chavez wants to "complete his
transformation into an autocrat (to be able to) seize property....dispose
of Venezuela's foreign exchange reserves....impose central government
rule on local jurisdictions and declare indefinite states of
emergency" as well as suspend due process and freedom of
information. Again, misinformation, deliberate distortion and outright
lies from a leading quasi-official US house organ.<br><br>
<br><br>
Rupert Murdock's Wall Street Journal weighed in as well with its lead
anti-Chavez attack dog and all-round character assassin extraordinaire,
Mary Anastasia O'Grady. This writer has tangled with her several times
before and earlier commented how one day she'll have a serious back
problem because of her rigid position of genuflection to the most extreme
hard-right elements she supports. Her latest November 12 column was
vintage O'Grady and headlined "More Trouble for Chavez (as) Students
and former allies unite against his latest power grab."<br><br>
<br><br>
Like most of her others, this one drips with vitriol and outrageous
distortions like calling Chavez a "dictator" when, in fact,
he's a model democrat, but that's the problem for writers like O'Grady.
Absent the facts, they use agitprop instead. O'Grady writes: "Mr.
Chavez has been working to remove any counterbalances to his power for
almost nine years (and) has met strong resistance from property owners,
businesses, labor leaders, the Catholic Church and the media." Now
add opposition well-off students. Omitted is that the opposition is a
minority, it represents elitist interests, and Chavez has overwhelming
public support for his social democracy and proposed reform changes
including from most students O'Grady calls "pro-Chavez
goons."<br><br>
<br><br>
Once again, she's on a rampage, but that's her job. She claims the absurd
and people believe her - like saying the media will be censored, civil
liberties can be suspended, and government will be empowered to seize
private property. He's a "demagogue," says O'Grady,
waging "class warfare," but opposition to reform "has led
to increased speculation (his) days are numbered." Wishing won't
make it so, and O'Grady uses that line all the time.<br><br>
<br><br>
The New York Times is also on the attack in its latest anti-Chavez
crusade. It's been a leading Chavez critic for years, and Simon Romero is
its man in Caracas. On November 3, he reported "Lawmakers in
Venezuela Approve Expanded Power for Chavez (in a) constitutional
overhaul (to) enhance (Chavez's) authority, (allow) him to be reelected
indefinitely, and (give) him the power to handpick rulers, to be called
vice-presidents, (and) for various new regions to be created in the
country....The new amendments would facilitate expropriations of private
property (and allow state) security forces to round up citizens (stripped
of their) legal protections" if Chave zdeclares a state of emergency
- to make him look like Pakistan's Musharraf when he's mirror
opposite.<br><br>
<br><br>
Romero also quoted Jose Manuel Gonzales, president of Venezuela's
Fedecamaras (chamber of commerce), saying "Venezuelan democracy was
buried today" and anti-Chavez Roman Catholic church leaders (always
allied with elitists) calling the changes "morally
unacceptable." Then on November 8, Romero followed with an article
titled "Gunmen Attack Opponents of Chavez's Bid to Extend
Power" and implied they were pro-Chavez supporters. Again false.
Still more came on November 10 headlined "Students Emerge as a
Leading Force Against Chavez" in an effort to imply most students
oppose him when, in fact, these elements are a minority.<br><br>
<br><br>
His latest so far is on November 17 titled "Chavez's Vision Shares
Wealth and Centers Power" that in fairness shows the President
addressing a huge crowd of supporters in Maturin on November 16. But
Romero spoiled it by calling his vision "centralized, oil-fueled
socialism (with) Chavez (having) significantly enhanced powers."
Then he quotes Chave zbiographer Alberto Barrera Tyszka who embarrassed
himself and Romero saying the President is seizing and redirecting
"power through legitimate means (and this) is not a dictatorship but
something more complex," the 'tyranny' of popularity." In other
words, he's saying democracy is "tyranny." The rest of the
article is just as bad with alternating subtle and hammer blow attacks
against a popular President's aim to deepen his socially democratic
agenda and help his people.<br><br>
<br><br>
Romero's measured tone outclasses O'Grady's crudeness that's pretty
standard fare on the Journal's notorious opinion page. He's much more
dangerous, however, with a byline in the influential "newspaper of
record" because of the important audience it commands.<br><br>
<br><br>
One other notable anti-Chavez piece is in the November 26 issue of the
magazine calling itself "the capitalist tool" - Forbes. It
shows in its one-sided commentary and intolerance of opposing views. The
article in question, headlined "Latin Sinkholes," is by right
wing economist and long-time flack for empire, Steve Hanke. In it, he
aims right at Chave zwith outrageous comments like calling him a
"negative reformer (who) turned back the clock (and) hails Cuba, the
largest open-air prison in the Americas, as his model. His revolution's
enemy is the marketplace." He then cites a World Bank report saying
"Venezuela is tied with Zimbabwe as this year's champion in
smothering economic freedom," and compounds that lie with
another whopper.<br><br>
<br><br>
Point of fact - Venezuela and Argentina have the highest growth rates in
the region and are near the top of world rankings in recent years.
Following the devastating oil management 2002-03 lockout, Venezuela's
economy took off and grew at double digit rates in 2004, 05 and 06 and
will grow a likely 8% this year. Hanke, however, says "Venezuela's
economic performance under Chavez has been anemic (growing) at an average
rate of only 2% per year. In the same article, he aims in similar fashion
at Ecuador's Raphael Correa calling him "ruthlessly efficient (for
wanting to) pull off a Bolivarian Revolution in Ecuador." Hanke and
most others in the dominant media are of one mind and never let facts
contradict their opinions. Outliers won't be tolerated even when it's
proved their way works best.<br><br>
<br><br>
There's lots more criticism like this throughout the dominant media along
with commentators calling Chave z"a dictator, another Hitler (and) a
threat to democracy." Ignoring the rules of imperial management has
a price. This type media assault is part of it as a prelude for what
often follows - attempted regime change.<br><br>
<br><br>
Further Venezuela Information Office (VIO) Clarification of Facts on the
Ground<br><br>
<br><br>
On November 15, VIO issued an alert update to dispel media inaccuracies
"about Venezuela's constitutional reforms and the student
protests" accompanying them. They're listed below:<br><br>
<br><br>
-- Caracas has a student population of around 200,000; at most 10,000
participated in the largest protest to date, and VIO estimates it was
6000;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- the major media ignore how the government cooperates with students and
made various accommodations to them to be fair to the
opposition;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- Venezuelan police have protected student protesters, and article 68 of
the Constitution requires they do it; it affirms the right of all
Venezuelans to assemble peacefully;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- in addition, student protest leaders linked to opposition parties were
granted high-level meetings with government officials to present their
concerns;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- on November 1, their student representatives met with directors of the
National Electoral Council (CNE) and presented a petition to delay the
referendum;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- on November 7, they again met with National Tribunal of Justice
officials and presented the same petition;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- on November 12, Minister of Interior and Justice Minister, Pedro
Carreno, met 20 university presidents to assure them the government
respects university autonomy and their students' right to assemble
peacefully;<br><br>
<br><br>
-- VIO reported what really happened at another November 1 protest after
students met with CNE officials; some of them then tried to chain
themselves to the building while others charged through police lines and
injured six officers; in addition, one student had 20 liters of gasoline
but never got to use it criminally; after the incident, the CNE
president, Tibisay Lucena, issued a public statement expressing his
disappointment about this kind of response to the government's good faith
efforts; and<br><br>
<br><br>
-- VIO said students and university presidents from across the nation
filed a document with the Supreme Court on November 14 supporting
constitutional reform. Chief justice Luisa Estela Morales praised their
coming and said the court's doors are open to anyone wanting to give an
opinion. The dominant media reported nothing on this. It also ignored the
government's 9000 public events throughout the country in past weeks to
explain and discuss proposed reforms and that a hotline was installed for
comments on them, pro or con.<br><br>
<br><br>
-- finally, when protests of any kind happen in the US, police usually
attack them with tear gas, beatings and mass arrests to crush their
democratic spirit and prevent it from being expressed as our
Constitution's First and most important amendment guarantees. In
Venezuela, the spirit of democracy lives. It never existed in the US, and
we want to export our way to everyone and by force if necessary.<br><br>
<br><br>
Here's a November 15 breaking news example of our way in action. At
8:00AM, 12 FBI and Secret Service agents raided the Liberty Dollar
Company's office in Evansville, IN and for the next six hours removed two
tons of legal Ron Paul Dollars along with all the gold, silver and
platinum at the location. They also took all location files and computers
and froze Liberty Dollar's bank accounts in an outrageous police state
action against a legitimate business. This move also seems intended to
impugn the integrity of a presidential candidate gaining popularity
because he defies the bellicose mainstream and wants more people
empowerment.<br><br>
<br><br>
Chavez champions another way and answered his critics at a November 14
Miraflores Presidential Palace press conference where he denounced them
for lying about his reform package. He explained his aim is to strengthen
Venezuela's independence and transfer power to the people, not increase
his own. "For many years in Venezuela," he said, "they
weakened the powers of the state as part of the neoliberal imperial
plan....to weaken the economies of countries to insure domination. While
we remained weak, imperialism was strengthened," and he
elaborated.<br><br>
<br><br>
He then continued to stress his most important reform "is the
transfer of power to the people" through an explosion of grassroots
communal, worker, student and campesino councils, formations of them into
regional and national federations, and the formation of "communes
(to) constitute the basic nucleus of the socialist state." Earlier
Chavez stated that democratizing the economy "is the only way to
defeat poverty, to defeat misery and achieve the largest sum of happiness
for the people." He's not just saying this. He believes and acts on
it, and that's why elitists target him for removal even though he wants
equity for everyone, even his critics, and business continues to thrive
under his government. But not like in the "good old" days when
it was all one-way.<br><br>
<br><br>
Venezuelan Business is Booming - So Why Complain?<br><br>
<br><br>
Business in Venezuela is indeed booming, and in 2006 the Financial Times
said bankers were "having a party" it was so good. So what's
the problem? It's not good enough for corporate interests wanting it all
for themselves and nothing for the people the way it used to be
pre-Chavez. Unfair? Sure, but in a corporate-dominated world, that's how
it is and no outliers are tolerated. Thus Hugo Chavez's dilemma.<br><br>
<br><br>
Last June, Business Week (BW) magazine captured the mood in an article
called "A Love-Hate Relationship with Chavez - Companies are chafing
under the fiery socialist. But in some respects, business has never been
better." Writer Geri Smith asked: "Just how hard is it to do
business in Venezuela" and then exaggerated by saying "hardly a
day passes without another change in the rules restricting
companies." Hardly so, but what is true is new rules require a more
equitable relationship between government and business. They provide more
benefits to the people and greater attention to small Venezuelan business
and other commercial undertakings like an explosion of cooperatives
(100,000 or more) that under neoliberal rules have no chance against the
giants.<br><br>
<br><br>
Nonetheless, the economy under Chavez is booming, and business loves it
even while it complains. It's because oil revenues are high, Chavez
spends heavily on social benefits, and the poor have seen their incomes
more than double since 2004 when all their benefits are included. The
result, as BW explains: "Sales of everything from basics" to
luxury items "have taken off....and local and foreign companies
alike are raking in more money than ever in Venezuela." In addition,
bilateral trade has never been higher, but American business complains
it's caught in the middle of a Washington - Caracas political
struggle.<br><br>
<br><br>
The article continues to show how all kinds of foreign business is
benefitting from cola to cars to computer chips. Yet, it restates the
dilemma saying "As Chave zcontinues his socialist crusade, there are
signs of rising discontent," and it's showing up now on the
country's streets with the latest confrontation still to be resolved, one
way or another.<br><br>
<br><br>
Events Are Ugly and Coming to A Head<br><br>
<br><br>
Through the dominant media, Washington and Venezuelan anti-Chavez
elements are using constitutional reform as a pretext for what they may
have in mind - "to arouse the military to intervene" and oust
Chavez, as Petras notes in his article titled "Venezuela: Between
Ballots and Bullets." He explains the opposition "rich and
privileged (coalition) fear constitutional reforms because they will have
to grant a greater share of their (considerable) profits to the working
class, lose their monopoly over market transactions to publicly owned
firms, and see political power evolve toward local community councils and
the executive branch."<br><br>
<br><br>
Petras is worried and says "class polarization....has reached its
most extreme expression" as December 2 approaches: "the remains
of the multi-class coalition embracing a minority of the middle class and
the great majority of (workers) is disintegrating (and) political
defections have increased (including 14) deputies in the National
Assembly." Add to them former Chavez Defense Minister, Raul Baduel,
who Petras believes may be "an aspirant to head up a US-backed
right-wing seizure of power."<br><br>
<br><br>
The situation is ugly and dangerous, and lots of US money and influence
fuels it. Petras puts it this way: "Venezuelan democracy, the
Presidency of Hugo Chave zand the great majority of the popular classes
face a mortal threat." An alliance between Washington, local
oligarchs and elitist supporters of the "right" are committed
to ousting Chavez and may feel now is their best chance. Venezuela's
social democracy is on the line in the crucial December 2 vote, and the
entire region depends on it solidifying and surviving.<br><br>
<br><br>
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.<br><br>
<br><br>
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The
Steve Lendman News and Information Hour on TheMicroEffect.com Mondays at
noon US Central time.<br><br>
<br><br>
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