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<h1 class="title">Economic Warfare Doesn’t Kill Governments?</h1>
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<p class="byline"> By <span class="author">Luis Britto Garcia</span>, <span
class="date">September 23rd 2013<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/10040">http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/10040</a><br>
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<p><em>Acclaimed Venezuelan historian, writer and dramatist Luis Britto
Garcia argues that the Venezuelan economy is being subjected to
deliberate economic sabotage and that “a war isn’t won by pretending it
doesn’t exist”.</em></p>
<p>1</p>
<p>War is a continuation of the economy by other means. Capitalism is
the rapaciousness of everyone against everyone. All warfare is
economic; it seeks to destroy and confiscate the adversary’s means of
production. The bombing of defenceless cities forces the civil
population to stop production in order to tend to the wounded. The
objective is not to do away with soldiers, but with supply.</p>
<p>2<br>
<br>
During the IV Republic [in Venezuela, from1958 – 1998], the most
invoked value by Democratic Action [one of the country’s two governing
parties during the IV Republic] was [Food] Supply. In my book <em>The
Language of Demagogy</em> I analyse texts where [Venezuelan President
Romulo] Benacourt [1945 – 1948, 1959 - 1964] mentions supply 112 times,
state power 90, salaries 49, elections 30, and production just 26
times. With this discourse the two-party system kept power for various
decades, until it declared Economic Warfare on itself, by signing a
Package with the International Monetary Fund [in 1989]. Thanks to that,
in little time [then President] Carlos Andres Perez went from Great
Third World Leader to a recluse in Los Teques.</p>
<p>3</p>
<p>There has been Economic Warfare against every revolution, including
bourgeois ones: against the English revolution and the French. There
has also been [economic warfare] against the real ones: against the
Soviet revolution, the Chinese, the Cuban, the Vietnamese, and the
Sandinista. They all confronted sabotage and blockade. War was waged
against the democrat [former Chilean president] Salvador Allende. Henry
Kissinger swore that he would make the Chileans “cry from misery”. The
sociological espionage of “Plan Camelot” revealed their weaknesses. The
hoarders created strategic shortages, the ladies of the oligarchy
banged pots and pans, suicidal unions launched strikes against the
government that protected their rights. Allende was assassinated with
three thousands other Chileans; the rest of the population had their
social security, free higher education, labour rights and freedom taken
away. </p>
<p>4</p>
<p>Not even the strongest economy resists organised and unchecked
pillage. The National Institute of Statistics informs that during the
last 14 years 62.5% of public spending has gone toward social ends.
This finances dramatic improvements in health, nutrition, education,
housing and culture. Jose Gregorio Piña points out that from 1997 until
today the minimum wage has increased 110% above inflation, that over
80% of workers earn above minimum wage, and that in 14 years the
government has benefitted more than 2.2 million pensioners with
[pensions] the equivalent of minimum wage. However the fullest sack is
emptied if it has tears. Subsidised food is taken as contraband to
Colombia by <em>bachequeros </em>[those who buy up products in
shortage or with regulated prices to later sell in Colombia or
Venezuela at a higher price], dollars assigned for remittances and
travellers end up in fantasy destinations and <em>vendecupos </em>[those
who sell their allocated dollars on the black market]. Foreign currency
granted for imports benefit managers of fictitious imports, which
causes the disappearance of 20 billion dollars [from the Venezuelan
economy], a similar magnitude to the damage of the oil sabotage of 2002
– 2003. Sentences from international courts condemn us to pay even
more. Premeditated sabotage damages refineries like Amuay and cuts off
water and electricity services. These open veins of the Venezuelan
economy should be sown up with the correct measures and example-setting
sanctions. <br>
<br>
In supermarkets, snobbish ladies ask how there can be shortages in such
a rich country. It should be explained to them that in a mixed economy
the private sector sells the majority of basic food and products, and
decides shortages, high prices and strategic hoarding. This explanation
is not made because, for one reason or another, the best defenders of
Bolivarianism have been disappearing from public service media. It’s
like removing iceberg lookouts from the Titanic. To the sharp-eyed,
watch out: an iceberg approaches, and it’s the size of the Empire.</p>
<p>6</p>
<p>A war isn’t won by pretending it doesn’t exist, silencing those who
defend us or treating the adversary who attacks us as an ally. The war
that isn’t won is that which isn’t fought.</p>
<p><em>Translated by Ewan Robertson for Venezuelanalysis.com</em></p>
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