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            href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14483">https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14483</a></font>
        <h1 class="reader-title">The Bolivarian Revolution Metes Out
          Poetic Justice</h1>
        <div class="credits reader-credits">By Arnold August -
          Trabajadores - May 13, 2019<br>
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                          <p>On April 30, 2019, the Bolivarian
                            Revolution defeated the latest in a series
                            of attempted U.S.-orchestrated coups d’états
                            since the inaugural one on January 23, when
                            Guaidó was recognized as "Interim President"
                            by Washington.</p>
                          <p>One of the main pretexts being used for the
                            U.S. intervention is that the May 2018
                            presidential elections were supposedly
                            steeped in electoral irregularities and
                            therefore deficient. Thus, Maduro was,
                            according to this false narrative, not
                            elected democratically.</p>
                          <p>However, in a twist of irony, it is the
                            very U.S. interventionist activities –
                            ongoing and supported by the Lima Group –
                            that resulted in the ratification of Maduro
                            as president. Since January 23, Venezuelans
                            in the millions have marched and
                            demonstrated innumerable times all across
                            the country in support of Maduro as
                            President and the Bolivarian Revolution he
                            embodies. The detractors may scoff at this
                            manifestation of political expression as not
                            conforming to the acceptable norms of
                            democracy, let alone electoral procedures.</p>
                          <p>However, millions of Venezuelans have
                            continuously – for close to three months –
                            voted with their feet and their voices. Can
                            this experience replace actual voting in a
                            ballot box? Obviously, it cannot replace the
                            formality. Nonetheless, the ongoing “voting
                            in the streets and workplaces” is even more
                            meaningful than a simple deposit in a ballot
                            box. In fact, on May 2 the Venezuelan armed
                            forces “went to the polls” once again to
                            ratify what they voted for in May 2018.</p>
                          <p>It is only poetic justice that Maduro has
                            strengthened his position as the legitimate
                            president despite, or rather as a result
                            of U.S. increased aggression. Maduro and the
                            government know this, so does the U.S.
                            However, the U.S. cannot afford to admit it,
                            as it challenges the U.S.-centric view that
                            people do not want socialism and revolution,
                            which is supposedly forced upon the people
                            despite their will.</p>
                          <p>In addition to an electoral procedure
                            serving as an excuse for U.S. intervention,
                            the charge that Maduro and the government
                            are “authoritarian” at best, or a
                            dictatorship, irrespective of how he was
                            elected, also serves as a pretext. Why has
                            the U.S. not been able to overthrow the
                            Maduro government? Is it because it is a
                            dictatorship? No. If it were indeed a
                            dictatorship, it would be relatively easy
                            for the U.S. to win over the people, with a
                            dose of naïveté, to free themselves from
                            their “oppressors.”</p>
                          <p>The U.S. could not succeed because of the
                            civilian–military union. Despite all the
                            attempts, including the latest one on April
                            30, it remains not only fully intact, but
                            its consciousness, patriotism and military
                            strength have all been strengthened.</p>
                          <p>The fact that the already broad armed
                            alliance is continuously sinking its roots
                            yet further into the communities that are
                            arming themselves (at their own request)
                            makes what would normally be applauded as
                            democratization seen as another proof of
                            dictatorship.</p>
                          <p>The U.S. is pitted against this force. Can
                            the U.S. and its puppet offer democracy? Its
                            stated goal is to convert Venezuela into an
                            economic and political satellite of the U.S.
                            In the face of this, the civilian–military
                            alliance and the Maduro government are the
                            guarantee of democracy for the majority of
                            Venezuelans.</p>
                          <p>Thus, in yet another twist of irony, the
                            very government that has been dubbed a
                            dictatorship, as a result of U.S. policy, is
                            on a daily basis acting – and more
                            importantly, being seen by millions of
                            Venezuelans – as the instrument of democracy
                            for Venezuela, and not the antithesis of it.</p>
                          <p>This consciousness is worth its weight in
                            gold, and it is omnipresent in society,
                            including the military. The U.S. claims it
                            wants democracy for Venezuela, but the
                            majority of Venezuelans are increasingly
                            gripping on to their own government as the
                            instrument for maintaining – and seemingly
                            strengthening – democracy. Virtue is
                            rewarded while infamy is punished. Moreover,
                            the way the situation is evolving, the U.S.
                            is destined to be punished time and time
                            again, as it is blinded by its own
                            self-serving, preconceived views on
                            democracy.</p>
                          <p>The Bolivarian Revolution’s resistance to
                            the ongoing U.S.-led economic and political
                            war is going to be one of the most heroic
                            chapters in post-World War II Latin American
                            history. Today, millions of Venezuelans are
                            writing history.</p>
                          <p>It is this very outcome that the critics of
                            the Trump policy fear. Their only difference
                            with Trump is their claim that his
                            economic/political (and potential military)
                            intervention is “counterproductive.” What
                            does that mean? They fear what they call
                            “polarization.” This is a liberal code word
                            for the strengthening of Chavismo, which
                            strikes fear in the hearts and minds of the
                            “left” opposition.</p>
                          <p>The Bolivarian Revolution metes out poetic
                            justice against all the accusations against
                            it. It is turning the tables on history and
                            on its accusers, all the while increasingly
                            winning the support of people worldwide.
                            This includes the people in the U.S. itself
                            and in one of its main allies, Canada. On
                            the other hand, the U.S. government is
                            increasingly isolated. It is lashing out
                            like a mad dog and swinging wildly, such as
                            on Cuba, and in the process isolating itself
                            even further on an international scale.</p>
                          <p><em>The views expressed in this article are
                              the author's own and do not necessarily
                              reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis
                              editorial staff.</em></p>
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