In Search of True Thinkers
30th January 2006, 04:10
Hugo Chavez Hates the US Government with the Same Passion he Loves Freedom
So just who is this guy, and why is he calling George Bush an asshole in his native tongue? Hugo Chavez is the six-time democratically elected leader of Venezuela and hated adversary of the elite corporate business classes, both of his own nation and those who reside in the United States, and the Bush Administration. Condoleeza Rice has gone so far as to call him a “destabilizing force in the region”. In order to understand why relations between Washington and Caracas have deteoriated so much since Chavez took office in 1999 one must look the great crimes that our government accuses Mr. Chavez’s government of. Typically Bush administration and its lackeys have referred to three major errors that have singled out Chavez to be reprimanded. His major infractions that infuriate our right-wing government include his close relations with the government of Socialist Cuba, his recent building of the Venezuelan military, and accusations that he leads in an autocratic way.
To begin with the last of the three it must be noted that all of the Chavez government’s autocratic measures, such as the changing of the Venezuelan constitution and an increase on the unfair stake of profits that the oil rich country gets to keep from foreign companies doing business in Venezuela, have come about by democratic means. When one closely observes the rhetoric coming from Washington about freedom and democracy it is quite easy what it is our leaders are speaking of. In our leaders’ eyes democracy is fine, so long as it serves the interests of the corporate elite of the United States and its chosen associates. A democracy such as the one found in Venezuela that works to enhance and better the lives of its citizens through social programs like free adult education and cheap groceries and 24ncrease of the minimum wage that was long overdue are a threat to Washington’s attempt at hegemony over the globe, and Chavez’s sharp criticisms of the ill-fated war in Iraq and US free trade plans bite to break skin.
Chavez’s relationship with Cuba also represents an irk under Washington’s girth that is quite unwarranted, and is used as just another illogical argument to condemn the government of Chavez. The truth is that the relations between the two countries are based upon fair trade, something the likes of which are frowned upon by the eyes the US government. In fact, Cuba and Venezuela have an unprecedented oil agreement in which Cuba offers its services in the highly needed fields of education and health in return for Venezuelan oil. It is an agreement that has been highly praised by both Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and unanimously supported by the poor of Venezuela who now have access to teachers and doctors. Even amongst Latin America’s few remaining right-wing leaders, such as the Columbian President Uribe, there seems to be a reluctant agreement that Venezuela has the right to sovereignty and to negotiate any trade deals it wishes to that within the realm of agreement between all involved parties.
The Bush government also questions the purchasing by the Venezuelan government of arms from Brazil, Spain, and Russia; however it is an event such as this that shows just how seriously member nations of the world take Washington’s aggressive rhetoric of Venezuela. Chavez has also mentioned that he repeatedly requested spare parts from the US for the aging F-16’s that aid the Venezuelan air force, but he was turned down. The most vocalized claim made by the Bush government about the arms purchases are that they could find their way to leftist guerrillas in neighboring Columbia, however Chavez has said that he does not support such groups and has even had his government take a proactive role in apprehending suspected guerrillas.
To be sure there is a reason for the recent growth and modernization of Venezuela’s armed forces, and it has to do with the defense of its democracy which currently faces a huge threat from the neighbor to the north. A short look at the history of Latin America shows that there have been many democratic governments over thrown in coups of one sort or another, most often times with the unacknowledged support of the US government. In the majority of these cases the opposition to democracy came from hired guns whose aggression could have been thwarted had the nation been prepared militarily. A look at the Bay of Pigs failure in Cuba and the dirty war fought by the CIA funded Contras in an attempt to overthrow the democratic, but socialist government of Nicaragua shows that a militarily prepared nation can stifle violent opposition which Chavez has already been the Victim of in a 2002 coup that many suspect was sponsored by the US.
It will be interesting to see if Washington reverts back to its old cold war stance in relation to Venezuela, especially as it finds itself faced with an ever more independent, united and leftist Latin America. The good news is that Venezuela’s economy was the third fastest growing for the year of 2004 skyrocketing 17.8 percent, and along with this came a noticeable drop in poverty. The bad news is that this economy is oil dependent, however Chavez has made moves to ensure that Venezuelan oil is no longer dependent on oil purchases from just one customer, the US, and has sought out oil contracts with Brazil, China, and India among others.
So just who is this guy, and why is he calling George Bush an asshole in his native tongue? Hugo Chavez is the six-time democratically elected leader of Venezuela and hated adversary of the elite corporate business classes, both of his own nation and those who reside in the United States, and the Bush Administration. Condoleeza Rice has gone so far as to call him a “destabilizing force in the region”. In order to understand why relations between Washington and Caracas have deteoriated so much since Chavez took office in 1999 one must look the great crimes that our government accuses Mr. Chavez’s government of. Typically Bush administration and its lackeys have referred to three major errors that have singled out Chavez to be reprimanded. His major infractions that infuriate our right-wing government include his close relations with the government of Socialist Cuba, his recent building of the Venezuelan military, and accusations that he leads in an autocratic way.
To begin with the last of the three it must be noted that all of the Chavez government’s autocratic measures, such as the changing of the Venezuelan constitution and an increase on the unfair stake of profits that the oil rich country gets to keep from foreign companies doing business in Venezuela, have come about by democratic means. When one closely observes the rhetoric coming from Washington about freedom and democracy it is quite easy what it is our leaders are speaking of. In our leaders’ eyes democracy is fine, so long as it serves the interests of the corporate elite of the United States and its chosen associates. A democracy such as the one found in Venezuela that works to enhance and better the lives of its citizens through social programs like free adult education and cheap groceries and 24ncrease of the minimum wage that was long overdue are a threat to Washington’s attempt at hegemony over the globe, and Chavez’s sharp criticisms of the ill-fated war in Iraq and US free trade plans bite to break skin.
Chavez’s relationship with Cuba also represents an irk under Washington’s girth that is quite unwarranted, and is used as just another illogical argument to condemn the government of Chavez. The truth is that the relations between the two countries are based upon fair trade, something the likes of which are frowned upon by the eyes the US government. In fact, Cuba and Venezuela have an unprecedented oil agreement in which Cuba offers its services in the highly needed fields of education and health in return for Venezuelan oil. It is an agreement that has been highly praised by both Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and unanimously supported by the poor of Venezuela who now have access to teachers and doctors. Even amongst Latin America’s few remaining right-wing leaders, such as the Columbian President Uribe, there seems to be a reluctant agreement that Venezuela has the right to sovereignty and to negotiate any trade deals it wishes to that within the realm of agreement between all involved parties.
The Bush government also questions the purchasing by the Venezuelan government of arms from Brazil, Spain, and Russia; however it is an event such as this that shows just how seriously member nations of the world take Washington’s aggressive rhetoric of Venezuela. Chavez has also mentioned that he repeatedly requested spare parts from the US for the aging F-16’s that aid the Venezuelan air force, but he was turned down. The most vocalized claim made by the Bush government about the arms purchases are that they could find their way to leftist guerrillas in neighboring Columbia, however Chavez has said that he does not support such groups and has even had his government take a proactive role in apprehending suspected guerrillas.
To be sure there is a reason for the recent growth and modernization of Venezuela’s armed forces, and it has to do with the defense of its democracy which currently faces a huge threat from the neighbor to the north. A short look at the history of Latin America shows that there have been many democratic governments over thrown in coups of one sort or another, most often times with the unacknowledged support of the US government. In the majority of these cases the opposition to democracy came from hired guns whose aggression could have been thwarted had the nation been prepared militarily. A look at the Bay of Pigs failure in Cuba and the dirty war fought by the CIA funded Contras in an attempt to overthrow the democratic, but socialist government of Nicaragua shows that a militarily prepared nation can stifle violent opposition which Chavez has already been the Victim of in a 2002 coup that many suspect was sponsored by the US.
It will be interesting to see if Washington reverts back to its old cold war stance in relation to Venezuela, especially as it finds itself faced with an ever more independent, united and leftist Latin America. The good news is that Venezuela’s economy was the third fastest growing for the year of 2004 skyrocketing 17.8 percent, and along with this came a noticeable drop in poverty. The bad news is that this economy is oil dependent, however Chavez has made moves to ensure that Venezuelan oil is no longer dependent on oil purchases from just one customer, the US, and has sought out oil contracts with Brazil, China, and India among others.