Hugo Chavez, the beginning of the end?

[R_P_A_S]

Maybe I'm allowing the media to steer my views. But the recent reports coming out of Venezuela are too many to ignore. And most of them have to do with the man him self, Hugo Chavez backtracking and flip flopping. First his call for FARC to give up and end their struggle, second the spy law and then the rectification... and now after his Nationalization drive and higher taxes for foreign firms that everyone championed is taking a hit. Inefficient production and rising inflation has yet again force him to rethink he's "bolivarian" policies and now he's scrapping the tax, and allowing for foreign investment to return among other things. Recently on a Spanish website there was the following statement, and I can't help but to agree and wonder what's next for this guy.

please note the following was translated from spanish so it might be a bit rough.



Clearly, the president Chavez is kidnapped by the bureaucratic apparatus that surrounds him. There is a resounding change in the behavior of the leader of the Bolivarian revolution. His practice demonstrates this. Since there is no direct contact with the people. The public appearances are made in large concentrations, rather worn in the Coliseum or avenues where people passively listening to speeches by Chavez. Direct contact with people, with the working class does not occur. Groups close to the president are opportunistic bureaucrats disguised as Bolivarian, and now also of socialists. They are reformers, representatives of the so-called socialism of the twenty-first century, the body of ideas developed by Mr Heinz Dieterich, key figure in the stalled revolution Venezuela and Latin America that has tried at all costs prevent the working class taking control of the actual process Revolutionary. This decoupling of the bases that make up the Bolivarian revolutionary movement is one of the causes for which Chavez is not carrying the proper course to take the revolution and the construction of so call socialism. It should be noted in this context as an important element in the planned construction of a mass party. However, that party must have a consistent body of theoretical principles to move forward in practice and through a constant struggle, power to build socialist society. If that party is formed and structured the same way as what is the state or the government, if not debureaucratization first, not come to form the vanguard of the revolution. If the organization does not raise the revolutionary destruction of the old capitalist order, if conciliation talks about class and, therefore, not fight to affect the interests of the oligarchy and imperialism, not progress at all in its consolidation as a revolutionary party.

[Comerade Ted Grant]

Since I first began to watch Venezuelan affairs (year 2000), I felt Chavez hasn't gone far enough in moving the revolution forward. Look at Castro who was in power during the height of the Cold War. From first assuming power (1959) to the Bay of Pigs (1961) and Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)--- now that is action! Just look at Chavez! Look at him. He was so many advantages Castro never even dreamed of having. And he's slower than the proverbial tortoise!

[R_P_A_S]

Since I first began to watch Venezuelan affairs (year 2000), I felt Chavez hasn't gone far enough in moving the revolution forward. Look at Castro who was in power during the height of the Cold War. From first assuming power (1959) to the Bay of Pigs (1961) and Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)--- now that is action! Just look at Chavez! Look at him. He was so many advantages Castro never even dreamed of having. And he's slower than the proverbial tortoise!

I don't think it's fair to compare Fidel and Hugo. the situations are completely different.

[spartan]

I don't think it's fair to compare Fidel and Hugo. the situations are completely different.
The point that CTG is trying to make RPAS is that Fidel went alot further with alot less.

Chavez has alot more than Fidel had (For example oil which he can threaten to cut off, which has the effect of driving up international oil prices, if the US gets to involved in Venezuelan affairs, something that Fidel would have only dreamed of having in the late 50's) and yet Chavez doesnt seem to go far enough in his reforms.

With all these advantages why doesnt Chavez just declare Venezuela Socialist and nationalise everything and be done with it like Fidel did when he didnt even have any of the advantages that Chavez is fortunate to have?

[R_P_A_S]

The point that CTG is trying to make RPAS is that Fidel went alot further with alot less.

Chavez has alot more than Fidel had (For example oil which he can threaten to cut off, which has the effect of driving up international oil prices, if the US gets to involved in Venezuelan affairs, something that Fidel would have dreamed of having in the late 50's) and yet Chavez doesnt seem to go far enough in his reforms.

With all these advantages why doesnt Chavez just declare Venezuela Socialist and nationalise everything and be done with it like Fidel did when he didnt even have any of the advantages that Chavez is fortunate to have?

He did go on a nationalization drive and isn't that whats causing inflation?

[Dros]

What a surprise.

I just hope that people don't see this as him "selling out" and come to understand that this is what he was the whole damn time.

[Herman]

With all these advantages why doesnt Chavez just declare Venezuela Socialist and nationalise everything and be done with it like Fidel did when he didnt even have any of the advantages that Chavez is fortunate to have?

Doing this will isolate Venezuela, or worse be economically sanctioned.

[3A CCCP]

Since I first began to watch Venezuelan affairs (year 2000), I felt Chavez hasn't gone far enough in moving the revolution forward. Look at Castro who was in power during the height of the Cold War. From first assuming power (1959) to the Bay of Pigs (1961) and Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)--- now that is action! Just look at Chavez! Look at him. He was so many advantages Castro never even dreamed of having. And he's slower than the proverbial tortoise!

El Commandante with Che at his side went alot further because he actually engineered a successful people's revolution in Cuba and drove out Batista and the rest of the U.S. lackey scum at the point of an AK-47!

While on the surface it might appear that Chavez has myriad advantages over comrade Castro, he lacks the one big ace in the hole that Cuba had once the revolution turned from a nationalist revolution to a Communist revolution - the Soviet Union as a counterbalance against U.S. imperialism.

Despite Khrushchev's revisionism, the Soviet Union was still the main bulwark blocking U.S. world domination. Yes, Khrushchev displayed cowardice backing down to JFK during the missile crisis and we can discuss other aspects of Soviet revisionism and digress from the topic of this thread and ruin it (which I hope we do not do!).

However, the bottom line is that Washington's imperialists were hamstrung by the presence of the Soviet Union on the world scene and could never really accomplish want they would have if there was no USSR.

If the U.S. imperialists decide tomorrow to invade Venezuela and depose Chavez who will (or can) physically stand up to militarily support Venezuela? No one!

Also, Chavez took power through elections, not a revolution. This limits what he can do to change things. There are a great many lackeys of the Venezuelan capitalists and landowners still running around causing trouble. This includes the pampered middle class college student "yuppie" types that have demonstrated against the Bolivarian revolution.

Once you have to start worrying about public and world opinion things start to get watered down. The bottom line is that the only sure way to change things is through the barrel of a gun, not bourgeois elections!

3A CCCP!
Mikhail

[Justin CF]

While on the surface it might appear that Chavez has myriad advantages over comrade Castro, he lacks the one big ace in the hole that Cuba had once the revolution turned from a nationalist revolution to a Communist revolution - the Soviet Union as a counterbalance against U.S. imperialism.
If the U.S. imperialists decide tomorrow to invade Venezuela and depose Chavez who will (or can) physically stand up to militarily support Venezuela? No one!
Once you have to start worrying about public and world opinion things start to get watered down. The bottom line is that the only sure way to change things is through the barrel of a gun, not bourgeois elections!Emphasis is, of course, yours.

I think that Chavez violently gaining power would cause the US to be much more hostile towards him than they are now. Remember, they currently make claims that he wasn't democratically elected - just think of what they'd do if he actually wasn't democratically elected!

Please note that I'm not against violence as means of political change. I'm just saying that if you're worried about the US interfering with Venezuela, you're kinda screwed.

[Asoka89]

Long-term this is a good strategy for Chavez to be following, at this stage the revolution cannot risk economic collapse or isolation, they can still further democracy at the grassroots levels while pursuing a mixed economy and SA integration, then they must transition to a socialist market economy with a public core, only realistic path I can see