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Clashes in Venezuela

Discussion in 'General political debates' started by IronBENGA, Feb 21, 2014.

  1. IronBENGA

    IronBENGA Active Member Forum Member


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    Jan 13, 2014
     
    Does anyone have a good source of information on Venezuela? It has been hard to know something about the clashes that aren't distorced or half-true. Right-wing opositionists are taking advantage of this state of affairs and spreading (sometimes hilarious phoney) fake reports about torture and repression, Members and supporters of the "Bolivarian revolutionary" left-wing government are going way out of their leagues painting the protests as a Coup d'Etat attempt to cover the fact that Venezuelan police is brutally repressing its own citizens and, to top it off, My country's media is so undeniably biased and so openly fascist that I cannot trust anything from anyone about this matter.

    Whats our opinion on this, folks?
     

  2. blackchat

    blackchat Member Forum Member


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    Jan 24, 2014
     
    From all that I've read, it seems like a major clusterfuck. But it's a fact that the US (more precisely CIA, and the whole neocon crowd) has been trying to take down socialism in Venezuela several times. There was a failed coup 10 years ago, and now they seem to be trying it again, with the brand new and improved "Euromaidan method".

    Not that I like those Bolivarians. They are antisemitic too, which is one of their biggest mistakes, as far-right Jewish Americans are weighting on that a lot.
     
  3. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    From what i have read it seems the "Authoritarian Socialist" government is using violence to put down "Authoritarian Right-Wingers" as the right wing is over using "Free Elections" to decide who will dictate, and want to overthrow the "Freely Elected Authoritarian Socialist" and put one of their own in who will decide and dictate what segment of the population will benefit from the nations coffers…

    Ive read the the protestors are from the "Middle Class" and the "Bourgeoisie" and the protests are taking place in those neighborhoods…

    AUTHORITARIAN=STATISTS
     
  4. Paczilla

    Paczilla Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jun 28, 2012
     United States
    well, you were right. At the beginning of all the protests it was just right wingers and the middle class, but now its turned into a massive street war with alot of students and "normal" people coming out of the woodwork. Its slowly turning away from a protest into a full fledged rebellion, but the majority of people aren't rioting, yet.
     
  5. IronBENGA

    IronBENGA Active Member Forum Member


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    Jan 13, 2014
     
    And to top it all off, it doesnt help that politics on Venezuela were and still are conducted based on Coup d'Etats and states of exception. The only thing that made Chavez different is that he was good enough in something for the people to like him, but now it seems that the charisma he built and lend to Maduro is starting to crack down
     
  6. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    Where are you getting this idea from?? Citations please :D

    Can you give me sources that say the protest are in other neighborhoods that are not "Middle Class" or "Bourgeoisie"?? Or that the people who are taking to the street are in fact those that benefit from the coffers of the "Freely Elected Authoritarian Socialist"?? I find nothing that points to the protest spreading to the "lower" segments of society that benefit from the "Freely Elected Authoritarian Socialist"....

    What segment of society are these "students" you are talking about comeing from???

    And who are these "normal" people you are talking about??? Source please...

    It looks like a right wing uprising...

    From left wing media in the USA...

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES3pBOmsBpM&list=PL50BDB9BCCFAF09CA[/video]

    From vice...segments one - 4 are about the protesters and segment 5 is about the supports of the "Freely Elected Authoritarian Socialist"

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U6OfjxTPPQ[/video]

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvSuLzm3eBk[/video]

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_2596721973&feature=iv&list=PLw613M86o5o7Kl04bEnb4I-IF6xVTet8A&src_vid=QvSuLzm3eBk&v=M5DuYyPrdEE[/video]

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_2873417781&feature=iv&index=7&list=PLw613M86o5o7JMOImqZ6tGwK7kkzufe0S&src_vid=M5DuYyPrdEE&v=Lvaz129XkOo[/video]

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoujQt_j1vo&list=PLw613M86o5o7JMOImqZ6tGwK7kkzufe0S[/video]

    And one last comment, should we start to talk about and maybe make the critique about Venezuela becoming or creating "State Capitalism?"
     
  7. Paczilla

    Paczilla Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jun 28, 2012
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    It has come to my attention that the information i received was pretty much false. Im not trying to spread false information.
     
  8. Paczilla

    Paczilla Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jun 28, 2012
     United States
  9. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    I was just pointed to this anarchist magazine from Venenzuela: The Libertarian (El Libertario) it has articles about what is going on in Venezuela from Venezuelan Anarchists, but its in spanish :/ i'll look through it tonight and hopefully translate some info :)

    \m/

    The Link: http://es.contrainfo.espiv.net/2014/03/ ... to-online/
    just click on the magazines cover image and you'll get the pdf :D
     
  10. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    The following info comes from page 6 of The Libertarian (El Libertario) an anarchist magazine from Venenzuela, and was translated by The Black Nova…And the magazine can be found here: http://es.contrainfo.espiv.net/2014/03/ ... to-online/
    \m/

    12 FREQUNTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FEBRUARY 2014 IN VENEZUELA


    1. The protests are led by right opposition political parties?

    -No. The current wave of protests began in the city of San Cristóbal on F4 when college students protested their insecurity, they were repressed and several arrests. Protests for the release of those students spread to other cities, also being repressed and increasing student unrest. In this context, a sector of the opposition launches its proposal "Exit", demanding the resignation of President Maduro, while another sector rejects the demonstrations. Despite the arrest of Conservative politician Leopoldo Lopez, protests in the country have surpassed and "exceeded by the left" the political opposition parties.

    2. The protests are part of a Coup?

    -In Venezuela, a country of historical military coups will always have that possibility, large or small, of it. However, the current situation is very different from 2002, when Hugo Chávez was briefly removed from power by a coup. After that date the middle and upper levels of the armed forces were politically purged, and replacements were ideologically committed granting impunity to control various businesses in the country. The greatest chance of a coup in Venezuela today is of a Chavista tendency against another Chavista tendency, to ensure the necessary governance for military and energy transnationals’ to continue doing business in the country.

    3. The protests are part of the "conspiracy" of the private media?

    - Today broadcasters have been silenced by the government of Nicolas Maduro. The latest in national coverage, Globovision, was bought by a businessman linked to the government and changed its editorial line. There are pressures on radios and newspapers not to report on protests arguing that would encourage "violence." Print media also suffer from shortage of raw material to cover, due to government control of divisive foreign coverage. Because of this censorship, that protesters have been responsible for generating their own information, making intensive use of social networking technology.

    4. The protests are only demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro?

    - In this movement without a center there are many demands. In short there are two different dynamics: the ones from Caracas and the ones from cities of the interioir of the country. First the major demands are the resignation of the president, the release of detainees and the rejection of violence. In all other provincial cities hit hard with the interruption of public services for years and shortages of basic goods, in addition to previous claims you add inflation, shortages and lack of water and light.

    5. The protests are just middle class people?

    - In Caracas the protests are mostly carried out by middle-class students from public and private universities. In the interior of the country the dynamics is completely different and includes people from the popular sectors.

    6. Images of repression are all false?


    - There are some who maliciously or naively, who have released images and videos that do not correspond to current events in Venezuela, but social networks have shown great capacity for self denouncing as false and educate users to corroborate information before sharing. The government's strategy has been "trying to prove" that because 3, 4 or 10 are false, all that is circulating is false. But the facts are there, recorded by technological devices, that dozens witnessed government repression.

    7. If not the political parties, who is calling for demonstrations?

    Belatedly political parties have had to join the demonstrations and are trying to, so far unsuccessfully, to channel them. Even the Bureau of Democratic Unity called on February 12, for three days without demonstrations to mourn and the people disobeyed and took to the streets. Many people organize different social media initiatives, some go viral and are supported by others, some are forgotten.

    8. If Nicolas Maduro resigns, the country would return to the past?

    - No. In the unlikely event that that happen its impossible to repeal the gains enshrined in the Constitution because of the principle established and internationally agreed progression of rights. Second its impossible, as some believe, "the opposition"-regardless what we mean by that term-eject from "power"-understood as this broad "Chavismo" -. It has a wide base of support that regardless of how the protests end, will continue protagonizing itself in the short and medium ends in the political prosess in Venezuela.

    9. What is the situation with repression?

    - As of this writing there are 15 dead people in the context of protests, mostly by the actions of opressive law enforcement agencies. It is estimated that, for now, there are about 400 people arrested for participating in protests. Only in Caracas, according to the count of the Center for Human Rights at the Catholic University in Caracas there were only 197 Freed, 7 Arrested, 6 Missing/Without information and 8 Deprived of Liberty by a court.

    10) Who are repressing the protests?

    - Mainly the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), and paramilitary groups financed indirectly and openly encouraged by the government.

    11. What is the role of U.S. imperialism in this?

    President Barack Obama and the State Department publicly condemned the restriction of democratic freedoms in Venezuela , to which Nicolas Maduro and his followers responded by accusing him of interference in internal maters and violation of sovereignty. Although Maduro insists that U $ A is behind the protests, he has invited the U$A government to restore normal diplomatic relations between the two countries. Moreover, Chevron with it still extensive and fruitful business in Venezuela in areas of gas and oil exploitation, with contracts signed by the late President Chavez whose validity is between 30 to 40 years. Venezuela continues to have in the U.S. a his great " business partner ", giving it the largest share of energy exports and buying many products from the U.S. to reverse the shortage in the country. Finally, the Maduro’s government with drew CNN’s credentials to work in the country, accusing them of "violating Venezuelan law " and 24 hours later they were renewed, inviting them to return to work. Diplomatically other countries in the region have also shown or support or have concerns about the situation in Venezuela.

    12. And what about social movements at this juncture?

    - During the last 15 years all the social movements of the country have suffered an actibe an active policy of state intervention that has made them small, divided and institutionally co-opted. Unfortunately the few guilds that still exist with some level of autonomy, for example some trade union organizations are very weak to have any kind of impact on current events.

    NOTES FROM THE TRANSLATOR :lmao:
    -excuse the typos :/
    -its my "saturday" and gonna go get inked :lmao:
    \m/ More translation to come \m/
     
  11. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    Venezuela Rising: Dispatch Six

    On March 8th, thousands gathered in the center of Caracas yet again to protest...

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iREIigZL5Q[/video]
     
  12. THEBLACKNOVA

    THEBLACKNOVA Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Aug 11, 2011
     Mexico
    The editorial piece from El Libertario...

    Venezuela - Now more than ever: Autonomy, self-management, direct action and solidarity

    * Statement about the events of February - March 2014

    Editorial collective of El Libertario and individual anarchists

    One doesn't have to be a genius to forecast that the sorry socio-economical situation in Venezuela, inherited after 14 years of Hugo Chavez's government and made worse in a little over a year with Nicolas Maduro, was creating a conflict ready to erupt, particularly when the huge income from "black gold", which up until 3 or 4 years ago sustained the fantasy of "oil socialism", stopped. The income is still abundant, but the waste, the incompetence, the corruption and the greed of those who rule are still greater. Between the narco-generales and other predators in uniform, highly placed bureaucrats who run the gamut from avid greed to nothingness, the boli-bourgeoisie, the bolichicos [1] and other beneficiaries of CADIVI [2], the fat slice of the castro-bourgeoisie [3], the Cuban government and its advisers in the field ready to cheat, or the agents of those transnational corporations that have got such juicy benefits in their dealings with the "Bolivarian Revolution", the pot should have burst sonner rather than later, with the people watching this shameful government and at the same time suffering the worst insecurity, lack of goods, public service crisis and the world's highest rate of inflation.

    Only the official propaganda in its shamelessness, plus the blindness -paid for or quasi-religious - of the authoritarian Left always ready to kneel in front of the Beloved Leader du jour, have been able to see in this sorry spectacle the machinations of a certain imperialism they don't like (while other sorts are presented as "friendly"). According to this absurd tale, from 1999 till today, Venezuela's economy has been managed within a brilliant strategy of building socialism, immediate attention to the needs of the poor, honesty in funds management and massive, active and vigilant social participation thanks to the institutions of "popular power" and "social control". Things being so, if something is temporarily wrong it is because of some coup conspiracy by the Yankees or their local servants, since in essence things have never been better and the future along this road is really promising.


    But since February and very rudely, the street says otherwise because the truth is something else. In practically all the urban centers (and we are a country with 85% urban population) there were massive protests that, contrary to what has been said about "bourgeois and petit-bourgeois rioting", they are a social cross-section of people from all walks of life, if it weren't so, how can you explain the size and duration of the protests? Besides, if in the economic aspect (clientelar and extractivist oil capitalism's crisis) there is a structural motive for the riots, there are many reasons for many to come out and protest, reasons that were impelled by the patent incompetence of a government which only works for the "enchufados" [TN] [4] and by now perhaps for less of them as production and oil income decrease.

    It is important to insist that this collective insurgency has been and is basically spontaneous, if there were some who foresaw it in order to get political advantage (such as Leoplodo Lopez and his small party Voluntad Popular [TN: People's Will] or Maria Corina Machado) of them it can be said that although they have had visibility in the events, they do not control what has been unleashed. Moreover, the rupture in the sector which formerly followed the electoral opposition and its Mesa de Unidad Democratica [MUD] is clear, evident in the people's rejection of Henrique Capriles and other leaders at several recent public events. We see a certain correlation between that and what is happening to Chavism, where an important part of the electoral base which, faithful to Chavez voted for Maduro a year ago - a commitment the majority ratified by giving the victory to the official party in the December regional ballot - now appears indifferent to the desperate pleas to visibly show its loyalty to the government, so that the scant official public acts recently have not been even the shadow of what was normal when Chavez was alive. Such lack of action by the Chavista masses (which Maduro pretends to fix with hysterical calls to join the repression) is one of the most significant question marks of the current moment, since its permanence or break up in one direction or the other would determine what will in the end happen.

    Ruthless repression has been the privileged and sole response given up to now by the Venezuelan government. It doesn't seem to have any other, at least to replace it as their main option. First because it is economically entangled in the comings and goings of oil capitalism deeper than in the last 70 years; there are very few possibilities to earn support and legitimacy giving away crumbs from the clientelar carrot, so the only thing left is the stick of the People's National Guard and the paramilitaries who form the so-called "collectives". Not to say that this has resulted in immediate liabilities and future risks: they have the same problems with the Left paramilitaries as with a can full of worms, it is easy to open it and turn them loose, not so easy to gather them or control them. As far as the National Guard and the impression the people have of its recent work, we can only say that it has given rise to a vein of propaganda, conscience and spirit of anti-militarism that as anarchists we have to foster now and in the future, going further than the false dichotomy of the good or bad military, since we are against the very existence of military institutions as organs of social control and repression.

    Second, after the experience of 2002 [5] Chavism was left with the obsession that the main danger of begin shoved out of power was a coup d'etat, so it prepared its answer to that. The emphasis on arming, training and coordinating the paramilitaries comes from that line, as well as the insistent propaganda: first talking about the "economical coup d'etat", then the "coup d'etat in progress" and now the "slow coup d'etat", all of which is refuted when, in the midst of the supposed coups this victimized government extends the dates for the Carnival holidays and calls for its celebration. Likewise, this worn out and well learned script demands that the current adversary be presented as unequivocally fascist and against the popular majorities, which on the one hand would fire up explicit support for the regime on the part of large sectors of the collective, while on the other hand it would earn it important international support. But in the end the facts, their consequences and -no less important- the clumsy performance by Nicolas Maduro and his entourage have made the repressive aspect uppermost, with the consequent damage to the government's political credibility, which continues to invoke the Big Bad Wolf of a military coup which no one sees, smells or feels. Days and weeks pass without the least evidence, besides rumors and gossip, of an unconstitutional armed action to remove it from power (that's what a coup is all about) while qualifying every critic as fascist and forecasting the coming "imperialist aggressions", which only causes embarrassment among the more timid or discreet Maduristas, and is the butt of jokes for the rest of the people.

    Let it then be clear: there are no plans for an immediate coup d'etat that would entail a significant rupture with the elite benefiting from the regime described in the first paragraph, as it would be absurd for them to kill themselves. In spite of all difficulties and the obtuse reaction by the government, there is still a margin so that, within capitalism and by applying the capitalist adjustment measures which all those in power today or aspiring to it fully agree with, the heirs of Chavism -with or without Maduro- could recover full governability. Perhaps the bromide of "socialism", "communal power" and "popular power" will continue in use or not (that's a minor detail) but in no way is it possible to believe that the boli-bourgeoisie and the connected in command will take another route except that which will give them guarantees and impunity. Now, even more so than under Chavez, everything points to that route going to political accommodation with the opposition, and in Venezuela that means giving more access to the oil manna. They did that with Lorenzo Mendoza [6] and with that sector of the bourgeoisie that in recent years forgot to take risks with production, in order to now live off the engorged CADIVI teats and speculative exchange. There is also the arrangement with international financial agents and the expensive Chinese partners, who would help it climb out of the quagmire but would impose their conditions.

    For our part, before the coming adjustment measures are imposed, we reject them. With such measures those below, once again, will pay the piper, as it's usual whether under neoliberal capitalism or state capitalism. We anarchists will continue the struggle to empower real alternatives of autonomy for the majorities, those who somehow have made themselves known in the strength, enthusiasm and inventiveness that in so many ways have been expressed in these protests. Part of this task has been attending the events, presenting public evidence and denouncing the brutal State repression, as well as doing what we can to understand and analyze what these events have been. But for us the most important task is to continue struggling so that the greatest number of persons, in every area where we have a presence and influence, start to think and build together solutions to the problems that affect them, coming from themselves and not from some rulers whose only priority is theirs and their close allies' profit. AUTONOMY, SELF-MANAGEMENT, DIRECT ACTION AND SOLIDARITY!

    Venezuela, March, 2014

    \m/ NOTE: EL LIBERTARIO (THE LIBERTARIAN HAS AN ENGLISH SECTION WITH ARTICLES N ENGLISH ABOUT VENEZUELA...
    http://www.nodo50.org/ellibertario/english.html \m/
     
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