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South America

Venezuela: Attorney General Issues Arrest Warrant for US-Backed Former Candidate
Venezuela

Venezuela: Attorney General Issues Arrest Warrant for US-Backed Former Candidate

Posted by: John Phoenix Edmundo González faces charges including usurpation of functions, forgery and conspiracy. Ricardo Vaz Edmundo González's present whereabouts are unknown. (Archive) Caracas, September 4, 2024 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office has issued an arrest warrant for former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González. On Monday, state prosecutor Luis Ernesto Dueñez requested that the Court of First Instance with competence over terrorism-related matters approve the order to arrest the US-backed politician for the charges of usurpation of functions, public document forgery, instigation of law-breaking, conspiracy, sabotage and association to commit crimes. Later in the day, Judge Edward Briceño approved th...
Venezuela Denounces US ‘Piracy’ After Presidential Jet Confiscated
Venezuela

Venezuela Denounces US ‘Piracy’ After Presidential Jet Confiscated

Posted by: John Phoenix The Venezuelan government said the seizure was “not an isolated action” and that it reserved the right to take legal action in response. José Luis Granados Ceja Caracas blasted Washington's repeated violations of international law. (Archive) Mexico City, Mexico, September 3, 2024 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused Washington of “piracy” after a jet used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was reportedly seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to Florida.  On Monday, the US government confiscated the Dassault Falcon 900EX used by Maduro on official trips, on the grounds that its purchase violates a Trump-era Executive Order that bars US persons from business transactions with Venezuelan government representatives...
Venezuela Today: Revolution and Elections
Venezuela

Venezuela Today: Revolution and Elections

Posted by: John Phoenix In light of recent imperialist aggressions, Chris Gilbert reflects on the challenges and complexities of using elections as a tool for socialist construction. Chris Gilbert Celebrating Maduro's victory. (Rome Arrieche) Hugo Chávez changed the way socialists viewed elections around the world. The left had long been skeptical about them. The main arguments were that elections are not a terrain on which the socialist left can compete or make bids for power, both because of the grip of capitalist ideology over the masses, and because of the bourgeois establishment’s control of real power before, during, and after the elections take place.  These arguments are solid ones, and they seemed to be confirmed by history. In our continent, socialist gov...
US-Backed Former Presidential Candidate Edmundo González Flees Venezuela
USA, Venezuela

US-Backed Former Presidential Candidate Edmundo González Flees Venezuela

Posted by: John Phoenix The absence of González inside the country makes the opposition’s goal of seating the former candidate in the presidency virtually impossible. Former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González left Venezuela for Spain where he was seeking asylum. (Archive) Mexico City, Mexico, September 9, 2024 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González fled Venezuela and arrived in Spain on Sunday. News of 75-year-old González’s self-imposed exile first came from Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez who confirmed that the opposition figure had first taken refuge in Spain’s Embassy in Caracas before being granted safe passage by the government in order to exit the country. “Once the relevant contacts between bo...
Washington Planning to “Checkmate” Venezuela
Venezuela

Washington Planning to “Checkmate” Venezuela

Posted by: John Phoenix Washington does not want to lose Latin America in competition with India, China and Europe. The situation is life or death and a military attack against Venezuela from Colombia is possible, maybe likely, and Ecuador and Bolivia are also targeted. Stephen Lendman So says Heinz Dieterich Steffan– German sociologist, economist, political analyst and Hugo Chavezconsultant who claims he coined the phrase "21st century socialism" inthe mid-1990s. He currently teaches at the Autonomous MetropolitanUniversity in Mexico City and writes often on Latin American issues. In a May 21, 2008Kaosenlared.net article and follow-up Montevideo, Uruguay debate,Dieterich was blunt. He said "Washington does not want to lose (LatinAmerica) in competition with India, China a...
Corporate Media Bashes Venezuelan Government’s Law Decrees
Venezuela

Corporate Media Bashes Venezuelan Government’s Law Decrees

Posted by: John Phoenix Chavez critics don't explain Venezuelan law or how Supreme Court rulings interpret it. Nor do they report how the Enabling Law works, that the nation's Constitution authorizes it, that four other presidents used it, among many other things. How can they? It would expose their false accusations and discredit their entire argument. Stephen Lendman In January 2007, Hugo Chavez announced his “Bolivarian Socialism” project for the 21st century and explained its dependence on five revolutionary “motors:” constitutional reform; “Bolivarian popular education;” redefining and changing the organs of state power; an explosion of communal power at the grass roots; and the “mother (Enabling) Law to make all other “motors” possible. Under Venezue...
New Coup D’Etat Rumblings in Venezuela
Venezuela

New Coup D’Etat Rumblings in Venezuela

Posted by: John Phoenix With a few months left in office, the Bush administration may be unleashing its last hurrah in Latin America. A "hail Mary" effort to reclaim the region. Remove its weak democracies in countries like Bolivia and strong ones in Venezuela. Since taking office in January 2001, the Bush administration targeted Hugo Chavez for removal. It tried and failed three previous times: — in April 2002 for two days; aborted by mass street protests and support from many in Venezuela's military, especially from its middle-ranking officer corp; — the 2002 – 2003 general strike and oil management lockout causing severe economic disruption; and — the August 2004 national recall referendum in which Chavez resoundingly prevailed with a 59% majority. Other disruptio...
After 12 years in office, Chavez remains overwhelmingly favored for reelection in October. Given the alternative, most Venezuelans have a clear choice
Venezuela

After 12 years in office, Chavez remains overwhelmingly favored for reelection in October. Given the alternative, most Venezuelans have a clear choice

Chavez in 2012 Posted by: John Phoenix Poll numbers predict a sweep. IVAD has United Socialist Party of Venezuela’s (PSUV) Chavez leading the opposition umbrella group Democratic Unity Table’s (MUD) Henrique Capriles Radonski by a 57.6% to 26.6% margin. Venezuela’s 21st Century Group of Social Investigation, a progressive think tank, predicts a similar result. MUD officials supported the aborted 2002 two-day coup. Closely linked to Washington, democracy is abhorred. It won’t be tolerated under a regime they control. Nor will Bolivarian populism. The Washington Post called Capriles “a charismatic campaigner with a loyal following”. It said he promises to “rebuild democratic institutions”. Maybe April 2002 is his template. The New York Times said he’s “the fresh-faced govern...
Bashing Venezuelan Democracy
Venezuela

Bashing Venezuelan Democracy

Posted by: John Phoenix For 10 years under Chavez, Bolivarianism has flourished, and the greater its success the harsher it's critics. America flounders in corruption, economic chaos and decline. Venezuela's star is rising. Stephen Lendman In November/December 2006, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's (FAIR) Steve Rendall explained, "Hugo Chavez never had a chance with the US press." It's been a constant since his December 1998 election, and hasn't let up to this day, with language all too familiar: a "would-be-dictator; an autocratic demagogue; a modern caudillo; a divisive and demagogic leader; a communist; (his) increasingly authoritarian tilt; (his) militariz(ing) the government; (his) terrible human rights record; (his) consolidated one-party...
Bolivarianism Triumphs in Referendum Vote
Venezuela

Bolivarianism Triumphs in Referendum Vote

Posted by: John Phoenix On February 15, Venezuelans voted on whether to let presidents, National Assembly representatives, governors, mayors, and state legislators run indefinitely for re-election after Chavez last December proposed a national referendum for constitutional change - so voters, not politicians could decide. Stephen Lendman On February 15, Venezuelans voted on whether to let presidents, National Assembly representatives, governors, mayors, and state legislators run indefinitely for re-election after Chavez last December proposed a national referendum for constitutional change – so voters, not politicians could decide. Sunday they spoke decisively in favor by a 54.4% to 45.6% margin with over 94% of votes counted. Chavez didn't win. Venezuelans did for Bolivar...