Chavez Inaugurated: Socialist Republic of Venezula?
4 Comments Published by LeftyHenry on Wednesday at 4:41 PM.
Venezula is currently at a very critical point in its history. In the years Hugo Chavez has been president of the Republic of Venezula, the number of households in poverty have decreased from 40% to 30% in less than 10 years. In the years Hugo Chavez has been president of the Republic of Venezula, workers have come together to reopen closed down factories and have formed over 70,000 worker co-ops where the workers in control of their workplace and make business descisions through a democratic process. Most recently, Chavez has announced plans to re-nationalize utilities so that the profits go to the people and things like healthcare and education, not to the pockets of the bourgieousie as well as start an advance towards the 'socialist republic of Venezula'.
In the years Hugo Chavez has been president Venezula has pulled itself out of the disasterous situation it was in and become a rally point for anti-imperialism. Chavez was elected and re-elected on his promise for a more radical "socialist" program, and while progressivbe steps towards socialism have been taken, we won't be able to see socialism unless there is armed struggle. No state in the world has created socialism through the ballot box, and I don't see Chavez as being the exception. Still, as an anti-imperialist and a progressive, we on the left should support Chavez and hope that what he has done so far, isn't even the top of the iceberg.
Link
CARACAS, Venezuela - Invoking Christ and Castro as his socialist models, President Hugo Chavez began his third term Wednesday by declaring that socialism, not capitalism, is the only way forward for Venezuela and the world.
His first stop: Nicaragua, where leftist ally Daniel Ortega was returning to power with his own inauguration hours later. Chavez can now count on remaining president until 2013 — or later if he gets his way with a constitutional amendment allowing him to run again.
At the apex of a resurgent Latin American left, Chavez has been emboldened to make more radical changes at home after winning re-election with 63 percent of the vote, his widest margin ever.
His next moves include nationalizing electrical and telecommunications companies, forming a commission to oversee constitutional reforms and asking the National Assembly, now entirely controlled by his supporters, to allow him to enact "revolutionary laws" by presidential decree.
His right hand raised Wednesday, Chavez declared in words reminiscent of Fidel Castro's famous call-to-arms: "Fatherland, socialism or death — I swear it." He also alluded to Jesus: "I swear by Christ — the greatest socialist in history."
In a speech, he said the central aim of his term will be "to build Venezuelan socialism."
"I don't have the slightest doubt that is the only path to the redemption of our peoples, the salvation of our fatherland," Chavez told lawmakers to applause.
My worry is that Chile is repeated.
I've met govt. representatives from Venezuela. They seem clueless about the tasks ahead.
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Jimmy Higgins has done a summation of MLK Blog on his site Mountain on Fire any thoughts on how we build on this ?
Stumbling acros this site by accident , utterly amazed that there are still so many human beings who seem to truly think that Socialism and/or Communism are a means of deliverance to man kind . In reality they are nothing more than a small elite who cling to power at any cost , incite hatred and intolerance , and promise far more than they could ever deliver as a means to attain power and control .