The artillery of ideasENGLISH EDITIONFRIDAY | November 26, 2010 | No. 39 | Bs. 1 | CARACAS

Private media corporation violating lawsThe owners of Globovision, a privately-owned media corporation in Venezuela operating on public airwaves, are both self-exiled in the United States after fl eeing justice in Venezuela. Nelson Mezerhane and Guillermo Zuloaga have been charged with banking fraud, corruption, usury and other “white collar crimes” by the Venezuelan courts, yet both have refused to face justice. Last week, Zuloaga called on the US Congress to take action against his government, which he referred to as a “threat to the United States”.

Pg. 7 | Social Justice Pg. 8 | Opinion

PoliticsPSUV reformulating party strategyThe ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is revamping its political strategy to attract new members and correct errors.

EconomyVenezuela coming out of recessionNew studies show Venezuela’s income distribution as one of the most equal in the region.

President Chavez presided over a state event in defense of sovereignty this week in the National Assembly

In response to increasing threats of aggression from right-wing congressmembers in the United States, the Venezuelan government held a “state event in defense of sovereignty and against US hegemony

and imperialism” on Tuesday in the prestigious and historic Elliptical Room in Venezuela’s parliament. Keynote speaker Eva Golinger outlined ongoing strategies to undermine Venezuela’s democracy and warned

of an escalation in hostilities with a US Congress infl uenced by the extreme right-wing. The President and heads of the other four branches of government signed an “Anti-Imperialist Manifesto”.

Venezuela condemns US role in Korean confl ictThe Venezuelan Govern-

ment issued a statement on Wednesday warning of US plans to encourage a confl ict in Asia be-tween the countries of North and South Korea.

In the text, Venezuela urged the two nations to preserve peace in the Asian region.

“The Government of the Boli-varian Republic of Venezuela has continuously warned about the existence of a political plan that seeks to prompt incidents in the Korean Peninsula, specifi cally in the Yellow Sea, with the aim to

initiate a scenario of armed con-fl ict. This constitutes a strategy to perpetuate imperialist military hegemony in the region”, read the declaration.

“It is essential for peaceful nations to denounce this pre-meditated action originating from right-wing groups in the United States. These groups use important and powerful institu-tions in Washington, such as the Pentagon, the Department of State and the CIA, to generate various outbreaks of instability around the planet, as part of the

necessity to maintain the per-petual and lucrative US military industrial complex”.

“The Bolivarian Government therefore exhorts the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and the coun-tries in the region to strengthen their capacity to understand each other, in order to preserve peace and to avoid subcoming to prov-ocations plotted from other areas of the world, which are part of an ongoing imperial necessity to seize power and global control.

Caracas, November 24, 2010”.

PPgggggggggg.. 8 | OOppppppppppiinnioonnReform and Revolution in Latin America: an analysis of leftist movements during the twenty-fi rst century

PPgggggg. 7 || SSocciiaal JJJJJJuussttiiccee Venezuelan university students marched this week to call for a new higher education law and express support for President Chavez

2

Venezuelan Government stands strong against aggression

UNASUR meeting today

in Guyana

The Union of South Ameri-can Nations (UNASUR) is

meeting today in Guyana, con-tinuing with the consolidation of Latin American integration and the creation of a regional trade bloc.

During Friday’s summit, for which at least eight heads of state have confi rmed their presence, a new Secretary Gen-eral will be elected to preside over the important regional body. Former Secretary General Nestor Kirchner, ex President and Senator from Argentina, passed away last month from a heart illness. Candidates for the position include outgoing Brazilian President Luis Igna-cio “Lula” Da Silva and former Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez.

Among the most signifi cant issues to be addressed at the Summit are the Costa Rica-Nicaragua situation and UNA-SUR’s arbitration role in region-al confl icts.

During the encounter, Ecua-dor will transfer UNASUR’s pro tempore presidency to Guyana.

On Thursday, a meeting of the UNASUR Council of Delegates and the Council of Foreign Min-isters took place, prior to the presidential summit today.

Venezuelan wins Cy Young AwardSeattle Mariners pitcher, Felix Hernandez, originally from Valencia, Venezuela, won the prestigious sports award this week.

IMPACT|2| No 39 • Friday, November 26, 2010 The artillery of ideas

“The people of Venezuela, the people of ALBA nations,

the people of our America and the world will defeat the pretensions of US imperialism that seek to es-cape its own crisis by provoking more war and violations against the people of the world”, stated an “Anti-Imperialist Manifesto” signed by all heads of the fi ve branches of government during a special event held in the historic and prestigious Elliptical Room of Venezuela’s National Assem-bly on Tuesday.

The state event “in defense of the sovereignty of the nation and against hegemony and imperial-ism” was convened by President Chavez in reaction to an event held last week in the US Congress titled “Danger in the Andes: Threats to Democracy, Human Rights and Inter-American Security”, during which several US congressmem-bers called for harsh, direct action to be taken against Chavez and other presidents from member nations of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Ameri-cas (ALBA). Also present at last week’s anti-ALBA event in the US Capitol were several fugitives from Venezuelan justice, such as Globovision president Guillermo Zuloaga, and coup leaders from Bolivia and Ecuador, including Ecuadorean Lucio Gutierrez, charged with leading efforts to overthrow President Rafael Cor-rea last September.

The congressional event was interpreted by many throughout the region as a sign that a now republican-dominated Congress will increase hostility towards countries in Latin America such as Venezuela and Bolivia, which already have tense and diffi cult

Venezuela: Firm rejection of US aggressionOn Tuesday, President Hugo Chavez presided over a state event in the presence of all branches of government and regional representatives, to express the nation’s rejection of threats and attempts to undermine Venezuela’s democracy

relations with Washington. At the conference, US congressman Con-nie Mack (republican from Flor-ida), declared, “now that repub-licans are a majority...we should confront Hugo Chavez directly”, insinuating that the House Sub-Comittee on Foreign Relations for the Western Hemisphere, to be headed by Mack, will initiate ac-tions against Venezuela in 2011.

The new Chair of the House For-eign Relations Committee, con-gresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Miami, also indicated ef-forts would be undertaken to in-crease aggression against Presi-dent Chavez, stating, “We should work closer with regional allies to confront the danger against de-mocracy in Venezuela”.

Ros-Lehtinen, well known for her close relations with anti-Cas-tro Cuban terrorists Luis Posada

Carriles and Orlando Bosch, both responsible for the bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 that killed all 73 passengers aboard, as well as a series of other terrorist acts in the region, later referred to Chavez as a “repressive leader” and reiterated her calls to work for his “removal from power”. In 2006, the Florida congresswoman declared during a television in-terview that she would encour-age and “welcome anyone who assassinates Fidel Castro or any other repressive leader”.

Such language was perceived by Venezuela and other Latin American nations as a clear and direct threat.

On Monday, Bolivian President Evo Morales directly charged congressman Connie Mack with the responsibility “should any-thing happen to President Hugo

Chavez”. Morales’ comments were made during the inaugura-tion of this week’s meeting of de-fense ministers from the Americas, during which US Secretary of De-fense, Robert Gates, was present.

“This congressmember, Connie Mack, made statements that could be interpreted as a call to assassi-nate President Chavez”, said Mo-rales. “Should anything happen to Chavez, Connie Mack will be one of the people responsible”.

AGAINST HEGEMONY AND IMPERIALISM

At Tuesday’s historic event in Venezuela, keynote speaker Eva Golinger, a Venezuelan-American attorney, investigator and writer, who has spent years researching and denouncing US intervention in Venezuela and other Latin American nations, outlined a pattern of tac-tics and strategies being employed against the Chavez administration. “At the beginning of 2010, the US Director of National Intelligence, who coordinates all 16 agencies of the US intelligence community, clas-sifi ed President Chavez as ‘Anti-US Leader in the region’. Saying ‘anti-US’ is the same as saying ‘enemy’...This is language of war”.

Golinger also highlighted how during the “past fi ve years, the US government and mass media have conducted a severe media campaign attempting to demon-ize President Chavez and his government”. This effort, said Golinger, “tries to justify the es-

calation in hostility and aggres-sion against Venezuela, as well as provide reasons for an ever-increasing amount of funding US agencies provide to Venezuelan opposition groups”.

Eva Golinger also proposed the Venezuelan government enact a law to “regulate, control or prohibit foreign funding for political activi-ties” in the South American na-tion. Many countries have similar laws. United States law prohibits all foreign funding from any entity, private or state, to political parties or campaigns in the US, while the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) controls any person, orga-nization or entity receiving foreign funding for lobbying, public rela-tions or activities “directed by or in the interests of a foreign actor”.

During his speech at the sov-ereignty event, President Chavez heard Golinger’s request for a for-eign funding law loud and clear. “I implore the National Assembly to urgently pass a law to end US and foreign funding of NGOs and political parties in our country”, he exclaimed, adding, “This must end. We can no longer be a docile Revolution, we must radicalize our position”. Chavez also called on the other branches of gov-ernment present to act against threats and violations of Venezu-ela’s laws and sovereignty.

The presidents - all women - of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, Na-tional Assembly, Electoral Power and Citizens Power affi rmed their commitment to defending the na-tion against any external or inter-nal threat, and signed the “Anti-Imperialist Manifesto” at the conclusion of Tuesday’s event.

“In this bicentennial period, we ratify our unwavering commit-ment to the culmination of our In-dependence through the consoli-dation of our sovereignty and the construction of unity amongst our peoples, and we proclaim that our response to the imperialist threat will be: more unity, more indepen-dence and more integration”, read the Manifesto ratifi ed by Venezu-ela’s state powers this week.

The Manifesto will be signed by supporters throughout the country during special events to be held during the following days in de-fense of Venezuela’s sovereignty.

T/ COP/ Presidential Press

POLITICS No 39 • Friday, November 26, 2010 |3|The artillery of ideas

On Saturday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

denounced plans by opposition forces to offer $100 million USD to assassinate him. He said fugi-tive media mogul Guillermo Zu-loaga was partly responsible for the plot, and that Zuloaga’s tele-vision station, Globovision, could face government intervention as a result.

“They are collecting money to pay someone to kill me”, said Chavez on Saturday. “As I under-stand it, from very trustworthy information, they say they have $100 million USD to give to the person who kills me”.

According to Chavez, “He [Guillermo Zuloaga] is one of the fundraisers, and he’s the owner of a television station [Globovision] that is transmitting right now in Venezuela.”.

Guillermo Zuloaga, presi-dent and majority shareholder of opposition television channel Globovision, fl ed to the United States last June after Venezuela’s Attorney General fi led an ar-rest warrant against him. He is wanted in Venezuela on charges of money laundering and illegal speculation of consumer goods (hoarding new vehicles at his Caracas residence presumably to sell at infl ated prices).

On Wednesday, Zuloaga af-fi rmed during an interview on CNN that he is seeking political asylum in the United States. Ac-cording to US law, political asylum is given to those with a “reasonable fear of persecution” based on race, religion, gender or political ideol-ogy, and evidence must be pro-vided to substantiate such claims. Nonetheless, by law, political asy-lum cannot be given to individuals merely seeking to evade justice in their home countries, nor to those who have committed internation-ally recognized crimes.

ZULOAGA’S THREATSAccording to Chavez, Zuloaga

could also face treason charges for comments made in Washing-ton, DC, last week during a meet-ing held in the US Capitol titled “Danger in the Andes: Threats to Democracy, Human Rights and Inter-American Security”.

Speaking to reporters outside of the US Congressional Visitors

Globovision owner involved in new assassination plot, says venezuela’s Chavez

Center on Wednesday, Zuloaga affi rmed his belief that Chavez’s Venezuela is a “threat to the Unit-ed States”.

“[Venezuela] is a threat because of President Chavez’s attitude”, said Zuloaga. “He has declared himself anti-United States… and he is defi nitely strengthening ties with Iran, a country that has used Venezuela to set up banks from which it can access monetary re-sources”.

According to Chavez, Zuloaga’s comments amount to “asking for the [US] empire to intervene in the country [Venezuela], which could constitute the crime known as treason”.

The discussions held at last week’s meeting centered on the ways the governments of Ven-ezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Nicaragua constitute “a threat US interests and inter-American security”, and how the US should respond to these governments’ support for “hostile actors such as Iran, foreign and domestic ter-rorist groups, and narcotics traf-fi ckers”.

US Congressman Connie Mack, who attended the meeting, af-fi rmed that the now Republican-

dominated US House of Repre-sentatives would take a harder line against the Venezuelan gov-ernment. “I don’t see how the United States can continue saying we fi ght for freedom and democ-racy in the world if we don’t face Chavez head-on”, said Mack.

GLOBOVISIONPresident Chavez also said that

his administration may decide to intervene in Globovision if the channel is found to be involved in subversive activity.

“I don’t care what they say about me”, said Chavez. “But how is it there’s a television chan-nel here whose owner is a fugi-tive of justice, and not only is he a fugitive, but he has the nerve to go to the heart of Washington and threaten his country, making statements before US lawmakers against this government, against this president?”

Speaking to tens of thousands of students at a Caracas rally on Sunday, Chavez reiterated his demand that Venezuela’s Attor-ney General, Supreme Court and Vice-President take action and speed up a pending criminal case against Globovision’s president.

“This gentleman [Zuloaga] should come here and show his face”, said Chavez. “Instead he is in Washington asking the US to intervene in Venezuela… this sit-uation cannot continue like this”.

Responding to calls by march-ers for the revocation of Globovi-sion’s concession to operate on public airwaves, Chavez called on his supporters to stay alert. If the decision is made to national-ize Zuloaga’s assets, Chavez said, “the bourgeoisie will try to light up the streets – and in the streets of Caracas, the streets of Venezu-ela, they’ll fi nd us!”

Chavez affi rmed that the op-position “will keep playing with the idea of destabilizing the coun-try”, stating that Venezuela’s youth will “decide if this soldier [Chavez] stays at the forefront of the revolution or if the bourgeoi-sie will take the people’s dreams into ruin”.

VIOLATING THE LAWGlobovision is a privately-

owned station that broadcasts on a public concession and regularly emits distorted news and political commentary against the Chavez government, including calls to

overthrow the government and insinuated threats to assassinate the President. The station also aided the botched attempt to overthrow democratically-elect-ed President Chavez in April 2002 by manipulating images in order to justify the military coup.

Nelson Mezerhane, the former owner of the nation’s third largest bank, Banco Federal, and a close political ally of Globovision, is a suspect in the 2004 car bomb mur-der of Danilo Anderson, a national prosecutor who was investigating opposition leaders suspected of in-volvement in the April 2002 coup. Last June, the government took cus-tody of Banco Federal after discov-ering the bank was guilty of mul-tiple banking law infractions and irregularites, and Mezerhane fl ed to the US to avoid prosecution.

Earlier this month, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) – considered the “um-brella organization” for media owners and editors in the Ameri-cas – condemned the Venezuelan government’s legal proceedings against Globovision’s Zuloaga and Mezerhane.

So far, no direct action has been taken against Globovision by the Venezuelan government. None-theless, both of its owners are now fugitives from Venezuelan justice and at least one of them, Zuloaga, has submitted claims for asylum in the United States, which will prohibit his return to his home country. The question remains whether a media corpo-ration can or should continue to operate on the public airwaves while its owners are fugitives who refuse to return to the coun-try to face justice.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Guiller-mo Zuloaga broadcast a pre-re-corded statement on Globovision claiming he was not involved in a plot to “kill” President Chavez, but rather would take him before an international court to try him for alleged crimes, for which the television owner did not provide any evidence. Zuloaga’s threat was seen as yet another provoca-tion to tempt the Venezuelan gov-ernment to revoke Globovision’s broadcast license.

T/ Juan Reardon and Eva Golinger

ECONOMY|4| No 39 • Friday, November 26, 2010 The artillery of ideas ECONOMY No 39 • Friday, November 26, 2010 |5|The artillery of ideas

Chavez party reveals new political strategyIn preparation for the nation’s

upcoming presidential election of 2012, Venezuelan head of state Hugo Chavez revealed last Monday a draft copy of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela’s (PSUV) politi-cal strategy for the next two years.

During a televised broadcast, Chavez, together with his council of ministers, spoke of the need of the governing PSUV party to con-solidate its base and formulate a new strategic map to strengthen its popular support en route to victory in 2012’s presidential contest.

According to the Venezuelan President, the draft political strat-egy, called the Great Admirable Campaign 2011 – 2012, will be discussed further on December 11 and 12 in a national forum of party activists to be held in Caracas.

“This document is the base for a great social and national debate as a means of strengthening the party, forming patriotic alliances and achieving the great strategic victory of December 2012 to en-sure the continuation of the dem-ocratic, pacifi c, and revolutionary process”, Chavez declared.

Although the governing PSUV won the vast majority of legisla-tive seats in contention during the National Assembly elections that took place last September 26, many government supporters rec-ognize that the margins of victory did not meet party expectations.

That realization has led to a

revamping of the government’s political strategy based in what Chavez has called “constructive self-criticism” and the “3 Rs” – Revision, Rectifi cation, and Re-launching of the PSUV’s program.

“The PSUV, more than just a po-litical machine, should help gener-ate the best revolutionary leaders. The party should be the vanguard of the people, it should be a po-litical school, creating ideological principles in the transformation of the Venezuelan reality”, the Ven-ezuelan President explained.

According to Chavez, the na-tional debate to be held in De-cember will serve to “apply a strategic balance to the moments that we have lived over the past few years as well as the present. We’ll be talking about the 3Rs with the leadership.”

Expanding the PSUV’s base of support has also been a priority for the party’s leadership.

MIDDLE CLASSAs such, the Chavez admin-

istration has made a concerted

effort to reach out to members of the country’s middle class, placing emphasis on protecting homebuyers from predatory real estate fi rms who through sham contracts have defrauded thou-sands of Venezuelans.

“The middle class doesn’t have to be the enemy of this process and this process is not the enemy of the middle class”, Chavez stated.

The Venezuelan President also mentioned the importance of the student movement in national politics, following a national stu-

dent march held last Sunday in support of the government’s edu-cational policies.

REGIONAL ELECTIONSIn addition to preparing for the

presidential race of 2012, Chavez emphasized on Monday the im-portance of 13 regional elections that will take place in the country this December 5.

The elections, which the Vene-zuelan head of state referred to as a “warm-up” for the presidential race, include 2 gubernatorial con-tests in the states of Guarico and Amazonia as well as 11 mayoral elections in various municipali-ties across the country.

According to Vice President, Elías Jaua, the upcoming regional elections represent “important spaces to win and to preserve en route to the big [presidential] vic-tory in 2012”.

During the televised broad-cast, Chavez, presented the 13 candidates and spoke of the need to sustain “resistance and coun-terattacks” against the foreign intervention emanating from the United States.

“The aggressions against Vene-zuela and the funding of millions of dollars to the ultra-rightwing and its destabilizing forces have already begun”, he said.

T/ Edward EllisP/ Presidential Press

Venezuela took further steps in consolidating its political

and economic ties with the east-ern European nation of Belarus last week when 17 new accords in areas ranging from housing to agricultural were signed between the two governments in the Ven-ezuelan capital of Caracas.

The new accords are the prod-uct of a week of collaboration be-tween a team of high-level Belar-us offi cials and their Venezuelan counterparts.

Since November 14, the Belaru-sian delegation has toured differ-ent regions of Venezuela to solidify previous commitments and evalu-ate new areas of cooperation.

During a press conference held after the signing of the agree-ments, Venezuela’s Foreign Min-ister Nicolas Maduro congratulat-

Venezuela and Belarus advance relationsed the commission on its work.

“We want to thank the efforts of this high level delegation of ministers”, Maduro said. “The work has been very productive and we’re still discussing some topics. The central objective [of the agreements] is the economic independence of our country and the happiness of our people”.

For his part, the Belarusian Food and Agricultural Minister, Mijail Rusiy, expressed his coun-try’s will to collaborate with the Venezuelan government in order to further the development pri-orities of both nations.

“We’re willing to transfer tech-nology, build new factories and houses and help promote [Ven-ezuela’s] production”, Rusiy said. “There’s a lot to do, ideas and projects. In a short time, we’ll have

more agreements so that our coun-tries can prosper and live better”.

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

The 17 accords signed last week include the shipment of tractors and other heavy ma-chinery to Venezuela for use in agriculture development and bauxite mining.

A contract has also been signed for the construction of 5 thousand new homes in the state of Aragua and a mixed company has been formed between the Belarusian fi rm JSV Belzarubezhstroy and the public Venezuelan company Sidor to produce high tension sol-dered steel netting.

In terms of food security, an ac-cord has been created to “study the possibility of developing

mechanisms of cooperation to permit the strengthening of food exchanges with a special focus on Venezuela’s public sector”.

In this vein, Venezuela has agreed to purchase 16 thousand metric tons of powdered milk from the European nation to be commercialized through the state-run food distribution net-work that includes the social pro-grams Mercal and PDVAL.

Foreign Minister Maduro re-ferred to Venezuela growing re-lations with Belarus and the new pacts signed on Friday as the “consolidation of a socialist for-eign policy based on solidarity”.

“We’re going to continue in the development of this strategic alli-ance for the benefi t of both coun-tries and for the future of our people”, Maduro explained.

Alexander Radevich, Belarus’ Minister of Industry, echoed Ma-duro’s sentiments with respect to the nations’ ties.

“Together, we can do a lot to im-prove our countries. We’ve estab-lished strategic, friendly relations directed towards achieving the mutual development of our nations and the prosperity our people”.

Last month, Venezuelan presi-dent Hugo Chavez visited Belar-us where he met with his coun-terpart Alexander Lukashenko, laying the foundation for the agreements signed on Friday.

The 17 new accords now bring the total number of existent so-cial, political and economic agree-ments between the two nations to 64.

T/ Edward Ellis

Venezuela emerging from recession with most equal income distribution in region

Venezuela’s one and a half year economic recession slowed

for the third consecutive quarter, and the economy is poised for GDP growth and a lower infl ation rate in 2011, according to a recent report by the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV).

The OPEC nation’s GDP was 0.4% smaller in the third quarter of this year than it was in the third quarter of last year. This is a slow-er rate of decline than in the fi rst and second quarters of this year, during which the GDP declined by 5.2% and 1.9%, respectively.

The total decrease in GDP over the fi rst nine months of this year was 2.4% compared to the fi rst nine months of last year. Over-all demand grew by 4.1%, while overall supply grew by 1.5%, ac-cording to the BCV report.

Among the sectors that grew during the third quarter were communications (9.4%) and gov-ernment services including edu-cation, health care, administra-tion, and defense (3.2%).

In contrast to previous quar-ters, private manufacturing grew by 1.9% and overall manufactur-ing grew by 0.1%. The food sec-tor, which experienced shortages in some items in recent years, grew by 15.6%, with particularly high growth in the production of bread, oil, and dairy products.

The sectors that declined were mining (-10.6%), electric-ity, water (-7.8%), construction (-7.9%), fi nancial intermediaries (-5.0%), commerce (-4.4%), and oil (-2.1%).

The BCV attributed the decline in the oil sector to an OPEC-mandated cut in exports in 2009 and an increase in the amount of gasoline produced for domestic consumption, particularly to fuel new thermoelectric power plants. Opposition critics pointed to a drop in investments by the state oil company, PDVSA, from $7.63 billion USD in the fi rst half of 2009 to $5.23 billion in the fi rst half of 2010 as the cause of the decline.

The Central Bank report at-tributed the third quarter im-provement partially to the gov-ernment’s System of Foreign Currency Transactions (SITME), which was established this year

to control infl ation in the foreign currency bond market. The report also cited the resolution of prob-lems in the supply of government-issued foreign currency to im-porters, which fueled an increase in the supply of imported goods by 6.3% in the third quarter; the establishment of special exchange rate of 2.6 bolivars to the dollar for essential imports for producers (compared to 4.3 bolivars to the dollar for non-essential items); and the maintenance of public spending on social programs and public investments throughout the recession.

Also, increased government in-vestments in the state-owned elec-tricity sector brought an increase in electricity production follow-ing a drought-induced shortage in late 2009, further contributing to the third quarter economic im-provement, the BCV said.

CONTRASTING ANALYSISThis assessment contrasts with

that of the International Mon-etary Fund, which in its World Economic Outlook report in Oc-tober said bad fi scal policy by the

government would cause Ven-ezuela’s recession to continue in the second half of 2010, and con-strain annual economic growth to less than 1.4% over the next fi ve years.

The third quarter economic re-sults are consistent with Venezu-elan government predictions that the economy would emerge from the recession with diminishing rates of decline throughout 2010.

According to a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC, when the quarterly data is season-ally adjusted, it shows the Ven-ezuelan economy may already be in recovery, posting 5.2% eco-nomic growth in the second quar-ter of 2010.

Venezuela’s economy experi-enced a consecutive high growth rate between 2004 and 2008, but contracted by 3.3% in 2009 amidst the global fi nancial crisis, which caused global oil prices to plummet from $150 per barrel to around $30 per barrel. The price of oil, Venezuela’s principal export, has since recovered to around $70 per barrel.

Current government forecasts predict 2% economic growth next year and 2.4% economic growth in 2012. During a recent testi-mony to the Venezuelan National Assembly, Central Bank Presi-dent Nelson Merentes said, “It is probable that we will begin to grow again in the fourth quarter [of 2010]”.

Merentes also said controlling infl ation will present a “complex and important challenge” to the government. He estimated that Venezuela can reduce its annual accumulated infl ation to a single digit fi gure within three years.

“This country has not regis-tered single-digit infl ation since the year 1985, so we’re talking about an unresolved and old problem that we must resolve”, said Merentes. The government will “concentrate on the items that have contributed most to in-fl ation, which we have detected”, he said, specifying food prices, which he asked ordinary citizens to help control by denouncing price speculators.

Current statistical trends indi-cate that Venezuela will fi nish this

year with accumulated infl ation of approximately 26%, similar to last year’s fi gure. Prior to the election of the left-leaning gov-ernment led by President Hugo Chavez in 1998, the country’s former ruling elite implemented neo-liberal reforms that brought annual accumulated infl ation rates of as much as 60% to 100%.

DECREASE IN POVERTYAccording to the National Statis-

tics Institute (INE), Venezuela has not seen increased poverty during its now seven-quarter recession; the poverty rate has remained steady at 26%, and the extreme poverty rate has remained steady at 7%. In comparison, the poverty rate hit 70.8% and the extreme poverty rate hit 39.5% in 1996.

Venezuela’s poverty rates im-prove when measured by access to basic services rather than in-come. The INE reports that 11.6% of the population lives without basic services, while 6.5% live in substandard dwellings. Mean-while, the unemployment rate has remained within the eight percentile so far this year, down from 16.1% in 1998.

EQUAL DISTRIBUTIONIn addition, Venezuela has the

most equal distribution of wealth in Latin America, according to the Gini coeffi cient measure-ment used by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (CEPAL). Venezuela’s Gini coeffi cient is .412, an im-provement from 1998, when it was .498.

The 2011 budget proposal calls for 204.2 billion bolivars ($47.5 billion) of spending, a 28 percent increase from 2010. Consumer prices may rise 23 percent to 25 percent next year.

Venezuela’s total public debt is 18.4% of the GDP, and the Central Bank holds $28.3 billion in for-eign currency reserves. The gov-ernment also reported a current account surplus of $2.6 billion in the third quarter and a capital ac-count surplus of $1.88 billion, ac-cording to Bloomberg News.

T/ James Suggettwww.venezuelanalysis.com

SPORTS AND CULTURE|6| No 39• Friday, November 26, 2010 The artillery of ideas

Holiday Fairs begin nationwide, offering affordable goods for all

Celebrating the offi cial kick-off of the holiday season, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez inaugurated the country’s second annual Christmas Food Fair last Saturday in the capital city of Caracas

The fair, which offers traditional holiday food items and staples

at discounted rates to Venezuelan residents, will take place every Sat-urday until December 30th in vari-ous regions across the country.

Savings on many products reach up to 50% in comparison with private markets, ensuring that all residents will have a full table for the holiday season.

“We’re getting prepared to have a happy year’s end with our fami-lies”, Chavez exclaimed on Satur-day while touring the Christmas fair in Plaza Caracas.

Although the Venezuelan diet is based largely on the staples of rice, chicken and corn fl our throughout the year, the holiday season is marked by a diversity of specialty foods that adorn the tables of every home.

VENEZUELAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONHallacas, a steamed tamale

fi lled with a diversity of ingredi-ents depending on the region, is perhaps the best known and most important holiday food item.

According to offi cials working in the social program Mercal in charge of carrying out the nation-al food fair, hallacas will be made available to residents at a price of 4.03 bolivars ($0.93) each.

In the private marketplace, Presi-dent Chavez highlighted last Satur-day, the price of hallacas is as high as 8.23 ($1.91), translating to a sav-ings of 51% for those who buy in the government-run Christmas fair.

Another typical holiday dish is pernil, a baked pork leg stuffed with raisons and olives.

Chavez reported that the pork would be available in the gov-ernment food fair at a price of 12 bolivars ($2.79), contrasting with the price of 22.50 bolivars ($5.23) in private markets.

“We aren’t looking for profi ts with this”, Chavez said of the seven thousand tons of pork that will be available to the public through various government-run food distribution outlets during the holiday season.

Nancy Urdaneta, a shopper at a Christmas fair in the city of Mara-caibo referred to the price of pork at 12 bolivars as “outstanding”.

“I’m taking 10 kilos”, she said. “In the other markets they have it at the price of 40 bolivars or more. The savings is huge”.

Carmen Vargas from the state of Sucre coincided with the opin-ion of Urdaneta at another fair carried out in the northeastern coastal city of Cumana.

“The price of pork is really good. In other markets this prod-uct is super expensive. I hope that Mercal continues to organize more fairs like this”, she remarked.

According the Food Ministry, 480 tons of food will be distribut-ed to each one of the 372 Christ-mas fairs across the country.

In addition to the food items, the Christmas fair will also pro-vide the opportunity for residents to purchase clothing and toys made in Venezuelan cooperatives and social production units at discounted prices.

T/ Edward EllisP/ Presidential Press

Venezuelan pitcher Feliz Hernandez wins

“Cy Young” Award

The dominance that Ven-ezuelan pitchers have

displayed in Major League Baseball in recent years was affi rmed last week when Felix Hernandez, the Valencian-born ace of the Seattle Mariners, was awarded baseball’s most pres-tigious defensive award.

Hernandez was the top vote getter in the American League Cy Young competition, easily beating out Tampa Bay’s Da-vid Price and New York’s C.C. Sabathia.

“It was a great, great, great, amazing feeling”, the 24 year-old said of receiving the call in-forming him that he had won.

The right-handed Hernan-dez dominated his opponents throughout the 2010 season, leading the major leagues with an earned run average of 2.27 and tallying an impres-sive 232 strikeouts.

Although he also lead the league in innings pitched and maintained the lowest op-ponent’s batting average of .212, his record of 13-12 did not represent his dominance on the mound as Seattle’s lackluster offense did little to provide the former Carde-nales star with necessary run support.

“This confi rms the Cy Young is an award not only for the pitcher with the most wins, but the most dominant”, Hernandez said.

Hernandez’s achievement means that for the third time in the past six years a Venezu-elan has won the Cy Young.

Johan Santana, the Merida-born southpaw, picked up the title pitching for he Minnesota Twins in 2004 and 2006.

T/ Edward EllisP/ Agencies

SOCIAL JUSTICE No 39 • Friday, November 26, 2010 |7|The artillery of ideas

Tens of thousands of Venezuelan students march for new University Law

Tens of thousands of Venezuelan students marched through Caracas on Sunday to celebrate the Day of the University Student and to pressure the National Assembly to pass a new law for university-level education

Students marched from the main campus of the Bolivarian

University of Venezuela (UBV) to Mirafl ores Palace and were joined by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Minister of Higher Edu-cation Edgardo Ramirez, as well as other cabinet members. In his speech to the crowd, Chavez called on students to look beyond any differences and form a “united, national student movement” to de-fend the Bolivarian Revolution.

Marchers came from a number of public universities established before and during the Chavez government. Banners identifi ed marchers from the UBV, the Na-tional Experimental University of the Armed Forces (UNEFA), the National Experimental University Simón Rodríguez (UNESR), the Ribas and Sucre educational mis-sions and the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), among others.

“Venezuelan students today should feel proud of what they represent in the world”, said UCV student organizer Kevin Avila. “Today Venezuelan students un-derstand that we need universi-ties that transform the university, universities that take on the task of developing the country”.

HIGH UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENTAccording to offi cial statistics,

two million Venezuelans are cur-rently engaged in university-level studies, placing Venezuela second to Cuba among Latin American nations in percentage of adults at-tending universities. Combined, the UBV and UNEFA alone have half a million registered students.

During previous governments, “students were persecuted, tortured and disappeared”, affi rmed Ávila. “That is no longer the case – now we have a President who marches

with us, who has been with us for 12 years, and who understands the needs of revolutionary students, of Venezuelan students”.

The new Law of University Education proposed by the stu-dent marchers would democratize decision-making at universities nationwide, establishing mecha-nisms for the entire university (stu-dents, staff, workers and members of the community) to participate in decisions on the nature of aca-demic programs, investigations, and the distribution of resources. In addition, universities would be required to disclose all income and

expenditures, making a public au-dit system the norm at all higher-education institutions.

“A new Law of University Edu-cation is to be the grand voice of all students”, affi rmed Edgardo Ramirez, Venezuela’s Minister of Higher Education, during the march. “It’s a new law to establish a popular and scientifi c universi-ty focused on social inclusion”.

President Chavez, who can-celled his weekly television ad-dress to the nation to attend the march, called for unity among “revolutionary students” to de-fend the Bolivarian Revolution.

“You are sons and daughters of the revolution, and you are the fathers and mothers of the fu-ture homeland we are working to build”, affi rmed Chavez.

Asked if he would attend a na-tional student conference sched-uled for 2011, Chavez committed himself “on one condition… uni-ty, unity, unity”, he affi rmed.

“I want student unity to help us form the great Patriotic Pole that goes beyond the political parties, that goes much further than the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) or the Com-munist Party (PCV)… everyone

is welcome as we form this patri-otic, socialist, Bolivarian and anti-imperialist pole”, said Chavez.

VENEZUELA’S FUTUREWielding an algebra textbook

he picked up before the march, Chavez called on students to pre-pare for many years of struggle.

“The day we celebrate 12 years [in power], we’ll have our plan ready for the next 12 years, total-ing 24, and 12 more to make 36, and 12 more to make 48… Never again will the bourgeoisie return to power in Venezuela, whatever happens, whatever it costs”, the President affi rmed.

“A large part of the task of so-cialism rests on the shoulders, chests, and minds of the Ven-ezuelan youth of today”, said Chavez to the crowd. “You have a large responsibility and you are taking it on. I congratulate you. Keep taking it on and count on this soldier until the last day of my life”.

Meanwhile, anti-government students from the UCV have called on Venezuelans to march this coming Sunday “in defense of Venezuela” and in opposition to recent government national-izations and interventions in the housing sector to combat real es-tate fraud.

UCV student Jose Luis Betan-court on Tuesday told opposition television station Globovision that the march on Sunday will be “another opportunity to pro-test for a just university budget, back payments for professors and workers, failures in infrastruc-ture, defi ciencies at the dining halls and in transport”.

On November 21, 1957, a group of university students in Caracas interrupted a cardiology confer-ence being held at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and denounced the crimes of the Marcos Perez Jimenez dictator-ship in place at the time. Consid-ered the beginning of the end of the Jimenez period, this student action was ratifi ed one year later by governmental decree, giving birth to Venezuela’s Day of the University Student.

T/ Juan Reardonwww.venezuelanalysis.com

The artillery of ideasENGLISH EDITIONFRIDAY | November 26, 2010 | No. 39| Bs. 1 | CARACAS

A publication of the Fundacion Correo del OrinocoEditor-in-Chief | Eva Golinger • Graphic Design | Alexander Uzcátegui, Jameson Jiménez • Press | Fundación Imprenta de la Cultura

OPINION

Reform and revolution in Latin AmericaSince the election of Hugo Cha-

vez in Venezuela in 1998, leftist parties or coalitions have won the presidencies in many Latin Ame-rican countries. Evo Morales, re-presenting the Movement Toward Socialism in Bolivia, claimed vic-tory in 2005. Jose Manuel Zelaya in Honduras was president from Jan. 27, 2006, until June 28, 2009. Daniel Ortega, was elected president in Nicaragua in 2006. Finally, Rafael Correa in Ecuador won the presi-dential election in 2007.

All of the above-mentioned go-vernments came to power with the support of massive social mo-vements. What these movements have in common is a strong rejec-tion of imperialism and a fi rm su-pport for the social, political and economic changes each of these countries is undertaking.

The resurgence of the left is a product of one of the region’s worst economic crises. In the last 25 years, Latin American national states and international fi nancial institutions have imposed poli-cies of neoliberalism and globa-lization, which meant privatiza-tion of social security, pensions, education, telecommunications, electricity, water, transportation, petroleum, natural gas, mining and more.

Under these conditions, new socio-political forms began to emerge in the early 1990s. They were accompanied by massive popular uprisings, which led to the deposition of neoliberal pre-sidents—three in Ecuador, two in Bolivia and one in Venezuela.

The changes taking place in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador make the dialectic of reform and revolution evident. Since Chavez, Morales and Correa won the elec-tions, their governments have un-dertaken reforms that, taken as a whole, are aimed at opposing and transforming the foundations of the capitalist system.

In Venezuela, the process has taken a distinctive revolutionary path. In 1992, Chavez attempted to bring down the government

of President Carlos Andres Pe-rez. Perez sent troops to bru-tally repress workers who had taken to the streets against neo-liberal reforms in February 1989. Thousands were killed. Chavez hoped his revolutionary initiative would draw in the Venezuelan masses—but it failed.

Nevertheless, oppressed Vene-zuelans recognized his leadership and were stirred by his challenge to the sitting government. It was that 1992 revolutionary initiative that galvanized the social move-ment that brought Chavez to the presidency—an electoral victory that would not have been possi-ble under normal conditions, in a system rigged to favor the ru-ling class. Within the context of radical reforms, Venezuela and

For instance, in 2009 Correa re-fused to renew the lease of the US military base in Manta. In addi-tion, he brought Ecuador into the ALBA regional alliance with Ve-nezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Cuba among other countries.

Even though the left has grown stronger, all these democratically elected presidents and their poli-tical, economic and social agen-das have come under attack by their national ruling classes with direct support of US imperialism.

In April 2002, Chavez was briefl y forced into exile in a coup that was stopped when 1 million supporters surrounded the presi-dential palace and demanded his return.

In September 2008, in Bolivia, right-wing forces used fascist gangs to try to break the hold of Morales. They were stopped through the combination of mass mobilizations and the intervention of loyal sec-tions of the armed forces.

In 2009, also in Bolivia, Morales denounced the mercenary plans to attack humanitarian brigades of Cuban and Venezuelan engi-neers and doctors providing com-munity services in the poorest municipalities of eastern Bolivia.

In June 2009, Zelaya was over-thrown by the Honduran military.

And in September 2010, Correa was trapped in an Ecuadoran police hospital in a coup attempt that was stopped by massive mo-bilizations and a part of the ar-med forces.

One instrument for US inter-vention in the region has been the funding of right-wing political organizations and other groups. The National Endowment for Democracy has been particularly useful to that end. Under the gui-se of promoting democratic insti-tutions, it funnels millions of do-llars annually for the purpose of destabilizing progressive govern-ments and strengthening pro-US elements.

The recent election of pro-U.S. Ricardo Martinelli in Panama is a result of this offensive. Colombia

Bolivia have been taking more ra-dical measures—for instance, na-tionalizing natural resources and carrying out land reforms.

A critical task is underway in Venezuela to shore up and streng-then the revolution: building a party—the Unifi ed Socialist Party of Venezuela, or PSUV—capable of defending and advancing the country’s revolutionary process. Marxists understand that a wor-king-class party, led by the most dedicated revolutionary fi ghters, is essential for success.

Within the international con-text, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador have taken a clear stand against imperialism and are rai-sing the hopes of the oppressed and the exploited of the entire continent.

has been another key vehicle for US intervention. Plan Colombia’s main objective, and the insta-llation of the seven US bases in that country, is to allow the Uni-ted States to control the region. Colombia’s newly elected Presi-dent Santos, like his predecessor Uribe, will continue the plans of aggression and destabilization carried out by different US admi-nistrations.

The Costa Rican government is also playing a role supporting the interests of the US ruling class. In August 2010, 10,000 marines were sent to Costa Rica suppo-sedly to fi ght the “war against drug traffi cking.“ But as Chavez observed, its real aim is to have access, especially to Venezuela, in case the empire decides on direct invasion.

In addition, Costa Rica plays a major role supporting US inter-ests in Central America, as revea-led during the Honduran coup, when Costa Rican President Arias assumed the role of “mediator,” and in the border confl ict taking place now between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Colombia, however, is not free of class struggle. There, a civil war has been waged for over 60 years. Within the fi rst 75 days of the Santos government, 22 hu-man right activists have been killed. More trade union mem-bers are killed in Colombia than any other country in the world. But the FARC and popular orga-nizations continue unfazed the struggle for socialism. Each time they murder a leader of the mo-vement, another steps in to carry the fl ag forward.

From Venezuela to Bolivia, from Ecuador to Nicaragua, the struggle to fi nally expropriate the ruling class and complete the La-tin American socialist revolution is at its highest pitch. What will determine whether the reforms pave the way to outright revolu-tion is the class struggle itself.

Jacqueline Villagomez