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March 12, 2013 - No. 33

Chávez Lives, the Struggle Continues!

Outpouring of Social Love at State Funeral for
Hugo Chávez


National Military Academy, Caracas, Venezuela, March 8, 2013

Chávez Lives, the Struggle Continues!
Outpouring of Social Love at State Funeral for Hugo Chávez
Nicolás Maduro Sworn In as President
Presidential Election Announced for April 14
We Have Lost Our Best Friend - Fidel Castro
The Legacy of President Hugo Chávez


Chávez Lives, the Struggle Continues!

Outpouring of Social Love at State Funeral for
Hugo Chávez


Heads of state from Latin America and the Caribbean form an honour guard.

On March 8, Venezuela held the state funeral for its late President Hugo Chávez. Venezuelan state and government leaders and his mother Elena, his siblings and children, were joined by representatives of the Venezuelan people and personalities from all fields of endeavour. Political party leaders were joined by personalities in the fields of academia, sports and culture, including world renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Olympic gold medalist in fencing Ruben Limardo and Forumla 1 driver Pastor Maldonado, among others.

In addition to millions of Venezuelans lining the streets and watching on television, and the audience internationally, the broad support for President Chávez was reflected in the fact that 54 foreign delegations -- including 32 led by heads of state or government -- attended the funeral to pay tribute to the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution.  Most of the countries of the Americas and the Caribbean were present with the highest level delegations, except for the United States and Canada which participated with low level delegations. Heads of State included the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko and the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The United States was represented by Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat, and former Rep. William Delahunt, a Democrat from Massachusetts, who in 2005 arranged a deal with Venezuela to provide cheap fuel oil to impoverished residents of Massachusetts. Notable personalities present from the U.S. included the Reverend Jesse Jackson and actor Sean Penn.

Canada sent Bob Dechert, Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Minister John Baird along with the Canadian Ambassador to Venezuela. Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and his wife Aline were present but not part of the official Canadian delegation.

Vice President Nicolás Maduro began the funeral ceremony by placing a replica of the sword of Simón Bolívar on the casket. The names of all the heads of state who were present were read out, starting with Cuban President Rául Castro. Then Venezuela's national youth orchestra and choir, led by Dudamel, sang the national anthem. This was followed by other musical presentations, including a popular singer who is also a congressman who sang songs from Chávez' native Barinas state. Then came an ecumenical service presided over by three pastors.

Then Vice President Maduro spoke with great emotion to pay tribute to the deeds of Hugo Chávez. When he  stated, "The battle continues, Chávez lives, the struggle continues! Long live Hugo Chávez, long live our people," cheers rung out from the gathering: "Chávez Lives, the Struggle Continues!" Maduro explained that during Chávez' final fight against cancer, he made sure to leave everything arranged. "What was left for our part was whether or not to do it. We tell all the people that we will," said Maduro.

In his speech, he read out five values entrusted to the Venezuelan people to realize by Hugo Chávez:

- to maintain and strengthen the independence gained in the 14 years of the democratic popular and Bolivarian Revolution

- to continue building socialism that is diverse, democratic and rooted in Latin America


Cuban President Rául Castro pays his respects.

- to build up Venezuela's power, as part of a more powerful Latin America that will be built in the coming years

- to build a world of balance, without empires or hegemonic nations, based on relationships of respect, cooperation and peace, that respects international law, that is able to meet and cooperate, to live, to be fair in terms of equality.

- to contribute to the preservation of life on the planet and the salvation of the human race.

Maduro mentioned by name many of the leaders present, thanking them for their ongoing friendship to Venezuela and its people.

Several ranks of honour guards took their place to pay their respects. The first was composed of the Presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro; Chile, Sebastián Piñera'; Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla; Bolivia, Evo Morales; Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega; and Ecuador, Rafael Correa.

The second was composed of the Presidents of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos; the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina; El Salvador, Mauricio Funes; Guatemala, Otto Fernando Pérez; and Honduras, Porfirio Lobo.

The third honour guard was made up of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller; the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto; the President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli; the President of Peru, Ollanta Humala; the President of Uruguay, José Mujica; and Prince Felipe de Borbón of Spain.


President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and his son Nikolay, and President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pay their respects.

The fourth guard was composed of Aleksandr Lukashenko, President of Belarus, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran.

Other honour guards were then formed, featuring well-known musicians, athletes and other personalities.

At the end of the funeral, Maduro presented the replica of Bolivar's sword to Chávez' family.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua remarked to the press following the funeral that the broad support from the international community "is a victory of the truth against infamy." The big transnational media tried to sell the image of Chávez as a tyrant, a campaign that was defeated, he added.

The representation of leaders present on Friday in Caracas reflects a diversity of the ideological and religious views, all gathered around the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, and this is testimony that Chávez's message reached far beyond our neighborhoods to spread throughout the world, he said.

"Our great task at this time is to preserve the legacy of Commander Chávez and we are proud of what we have done," said Jaua.

"People must understand that we have broken the historical curse that began with the betrayal of the Liberator, Simón Bolívar," he added. Chávez died in his capacity as President of Venezuela, no one could best him in an election, they could not kill or destroy him morally. He was able to overcome all hatred because he managed to introduce a fundamental value that was lost in society, which is loyalty, said Jaua.

Tributes Continue

Around the world, tributes to the late Venezuelan president attended by people from all walks of life continue, including across Canada.

Toronto

Tribute to Hugo Chávez at a monument to Simón Bolívar in Trinity-Bellwoods Park, March 7, 2013.

Hamilton

In Hamilton, several organizations held a community memorial for President Chávez on March 7, 2013, featuring songs, speeches and poetry. President of Local 1005 USW Rolf Gerstenberger (right) conveyed the workers' condolences and informed that at the steelworkers' regular Thursday meeting, 75 workers had stood for a minute of silence and signed a card to send to the people of Venezuela. Local 1005's resident poet Bill Mahoney recited
a poem dedicated to President Chávez (left).


Vancouver

On March 7, the Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Vancouver held a public memorial ceremony in celebration of the life and deeds of President Chávez.

Windsor
Commemorate the Contributions of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
Tuesday, March 12 -- 7:30 pm, Acapulco Delight Restaurant

656 Pitt Street West, Windsor
For information: Windsor Peace Coalition at windsorpeace@hotmail.com

The Windsor Peace Coalition invites you to a commemoration of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on the sad occasion of his untimely passing. President Chávez contributed greatly to the movement for unity in Latin America and the Caribbean against the neoliberal project for domination.

The stands of President Chávez and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in defence of sovereignty and independence and against imperialist war were also great contributions to the movement for peace and against war internationally.

At a time when NATO states and others under U.S. domination, including Canada, have been using the platform of the United Nations to violate its Charter and founding principles by passing resolutions condoning the bombing and invasion of sovereign countries and calling for the removal of their governments by force, all in the name of high ideals like "human rights", "democracy" and "the responsibility to protect civilians", Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela never joined this treachery. They could be counted on to denounce it for what it was. For this, President Chávez was respected by peace-loving people the world over.

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Nicolás Maduro Sworn In as President


Newly sworn in President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro (left) and President of the National Assembly Diosdado Cabello.

On March 8, after the conclusion of the state funeral for Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, Executive Vice President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in as an acting president of the South American country. The ceremony took place during a session of Parliament held at 7:00 pm in the Hall of Honour of the National Military Academy. Science and Technology Minister Jorge Arreza was designated as the new Vice President.

Both President Maduro and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello pledged to follow Chávez's example and continue the revolutionary changes the Bolivarian government had taken up under his leadership.

Standing next to the casket of Hugo Chávez he stated, "I swear by the most absolute loyalty to comrade Hugo Chávez that we will obey and defend the Bolivarian Constitution with the iron fist of a people ready to be free."

"Our commitment is to continue on the course of civic-military unity," Maduro affirmed. "Nothing and nobody will take from us the independence re-conquered by the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Hugo Chávez."

Addressing the ongoing U.S. interference in Venezuela's affairs, Maduro stated, "Sooner than later, the imperialist elites who govern the United States will have to learn to coexist in total respect with the insurrectional peoples of Black, Latino and Caribbean southern America."

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Presidential Election Announced for April 14

Mass rally on March 11, 13 at the nomination for Nicolás Maduro as the presidential candidate
for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

On Saturday, March 9, the president of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, announced that the presidential election will be held on April 14. Following Commander President Hugo Chávez' untimely passing on Tuesday, March 5, the CNE must meet the constitutional requirement to hold a presidential election within 30 days after the death of a president.

On Monday, March 11 at 9:00 am at Plaza Diego Ibarra, Nicolás Maduro officially registered as the presidential candidate for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). The event was marked with a militant expression of popular support by thousands of people.

The CNE has established that the campaign will last 10 days -- from April 2 to 11. It also announced that a request has been sent to the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), for the participation of a delegation of observers from the organization for the duration of the election.


"With Chávez and Maduro, the people are secure"

Finally, the CNE announced that due to the holding of the presidential election, it was obliged to postpone the municipal elections scheduled for July 14 to a later date to be announced shortly.

When he was re-elected on October 7, President Chávez won the presidency with just over 54 percent of the vote, defeating his closest opponent Henrique Caprilles who won 44.1 percent of the vote. Capriles was the candidate of the reactionary opposition forces who are backed by the U.S. in its attempts to undermine the Bolivarian Revolution. He is currently the Governor of Miranda State.

On Sunday, March 10, Capriles announced that he will once again run as the opposition candidate in the April 14 election. Showing the political bankruptcy of these hidebound forces, Capriles could not present a political argument for why he should be elected president. Instead, he tried to lower the political atmosphere by spouting the most vile slanders and accusations about Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro to incite the people.

Maduro denounced Capriles' statements, saying they seek to provoke violence. He called on the people not to fall into these provocations. "It is not the hour of revenge or hatred, it is the hour of peace."

He noted that the family of Comandante Hugo Chávez reserves the right to take legal action against Capriles' defamations.

Maduro also announced that, this Friday, Chávez' casket will be taken to the historic Montaña Garrison, from where Chávez, then a Lieutenant Colonel, led the coup of February 4, 1992.

He also stated that the National Assembly is to approve an amendment to the Constitution -- which must be subsequently endorsed by the people in a referendum -- to place Chávez in the National Pantheon, to rest beside the Liberator Simón Bolívar, as demanded by people on the streets.

Meanwhile, Chávez' office in Miraflores Palace, as well as other locations utilized by the deceased leader, will be converted into museums.

(Granma, Agencies)

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We Have Lost Our Best Friend


The cooperation between Cuba and Venezuela has benefitted millions throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

The best friend the Cuban people have had throughout their history died on the afternoon of March 5. A call via satellite communicated the bitter news. The significance of the phrase used was unmistakable.

Although we were aware of the critical state of his health, the news hit us hard. I recalled the times he joked with me, saying that when both of us had concluded our revolutionary task, he would invite me to walk by the Arauca river in Venezuelan territory, which made him remember the rest that he never had.

The honor befell us to have shared with the Bolivarian leader the same ideas of social justice and support for the exploited. The poor are the poor in any part of the world.

"Let Venezuela give me a way of serving her: she has in me a son," proclaimed National Hero José Martí, the leader of our independence, a traveler who, without cleansing himself of the dust of the journey, asked for the location of the statue of Bolívar.

Martí knew the beast because he lived in its entrails. Is it possible to ignore the profound words he voiced in an inconclusive letter to his friend Manuel Mercado the day before he died in battle? "I am in daily danger of giving my life for my country and duty -- for I understand that duty and have the intention of carrying it out -- the duty of preventing the United States from extending through the Antilles as Cuba gains its independence, and from falling, with that additional strength, upon our lands of America. All that I have done thus far, and will do, is for this purpose. I have had to work silently and somewhat indirectly because, there are certain things which, in order to attain them, have to remain concealed...."

At that time, 66 years had passed since the Liberator Simón Bolívar wrote, "...the United States would seem to be destined by fate to plague the Americas with miseries in the name of freedom."

On January 23, 1959, 22 days after the revolutionary triumph in Cuba, I visited Venezuela to thank its people and the government which assumed power after the Pérez Jiménez dictatorship, for the dispatch of 150 rifles at the end of 1958. I said at that time:

"...Venezuela is the homeland of the Liberator, where the idea of the union of the peoples of America was conceived. Therefore, Venezuela must be the country to lead the union of the peoples of America; as Cubans, we support our brothers and sisters in Venezuela.

"I have spoken of these ideas not because I am moved by any kind of personal ambition, or even the ambition of glory, because, at the end of the day, ambitions of glory remain a vanity, and as Martí said, ‘All the glory of the world fits into a kernel of corn.'

"And so, upon coming here to talk in this way to the people of Venezuela, I do so thinking honorably and deeply, that if we want to save America, if we want to save the freedom of each one of our societies that, at the end of the day, are part of one great society, which is the society of Latin America; if it is that we want to save the revolution of Cuba, the revolution of Venezuela and the revolution of all the countries on our continent, we have to come closer to each other and we have to solidly support each other, because alone and divided, we will fail."

That is what I said on that day and today, 54 years later, I endorse it!

I must only include on that list the other nations of the world which, for more than half a century, have been victims of exploitation and plunder. That was the struggle of Hugo Chávez.

Not even he himself suspected how great he was.

¡Hasta la victoria siempre, unforgettable friend!

Fidel Castro Ruz
March 11, 2013
12:35 a.m.

(Granma International)

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The Legacy of President Hugo Chávez


President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, with national hero Simón Bolívar pictured in the background.

Long Live the Legacy of President Hugo Chávez!

An inextricable part of the Bolivarian revolution is the political empowerment of the broad masses of Venezuelans to participate in decision-making in matters which affect their lives -- it is they who are seizing control of the nation, its economy and resources.

This is what the U.S. imperialists and their agents in Venezuela -- the wealthy elite who see their future in turning back Venezuela's social and political development -- cannot stand. They wish to cover up that President Chávez enjoys such broad support because his government reflects the people's aspirations for a modern Venezuela in which their rights are recognized and the economy is being reorganized to serve their interests. Their disinformation that Chávez and his government are anti-democratic does not hold water when one considers that in 14 years the Chávez government participated in a total of nearly 20 elections and referenda. The decisive victory in 1998 was the first in a nearly unbroken string of electoral and political successes during the 14-year tenure of President Chávez.

A January 13 fact sheet from the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United States points out that, "Since 1999, a total of 17 elections and referenda have been held in Venezuela, all of which were certified as free and fair by international elections observers [...]. The high caliber of Venezuela's electoral system has been noted by international organizations such as the Carter Center, whose director, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, has said: "As a matter of fact, of the 92 elections that we've monitored, I would say the election process in Venezuela is the best in the world. They have a very wonderful voting system."

In his 14 years as President and before, Hugo Chávez took up the defence of the people's interests, at home and abroad. His life and work is an outstanding contribution to the aspirations of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean and all those around the world fighting to build the new.

***

Beginnings to 1988: Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias was born on July 28, 1954 in the Venezuelan state of Barinas, one of seven children. His parents were both school teachers and the family lived in relative poverty.

He attended the Daniel O'Leary High School in the city of Barinas before going to the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences in the capital, Caracas, where he graduated with honours in 1975. In addition to his formal studies, Chávez was long interested in various Latin American patriots including Simón Bolívar and Che Guevara from point of view of addressing the poverty that affected so much of Venezuelan society. This outlook in favour of defending the interests of the poor continued to develop despite his being a part of the military which played a negative role at that time. Chávez himself began his military career with a counter-insurgency unit targeting rebels that were attempting to overthrow the government. More and more Chávez became convinced that the military had a social responsibility to protect the poorest in society, including intervening against a civilian government if it did not do its duty to uphold the people's interests.

In 1981 Chávez began teaching at the military academy from which he graduated. As a teacher, he discussed the idea of the military's responsibility to defend the people's interests and began to recruit soldiers to a clandestine organization, the Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200). When his superiors became concerned about his influence, he was sent to a marginal posting in the state of Apure. Here, Chávez made a point of getting to know the situation facing the indigenous peoples of Venezuela.

Despite the attempt to marginalize him, by 1988 Chávez had risen to the rank of major and was chosen by a high-ranking general to be his assistant and returned to Caracas.

El Caracazo, February 1989: By 1989, the situation facing Venezuelans had degenerated further. The clash between authority -- the corrupt neo-liberal government of Carlos Andres Perez -- and conditions -- the poverty of the people, exacerbated by the government's subservience to foreign interests -- was sharpening. In response to widespread protests, the Perez government carried out violent and deadly repression in a campaign that came to be known as El Caracazo in which hundreds were killed and many others injured or "disappeared." This event, amongst others, spurred Chávez to lead his fellow patriotic soldiers to take action.


Brutal state repression by the government of Carlos Andres Perez, during events known as El Caracazo in early 1989.

Operation Zamora, February 4, 1992: Chávez and his supporters addressed themselves to the question of how to seize political power and change the situation in favour of the people, which first took its form as a coup. The coup involved military units at the Federal District and from the states of Zulia, Carabobo, Miranda and Aragua. Due to betrayals, defections, errors and unforeseen circumstances, the coup failed and Chávez surrendered on condition he be permitted to make a televised speech. In his speech, Chávez was adamant that a change for the better was inevitable and that the fight was not over. Demonstrations in support of Chávez took place outside the prison. Another coup attempt took place in November that year but also failed. In 1994, the government of President Rafael Caldera released Chávez and other members of MBR-200.


Chávez addresses the nation after the failed coup in 1992. At right, a jubilant Chávez
is released from prison in March 1994.


Vice President Nicolás Maduro attends commemoration of the failed 1992 coup, February 4, 2013, in Caracas.
Today this anniversary is celebrated as the Day of National Dignity.

Presidential Election, 1998: MBR-200 was transformed into a political organization, the Fifth Republic Movement, with Chávez as its presidential candidate in the 1998 election. Chávez won the election with 56.20 per cent of the vote, garnering the support of the poor and the middle class.


An inextricable part of the Bolivarian revolution is the political empowerment of the broad masses of Venezuelans to participate in decision-making in matters which affect their lives. Pictured here is a Citizens' Assembly in Guarico State, part of an national mass debate from November to December last year on Venezuela’s Socialist Plan of the Nation 2013-2019, for which President Chávez was re-elected in 2012.

Reform of the Constitution, 1999: Taking office in 1999, Chávez called for a public referendum on a proposal for a constitutional assembly. This referendum passed with 88 per cent support. In subsequent elections to the new body on July 25, 1999, Chávez' supporters won 95 per cent of the seats in the assembly. It set about drafting a new Constitution which Venezuelans approved by 72 per cent. The new Constitution included increased protections for indigenous peoples and women, and established the rights of the public to education, housing, health care and food. It added new environmental protections and increased requirements for government transparency. The official name of the country was changed from the Republic of Venezuela to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reflecting that a pro-social nation-building project in defence of sovereignty had been taken up by the people.

Presidential Election, 2000: One stipulation of the new Constitution was that presidential elections should be held in 2000 which Chávez won with 59.76 per cent of the vote.

U.S.-Backed Coup, 2002: The rich ruling elite sought to return to power. Assisted by outside elements, namely the U.S., on April 11, 2002, Chávez was removed from power in a coup which saw more than 20 people killed and more than 100 wounded. Wealthy businessman Pedro Carmona declared himself president and abolished the 1999 Constitution. However, so great was the support for Chávez amongst the people and army that the coup was reversed and Chávez was returned to power by April 14 following mass protests.



Top: Screenshots from the documentary "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," showing the conniving of the reactionary forces in Venezuela against the people and the Chávez government in the 2002 coup. Below, President Chávez raises a defiant fist after the people defeat the coup and he is released.

Sabotage of National Oil Industry, 2002-2003: The 2002 coup was also linked to slowdowns and the sabotage of Venezuela's oil industry instigated by executives of the national oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). On February 25, 2002 President Chávez appointed a new board of directors for PDVSA because the prior board refused to give information and report on the decisions made within the state-run oil company. This led senior executives to start a "strike." They sabotaged the oil industry with lockouts and slowdowns. As a result, they were removed from their jobs on April 7, 2002, some days before the April 11 coup in which they participated actively along with business and union elites.


Commemoration of the people's defeat of the anti-Chávez coup, April 13, 2009. Banner reads, "Remember April."

Following the reversal of the anti-Chávez coup, a stepped up campaign of sabotage began in December 2002 in which numerous acts of vandalism and sabotage were carried out. The PDVSA recounts on its website that these forces thought "that the rupture of the main source of income in Venezuela -- the oil industry -- would end up suffocating the democratic Bolivarian government and thus prompting the resignation of President Chávez."

The sabotage was rapidly countered by ordinary PDVSA workers and was over by January 2003 and those responsible for the sabotage were fired.

Recall Referendum, 2004: The opposition forces also attempted to usurp power from the Venezuelan people by using the provision for a recall referendum in the new Constitution. The referendum took place and was decisively defeated. With a voter turnout of 70 per cent, 59 per cent of voters voted in support of President Chávez.

Parliamentary Election, 2005: The parties backing President Chávez, the Fifth Republic Movement, won 60 per cent of the vote and 116 seats in the 167-seat Parliament. The victory was aided by the withdrawal of opposition parties, which had raised a concern about the voting process and then declined to participate when the matter had been resolved by the Organization of American States.

Presidential Election, 2006: Chávez was re-elected for a third term. With a voter turnout of 74 per cent, Chávez won 63 per cent of the vote.

Founding of United Socialist Party of Venezuela, 2006: On December 15, 2006, Chávez announced that the political parties which supported him and comprised the Patriotic Pole would become a single larger party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). This was the development of the further unity of the Bolivarian movement and its capacity to lead the nation-building project.

Constitutional Referendum, 2007: This was a referendum to amend 69 articles of the 1999 constitution to consolidate the Bolivarian Revolution. In the only electoral loss in Chávez' 14 years in office, the referendum was narrowly defeated by just over 50 per cent.

Constitutional Referendum, 2009: In order to consolidate the Bolivarian Revolution, Chávez pointed out the need to remove the two-term limit for elected officials in the 1999 constitution. A referendum on February 15, 2009 to abolish the two-term limit passed with 54 per cent of voters supporting the change.

Parliamentary Election, 2010: The PSUV received 48.3 per cent of the votes and 96 seats out of 167 in the Parliament. The neo-liberal opposition parties were defeated despite having united their forces in the Coalition for Democratic Unity.

Presidential Election, 2012: on October 7, 2012, Chávez won a third term with 54 per cent of the vote. Threats of violence and other irregularities on the part of U.S.-backed opposition forces could not overwhelm the people's support.


Closing rally of Chávez' election campaign, Caracas, October 5, 2012. With an estimated 3 million participants it is said to be one of the largest rallies ever in the country.

Economic Development

According to Article 299 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the economic model of the country "is based on the principles of social justice, democratization, efficiency, free competition, protection of the environment, productivity and solidarity, with a view to ensuring overall human development and a dignified and useful existence for the community."

The Constitution also declares that "The State, jointly with private initiative, shall promote the harmonious development of the national economy, to the end of generating sources of employment, a high rate of domestic added value, raising the standard of living of the population and strengthening the economical sovereignty of the country, guaranteeing the reliability of the law; the solid, dynamic, sustainable, continued and equitable growth of the economy to ensure a just distribution of wealth through participatory democratic strategic planning with open consultation."

The unemployment rate has been falling steadily in recent years thanks to Bolivarian social programs like the Misión Hábitat housing program, which has boosted the construction industry by building hundreds of thousands of new houses and apartments each year with public-private cooperation, and Misión Saber y Trabajo (Mission Knowledge and Work), which provides job training and placement to citizens. When the Hugo Chávez government began in 1999, unemployment stood at 14.5 per cent, but by 2008 it had fallen by more than half to 6.9 per cent. In 2012, unemployment averaged at 6.4 per cent, with a low of 5.9 per cent in December of that year.

Venezuela's economic achievements also include:

- economic growth of 95 per cent from 2004-2009;

- an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to about $300 billion per year, up from under $100 billion in the 1990s.

Nelson Merentes, president of Venezuela's Central Bank, said in December 2012 that the country is among the top five in economic growth in Latin America, given that its GDP grew 5.5 per cent between January and September of that year. It is the fourth largest economy in the region after Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

Venezuela's foreign debt as a portion of its total debt has been reduced by half during the government of President Hugo Chávez, going from 80 per cent in 1999 to 40 per cent presently, according to an announcement made by Finance Minister Jorge Giordiani before the National Assembly in October of 2012.

Venezuela's public debt is equivalent to 26 per cent of its GDP, which is significantly less than in advanced economies such as Germany, Japan and the United States, as well as less than developing countries such as Brazil and India. Its fixed interest rate is not linked to financial institutions like the World Bank or International Monetary Fund (IMF), as under previous administrations. Congressman and finance committee member Andrés Eloy Méndez said: "Venezuela doesn't owe a single Bolívar [the local currency] to the IMF or the World Bank...." He pointed out that under previous administrations, Venezuela's debt was more than twice what it is now, exceeding 58 per cent of its GDP.

Bolivarian Missions and Affirmation of Human Rights


In 2003, Venezuela under the leadership of President Chávez began its world renowned Bolivarian Missions, the centrepiece of the Bolivarian Revolution which have benefitted some 20 million people. Today they comprise more than two dozen state-funded social programs that address the social, economic, cultural, political and material needs of Venezuela's poorest people in an all-sided way. These programs are supported by revenues from the national oil company PDVSA. They are a main mechanism through which the people's rights, enshrined in the new Constitution, are affirmed. They address the basic needs of the population through programs that provide free access to services in areas such as health, nutrition, education, housing and job training. One of the most well-known of these, called "Inside the Neighborhood" (Barrio Adentro), has put clinics and doctors in communities that previously lacked them. The missions are also a manifestation of the spirit of cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba, the later providing unparalleled expertise and personnel in the fields of health care and literacy, amongst others.


Misión Alimentacion is a comprehensive program to provide proper nutrition to poor Venezuelans.

The all-sided work of the Bolivarian Missions has received international recognition which smashes the disinformation of the imperialists and their agents about human rights violations in Venezuela. The Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. points out, "On November 12, 2012, the United Nations voted by an overwhelming margin to elect Venezuela to serve on the Human Rights Council in an historic decision that showed Venezuela's dedication to this issue. A total of 154 countries voted in favour of Venezuela's membership on the Council, granting it one of 18 seats, just three of which are reserved for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. This was an important recognition of the advances that have been made in strengthening human rights protections at home and promoting peace and solidarity in the international community."

Venezuela has demonstrated its commitment to human rights and dignity by enacting pioneering social policies that have reduced household poverty by 50 per cent and extreme poverty by 70 per cent. It has achieved many of the Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, for example, the goal of eradicating illiteracy, improving access to clean water and drastically reducing hunger.

In a December 2012 article in Counterpunch by Carles Muntaner, Joan Benach and Maria Paez Victor entitled, "The Achievements of Hugo Chávez," the authors cite some of the results of the Missions:

- infant mortality dropped from 25 per 1,000 (1990) to only 13 per 1,000 (2010);

- a outstanding 96 per cent of the population has now access to clean water (one of the goals of the revolution);

- in 1998, there were 18 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants; currently there are 58, and the public health system has about 95,000 physicians;

- it took four decades for previous governments to build 5,081 clinics, but in just 13 years the Bolivarian government built 13,721 (a 169.6 per cent increase);

- in 2011 alone, 67,000 Venezuelans received free high cost medicines for 139 conditions including cancer, hepatitis, osteoporosis and schizophrenia; there are now 34 centres for addictions,

- in six years 19,840 homeless have been attended to through a special program; and there are practically no children living on the streets.

- Venezuela now has the largest intensive care unit in the region.

- a network of 127 public drugstores sell subsidized medicines with savings of 34-40 per cent.

Below is a partial list of the missions.

Health and Nutrition

- Misión Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighbourhood) : This program provides access to the health system to those who had been previously excluded, through medical health centres and public clinics. This mission provides prescription drugs, dental coverage and optical services free of charge. Since its creation, this program has carried out 500 million medical consultations saving more than two million lives.

- Misión Milagro (Mission Miracle): This mission performs free eye surgeries for low-income citizens. It started in July 2004 as an agreement signed between Cuba and Venezuela. At the beginning only Venezuelan patients were serviced, but now it has been extended to other Latin American countries.

- Misión José Gregorio Hernández: This mission was created to provide primary medical care to disabled people.

- Misión Alimentación (Mission Food): This is a government-funded food program that directly supplies citizens with subsidized food products through the state-run food supply network PDVAL and grocery store chain Mercal, as well as the community kitchens, known as Casas de Alimentación, which provides three free meals a day. The mission has benefited some 15 million people.


President Chávez at celebrations marking the fifth anniversary of Misión Milagro, October 2009.
Banner reads: "Misión Milagro: a vision of world solidarity."

Education

- Misión Robinson I: The objective of this mission is to eradicate illiteracy.

- Misión Robinson II: The objective of this mission is to provide the Venezuelan people with the opportunity to pass the sixth grade of primary education.

- Misión Ribas: This mission assists anyone who has been unable to complete high school, regardless of age, to complete their secondary education.

- Misión Sucre: This mission's purpose is to guarantee that every high school graduate has access to a college education and transform the conditions of those excluded from higher education.

- Misión Ché Guevara: This is an adult education program to assist Venezuelans to develop the skills needed by the national economy, in fields like agriculture, tourism or construction, and provide an orientation about the social economy. Between March 2004 and August 2007, over 670,000 people completed the program, resulting in the creation of more than 10,000 cooperatives by its alumni.


The fight against illiteracy at Misión Robinson.

Anti-Poverty

Misión Cristo: Based on the scope of the Millennium Development Goals set by agreement within the United Nations the goal of this mission is to achieve zero poverty by 2021 through the joint implementation of all the Bolivarian Missions.

Misión Madres del Barrio (Neighbourhood Moms): This mission supports housewives and their families to overcome extreme poverty and prepare to defeat poverty in their communities through social programs and missions, promoting support within the community and providing a financial allowance.

Housing

Misión Hábitat: This mission addresses housing needs by constructing homes and providing comprehensive development by building integrated urban areas that have access to services ranging from health to education. Among its main objectives is the evaluation of the land to be used for the construction of Housing Centres for Endogenous Self-Sustainable Development.



News houses and apartments built as part of the national housing program Misión Hábitat.

Culture

Misión Cultura: This mission is ascribed to the Ministry of Culture and was created to reinforce Venezuelan culture. This initiative provides academic and employment alternatives to the population in order to democratize, decentralize and broaden the Venezuelan culture.

Indigenous Peoples

Misión Guaicaipuro: This mission was created to meet the needs of the indigenous peoples and communities, respecting and promoting their social, political, economical and cultural organization as well as their traditional dress, languages, religions, habitat and original rights to the ancestral lands that they traditionally occupy and that are needed to develop and guarantee their way of life as demanded by the Constitution. One of the Mission's essential responsibilities is to guarantee agricultural food security and provide harmonious and sustainable development of these communities.

Land Reform

Misión Zamora: This mission was created to eradicate large estates, reorganizing and making use of uncultivated lands, in compliance with the provisions of Article 307 of the Constitution.

Solidarity with Sister Nations and Regional Integration


Poster seen in Cuba celebrating the spirit of cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba.

The election of Hugo Chávez as President has had a profound impact on improving the well-being and security of not only the people of Venezuela, but also many other Latin American and Caribbean countries. His great popularity is an expression of the long pent-up desire of the peoples of the region to throw off the yoke of U.S. imperialism with its brutal history of coups and dirty wars against the peoples. His election came at a time when many other patriotic and progressive forces were organizing in the region to take power in the people's interests. This situation is releasing great initiative amongst the peoples for cooperation based on mutual benefit and respect of one another's sovereignty, something which had been stifled by governments in the service of U.S. imperialist interests to keep the peoples of the region divided and subjugated.






President Chávez' solidarity with the struggles of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean was reflected in the warm relations with his counterparts in many nations. Pictured from here (top to bottom; left to right) with President Rául Castro of Cuba; Presidents Fidel Castro of Cuba and Evo Morales of Bolivia; President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina; President Rafael Correa of Ecuador; President Humala Ollanta of Peru, President Ignacio "Lula" da Silva of Brazil; President Fernando Lugo of Paraguay; President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras; President José Mujica of Uruguay;
President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.

Comprehensive Cuba-Venezuela Collaboration Agreement, October 30, 2000: This agreement, signed by President Chávez and Cuban President Fidel Castro, provided Cuba with 53,000 barrels of crude oil per day in exchange for goods and services that Cuba would provide Venezuela "in support of the broad program of economic and social development of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."

In a 2010 speech to mark the 10th anniversary of the agreement, Cuban President Rául Castro stated, "The sectors which have most benefited from these programs include those of public health, education, culture, sport, agriculture, energy savings, mining, informatics, telecommunications and the comprehensive training of cadres, among others no less important."

On the 12th anniversary of the agreement, Venezuelan Health Minister Eugenia Sader noted the important contribution of Cuba to the rising rates of health and quality of life of the Venezuelan people, through the Barrio Adentro Mission, and the training of community doctors at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Havana and Venezuela.

As well, thousands of Venezuelans have travelled to the island, among them medical patients and their family members, and young people to pursue higher education there. Sader emphasized that 53,407 Venezuelans with chronic illnesses or requiring complex care, including multiple disabilities, overcame their clinical condition or had their quality of life improved.

Through cooperation with Cuba, Venezuela has become the second nation in the region to eliminate illiteracy. Some 1,756,250 Venezuelans, including indigenous populations, have succeeded in learning to read and write by the 'Yes I Can' method.


President Fidel Castro and President Chávez sign the historic collaboration agreement in 2000 in front of a
backdrop of Latin American patriots Simón Bolívar and José Marti.

Bolivarian Alliance for the People's of Our Americas, Founded December 14, 2004: Following the successes of the 2000 agreement and President Chávez' victory in the 2004 recall referendum, Cuba and Venezuela sought to maximize cooperation for the mutual benefit of their peoples with a further agreement signed on December 14, 2004. The first article of the agreement states: "The governments of Venezuela and Cuba have decided to take concrete steps towards the process of integration based upon the principles, which are laid down in the Joint Declaration signed as of this date between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Cuba." It was a comprehensive agreement that considered cooperation not only in all spheres of life of the two countries, but how they could collaborate to provide assistance with health care and literacy training to other countries. At first a bilateral agreement, it laid the groundwork for the Bolivarian Alliance for the People's of Our Americas that today has eight member nations and has been the genesis of many social and economic initiatives that benefit the peoples of the region. Today, ALBA stands as a block against imperialist interference in the peoples' affairs through neo-liberal free trade agreements such as the FTAA, which destroy the social and natural environments and exploit the human and natural resources of countries for the benefit of narrow private interests at the people's expense.


The 9th ALBA Summit in Caracas, Venezuela, April 19, 2010.

Petrocaribe, Founded June 29, 2005: Venezuela, as an OPEC signatory is not permitted to undercut market prices of oil. However, through its Petrocaribe agreement, various Caribbean countries purchase oil from Venezuela on conditions of preferential payment -- at a fraction of market value -- with the remaining cost converted into long term, low interest loans. When market prices rise above a certain level, participating countries receive discounts of 40 to 50 per cent that accrue as 25-year one percent interest loans. Payment is not necessarily financial, as in the case of Cuba, which sends its medical, educational and other humanitarian brigades to Venezuela in return. Petrocaribe arrangements are carried out only on a state-to-state basis, meaning that private oil monopolies are cut out as intermediaries and greater sovereignty over national economies is facilitated. Venezuela now provides more than 250,000 barrels of oil a day to 17 Central American and Caribbean countries, ensuring energy security for more than 40 per cent of the region.

On June 29, 2012, at an event to mark the seventh anniversary of Petrocaribe, Iván Orellana, Vice Minister of Hydrocarbons and Petrocaribe's General Deputy Secretary spoke of Petrocaribe's significance. He stated that "the most important thing about Petrocaribe has been its social management, developed on several fronts. One of these, has been the joint ventures. Another, the ALBA Caribe Fund, which has executed 88 projects with an investment of $178.8 million in the areas of culture, sports, education, food, tourism, transportation, housing, water, social economy and energy. Through the ALBA Food Fund have been undertaken 12 projects in nine countries, with an investment of $24 million. The long-term financing of oil payments has made possible 162 initiatives in seven countries.

"The creation of Petrocaribe, on June 29, 2005, represents for Latin America and the Caribbean a tool to move towards full sovereignty and social justice. It contributes to the socioeconomic development of the region, encourages cooperation and contributes to energy integration, food security and development of social and socio-productive projects.

"Petrocaribe promotes production and exchange of goods and services among member countries, the direct and indirect investments are aimed at the economic and energy sector, it also defines strategic actions to political and social cooperation. Its premises are the same as those expressed in the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA), i.e., cooperation, solidarity and unity among nations."

An example of Venezuela's respectful and dignified relations with its sister nations through Petrocaribe is that of its relations with Haiti, which joined Petrocaribe in 2006. President Chávez spoke of the agreement as a means "to repay the historic debt that Venezuela owes the Haitian people." In 1804, Haiti was the first nation in the region to gain its independence and as journalist Kim Ives points out, "In the 19th century's first example of international solidarity, Haitian revolutionary leaders like Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Pétion provided Francisco de Miranda and Simón Bolívar, South America's 'Great Liberator,' with guns, ships, and printing presses to carry out the anti-colonial struggle on the continent."

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Founded May 23, 2008: Venezuela is an active member of UNASUR. The organization's website states, "South America achieved with the UNASUR a forum for political, social, cultural, economic, security, environmental integration as a sample of regional integration and thus, to assume the initiative of considering firm proposals and agreements on main global challenges." The membership of UNASUR comprises Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. Mexico and Panama have observer status. UNASUR played a key role in peacefully resolving disputes in Bolivia, particularly during an attempted coup against the government of Evo Morales in 2008, and resolved a breach in diplomatic relations between Colombia and Venezuela in 2010.

Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Founded 2010/2011: The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) was conceived at the historic Unity Summit of Latin American and Caribbean Nations in Cancun, Mexico, February 22-23, 2010. It was a fitting occasion as 2010 also marked the bicentennial of independence for the Latin American countries. As TML wrote on February 24, 2010, "TML greets the formation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) with great joy. This new formation, which will ultimately replace the Organization of American States, is a vigorous expression of the Latin America and the Caribbean peoples' desire for regional solidarity and national sovereignty free from outside interference. The proposal for such a body expressly excludes the U.S. and Canada which are viewed as undermining the national sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean nations."

Venezuela and its president took a leading role in the development of CELAC. President Chávez welcomed the summit's unanimous decision to give his country "the great task of starting to organize the [next] summit [...]."

CELAC was formally founded on December 3,  2011 in Caracas, Venezuela. TML wrote at that time, "For the first time in over 200 years, the peoples of the Americas and the Caribbean now have an organization for the defence of their political, economic and cultural sovereignty and as a bulwark against foreign interference in their affairs, namely that of the U.S. imperialists and their lackey Canada, through the Organization of American States (OAS). When CELAC was first proposed in 2010, it rang the death knell for the OAS and its role in undermining the striving of the peoples of the Americas for independence."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez affirmed at its founding that CELAC "will be a great centre of regional power for the 21st Century." Referring to the struggles of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean for their sovereignty during the past 200 years, President Chávez stated, "Bolivar convened the Panama convention to create a vast political body, but both the British Empire and the rising Yankee Empire, made it their mission to sabotage the idea, imposing the Monroe Doctrine, America for the Americans and enforcing their will for two centuries. Enough is enough!"


CELAC is founded in Caracas, Venezuela, December 2, 2011.

Chávez Lives, the Struggle Continues!

(With files from the Embassies of the Venezuelan Republic to the U.S. and India, PDVSA, Petrocaribe, ALBA, UNASUR, AVN, Granma, Juventud Rebelde, Haiti Liberté, Counterpunch, Venezuelanalysis)

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