An Interview with world-renown linguist and political analyst Noam Chomsky. Chomsky discusses popular power, U.S. intervention, the media, and the possibility of a revolution in the U.S.
That’s the U.S. political culture in a nutshell. It feels more engaging to free a stretch of highway from tiny bits of litter than it does to participate in the political process. Not so in Venezuela. “One thing you can say about Chavez,” said one middle class Venezuelan named Ramon, “is that he’s got everyone thinking about politics.”
By Kiraz Janicke – Venezuelanalysis.com, Sep 3rd 2007
The latest round of opposition mobilizations, the ostensibly “spontaneous” student mobilizations in defense of private television station RCTV, have once again for the opposition inadvertently produced an undesired result - the revitalization of Venezuela’s revolutionary student movement
Venezuelans are debating whether Chávez is putting the country's windfall revenue to good use or squandering it through disorganization, corruption and misplaced priorities. The debate over government performance is significant because much of the country's oil wealth is being invested in novel social programs to help the poor.
By Victor Figueroa-Clark – Red Pepper Venezuela Blog, Aug 26th 2007
The asinine assertions of Chavez’s ‘authoritarianism’ can be easily refuted, but the purchase of submarines and aircraft are harder to explain. Military hardware is military hardware whichever way you look at it, and at first sight it is not easy to see why a country like Venezuela needs jet fighters, submarines or helicopters.
Although imperfect, no country anywhere is closer to a model democracy than Venezuela under President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias. In contrast, none is a more shameless failure than the U.S.A., but it was true long before the age of George W. Bush.
By Lee Sustar - International Socialist Review, Jul 16th 2007
Where is Venezuela going? This article will (1) analyze the rise of Chávez within the context of Venezuelan history and politics; (2) examine the government’s economic, social, and political policies; (3) evaluate the Venezuelan revolutionary process from the standpoint of classical Marxist theory; and (4) outline a strategic approach towards the Chávez phenomenon for those committed to anti-imperialist and revolutionary socialist politics.
By Maurice Lemoine - Le Monde Diplomatique, Jul 3rd 2007
Venezuela used to regard its indigenous people contemptuously, but President Hugo Chávez set up a constitution that respects their wishes and their ownership of land. He promised, and has delivered, some improvements in their daily lives and prospects, but the changes are still slow and hesitant.
Attacks on free speech across the region do not make the front pages of the British and American press. As usual, alleged concerns for democracy and human rights mask deeper priorities: protecting governments that toe the line dictated by Western power, and undermining those that do not.
By George Ciccariello-Maher - CounterPunch, Jun 11th 2007
Who are "the students," and what do they represent? In recent days, it has become clear that these student mobilizations have been, in fact, largely directed and supported by sectors of the opposition, all in an effort to provoke, in Chávez's own words, a "soft coup" against the revolutionary government.
By Gregory Wilpert – Venezuelanalysis.com, Jun 2nd 2007
A detailed examination of the arguments used to criticize the Chavez government's decision not to renew RCTV's broadcast license. Do any of these arguments have merit? A few might, but the bottom line is that they end up defending the privileges of the country's elite.
By Rebecca Trotzky Sirr - UpsideDownWorld.org, May 27th 2007
Entering the Misión Barrio Adentro clinic in San Rafael de Tabay, a town in Merida, Venezuela amazes even the most jaded visitor. The local community hospital, Centro de Diagnostico Integral (CDI) brings alive Venezuela’s social revolution in health care.
By Kabir Joshi-Vijayan and Matthew Skogstad-Stubbs, May 18th 2007
Linguist and political analyst Professor Noam Chomsky discusses changes in Venezuela under Chavez, nationalizations, Chavez's enabling law, and Latin American integration.
By Chris Carlson - Venezuelanalysis.com, May 13th 2007
First used in Serbia in 2000, Washington has now perfected a new imperial strategy to maintain its supremacy around the globe. Whereas military invasions and installing dictatorships have traditionally been the way to control foreign populations and keep them out of the way of business, the U.S. government has now developed a new strategy that is not so messy or brutal, and much sleeker; so sleek, in fact, that it’s almost invisible.
