Very strange financial bed-fellows

A reply to the letter by Mr. Leonardo F. Chusan of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Washington, DC, US: " Russia and Venezuela Bi-national Bank"
July 4th, 2009, by Alexej Brykowski
Dear Editor,
Please allow me to use your web site for putting straight some points made by Mr. Chusan. I have no intention to start a prolonged discussion of the subject, so this is my final comment.
First of all, ALBA is not a "Free Trade Area of the Americas" but The Bolivarian Alternative (or Alliance) for the America. It sets strictly anti-imperialist and anti-neocolonialist goals, both political and economic.
Russia has no influence in Western Hemisphere anymore. Soviet Union did have influence and partners – e.g. Cuba and Nicaragua. But later the product of the infamous travesty and self-mutilation of Soviet Union – so-called "Russia" – betrayed all its partners and totally lost credibility, influence and respect when it became a despised spit-licker of imperialism. Its sporadic military gestures are nothing but a pathetic clownery. It makes me very sad, because I am a Russian.
Third, the financial co-operation between Russia as the majority shareholder and Venezuela as the minor partner is, to put it mildly, a queer combination. Post-Soviet Russia made its shameful way from a socialist superpower to a second-rate deindustrialized exporter of natural ressources – oil, gas etc., under the guidance of present corrupt "Russian" political and moneyed elite which still slavishly follows the self-defeating recipes of "free trade" and "neoliberalism". Russian state apparatus and the "new-rich" thievish elite live off the natural resources' rent, whereas the people of Russia is dying out. They sell oil, gas and minerals on the world market and stash the revenues away on Western bank accounts. This is exactly what the old Venezuelan elite did before President Chavez kicked it out from the Miraflores Palace, nationalized PDVSA and started to plow the oil revenues into the economic and social development of Venezuela. I am deeply concerned for my beloved Venezuela, because it is now the sole country which bears the aspiration of a better, truly democratic and socialist future for the whole mankind.
It is pretty obvious that Venezuela and Russia are going into the opposite directions, pursuing the opposite goals. Therefore I do not anticipate any rewards for Venezuela from this combination. Without the restoration of socialism and the expropriation and severe punishment of thievish "new-rich" elite in Russia – which now seems to be an extremely unlikely development – the "Russian" majority partner, even if he resorts merely to passive obstruction, will be a deadly stumbling block for the socialist development of Venezuela. This is exactly what happens to another minor trade partner of Russia – Belarus – constantly suffering from mean and arrogant Kremlin antics.
And last but not least. Talking about "influence" I would like to point out that socialist Venezuela should exert influence on Russia. Venezuela can do it by simply supporting Belarus as a viable socialist alternative to the chaos, corruption and high treason which poison Russia since 1989. Belarus should survive – as the living heritage of the Soviet Era, as an inspiring example for all honest patriotic Russians to emulate and to follow.