Bush Versus Chavez

[Joanne98]

Bush Versus Chavez
By JAMES PETRAS

President Bush's visit to Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Mexico reflects the 'two tracks' of US empire-building--military intervention and political-diplomatic instruments.

Bush's visit to Latin America at this time is an attempt to gain support from client electoral rulers at a time when he has lost the support of over 75% of US public opinion, and is rejected by overwhelming majorities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Bush's advisers and principal propagandists are counting on publicizing the friendly receptions by Lula, Vazquez, Uribe, Garcia and Calderon to counter the reality and public image of Bush as a mass murderer of the Iraqi and Afghani people.

Bush's escalation of the war against Iraq and threat to bomb Iran has further marked his regime as the deadly enemy of humanity. When electoral politicians like Tabare Vazquez and Lula Da Silva embrace Bush, they provide a decorative mask to an imperial monster who has been exposed as the principal enemy of Latin America's foremost anti-imperialist President Hugo Chavez.

Bush's turn to a diplomatic approach toward consolidating imperial power in Latin America is the result of the failures and defeats of his military policies. The US attempt to conquer Iraq and Afghanistan by military force has failed: the resistance is stronger than ever.

The US invasion of Haiti and the overthrow of the elected President Aristide has failed to defeat mass popular resistance. Washington"s control over Haiti depends on the mercenary armies and officials of its client rulers in Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Bolivia.

The Bush regime's effort to overthrow President Chavez has suffered several major defeats. The mass urban uprising of April 2002 defeated the US backed coup. From December 2002 through January 2003 the Venezuelan workers and the Chavez government defeated the bosses' lockout of the petroleum industry, which had been backed by US oil companies and Washington. The great majority of popular classes defeated the US-financed referendum to impeach Chavez in 2004.

With each failed effort, the prestige of Bush declined while Chavez gained the admiration of the vast majority of Latin America people. The 'Chavez model' of a generous social welfare state, a mixed economy based on a strong state sector, and direct democracy via neighborhood assemblies stood in stark contrast to the failed regressive and stagnant neo-liberal models in the rest of Latin America.
http://www.counterpunch.org/petras03052007.html

[HockeyMom]

1. I only buy my gas at CITGO

Apart from the fact that even with the through the roof gas prices ($2.69 here), it is still a few cents cheaper than all the others.

Besides, I like Hugo's screw you Bush stance.

Viva, Chavez!!!!!

[Joanne98]

3. Good for you HockeyMom...

:)

[kimmerspixelated]

2. Did ya'll see that commercial

on TV about Citgo donating heating oil to Americans in need? I had read about it, but it was really cool to see it backed by a commercial. Although I think it was meant as a backstab to GW, I was glad to see another country helping out the US.

[HockeyMom]

4. The poor of NYC have been getting low cost

Venezuelan heating oil for some time now. I have never heard Bloomberg, or our dearly departed Pataki, complain about it.

[Mnemosyne]

5. Americans getting foreign humanitarian aid,

who would have ever believed it.

Viva La Chavez!