Venezuela’s reality & NED
By Aleksander Boyd
London 05 May 2004 – A quick look into the headlines in regards to Venezuela shows two differing realities; two countries. The official version keeps pounding about the imminent American invasion, the NED, the National Endowment for Democracy (emphasis made) and the axis of evil composed by the oligarchs and fascists. Eliminate those three subjects and Hugo Chavez and his sycophants are devoid of arguments.
Venezuela is the only country in the world where a fascist opposition begs for elections. Whilst they talk about a constitutional recall referendum chavistas talk about the NED.
Venezuela is the only country in the world where the president sports an extraordinary record of violations to the constitution (previous and present) and still manages to have a legion of sympathisers. Whilst the citizenry constantly hears presidential reminders about the importance of upholding the rule of law and constitutional principles their rights are systematically violated by the very same president. Clear example is the expeditious manner in which people’s consultation processes were utilised in the past by Chavez for his advantage (7 times to be more specific) and the interminable list of illegal tricks imposed by government officials upon the recall referendum.
Venezuela is the only so-called democratic country in the world where its leader imposes an open anti-American foreign policy. This begs for some analysis. Not a day goes by without Hugo Chavez accusing the US administration of something. However he pays $1.2 million to a Washington based PR firm to convince US officials otherwise. His emissaries constantly court American oil conglomerates with the intention of ‘giving away’ saucy contracts. His foul cries of a potential American intervention pale before the leverage that an assassin, dictator and human right abuser has in Venezuelan politics and policies, read Fidel Castro. However the latter is not considered intervention. One must wonder how 'comandante Lina Ron and her legion' or the poor would react if in a 'verbena popular' in Avenida Bolivar the president would tell them that the equivalent of Bs 3.600.000.000 have been spent in flirting with the imperialist enemy.
Human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, torture and forceful disappearance of people are, in the State’s view, nothing but spin. However the lists of victims keeps growing and the State does not provide a coherent explanation in that respect, furthermore investigations are impeded by government officials.
Chavez’ sympathisers are the only creatures in this planet that, making use of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), pretend to convince us about the malignity of the US administration, with his NED grants, but refuse to demand the same transparency from their leader. Repeated request to put up a word with Chavez regarding a FOIA in Venezuela have been made to these ‘advocates,’ their silence, however, is yet another proof of their falsehood.
The only country in the world where a president, coming from the military, brings Cuban militias and orders his army to obey them unquestionably is called Venezuela. Allegedly the burnt soldiers of Fuerte Mara were reprimanded in such a way for having disobeyed Cuban personnel.
Only in Venezuela terrorists of international calibre, such as Wladimiro Montesinos, can receive a diplomatic passport to enter the country. Only in Venezuela the president writes a warm personal letter to Carlos the Jackal. Only in Venezuela the Colombian guerrillas and paramilitaries enjoy a status of ‘normality,’ that is to say in Hugo Chavez’ view they are not terrorists. Only in Venezuela expenses from hospital treatments for guerrilla leaders are picked up by the State. If that is not harbouring terrorists I do not know what is.
One could go on forever citing cases of violations that in any normal country would have caused the instantaneous dismissal of its leader. In the UK for example any police officer has the right and the duty to arrest individuals who are threatening the peace or inciting violence without further ado. Hugo Chavez does both, and worse, on a daily basis. No one can arrest him though for the attorney general was appointed by him remember? I won’t even mention the Supreme Court…
So in relation to the reality and the NED the following: whatever the official minions say their voice is not representative of the majority of Venezuelans. If the grant to Sumate has caused the Endowment a few headaches, which I sincerely doubt, there are very many organizations that would be willing to receive funds to promote democracy in Venezuela. For instance I chaired one of them and we would readily accept any monies coming our way. You got that Mr Chavez?
send this article to a friend >>