Fred Fuentes says: 'I would say more than putting Saab's appointment and Maduro's pro-capitalist economic strategy in the context of "the US economic war" it has to be put in the context of Venezuelan society and the class war that has been raging in the pro-Chavez movement and Venezuela for the past 20 years. Without understanding that, its impossible to understand anything else. Even the sanctions and their impacts can only be understood within this context, not the other way around.'
***** The US economic war against Venezuela and the "class war...in the pro-Chavez movement" are closely related. The blockade aims to prevent Venezuelan government bodies from importing or exporting goods. The Venezuelan government tries to circumvent the blockade by using private companies as intermediaries. This means that government officials must collaborate with a section of the capitalist class. It provides a rationale for the adoption of pro-capitalist policies and contributes to the spread of pro-capitalist ideas amongst PSUV leaders and government officials. If we were able to get the US government to end the blockade, it would deprive the right wing of the Chavista movement of one of their main arguments: that pro-capitalist policies are a necessary response to the blockade. This would help the left wing to argue against pro-capitalist policies and for a socialist alternative. Of course, winning this demand will not be easy. The US is committed to stamping out whatever remains of the Bolivarian revolution, and the blockade is an important weapon in this war. For socialists in the US and its allies such as Australia, campaigning against the blockade is also important for educating people in our own countries about the harmful role of US imperialism in the world, and particularly in Latin America. Many people can see the US role in supporting Israel's genocidal war against Palestine and Lebanon, but don't necessarily understand more subtle forms of coercion such as the blockades against Cuba and Venezuela. Chris Slee -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#33186): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/33186 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/109123065/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: marxmail+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [arch...@mail-archive.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
