The Hellenic States
09-09-2004, 18:02
What follows is something I wrote for my A-Level G+P Class, I copied it off of Word so the footnotes don't exist. I can quote a source if you wish however.
Venezuela, Land Reform and Hugo Chavez:
Nick K.
One of the most interesting geopolitical topics of recent years is the opposition to Hugo Chavez’s (The President of Venezuela) land reform programme. Met with extreme opposition by The State Department the land reform programme of the current Government in Venezuela aims to address issues of startling inequality within the state in regards to land ownership and other issues.
It shouldn’t be surprising however, that The Current Administration in America is attacking the programme or that the corporate media is parroting its ‘facts’. America has had an illustrious history in Venezuela starting with Wilson’s support of the vicious and corrupt dictator, Juan Vicente Gomez in an effort to “drive the British out of a country with Oil reserves that rival Iraq’s” , and allow the dictator Gomez to open up the country to American Corporations, and hence some degree of control. Land reform would mean the beginning of the end for the ‘farmlords’ and therefore a severe blow to Corporate interests in the area.
Years of misrule in Venezuela have led to the staggering figures that 3% of the populace (The Haciendos – An elitist part of the populace similar to the Kulaks in Russia) own approximately 77% of the land. Though these facts are hardly drawn upon at length by the mass media. As is demonstrated in FOX News’s coverage of the current issues.
“CARACAS, Venezuela — Demonstrators hurled rocks and gasoline bombs at soldiers as protests intensified after Venezuela's elections council ruled against an opposition petition to force a presidential recall referendum. “
They neglected to mention that Chavez’s reforms had been supported by a huge majority of the populace, nor that several left leaning columnists gave these reports of an ‘uprising like situation’ the sceptiscm that they deserved.
“I met one of these farmlords in Caracas at an anti-Chavez protest march. Oddest demonstration I've ever seen: frosted blondes in high heels clutching designer bags, screeching, "Chavez - dic-ta-dor!" The plantation owner griped about the "socialismo" of Chavez, then jumped into his Jaguar convertible.”
The specifics regarding land reform come back to the 1960’s when Kennedy put pressure on Venezuela’s leadership to give land to the peasants, the leadership obliged but ‘forgot’ to give out formal ownership documents to those who received land in the land reform programme of the time. They didn’t have legal ownership and hence were forced off in a short period of time, the farmlords took back their monopoly. As Global Exchange describe in their report on it:
“Historically, land reform programs designed to address these imbalances have often failed because they did little more than give peasants land, without providing access to financial credit, technical expertise, or marketing assistance, all of which are necessary for success”
The plan itself is hardly the ‘theft’ that has been talked about by The State Department and Corporate Media, the report from the Government outlining the plans states that only land that has been previously unused will be given to peasants so as to increase overall productivity while addressing the issues of inequality. Of course the ruling class of 3% will attack this plan, it increases competition to their monopoly. Holding onto land that they will not even use is a must, it prohibits peasants from eating away at their market share. Changes are occurring in Venezuela, much like they did in Nicaragua under the Sandinistas – Chavez has been voted in twice by a huge majority and the things he is proposing must be stopped. The Americas must learn to bow their heads before the global oppressor, or face total retribution as Nicaragua experienced.
But the issue with the State Department versus Chavez runs much deeper than this, Oil production in Venezuela is skyrocketing, and Corporate interests must be maintained to maintain a degree of control from the ‘prosperous few’ over the ‘restless many’.
Chavez challenged this control however, and this is the real issue. The Government of Venezuela only takes in 16% of Oil Revenues – Chavez wanted his treasury to take in 30%, as demonstrated when he passed the ‘Law of Hydrocarbons’ voted in by a massive majority in Venezuela’s Congress, this of course is unacceptable to The Bush Administration – Venezuela controlling Venezuela’s Oil means that Venezuela may be able to rebuke the liberties Corporations have been taking in Venezuela at the expense of Worker’s Rights and the Environment, this is unacceptable and therefore efforts have been made by America to try and decapitate any plan Venezuela comes out with in regards to land reform or Oil. And other more discrete planes:
“So began the Bush-Cheney campaign to "Floridate" the will of the Venezuela electorate. It didn't matter that Chavez had twice won elections. Winning most of the votes, said a White House spokesman, did not make Chavez' government "legitimate." Hmmm. Secret contracts were awarded by our Homeland Security spooks to steal official Venezuela voter lists. Cash passed discreetly from the US taxpayer, via the so-called 'Endowment for Democracy,' to the Chavez-haters running today's "recall" election.
A brilliant campaign of placing stories about Chavez' supposed unpopularity and "dictatorial" manner seized US news and op-ed pages, ranging from the San Francisco Chronicle to the New York Times.”
Such actions shouldn’t be met with shock, after all America has proven it’s intent to decapitate democratic processes all throughout History; Greece, Vietnam, Laos and Nicaragua are just a few examples of their utter contempt for democracy unless they are enforcing whatever façade of democracy happens to suite their objectives in states under their control.
The official CIA handbook on Venezuela says that half the nation's farmers own only 1% of the land. They are the lucky ones, as more peasants owned nothing. That is, until their man Chavez took office. Filled with hope they have voted him in for 2 successive terms, with a massive majority – Hoping beyond hope that he would deliver them from the Great Satan that is America and the land owning elite. But it is most likely Hugo Chavez won’t succeed in his battle with Dick Cheney and the Corporate Greed that so encapsulates America, perhaps they will find some way to force him out of office. But one thing is for sure, the people will never forget ‘their man’ Chavez.
Venezuela, Land Reform and Hugo Chavez:
Nick K.
One of the most interesting geopolitical topics of recent years is the opposition to Hugo Chavez’s (The President of Venezuela) land reform programme. Met with extreme opposition by The State Department the land reform programme of the current Government in Venezuela aims to address issues of startling inequality within the state in regards to land ownership and other issues.
It shouldn’t be surprising however, that The Current Administration in America is attacking the programme or that the corporate media is parroting its ‘facts’. America has had an illustrious history in Venezuela starting with Wilson’s support of the vicious and corrupt dictator, Juan Vicente Gomez in an effort to “drive the British out of a country with Oil reserves that rival Iraq’s” , and allow the dictator Gomez to open up the country to American Corporations, and hence some degree of control. Land reform would mean the beginning of the end for the ‘farmlords’ and therefore a severe blow to Corporate interests in the area.
Years of misrule in Venezuela have led to the staggering figures that 3% of the populace (The Haciendos – An elitist part of the populace similar to the Kulaks in Russia) own approximately 77% of the land. Though these facts are hardly drawn upon at length by the mass media. As is demonstrated in FOX News’s coverage of the current issues.
“CARACAS, Venezuela — Demonstrators hurled rocks and gasoline bombs at soldiers as protests intensified after Venezuela's elections council ruled against an opposition petition to force a presidential recall referendum. “
They neglected to mention that Chavez’s reforms had been supported by a huge majority of the populace, nor that several left leaning columnists gave these reports of an ‘uprising like situation’ the sceptiscm that they deserved.
“I met one of these farmlords in Caracas at an anti-Chavez protest march. Oddest demonstration I've ever seen: frosted blondes in high heels clutching designer bags, screeching, "Chavez - dic-ta-dor!" The plantation owner griped about the "socialismo" of Chavez, then jumped into his Jaguar convertible.”
The specifics regarding land reform come back to the 1960’s when Kennedy put pressure on Venezuela’s leadership to give land to the peasants, the leadership obliged but ‘forgot’ to give out formal ownership documents to those who received land in the land reform programme of the time. They didn’t have legal ownership and hence were forced off in a short period of time, the farmlords took back their monopoly. As Global Exchange describe in their report on it:
“Historically, land reform programs designed to address these imbalances have often failed because they did little more than give peasants land, without providing access to financial credit, technical expertise, or marketing assistance, all of which are necessary for success”
The plan itself is hardly the ‘theft’ that has been talked about by The State Department and Corporate Media, the report from the Government outlining the plans states that only land that has been previously unused will be given to peasants so as to increase overall productivity while addressing the issues of inequality. Of course the ruling class of 3% will attack this plan, it increases competition to their monopoly. Holding onto land that they will not even use is a must, it prohibits peasants from eating away at their market share. Changes are occurring in Venezuela, much like they did in Nicaragua under the Sandinistas – Chavez has been voted in twice by a huge majority and the things he is proposing must be stopped. The Americas must learn to bow their heads before the global oppressor, or face total retribution as Nicaragua experienced.
But the issue with the State Department versus Chavez runs much deeper than this, Oil production in Venezuela is skyrocketing, and Corporate interests must be maintained to maintain a degree of control from the ‘prosperous few’ over the ‘restless many’.
Chavez challenged this control however, and this is the real issue. The Government of Venezuela only takes in 16% of Oil Revenues – Chavez wanted his treasury to take in 30%, as demonstrated when he passed the ‘Law of Hydrocarbons’ voted in by a massive majority in Venezuela’s Congress, this of course is unacceptable to The Bush Administration – Venezuela controlling Venezuela’s Oil means that Venezuela may be able to rebuke the liberties Corporations have been taking in Venezuela at the expense of Worker’s Rights and the Environment, this is unacceptable and therefore efforts have been made by America to try and decapitate any plan Venezuela comes out with in regards to land reform or Oil. And other more discrete planes:
“So began the Bush-Cheney campaign to "Floridate" the will of the Venezuela electorate. It didn't matter that Chavez had twice won elections. Winning most of the votes, said a White House spokesman, did not make Chavez' government "legitimate." Hmmm. Secret contracts were awarded by our Homeland Security spooks to steal official Venezuela voter lists. Cash passed discreetly from the US taxpayer, via the so-called 'Endowment for Democracy,' to the Chavez-haters running today's "recall" election.
A brilliant campaign of placing stories about Chavez' supposed unpopularity and "dictatorial" manner seized US news and op-ed pages, ranging from the San Francisco Chronicle to the New York Times.”
Such actions shouldn’t be met with shock, after all America has proven it’s intent to decapitate democratic processes all throughout History; Greece, Vietnam, Laos and Nicaragua are just a few examples of their utter contempt for democracy unless they are enforcing whatever façade of democracy happens to suite their objectives in states under their control.
The official CIA handbook on Venezuela says that half the nation's farmers own only 1% of the land. They are the lucky ones, as more peasants owned nothing. That is, until their man Chavez took office. Filled with hope they have voted him in for 2 successive terms, with a massive majority – Hoping beyond hope that he would deliver them from the Great Satan that is America and the land owning elite. But it is most likely Hugo Chavez won’t succeed in his battle with Dick Cheney and the Corporate Greed that so encapsulates America, perhaps they will find some way to force him out of office. But one thing is for sure, the people will never forget ‘their man’ Chavez.