Chavez and Fighting Back History

[Julio Pino <jpino@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nestor and Jose: I wasn't comparing the FARC to Chavez unfavorably, just
the opposite. I think following the leadership of Chavez is probably the
best option Vebezuelan workers have right now, and Marxists in that country
should rally to him, not join one of the myriad of 4th Internationals or
lok for another Lenin. My point, and this goes for the FARC too, is that
Chavez, from all I have been able to learn about him thus far (and that
would include info. from relatives in Caracas)shows no sign of going beyond
Gaitán, Albizu, Bosch, Chávez, Torrijos.The masses may well pressure him to
do so, or imperialism could commit some incredible blunder, but today he
seems in a fix, lacking neither the will or political courage but the
resources and diplomatic clout that would permit him to turn sharply leftward.
   A while back someone aptly labeled Chavez "a Muammar Qaddafi at a time
of low oil prices." (I understand the two Colonels have exchanged a warm
corresponence.)"Creole Nasser" migh be another concise sobriquet. But even
if Venezuela's oil wealth had not been mismanaged, ie, stolen, by Carlos
Andres Perez, Caldera and the rest of the bunch, Chavez would have little
manouvering room in a unipolar world, unlike Fidel who could gain the
backing of the USSR, or even Qadaffi who flirted with the Soviets, British
and even the Italians at the same time.For these reasons, I don't believe
Chavez can "turn to socialism" even if he wanted to, which is not all a
clear desire on his part.
Julio Cesar


>In fact, Fidel as well as Gaitán, Albizu, Bosch, Chávez, Torrijos or
>Tirofijo belong to the same matrix of national-revolutionary forces
>in the Caribbean basin, the heirs of the peasants who fought
>Bolívar's wars. They do not spurt out from socialism, but once the
>ruling classes and imperialism are stupid enough (or perverted
>enough) to declare extreme class war against its opponents, they turn
>to socialism.
>
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