[Marxism] Fidel on Venezuela: "A people under fire"

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(In a commentary destined to be widely read inside Venezuela, and
by Bolivarian-minded people everywhere, Fidel speaks to everyone
about their responsibility for the safety of Venezuela's President
Hugo Chavez Frias. Yesterday the rightists mobilized in Caracas.
Today the supporters of constitutional reform and the Bolivarian
process are mobilizing their forces in the windeup of the election
campaign. Here an authentic voice of Latin American history makes
itself heard on the streets of Caracas, and across the continent.)
===================================================================

Reflections by the Commander in Chief

A PEOPLE UNDER FIRE

http://www.cuba.cu/gobierno/discursos/2007/ing/f291107i.html

Venezuela, whose people are heirs to Bolivarâs ideas which transcend
his era, is today facing a world tyranny a thousand times more
powerful than that of Spainâs colonial strength added to that of the
recently born United States which, through Monroe, proclaimed their
right to the natural wealth of the continent and to the sweat of its
people.

Martà denounced the brutal system and called it a monster, in whose
entrails he had lived. His internationalist spirit shone as never
before when, in a letter left unfinished due to his death in combat,
he publicly revealed the objective of his restless struggle: ââI am
now every day risking my life for my country, and for my duty âsince
I understand it and have the courage to do itâ to timely prevent,
with the independence of Cuba, that the United States expand over the
Antilles and that they fall, with this additional force, over our
lands in Americaââ

It was not in vain that he stated in plain verse: âWith the poor 
of this earth, my fate I wish to castâ. Later, he proclaimed
categorically: âHumanity is homelandâ. The Apostle of our
independence wrote one day: âLet Venezuela call on me to serve her: 
I am her sonâ.

The most sophisticated media developed by technology, employed to
kill human beings and to subjugate or exterminate peoples; the
massive sowing of conditioned reflexes of the mind; consumerism and
all available resources; these are being used today against the
Venezuelans, with the intent of ripping the ideas of Bolivar and
Martà to shreds.

The empire has created conditions conducive to violence and
internecine conflicts. On Chavezâs recent visit last November 21, 
I seriously discussed with him the risks of assassination as he is
constantly out in the open in convertible vehicles. I said this
because of my experience as a combatant trained in the use of an
automatic weapon and a telescopic sight. Likewise, after the triumph,
I became the target of assassination plots directly or indirectly
ordered by almost every United States administration since 1959.

The irresponsible government of the empire does not stop for a minute
to think that the assassination of Venezuelaâs leader or a civil war
in that country would blow up the globalized world economy, due to
its huge reserves of hydrocarbons. Such circumstances are without
precedent in the history of mankind.

Cuba developed close ties with the Bolivarian government of Venezuela
during the hardest days resulting from the demise of the USSR and the
tightening of the United States economic blockade. The exchange of
goods and services grew from practically zero level to more than 
7 billion dollars annually, with great economic and social benefits 
for both our peoples. Today that is where we receive the fundamental
supplies of fuel needed for our country's consumption, something 
that would be very difficult to obtain from other sources due to the
shortage of light crude oil, the insufficient refining capacity, the
United Statesâ power and the wars its has unleashed to seize the
world oil and gas reserves.

Add to the high energy prices, the prices of foods destined by
imperial policy to be transformed into fuel for the gas-guzzling 
cars of the United States and other industrial nations.

A victory of the Yes vote on December 2 would not be enough. The
weeks and months following that date may very well prove to be
extremely tough for many countries, Cuba for one; although before
that the empireâs adventures could lead the planet into an atomic
war, as their own leaders have confessed.

Our compatriots can rest assured that I have had time to think 
and to meditate at length on these problems.

Fidel Castro Ruz

November 29, 2007

8:12 p.m.


====================================
Walter Lippmann
Havana, Cuba
"Un paraÃso bajo el bloqueo"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
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