[Marxism] NY Times editorial: "Hugo Chavez Departs"

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Definitely worth re-reading this as the braying media proceeds with all
it can muster to mobilize hatred of and opposition to Chavez in the
upcoming reform referendum on Sunday. As, of course, was quickly shown,
Chavez never did resign, but the NYT, like the rest of the corporate
media, reported the story circulated by the coup plotters as if it was
fact, hoping, of course, to turn it into fact. We're getting something
very similar in the reporting on supposed poll results now in Venezuela.


Walter Lippmann
Havana, Cuba
========================================================================

From:  Michael Munk <lastmarx@xxxxxxxxxxx>   
To: walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [national] NYTimes: Hugo Chavez Departs
Date: Dec 1, 2007 4:34 AM

It's hard to avoid the hysteria the NYTimes is trying to generate about the 
Venezuelan vote on Sunday. Simon Romero, its dependable critic of the 
elected President in Caracas, has contributed major articles in recent days 
(e.g. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/world/americas/30venez.html) and 
Friday Jens Gould joined him in the business section 
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/business/worldbusiness/30chavez.html. 
Saturday an oped appearsd from a general Baduel who previously supported the

President and who Romero has been boosting in his dispatches 
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/opinion/01baduel.html.)

As the following ediorial makes clear, the Times is not an objective 
observer of Venezuela. If we remind ourselvesof its editorial support for 
the military putsch that, with US backing, briefly overthrew an elected 
President, perhaps we will better understand its current campaign.


Hugo Chávez Departs
Editorial
New York Times: April 13, 2002

With yesterday's resignation of President Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan
democracy is no longer threatened by a would-be dictator. Mr. Chávez,
a ruinous demagogue, stepped down after the military intervened and
handed power to a respected business leader, Pedro Carmona. But
democracy has not yet been restored, and won't be until a new
president is elected. That vote has been scheduled for next spring,
with new Congressional elections to be held by this December. The
prompt announcement of a timetable is welcome, but a year seems
rather long to wait for a legitimately elected president.

Washington has a strong stake in Venezuela's recovery. Caracas now
provides 15 percent of American oil imports, and with sounder
policies could provide more. A stable, democratic Venezuela could
help anchor a troubled region where Colombia faces expanded guerrilla
warfare, Peru is seeing a rebirth of terrorism and Argentina
struggles with a devastating economic crisis. Wisely, Washington
never publicly demonized Mr. Chávez, denying him the role of
nationalist martyr. Rightly, his removal was a purely Venezuelan
affair.

Public faith in Venezuela's institutions began eroding well before
Mr. Chávez burst on the scene with a failed 1992 coup. Corruption
discredited both main parties, and a patronage-fueled bureaucracy
devoured the country's abundant oil revenues, leaving many
Venezuelans desperately poor. Mr. Chávez was elected president in
1998 promising change he never delivered. He courted Fidel Castro and
Saddam Hussein, battled the media and alienated virtually every
constituency from middle-class professionals, academics and business
leaders to union members and the Roman Catholic Church.

This week's crisis began with a general strike against replacing
professional managers at the state oil company with political
cronies. It took a grave turn Thursday when armed Chávez supporters
fired on peaceful strikers, killing at least 14 and injuring
hundreds. Mr. Chávez's response was characteristic. He forced five
private television stations off the air for showing pictures of the
massacre. Early yesterday he was compelled to resign by military
commanders unwilling to order their troops to fire on fellow
Venezuelans to keep him in power. He is being held at a military base
and may face charges in Thursday's killings.

New presidential elections should be held this year, perhaps at the
same time the new Congress is chosen. Some time is needed for
plausible national leaders to emerge and parties to reorganize. But
Venezuela urgently needs a leader with a strong democratic mandate to
clean up the mess, encourage entrepreneurial freedom and slim down
and professionalize the bureaucracy.

One encouraging development has been the strong participation of
middle-class citizens in organizing opposition groups and street
protests. Continued civic participation could help revitalize
Venezuela's tired political parties and keep further military
involvement to a minimum.


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