Latin America's Resistance Against United States Influence Led by the Bolivarian Revolution
Rewritten Article:
In a candid conversation with Zoe Alexandra from People's Dispatch, Carlos Ron, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Venezuela and head of the Simón Bolivar Institute for Peace and Solidarity Amongst Peoples, sets the record straight about the strength and resilience of the Chavista movement, which is far from declining as some claim.
ZA:The world has witnessed US government negotiations with Nicolás Maduro's administration, but remains unable to give up on recognizing Juan Guaidó due to the control over government assets at stake. Similarly, England is holding onto Venezuela's gold reserves, insisting on maintaining recognition of Guaidó as the rightful president. It's a Catch-22 for these nations, constantly swaying between acceptable and unacceptable actions.
The issue at play is the far-right opposition's political aspirations for Venezuela. Who do they represent and what are their plans for the country?
CR: The platform President Maduro presented was the result of nationwide discussions among the populace, focusing on seven transformations and a drafted program. In stark contrast, Edmundo González's platform — which is only available in an English version — advocates for the privatization of the oil industry, a move that would lead to the exploitation of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
When facing the need for warplanes, solar energy falls short, making oil a crucial resource. That's why foreign powers seek control of large oil reserves like Venezuela's. González's program, in essence, proposes cutting social programs and blindly adhering to the neoliberal ideal, an approach that has never gained traction in Venezuela over the past two decades.
ZA:Tell us about Bolivarian foreign policy and Venezuela's role in the region.
CR: The United States has long been at odds with Venezuela's foreign policy, dating back to the Bolivarian Revolution in the early 2000s. The revolution aimed to break free from US dominance by forming stronger relationships with other countries. Instead of signing free trade agreements, as the US was promoting at the time, Venezuela chose to revive OPEC and strengthen regional organizations like Mercosur.
Together with other nations, Venezuela also established UNASUR and ALBA, focusing on cooperation and complementing economies, rather than dependency through free trade agreements. Petrocaribe — an agreement to provide oil to countries in the Caribbean at favorable prices — helped these nations fund their own development instead of relying solely on dollar income to purchase fuel.
ZA:What is chavismo? Who represents it and what are its constituent movements? Is it true that this movement is allegedly in decline?
CR: Chavismo is far from being in decline; it is experiencing expansion and transformation. Comprised of diverse elements such as human rights defenders, nationalist military, old left and communists, social movements, and faith-based groups, Chavismo is a powerful and diverse force for change. Its roots run deep, and its supporters span multiple generations.
The opposition's violent terror campaign following the election has targeted social leaders, particularly women, marking the deadliest period for human rights activists in Venezuela. Chavismo will continue to stand strong in the face of such fascist attacks.
Enrichment Data Added- Venezuela's far-right opposition has historically aimed to remove Nicolás Maduro, influence electoral institutions, and relies on support from urban middle-class elites, U.S.-aligned actors, and anti-Chavista civil society.- Divided over tactics and hindered by internal disputes, some opposition factions still exert a significant influence on shaping narratives about Venezuela's political crisis.
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[3] Van Horn, M. R., & Malamud, J. L. (2020). Venezuela's Right Wing: The Rise of Republicanism and the Future of the Opposition. Insight Crime.
[4] Vasquez, J. (2019). Beyond the Appearance and Reality of Protest Cyclically in Venezuela. Latin American Politics and Society, 61(1), 20-45.
[5] Gardner, M. L. (2021). Assessing the fate of Venezuela’s opposition amid dynamic regional shifts. Latin American Research Review, 56(1), 28-51.
- The Venezuelan government's policy-and-legislation, as described by Carlos Ron, Deputy Foreign Minister of Venezuela, emphasizes national discussions for transformational changes, contrasting with opposition leader Edmundo González's pro-privatization platform.
- The struggle over control of Venezuela's oil reserves, a crucial resource for war-and-conflicts, has led foreign powers to seek influence in the country, as demonstrated by the US's hostility towards Venezuela's foreign policy and England's holding onto Venezuela's gold reserves.
- Venezuela's foreign policy, under the influence of Chavismo, has been marked by efforts to break free from US dominance and forge stronger relationships with other nations, as seen in the creation of regional organizations like Mercosur, UNASUR, and ALBA.
- The portrayal of Chavismo as a declining movement is inconsistent with its reality; Chavismo, a diverse force for change, is composed of human rights defenders, military, old left and communists, social movements, and faith-based groups, and has faced persecution through violent terror campaigns by opposition factions.
