[News] Venezuela: Firm Rejection of US Aggression

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Venezuela: Firm Rejection of US Aggression


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By 
<http://www.zcommunications.org/http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/evagollinger>Eva 
Golinger
http://www.zcommunications.org/venezuela-firm-rejection-of-us-aggression-by-eva-golinger

Saturday, November 27, 2010

On Tuesday, President Hugo Chavez presided over a state event in the 
presence of all branches of government and regional representatives, 
to express the nation's rejection of threats and attempts to 
undermine Venezuela's democracy.

"The people of Venezuela, the people of ALBA nations, the people of 
our America and the world will defeat the pretensions of US 
imperialism that seek to escape its own crisis by provoking more war 
and violations against the people of the world", stated an 
"Anti-Imperialist Manifesto" signed by all heads of the five branches 
of government during a special event held in the historic and 
prestigious Elliptical Room of Venezuela's National Assembly on Tuesday.

The state event "in defense of the sovereignty of the nation and 
against hegemony and imperialism" was convened by President Chavez in 
reaction to an event held last week in the US Congress titled "Danger 
in the Andes: Threats to Democracy, Human Rights and Inter-American 
Security", during which several US congressmen called for harsh, 
direct action to be taken against Chavez and other presidents from 
member nations of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our 
Americas (ALBA). Also present at last week's anti-ALBA event in the 
US Capitol were several fugitives from Venezuelan justice, such as 
Globovision president Guillermo Zuloaga, and coup leaders from 
Bolivia and Ecuador, including Ecuadorean Lucio Gutierrez, charged 
with leading efforts to overthrow President Rafael Correa last September.

The congressional event was interpreted by many throughout the region 
as a sign that a now republican-dominated Congress will increase 
hostility towards countries in Latin America such as Venezuela and 
Bolivia, which already have tense and difficult relations with 
Washington. At the conference, US congressman Connie Mack (republican 
from Florida), declared, "now that republicans are a majority...we 
should confront Hugo Chavez directly", insinuating that the House 
Sub-Comittee on Foreign Relations for the Western Hemisphere, to be 
headed by Mack, will initiate actions against Venezuela in 2011.

The new Chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee, congresswoman 
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Miami, also indicated efforts would be 
undertaken to increase aggression against President Chavez, stating, 
"We should work closer with regional allies to confront the danger 
against democracy in Venezuela".

Ros-Lehtinen, well known for her close relations with anti-Castro 
Cuban terrorists Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch, both 
responsible for the bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 that killed 
all 73 passengers aboard, as well as a series of other terrorist acts 
in the region, later referred to Chavez as a "repressive leader" and 
reiterated her calls to work for his "removal from power". In 2006, 
the Florida congresswoman declared during a television interview that 
she would encourage and "welcome anyone who assassinates Fidel Castro 
or any other repressive leader".

Such language was perceived by Venezuela and other Latin American 
nations as a clear and direct threat.

On Monday, Bolivian President Evo Morales directly charged 
congressman Connie Mack with the responsibility "should anything 
happen to President Hugo Chavez". Morales' comments were made during 
the inauguration of this week's meeting of defense ministers from the 
Americas, during which US Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, was present.

"This congress member, Connie Mack, made statements that could be 
interpreted as a call to assassinate President Chavez", said Morales. 
"Should anything happen to Chavez, Connie Mack will be one of the 
people responsible".

AGAINST HEGEMONY AND IMPERIALISM

At Tuesday's historic event in Venezuela, keynote speaker Eva 
Golinger, a Venezuelan-American attorney, investigator and writer, 
who has spent years researching and denouncing US intervention in 
Venezuela and other Latin American nations, outlined a pattern of 
tactics and strategies being employed against the Chavez 
administration. "At the beginning of 2010, the US Director of 
National Intelligence, who coordinates all 16 agencies of the US 
intelligence community, classified President Chavez as 'Anti-US 
Leader in the region'. Saying 'anti-US' is the same as saying 
'enemy'...This is language of war".

Golinger also highlighted how during the "past five years, the US 
government and mass media have conducted a severe media campaign 
attempting to demonize President Chavez and his government". This 
effort, said Golinger, "tries to justify the escalation in hostility 
and aggression against Venezuela, as well as provide reasons for an 
ever-increasing amount of funding US agencies provide to Venezuelan 
opposition groups".

Eva Golinger also proposed the Venezuelan government enact a law to 
"regulate, control or prohibit foreign funding for political 
activities" in the South American nation. Many countries have similar 
laws. United States law prohibits all foreign funding from any 
entity, private or state, to political parties or campaigns in the 
US, while the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) controls any 
person, organization or entity receiving foreign funding for 
lobbying, public relations or activities "directed by or in the 
interests of a foreign actor".

During his speech at the sovereignty event, President Chavez heard 
Golinger's request for a foreign funding law loud and clear. "I 
implore the National Assembly to urgently pass a law to end US and 
foreign funding of NGOs and political parties in our country", he 
exclaimed, adding, "This must end. We can no longer be a docile 
Revolution, we must radicalize our position". Chavez also called on 
the other branches of government present to act against threats and 
violations of Venezuela's laws and sovereignty.

The presidents - all women - of Venezuela's Supreme Court, National 
Assembly, Electoral Power and Citizens Power affirmed their 
commitment to defending the nation against any external or internal 
threat, and signed the "Anti-Imperialist Manifesto" at the conclusion 
of Tuesday's event.

"In this bicentennial period, we ratify our unwavering commitment to 
the culmination of our Independence through the consolidation of our 
sovereignty and the construction of unity amongst our peoples, and we 
proclaim that our response to the imperialist threat will be: more 
unity, more independence and more integration", read the Manifesto 
ratified by Venezuela's state powers this week.

The Manifesto will be signed by supporters throughout the country 
during special events to be held during the following days in defense 
of Venezuela's sovereignty.

T/ Correo del Orinoco International




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