By Mitzi Stark
During the Cold War years following World War II, two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, divided the world into “spheres of influence” in which they imposed their political, economic and social ideals on the countries aligned with them. To attract countries to their spheres they bribed them with foreign and military aid and included them in alliances, supposedly for security.
The Cold War is over now and the Soviet Union no longer exists, but other alliances and superpowers feel it is their right to impose on weaker nations or on those that do not meet their own standards. The International Monetary Fund’s control over national budgets and spending is one example. The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO), is also an organization that uses force to bend the wills of other countries. Whether for good or bad, these outside forces affect the way people live, often ignoring their rights and expectations.
Democracy is the form of government that allows the people to choose their leaders and through them their way of life either through direct votes for representatives or caucuses or petitions. In any society that considers itself democratic there will be some form of opposition which manifests itself in demonstrations, strikes, petition campaigns, recalls or other pressure tactics. Sometimes government responses to opposition violate human rights and then it becomes necessary for outside sources to step in and pressure the repressive government through sanctions, withdrawel of aid and other means. A united front of nations has made countries release political prisoners, give up the death penalty and forced other reforms.
However, in most cases the internal conflicts within a country can and should be settled by the citizens and organizations within its borders. Or if necessary, through the mediation of recognized international agencies such as the Organization of American States.
Unfortunately, we see the United States using tactics that are totally unethical against the government of Venezuela by supplying financial support to the opposition, undermining the Venezuelan government and most of all, through fallacious propaganda in the press and over the internet. Eva Gollinger, a Venezuelan-American lawyer, used the Freedom of Information Act to find documents that show the U.S. role in the 2002 attempted coup against Hugo Chavez, the millions of dollars paid to opposition movements and the widespread anti Chavez propaganda including “statements” that FARC has bases within Venezuela, that ETA provides arms and training and that Iranian experts will help Chavez build nuclear arms.
Much was also made of the closure of two radio stations, citing this as censorship when there are over 200 radio stations operating in Venezuela and the offending station had called for the assassination of Chavez. Dismissing news personnel who disagree with their government’s policy occurs all over the world. including here in Costa Rica. But only in Venezuela has it become a major offense in the eyes of Uncle Sam. Caught in this web of lies, the Nica Times titled my colleague Carol Marujo’s article on Venezuela a “Defense of Chavez” when her intention was to show the reality with failures as well as achievements.
Chavez certainly has made mistakes, and the droughts and the world economic crisis have diminished the advances he and his party planned for the country. But he was popularly elected twice, there are independent radio, TV stations and internet access in Venezuela, and Chavez yielded to the majority on changing the constitution. In recent elections he lost his overriding majority in the legislature in what international observers say was a free election.
The United States has used unsavory propaganda and financing to undermine the government of Cuba, pouring millions of taxpayers’ dollars into Radio Marti, funding anti Castro groups and maintaining a blockade of the island, none of which has toppled the socialist government of Cuba. And while the rest of the world has come to accept Cuba as a nation, the United States stands almost alone in its condemnation. Now they are attempting to do the same to Venezuela.
Unfortunately, anyone trying to be impartial on Venezuelan or Cuban issues or trying to present the positive as well as the negative is labled pro-Chavez or pro-Castro, or a defender of communism or socialism or other schemes that don’t meet the United States’ capitalist standards. Both Chavez and Castro have millions of supporters within their countries and have raised educational and health levels in their countries, whether we like it or not.
Latin America grew out of a history quite different from the British colonies and the whole social fabric of the various countries stems from their unique experience. In 1810, the Spanish countries of South America, fought and bled to achieve their independence from Spain and to set their own course. Even back then, Simón Bolivar, hero and liberator, saw clearly the hand of manifest destiny reaching into Latin America and warned that “the United Sates seems to be destined by Providence to plague Latin America with misery in the name of liberty.” Two hundred years later the statement still holds.
Mitzi Stark is a freelance writer, a long time resident and a member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom which advocates just that for all people.
