RE: Empire Files: Abby Martin in Venezuela - Supermarkets to Black Markets
Hi @lovejoy, greetings from Caracas. Sadly I couldn't say this is a very trustable report on the situation in my country. Since I know where the money to produce it comes from I can't feel but reluctant to anything that comes out of TeleSur.
I see there's some global attention towards Venezuela's situation now, even though we've been going through political/economic trouble for more than 30 years. I would recommend anyone who's seriously concerned about it to look at this issue with a very needed open mind, and start by reading Servando Gonzalez's work on the Cuban regime's history. Once his point is understood I guarantee Venezuela's situation will become more clear, as well as half of South America's obvious political meltdown caused by Venezuela's "fall".
Do not disregard the constant news about Venezuela's government and military officials caught up in drug trafficking (they're ALL true), and try to connect what you learn out of Gonzalez's work with the already known story of Pablo Escobar Gaviria and the Cuban connection to introduce cocaine into the US back in the 80's. You'll see a LOT of coincidential patterns in the behaviour of most political leaders in Venezuela (opposition or government).
There's an old book called Dope, Inc. written by the editors of the Executive Intelligence Review that says one thing or two about that "entrepenour" Gustavo Cisneros (mentioned in the video). That guy has been basically running the money laundry scheme of the cocaine business practically since the beginning of it (personal appreciation) without any obstacles. Hugo Chávez came into power because Cisneros helped him, and because Cisneros was involved in the coup of '92 as well... I really recommend to investigate about it. Now he is plotting against the actual goverment to politically "land on his feet" when the sh**t hits the fan in the next weeks...
There are so much more things to know, and to comment... but I shall not.
Thanks a lot for posting about it. Whatever is happening here must be a "MUST KNOW" for every freedom concerned citizen in the whole world.
Sorry my comment is so long, I don't want to have a political profile here on steemit but I'm thinking about writing about this problem from the "conspiranoic" point of view (since to me it seems to be the most accurate approach)... to much missinformation in the mainstream media.
It is really good to be able to get information from inside Venezuela. Your comment has provided me with a few things to look into with Gustavo Cisneros being first on the list. You wrote 'There are so much more things to know, and to comment... but I shall not.' but you should. I'm sure many would be interested based on the information you shared in your comment. Following you & if you decide to write a proper blog post about life in Venezuela both personally & politically you can count on a resteem & 100% upvote from me.
Hi @jimbobbil, thank you. I just read your "What happened to all the protest songs?" post and man, you just inspired the content for it ... I will probably start writing it in the morning when I come back from signing and voting after the national plebiscite (consultation) that's going to take place here.
If it is ok with you guys (@lovejoy and @jimbobbill) I'd like to ask your permission to mention you and link both of your posts.
It'll be a music-wise related story to a subject that actually has to do with both of your posts content.
Following you also Jim, thanks for the support. Music business here is one of the favorite money laundry scheme s for this drug kingpins we have as political leaders and army generals. I've seen some pretty messy stuff "working" with a few "artists" related to them. ;-) I'll make it worh the while. Thanks so much.
Permission granted. I look forward to reading your post. It'll be interesting to see how Venezuelan vote too.
Thank you for your really thoughtful reply! I will read into these materials you have presented. My bias is pretty obviously pro revolucion bolivariana, however... whatever that looks like in the present tense, I cannot very well speak to. That is, I don't know what this process has come to look like under Maduro et al.
Whatever fundamental disagreements anyone may have with various policies under Chavez, when he was first elected, convened a national assembly, and re-wrote the Venezuelan Constitution to be one of the most enlightened documents I have ever read, and then survived the US backed coup against him, precisely because he had planted the seeds of power in the people to hold up that Constitution.
That was a watershed moment in world history. The whole world was watching, and when the Chavez administration began creating these parallel institutions (missions) to circumvent the corrupt state institutions, well, many of us had never seen this sort of thing play out before. Here was a person with an undeniably genuine love for his country, attempting to bend the instruments of the State to ultimately render the state obsolete. I'm just giving you my truncated perspective from the outside, and much has been written about the relative successes of the Missions... Mission Robinson (literacy), Mission Barrio Adentro (free medical coverage), and Mission Mercal (affordable food), and so forth.
To my mind this was a fascinating exploration and very satisfying response to Audre Lorde’s well-known declaration:
I had never witnessed a 'left' revolutionary administration of any country attempt such things without disastrous consequences.
I admit my positions may be naive on some fronts, and ultimately I myself may not agree in principle with some of Chavez' economic policies.but I'm genuinely open to being challenged, and so I appreciate you offering a contrary perspective to my own.
I would write more now, but just wanted to offer up some context for my perspective. You seem to be more steeped in current affairs, and I would like to know more. I will follow up with reading about this Gustavo Cisneros character, and more that you have shared.
Thanks!
No, thank you. You seem to have a genuine concern about Venezuela's situation and definitely you are aware of it's "role" in the leftist global propaganda (sorry, I couldn't think of a better term for it). I admit it's very easy to get caught up in the apparent utopia.
Maybe you'll find Servando Gonzalez's work a little fringe, but it has been the best way that I've found to understand the place I live in without loosing my mind. You see, it seems Venezuela's role in the future of global politics is sort of fundamental (as a social/legal precedent), and all this mess we've gone through has been something very carefully directed (you can picture me with the tinfoil hat here if you want, I won't take it as an offense).
That coup back in april of 2002 is one of the more strange things that have ever happened in the history of coups, it sparked a rise in the oil prices at the time and gave Chávez ALL he needed to enforce the idea of his revolution, but there's a third party working behind the courtain and reading Servando Gonzalez's work I've found my most acceptable theory of it. I'm not selling it, since I can't be really sure of anything, but I can bet you will enjoy reading it.
I can't thank you enough for bringing the subject to discussion and sharing info about it. I'l be writing a personal story of the things you see as a musician in a private military ascencion party, it's not very political, but it's a true story ;-) I'll let you know when I post it, thanks so much for inspiring. Good reading. Keep in touch
Keep on commenting and posting, being able to contrast opinions and information is useful. For instance, I myself can't say there are shortages here as there were last year, but what about the prices? Last year you couldn't find stuff, now you can but can't afford them. Whose fault is it? Who controls the dollars for importing? Can you blame a businessman for selling at black market rate when he does not have access to the official rate?