Luis Jose Perez Garrameda: Answer to John Kerry ... as if I were Chavez

[corporatewhore]

is Jose Perez Garrameda: Answer to John Kerry ... as if I were President Chavez

Luis Jose Perez Garrameda writes: Mr. Kerry, Some days ago you made statements regarding my person; you gave these statements to a Hispanic television station called UNIVISION, one of whose shareholders I understand is a Cuban, Gustavo Cisneros, who was involved in the coup d’etat against me on April 11, 2002. I ask you to refer to an article published in News Week International at the end of April 2002, written by Joseph Contreras and Michael Isikoff, who discovered Cisneros’s participation in the April coup.



In your declarations you said that I was rapidly becoming a dictator. I don’t know from where or why you drew this conclusion, but I believe that a person who aspires to be the President of one of the most important countries in the world should, before arriving at such conclusions, research the matter at length, in this case the facts about Venezuela and its government policies. Because you are obviously unaware of these facts I am going to summarize a few items regarding my government and person.

I am the constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, elected by secret direct ballot, winning with more than 3.7 million in August, 2002. I have won seven elections in this country, among which there have been two referenda.

I was ousted on April 11, 2002, by a conspiracy in which the corrupt military, owners of the media, managers of the PDVSA (Petroleum Company), corrupt trade union leaders, and people of the Catholic Church among others, took part.

After having been overthrown and incarcerated, the brave Venezuelan people rescued me on April 13, 2002, and restored me to the post of President. All of those involved in this coup remain in liberty thanks to a ruling of the corrupt High Court which decreed that in Venezuela there was no coup rather only a vacancy in the presidency

* My enemies have blocked the television channels, one state station (VTV) and another (CATIA TV).

Between December 2002 and January 2003, those who participated in my overthrow initiated a strike in which they sabotaged the petroleum industry (PDVSA) in order to stop the flow of gasoline and inhibit petroleum exports. Food distributing companies hid stocks of food and wholesale distributors closed their doors affecting small retail shops. In those days there were all kinds of reprisals against the people, but at no moment did the government react by using public force against anyone. Instead we dedicated ourselves to importing gasoline, food and other items in order to alleviate the situation we had been plunged into by the participants of the coup.

In addition, I would like to inform you of some aspects of policy which my government has undertaken.

We have taught more than ONE MILLION Venezuelans to read, a number corroborated by UNESCO (the Robinson mission). Since I became president not one single journal or communication outlet in Venezuela has been closed, be it radio or TV. Rather, new communications companies have been started, both private and public, and neither has any single journalist been harassed.

Under my government there are no political prisoners.

In Venezuela, by means of the private communication media (TV and radio), there are more than 100 daily broadcasts at the national level, which attack my government, my family, my associates and all those who assist our task. I am the only Venezuelan President who has been insulted publicly by journalists and moderators of programs of public opinion.

We have created a net of Internet centers for the popular classes called INFOCENTROS, with the idea that all people should have access to the Internet.

We have created projects for people who do not have the resources to study, in order for them to have access to the secondary schools and universities. (Sucre, Riva and Bolivarian University projects).

We have developed plans to provide medical care for the poorest members of the society. (Barrio Adentro project)

We have created special food outlets for the most underprivileged people (MERCAL).

We are developing employment programs for the entire population. (Vuelvan Caras project) We have given incentives to the construction industry and are developing a railway and metro system. (Metro Caracas, Metro Valencia, Metro The Teques, Valles del Tuy Train, Second Bridge over the Orinoco).

International companies such as Telefonica de Espana, Movilnet-Verizon, KELLOGS, General Motors and others have invested multi-millions of dollars in our country.

I am not going to present more arguments, but I invite you and your collaborators to visit Venezuela and see for yourselves. In addition I wish to pose the following question to you: if I were or was thinking of becoming a dictator, would I be undertaking such a manner of development in and for my countr
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[corporatewhore]

1. kick

[corporatewhore]

2. kick

[corporatewhore]

3. kick

[no name no slogan]

4. One good *kick* deserves another

I sincerely hope that Kerry and the other Democrats come to their senses on the issues of self-determination.

This country has a sad history of undermining home-grown grassroots democratic movements in Latin America: from Kennedy's "Alliance for Progress" to Nixon/Kissinger's undermining of Allende's Chile to the US support of IMF "reforms", we've been on the wrong side of this issue.

Democrats need to realize that continuing policies like these is what creates enemies of America around the world. We need to acknowledge and support grassroots democratic movements, instead of imposing "our" version of democracy on them.

[corporatewhore]

6. I think kerry might not like indigenous populations

He sides with sharon and denies the right of return and thinks no pressure should be applied to israel and apperently has no concern over their abuse of the indigenous population (palestinians)
he supported Plan Colombia
is calling the man supported by the majority of the indigenous population of Venezuela a dictator
and plus all those nasty "free" trade policies he has supported which have not excatly helped the indigenous populations all around latin america

[corporatewhore]

7. Ah hell y'all wont even respond to this??

Please Please respond to this article!!!!!!

[IndianaGreen]

9. Why would they?

The facts are not on their side, and neither is the people of Venezuela. The only people that agree with Kerry on this issue are the Venezuelan oligarchs and the Miami anti-Castro Cubans.

I can't see how any of them can justify a Pinochet-style coup to topple Chavez. Such an advocacy would put Kerry in the shameful role of Nixon and Henry Kissinger in supporting a coup that, as in Chile, would lead to the torture and deaths of thousands of innocent people, including some Americans.

A "D" after one's name does not make Fascism more palatable!

[Classical_Liberal]

18. The true kicker is the Kerry will lose because Jeb is doing

another vote purge of the Blacks. His advisors won't bitch about this at all.

[flpoljunkie]

19. You might want to read this article from the Miami Herald on Kerry website

for a little perspective...

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2004_0323b.html

Kerry says Bush is soft on Chávez

John Kerry charges that President Bush's passive approach to backing opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez reflects a larger record of `sending mixed signals.'


March 23, 2004

Miami Herald

By Peter Wallsten

Presumed Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry is accusing the White House of failing to promote democratic reforms in Venezuela, focusing attention on an issue that Democrats believe could hamper President Bush's quest for Hispanic votes in Florida.

Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, issued the statement on his campaign website, charging that Bush's passive approach to backing opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez reflects a larger record of "sending mixed signals by supporting undemocratic processes in our own hemisphere."

The message from Kerry was an attack on Bush's image on Latin America policy, but strategists said Monday it was primarily intended to further erode the president's standing among Cuban-American voters in Florida, who view Chávez as an ally of Fidel Castro and support stronger U.S. action to assist a recall vote against him.

<>In his new statement, Kerry lumped Castro and Chávez together, accusing the Venezuelan leader of punishing political opponents and aiding drug traffickers.

______________________

Can you refute these charges of Chavez punishing political opponents and aiding drug traffickers?

[IndianaGreen]

23. So now Kerry has turned into another demagogue

kissing the ass of the anti-Semites in the Cuban-American National Foundation.

Perhaps Kerry should get his head out of his ass and pay more attention to what the Cuban opposition in Cuba, the Valera project, has to say to the US: "stay out of Cuba"!

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. Perhaps he just doesn't think that he will win many votes supporting

commies and terrorists.

[corporatewhore]

25. kick

[corporatewhore]

5. Oh Come on guys not even one Chavez is an evil commie post?

[mobuto]

12. Not worth my time

Go bash the Democratic nominee elsewhere.

[markus]

13. This isn't bashing; its educating the Kerry campaign

There are a lot of people on the left who probably voted for Nader last time (not me personally) who are inclined to vote ABB (Kerry).

My sense is: there are, at the end of the day, probalby more people on the left to be picked up again than there are Cuban exiles who can be peeled away from the GOP (unless you've seen polling or other data to the contrary).

[corporatewhore]

14. how is correcting kerry a bash?

[corporatewhore]

16. again why?

[corporatewhore]

17. still waiting!!

[freeforall]

8. Kerry seriously pissed me off when

he rebuffed Chavez and Zapatero. From all I read, it doesn't seem as if he's much better than Bush. Not that I want * to be (s)elected, but Kerry sounds very lack-lustre to me.

And dissing these foreign leaders when America's image is already at a low point doesn't seem very smart to me.

[Colin Ex]

10. From a campaign perspective and a personal perspective.

I've obviously not as well researched as you are, but here's my take on it.

My reaction from the perspective of what is good for the Kerry Campaign: Good form. Most people are not going to understand the subtle nuances of the beasts our foreign policy has made. Venezuela is at present a nation with cool foreign relations to the US (you know, that whole possibly orchestrating the coup thing) and Kerry is, as best I can tell, trying to look good for the midwestern laborers who like guns and hate dirty commies. (There's your "Chavez is a dirty commie" remark. It was the best I could do.)

My Personal Reaction: Shitty form. I like Chavez, he's a good guy with his country's and his people's best interests in mind. Besides, how many people can even spell Venezuela, much less talk about the crises the nation has seen recently?

I guess whether or not it's good depends on how Machiavellian you are. You and I are idealistic kids who are pretty willing to call bullshit, but we aren't exactly running the system here.

-C

[revcarol]

11. I'm so far from being a kid that I shudder,

(am I actually...ugh, that bugaboo word..."OLD?") and I can see the handwriting on the wall for Latin America if Kerry continues in this vein.I can't believe he said these things, but he seems stuck in the DLC mold, which contrary to popular opinion, has some very despicable things to say in foreign relations.

We are going to have to HOLD HIS FEET TO THE FIRE when he is President!!

[no name no slogan]

15. Heh! I'm no "kid" myself!

In fact, my own politics have drifted even further leftward from where they were in college (which is now almost 15 years ago).

Kerry's foreign policy positions have been my main concern: I see very little differences between what he's saying and what Shrub was saying in 2000. They both favor a "strong America", which is NewSpeak for bloated, out-of-control weapons budgets, an interventionist foreign policy (called "New Progressivism" by the DLC), and no attempt to rein in the power that international corporations have on developing countries. Neither man will seriously challenge the corpo-militarist hegemony that controls the worlds' wealth.

I will ALSO do whatever I can to hold Kerry's feet to the fire once he wins. I have a feeling that getting Shrub out of office will look like a cakewalk compared to the next four years-- just like it was trying to get progressive legislation passed with Clinton.

[PeaceProgProsp]

20. If Kerry were more critical of neoliberalism, I'd worry less.

What's dangerous is having a president who totally embraces neoliberalism and who says things like this about Venezuela.

I'm still willing to give Kerry the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is dong this to win FL and that he will lay off Chavez, just as Clinton did (Clinton, in fact, applauded Chavez for addressing poverty and engaging in New Deal style programs).

Clearly, the proof will be in the pudding once Kerry is elected.

You can bet, however, that opening Kerry's eyes about neoliberalism will be project number one after January 2005.

[corporatewhore]

22. kick

[IndianaGreen]

24. Cuban Dissidents Reject Bush Pro-Democracy Plan

Listen to the Cubans in Cuba, Kerry, not to the anti-Semites of CANF!

Even Cuban dissidents in Cuba, including revolutionary hero Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, are opposed to Bush's Cuba policy (and by default, Kerry's more CANFish policy proposals).

Cuban Dissidents Reject Bush Pro-Democracy Plan
Mon May 10, 2004 02:58 PM ET

By Isabel Garcia-Zarza

HAVANA (Reuters) - Leading Cuban dissidents on Monday rejected President Bush's plans to speed up a democratic transition in communist-run Cuba and said U.S. meddling would not help bring political change.

The White House announced steps on Thursday to spend $36 million on promoting democratic change in Cuba and blocking a communist succession when President Fidel Castro dies.

<snip>

"This is a total interference that does not benefit the building of democracy in Cuba," said moderate dissident Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, who criticized Bush's policy in a statement he handed in at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.

"The United States has no right to set the pace of a transition in Cuba. It is humiliating," said Manuel Cuesta Morua, another moderate who accompanied Gutierrez Menoyo.

Cuba's best-known dissident, Oswaldo Paya, winner of the European Parliament's Andrei Sakharov human rights prize, said it was up to Cubans, not the United States or a European government, to design a post-Castro transition for the Caribbean island.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5094660