May 16th., 2007

Authoritarism in America

Roma locuta, causa finita, is the phrase that has been used for centuries to indicate that certain controversy in the Catholic world has been put to an end.  This time, the Pope, Benedict XVI spoke from a small town in Brazil, in his first visit to the continent wherein a very considerable portion of the world consider him as the highest Pontific.  On Sunday 13, he presented his message, in the Basilica of the Appeared one (Aparecida), to the followers that met at the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal General Conference.  “The Sub Continent has evolved towards democracy, although there are motives of concern before shapes of authoritarian governments or subject to ideologies that were thought of being surpassed”.  The Pope condemned the destructive errors of Marxism and Capitalism, highlighting the great guidelines of the Church´s  Social Doctrine included within the Encyclicals of his predecessors.  His words were listened with special attention, since he spoke from the land wherein the Theology of Liberation rooted out, one of the issues object of a passionate polemic decades ago.  In the morning, in a mass before 150,000 followers congregated in front of the Basilica, the Pope expressed:  “Catholicism is not a political ideology, nor a social movement, nor is it an economic system”.

Benedict XVI did not mention the governments which, to his judgment, slide towards authoritarianism.  Nonetheless, the day before,  as transmitted by the EFE agency from Río de Janeiro, the Secretary of State, Cardenal Bertone, in declarations to O Globo, mentioned Venezuela as one of the countries that worries Rome upon the appearance of authoritarian governments.  As expected, there is a storm taking place in the national scenario.  Chávez relationship with the Church have not been friendly.  On occasion, Chávez has had injurious expressions against ecclesiastic dignitaries and for more than two years, there was no Ambassador before the Vatican.  The one at the Holy Seat in Caracas, Monsignor André Dupuy, currently the Nuncio in Brussels, was target of offenses by Chávez himself and ugly comments on the part of government spokespeople.  During the five years of his position as Nuncio, Dupuy gave a masterly lesson of courage to the regime.  The Archbishopy of Caracas was vacant for a long time, since an Agreement (Concordato) signed in 1974 was construed by the government as able to veto the designation of Bishops.  Right now there are deep problems.  In the schools and Bolivarian colleges there is a doctrine over XXI Century Socialism.  The Catholics understand that the bigger threat is an Education Law that could be drafted by Chávez, within use of his powers in the Enabling Law, inspired by his brother, Adan Chávez, current Minister of the regime, who has confessed to be orthodox Marxist and remained in Cuba for two years as Venezuela´s  Ambassador.  Two months have passed since a university leader has requested refuge in the Nuncio´s  Office, and even though three Latin American countries have offered to receive him, the corresponding permit from the government has not been yet granted.

It is reasonable that the mention of authoritarian governments in Latin America be an issue for discussion.  Rome spoke up.  It corresponds to the ones who met at the Appeared one (Aparecida) to translate the Pope´s message.   The Venezuelan Church intervened today.  Monsignor Santana, President of the ECV, denounced that XXI Century Socialism is occupying ever more so, more spaces in power, creating a great polarization.  “The leaders of this new revolutionary model encourage and support the planting of same in other countries in Latin America with a view to create a new network of regional integration”.

COUNTRY, SOCIALISM OR DEATH

Country, Socialism or death, in Chávez vocabulary, called for diverse interpretations in the critical sectors which coincide in pointing out as a source of inspiration, the mythical “country or death” from Fidel. The government’s  followers only repeated the slogan, without explaining it.  In the Military parade of February 4, it was an impact that the phrase came out of the lips of the General that presided such event, at the moment he placed his war tank in front of the Presidential tribune:  “Country, Socialism or death.  I request permission, my General Commander, to speak to you”.  Nowadays it has become part of the communication rituals of the Armed Forces.  The newspaper Tal Cual published the written order by the Commander of the Armed Forces, to the effects that the slogan “be of common use when someone addresses to a superior, using such slogan before requesting the right to speak and retire”.  The Head of the Presidential General Staff, General Muller, confirmed the trustiness of the publication in a Bolivarian Military Front forum.  He spoke of his personal experience:  “ I was at the Military Academy and the cadet that saluted me stated “ country, Socialism or death, my General.  I answered:  country, Socialism or death, cadet”.  One of the attendees to the forum read out articles of the Constitution regarding the institutional nature of the Armed Forces, “essentially professional, with no political militancy, to the exclusive service of the nation and not biased to any politic party”,  and obtained as an answer, that the Constitution must adapt to the will of who exercises the power in representation of the people, and that the announced Constitution reform will redefine the nature and functions of the Armed Forces.  Another one of the attendees, a part of the Presidential General Staff, Admiral Cabrera, added:  “If the policy of the state is Socialism, the Armed Forces must support it”.  General Albornoz Tineo, who completes the three people comprising the Presidential General Staff, concluded the Forum affirming:  “The Armed Forces does not have an ideological autonomy”.

Journalists and celebrities visiting the country have lived the personal experience of having called the direct telephone number of the Commander’s Headquarters of the Armed Forces and be able to hear from the Officer that picks up the telephone:  country, Socialism or death, before identifying who is being called.  In the Venezuelan reality, it is indispensable that the official treatment of the slogan respond not to Chávez instructions, the argument of those who exercise the spaces of freedom of opinion that still survive, to denounce that it is yet another step in the conversion of those who bear arms, in a part of the sole Socialism political party that currently structures a commission headed by the Vice President of the Republic, using the technological and financial resources of the National Electoral Council and the education institutions of the Ministry of Education.  On Saturday, May 12, Chávez, in an event broadcasted and chained on National TV, formalized his registration in the party and added: “Who ever is against the sole party is against Chávez”.  He added that the new era of expansion and deepening of th revolution is starting, one that will be “ a long period, since Trotsky warned that the revolution is a permanent process”.  Sectors of Chávez followers that have expressed disagreement with what they understand as a project of a state party, he manifested:  “In Venezuela and in Latin America, conditions are set to make a real revolution and for such purposes it is necessary to build a revolutionary party, with a strategy and machinery capable of articulating millions of wills in one sole will”.  A book with Chávez thoughts is circulating, similar to Mao´s book in the 1970´s  China.  “We can not fail to the world.  The salvation of the planet may depend on the success of our revolution”.  (May 20, 2006 Speech).

Euro parliamentarians were able to verify the denounces regarding the closing of Radio Caracas (RCTV), and EFE announces from Madrid an agreement in the European Parliament, with support from Socialists, Populars and other groups, defending the liberties of expression, opinion and information that are considered infringed or threatened in Venezuela.  According to Oscar Schemel, an opinion researcher with high credibility, the favorable valuation to Chávez has descended 9% in comparison to the week before the presidential elections of December 3.  Last November, 49% valued Chávez administration positively, now a 40%.  He affirms that Venezuelans have not ideologically identified with Chávez, but continue to aspire a new social order within a reinterpretation phenomena of the national reality. 

TESTIMONIES OF TWO NOBEL PRICE WINNERS

Chávez greeted the Nobel Peace Price winner of 2006, Muhammad Yunus, and decorated him upon considering him the propel of a non Capitalist model to conquer poverty.  “I share with you the idea that we must deliver power to the poor to overcome the evils of Capitalism”.  He took advantage of the event to inform him, in his opinion, what is happening in Venezuela:  “We are determined in a process of social changes to which the North American Imperialism and the local oligarchy are opposed, who foster media terrorism.  They hide behind liberty of expression to destabilize the country, to spread panic”.  Yunus smiled,  since upon his arrival to Caracas, the predominant issue between the people who welcomed him and accompanied him was the imminent closing of the country´s main TV Channel, for not having complied with self censure imposed by the regime.  He limited to a smile when Chávez exposed some of his ideas regarding XXI Century Socialism, but hours after he left Miraflores, the Presidential Palace, he declared to the journalists that which courtesy made him  silence during the decoration:  “Venezuela is not a poor country, it is a very rich country with lots of poor people.  Why leave everything to the government?  We know of its limitations, politization, bureaucracy, inefficiency, corruption…the policies of donations and scholarships are erred, the correct thing is to help the poor people to be active, creative... in the political field, the government must not monopolize all the power, it is necessary that the judicial power and the legislative power be independent, and that government enterprises not be used with political purposes”.  Democracy is the only way to stop governments that elevate the idea of being poor as a value.  He highlighted the importance of the means of communication, since it is they who must question how the promises from the politicians will become a reality.  Evidently, Chávez had no information regarding the political thought of the one who won the Nobel Peace Price for his world contribution in his fight against poverty.  On the contrary to his knowledge regarding the other Nobel Price Winner present in Caracas, Derek Walcott, one of the major intellectual figures of the English speaking Caribbean.  It was the ideal character to be associated to Chávez image, determined in a political bridge project with Africa, as he expressed to the President of Gambia, who he just recently received with great honors and cooperation offers.  On Saturday, May 12, Walcott, in an event broadcasted by radio and television, spoke up.  According to literary critics, as an extraordinary poet, committing to the democratic values imposed to the condition of an intellectual.  Talking in those terms, even if by a Caribbean, a Nobel Literature Price winner, is considered an unacceptable interference in the internal politics of the country.

“There are realities that require time, preparation and silence”,  the Venezuelan one is starting to be discovered in the world.