Red Pepper's Venezuela Blog

Historical Perspectives on Latin American and East Asian Regional Development

[In a recent speech Noam Chomsky argues that at present South American leaders are making the first moves towards integration since the Spanish conquests 500 years. For Chomsky the fact that development in Latin America has been mostly foreign compared to East Asia partly explains the radically different paths of development between the two regions in the last couple of decades. --Ed]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez holds a Spanish language version of Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance, by Noam Chomsky, while addressing the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, September 20, 2006. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP

Video: Sanitarios Maracay Under Workers' Control

[The solidarity group, Hands Off Venezuela, recently sent a delegation to Venezuela. During their stay the group visited Sanitarios Maracay, a factory in Venezuela under workers control, to learn more about the revolutionary process taking place there, and to offer solidarity to the workers. --Ed]

Venezuelan Workers Demonstrate for Nationalisation of Idle Factory

[Venezuelanalysis.com's Steven Mather reports on the recent march by workers of the occupied factory Sanitarios Maracay to demand its nationalisation. Workers are demanding the nationalisation of the company, which produces ceramic bathroom products, after they occupied their workplace on November 14 and restarted production for the local community. --Ed]

The Caracas Consensus

[In These Times' Salim Muwakkil argues that Hugo Chávez’s landslide reelection on December 3 reinforced Latin America’s status as the primary outpost of opposition to the neoliberal economic policies pushed by the West—the so-called Washington consensus. Perhaps just as important, Chávez’s win also energises the global movement of South-South integration that has been picking up steam in recent years. --Ed]

Chavez Wins "Person of the Year" Poll ... Time Magazine Ignores Result

[The British solidarity organisation, Hands Off Venezuela, report on how despite the fact  that  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez won Time magazine's "Person of the Year" poll, he was not chosen as its "Person of the Year". --Ed]

Learn From Our Failures and Create a Socialist Democracy

[Gyula Hegyi, a Hungarian Socialist member of the European parliament, argues that Eastern Europe remains condemned by its past to neo-liberalism, but Latin America can break free if it pays heed to the lessons. --Ed]

History of Democracy Prevention in Venezuela (Part 1) - Democracy: Washington's Real Enemy in Venezuela

[The Gringo in Venezuela blog's Chris Carlson argues that Hugo Chavez isn't the only Venezuelan leader to ever challenge and anger the United States. Cipriano Castro, president of Venezuela from 1899 to 1908, was probably as big of an adversary to Washington as Hugo Chavez is today. --Ed]

Cipriano Castro, president of Venezuela from 1899 to 1908

Poll: Venezuelans Have Highest Regard for Their Democracy

[Venezuelanalysis.com's editor Greg Wilpert reports on the results of a new survey released by the Chilean NGO Latinbarometro last Saturday which show that Venezuelans view their democracy more favorably than the citizens of all other Latin American countries except Uruguay. Also, Venezuela is in first place in several measures of political participation, compared to all other Latin American countries. --Ed]

It´s My Party, and I´ll Cry If I Want to": Chavez Moves Forward

[Michael Lebowitz, author of Build It Now: Socialism for the Twenty-First Century, argues that while there may have been plenty of sad faces at a meeting last Friday where Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called on his followers to dissolve their existing parties and to form a new “United Socialist Party of Venezuela”, this was an occasion for celebration. --Ed]

Chavez Calls for United Socialist Party of Venezuela

[Venezuelanalysis.com's editor Greg Wilpert reports on the call by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to his followers to dissolve their existing parties and to form a new “United Socialist Party of Venezuela.” Chavez also explained that the main project for the next term is to “construct socialism from below,” via this new party. To view the speech where Chavez made the call click here. --Ed]