:: Latin America

Venezuela 's President Hugo Chavez remains the world's leading secular, democratically elected political leader who has consistently and publicly opposed imperialist wars in the Middle East , attacked extra-territorial intervention and US and European Union complicity in kidnapping and torture.

President Uribe's troop and missile assault, violating Ecuadorian sovereignty came very close to precipitating a regional war with Ecuador and Venezuela. During an interview I had with President Chavez, at the time of this bellicose act, he confirmed to me the gravity of Uribe's doctrine of ‘preventive war' and ‘extra-territorial intervention', calling the Colombian regime the ‘Israel of Latin America'.

In contrast to North America and Europe, in Latin America political regimes, social movements and ideologies are in constant flux. Within a period of a few years, the political pendulum can swing from a seemingly radical leftist wave, to center-left and even rightwing ascendancy.

The Venezuelan political process in the post-referendum period (after December 2, 2007) has experienced a wide-ranging debate, in which both critics and supporters of the Venezuelan road to socialism have participated.

I read with great interest your letter to FARC leader Manuel Marulanda. I share with you a humanitarian impulse to end the imprisonment of political prisoners in Colombia. However let us be clear, principled and realistic about this: The freedom of the political prisoners of the FARC is dependent on a quid pro quo – the liberation of the resistance fighters of the FARC in the dungeons of the Colombian state.

Venezuela's constitutional reforms supporting President Chavez's socialist project were defeated by the narrowest of margins: 1.4% of 9 million voters. The result however was severely compromised by the fact that 45% of the electorate abstained, meaning that only 28% of the electorate voted against the progressive changes proposed by President Chavez.

In Venezuela , tens of thousands of protesters marched through Caracas Thursday to oppose constitutional changes proposed by President Chavez that come to a vote on Sunday. Citing a confidential memo, the Venezuelan government is claiming the CIA is fomenting unrest to challenge the referendum. [includes rush transcript] Guest: James Petras

On November 26, 2007 the Venezuelan government broadcast and circulated a confidential memo from the US embassy to the CIA which is devastatingly revealing of US clandestine operations and which will influence the referendum this Sunday (December 2, 2007).

Venezuela's democratically elected Present Chavez faces the most serious threat since the April 11, 2002 military coup. Violent street demonstrations by privileged middle and upper middle class university students have led to major street battles in and around the center of Caracas.

Revolutions and the Cuban is no exception, advance in a contradictory process: in the course of solving basic immediate problems they confront new challenges. There are revolutionary writers who recognize this dialectical process and the need to critically support the revolution. On the other hand there are publicists who arrogate to themselves the role of unconditional apologists for every shift in policy of the official spokesperson, parroting the argument of the day.

Ecuador today faces great opportunities for a basic social transformation and also grave threats from imperial networks.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are passing through a deep process of devolution during the last quarter century of the 20th century. LAC experienced the restoration of pre-national forms of property ownership, the reversal of social relations of production (capital-labor).

The Cuban revolution with its socialist economy has demonstrated tremendous resilience in the face of enormous political obstacles and challenges. It successfully defied a US orchestrated invasion, naval blockade, hundreds of terrorists' attacks and half-century boycott.

The political and social behavior of the middle class is determined by its class position and interests and the political-economic context, which it confronts.

In reality there are four competing blocs of nations in Latin America, contrary to the highly simplistic dualism portrayed by the White House and most of the Left.

Many progressive overseas academics, politicians, journalists and commentators have glowingly characterized the Evo Morales regime as ‘radical', ‘revolutionary' and part of an ‘anti-imperialist bloc'.

The First Line of Opposition of Bush is to Defeat this Local Client \’President\’! Para Mate Amargo: Bush Versus Chavez: El Pueblo y Chavez contra los Presidentes Cipayos y el Emperador

Act 1 scene 1. Cemeteries of the world are filled with ghosts meeting and discussing; ghosts in sheets of red, ghosts in black and red; some with gaping wounds, others without limbs, some beheaded and blinded.

Ideological blinders and sheer ignorance of elementary facts frequently prevent politicians, journalists and political activists from understanding developments in Latin America.

The Center Left regimes and their Left intellectual supporters represent a sad epitaph on the radical generation of the 1970\’s and 1980\’s: they are a spent force, lacking critical ideas and audacious proposals for challenging imperialism and capitalist rule

A realistic assessment of the electoral victory of Evo Morales requires knowledge of his recent role in Bolivia?s popular struggles, his program and ideology as well as the first measures adopted by his regime.

It was Christmas day and while the fathers slept off a big meal and an excess of beer and rum, the children were racing around the neighborhood: The lucky ones showing off their toys, others crowding around a youngster with his own new bicycle.