:: Latin America
Venezuela : Democracy, Socialism and Imperialism
04.17.2008Venezuela s President Hugo Chavez remains the worlds 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.
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-Peoples Army (FARC-EP): The Cost of Unilateral Humanitarian Initiatives
03.16.2008President Uribes 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 Uribes doctrine of preventive war and extra-territorial intervention, calling the Colombian regime the Israel of Latin America.
Latin Americas Changing Mosiac: Movements in Flux and Center-Left Governments in Power
02.12.2008In 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.
Venezuela: A Dictionary of Euphemisms of the Liberal Opposition
01.05.2008The 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.
Open letter to President Sarkozy: On the humanitarian exchange of political prisoners in Colombia and the United States
12.10.2007I 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.
Venezuelan Referendum: A Post-Mortem and its Aftermath
12.04.2007Venezuelas constitutional reforms supporting President Chavezs 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.
Tens of Thousands Protest Chavez Proposals, Is CIA Fomenting Unrest to Challenge Referendum?
Democracy Now! :: 12.01.2007In 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
Venezuelas D-Day - The December 2, 2007 Constituent Referendum
11.27.2007On 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: Between ballots and bullets
11.12.2007Venezuelas 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.
Defending the Cuban Revolution. With Lover or Venom?
09.16.2007Revolutions 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.
Prologue: New book on Polo Democrático, Ecuador
08.27.2007Ecuador today faces great opportunities for a basic social transformation and also grave threats from imperial networks.
Rethinking the Development of Latin America and the Caribbean for the 21st Century
08.16.2007Latin 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).
Cuba: Continuing Revolution and Contemporary Contradictions
James Petras and Robin Eastman-Abaya :: 08.11.2007The 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.
Latin America: The Middle Class, Social Movements and the Left
05.23.2007The political and social behavior of the middle class is determined by its class position and interests and the political-economic context, which it confronts.
Latin America - Four Competing Blocs of Power
04.17.2007In 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.
Between Insurrection and Reaction: Evo Morales Pursuit of Normal Capitalism
03.15.2007Many 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 Defense of the Empire is the Local Client President
03.04.2007The 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
The Ghosts of the past: repented leftists revisited
01.20.2007Act 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.
Bolivias elusive pursuit of Normal Capitalism
08.24.2006Ideological blinders and sheer ignorance of elementary facts frequently prevent politicians, journalists and political activists from understanding developments in Latin America.
New winds from the left or hot air from a New Right
03.15.2006The 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
Evo Morales/Bolivia: Populist gestures and neo-liberal substance
12.29.2005A 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.
A puppet show on Christmas day
12.20.2005It 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.