Chavez Against U.S. Free Trade Plan

[norml]

Chavez Against U.S. Free Trade Plan

By DAN MOLINSKI
The Associated Press
Friday, November 4, 2005; 4:25 AM

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina -- Venezuela's president, an outspoken critic of a U.S.-sponsored free trade arrangement for Latin America, prepared to address thousands of like-minded protesters Friday at a rally coinciding with the start of a regional summit.

President Bush has hoped to promote the Free Trade Area of the Americas at the 34-nation Summit of the Americas beginning Friday. The deal proposed by Washington would break down trade barriers from Alaska to the tip of South America.


In this photo released by Venezuela's Miraflores Press, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is interviewed in the studios of Telesur in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005. Telesur, a new Latin American TV station, started full news broadcasts this week, offering a Latin alternative to large media outlets. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press,Francisco Batista) (AP)

Leaders attending the two-day summit had agreed ahead of time to focus on creating jobs and reducing poverty. In recent days, however, their attention has shifted to the free trade issue and the sparring between the U.S. and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a leftist whose government has used his country's vast oil wealth on social programs for the poor.

Washington maintains the proposed accord, which has stalled amid opposition by several Latin American countries, is vital to creating jobs and increasing wealth in the region.


snip


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110400201.html

[bluestateguy]

1. WE MUST STOP THE DICTATOR OF VENEZUELA IMMEDIATELY!

and spread freedom to Venezuela, and bring democracy to the people of that oppressed nation.

(I'm just preparing people for the neo-conservative nonsense that they will soon begin hearing about Venezuela)

[KG]

2. and heck, you won't even have to leave DU to hear that kind of neo-con

nonsense. :eyes:

[Say_What]

6. Plenty of VeneGusanos on DU these days....

and they all seem to spew the same old tired jibberish: Chavez is a dictator, Chavez is a commie, blah, blah, blah.


A visitor blows a conch shell horn at the Third People's Summit, the alternative summit to the Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, November 3, 2005. The alternative summit will provide a forum to protesters opposed to U.S. President George W. Bush and a continent wide free trade pact. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan are among those due to address the People's Summit on Friday. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

[1932]

35. I think the anti-Chavez DU'ers have been working this strategy:

If you can't beat them, join them for a little while by posting things like, "love that Chavez, 'cause he's giving the middle finger to Bush" no matter how disconnected that was from what Chavez was doing. Then after months of doing that, they started trying to beat Chavez by attacking the straw man that they created with posts like "just because he hates Bush doesn't mean he's good."

Well, no shit. There has been a discussion about Chavez for months at DU that didn't define Chavez in terms of Bush, but in terms of neoliberalism, progress, the New Deal, Kennedy, economics, justice, the School of Americas, attempted coups and kidnappings, the price of oil, assassinations of district attornies, the private media and the public media, racism, agricultural policy, etc. etc. etc. Engage that discussion, please. Just because a few DUers held build the straw man doesn't mean there are many important issues raised by Chavez.

[eridani]

3. In other news--

--the Pope is still Catholic.

[Say_What]

4. "Fascist Bush! You are the terrorist!" FUERA BUSH - BUSH OUT!!

Protesters arrive on a train to Mar del Plata, Argentina, Friday, Nov.4, 2005, to participate in protests against the presence of U.S. President George Bush at the IV Summit of the Americas. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)




A protester holds up a banner to protest the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), outside the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires November 3, 2005, during a demonstration against the visit by U.S. President George W. Bush at the fourth Summit of the Americas, to be held in Mar del Plata, 400 km (250 miles) south of Buenos Aires, starting on Friday. The U.S. government is pushing hard for the summit to include a commitment to restart the moribund talks for the Free Trade Area of the Americas in 2006. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

[Deja Q]

5. NAFTA... CAFTA... LAFTA?

Go Chavez! You give a damn about your people! That makes you human.

I wish I could say the same for the corporate and political leaders of the US.

[Canadian_moderate]

7. Chavez's economic policies are not exactly working either

I think there may be a happy median somewhere between Bush's capitalism and Chavez's socialism. Even with record high oil prices, Venezuela's economy is not exactly on fire.

While I don't blame him for opposing Bush, his policies have not been all that sensible. Anyone while aligns himself with Castro is not a true democrat.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Just as Nazis and Jews cannot coexist in peace

Bush's 19th century capitalism cannot coexist with Chavez's democratic socialism.

I'll take Chavez over Bush any day!

FTAA is bad for the workers and peasants of Latin America, it should be buried together with the Bush Administration.

In a section on job creation, United States representatives have suggested taking note of "the 96 million people who live in extreme poverty" in Latin America and the Caribbean, subsisting on $1 a day or less. But Venezuela would agree to that statement, Latin American diplomats said, only if the following phrase were also included: "while in the United States there are 37 million poor."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/04/international/americas/04cnd-prexy.html?hp&ex=1131166800&en=3cdb8cc69efdac1c&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[ninkasi]

21. My opinion is this...

when Chavez talks of creating wealth, he is talking about a wealth which is distributed among all of the people. The wealth Bush speaks about is wealth concentrated and held by a favored few. It's the distribution of wealth that is the difference.

Given a choice, like you, IG, I'd choose to live in a society where the leader is concerned with all of the people, not just cronies. The fact that poverty has increased under Bush, while wealth at the top has grown, tells me which policies I prefer.

One thing that puzzles me, is that some people insist on referring to Chavez as a dictator. He was elected, rather overwhelmingly, by the people. Bush was not. Bush stole both elections.

[IndianaGreen]

24. They are afraid of the movement that Chavez represents

They fear losing control of Latin America, a region in which the people have rejected neo-liberalism even when their governments don't. They fear that popular expression will lead to the rise of leaders such as Evo Morales in Bolivia.

Chavez 'Inspired' by Anti-Bush Protesters
By DAN MOLINSKI, Associated Press Writer
59 minutes ago

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina - A crowd of 10,000 protesters chanting "Get out Bush!" swarmed the streets of this Argentine resort Friday, hours before the hemisphere's leaders sat down to debate free trade, immigration and job creation.

Before dawn, thousands greeted a train bringing the last group of fellow demonstrators from Buenos Aires, including Bolivian presidential hopeful Evo Morales and soccer great Diego Maradona, who donned a T-shirt accusing President Bush of war crimes.

Chanting "Fascist Bush! You are the terrorist!" the protesters hung from the engine and moved up the sides of the train, trying to shake hands with those inside.

Later, they took to the streets, heading toward a stadium where Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made a speech before joining the Summit of the Americas.

Chavez arrived early Friday, saying he was "inspired" by the protesters, who also oppose the U.S.-led negotiations to form a Free Trade Area of the Americas stretching from Alaska to Argentina.

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2005/11/04/257333.html

[mdelaguna2000]

10. link?

"Venezuela's policies are not exactly working either..." link for this? Sounds like way too much of a generalization. They would have worked much better prior to now had he not had to fight the right wing dominant rich minority of that country tooth and nail for every inch of gained ground. At least his economic polities minister to the needs of society as a whole, including the poor. Working or not, he is not the handmaiden of the ultrarich corporate interests.

The point for the protest discussed in the original thread is to keep Bush's policies from further impacting South American nations, which, whether Chavez's own policies work or not - would only put the bulk of S. American populations in a worse position than they're in now.

Chavez is complex - his policies differ from Castro. There is much to be learned from a google search or watching the film "The Revolution Won't Be Televised." Context helps tremendously in understanding Chavez.

And now for my own unlinked generalization... I heard Castro wouldn't have been nearly as socialist as he ultimately became had our own embargos and economic policies forced him to reformulate Cuba's economy on different terms. (Way out of my league here, but it sounded plausible). I did hear this from a Canadian though.

[reprobate]

23. As one who remembers first hand, you are absolutely right.

Castro came to the US to ask Eisenhower for help with his post revolution economy. IIRC, Ike wouldn't even see Castro, and snubbed him for his entire stay here. The fact the Ike was a repug and all the gambling interests that were kicked out of Cuba wanted their casinos back may have had something to do with it. Cuba's economy was in desperate condition at that time, so Castro had no choice but to turn to the soviets for help.

Remember that the original influx of Cubans to Florida were in the main Batista-ites, the ones that the revolution overthrew. That's the reason for the insanely strong anti-Castro leanings of the transplanted Cubans in south Florida. They still want to return Batista to power and take over Cuba once more. Well, here's a flash: BATISTA IS DEAD!

Of course, the largest resistance to Castro came from the casino owners, who were republican mafia.

This whole anti-Cuban US stance is just another example of business interests determining the direction of American foreign policy. And in this case it's been determining it for almost a half century.

Anyone who thinks that the citizens determine american foreign policy is living in a fantasy world. I want some of whatever they're smoking.

[Flanker]

11. Actually it is pretty much on fire

After growing nearly 18 percent last year, the Venezuelan economy has expanded 9.3 percent for the first half of this year - the fastest economic growth in the hemisphere. Although the government's detractors like to say this is just a result of high oil prices, it is not so simple.



http://www.cepr.net/columns/weisbrot/2005_11_01.htm

Most of the growth came from non-oil sectors.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

13. You only like him because he hates bush and America and the Easter Bunny.

Come on 'fess up commie lover, blah, blah, blah...... I'm sorry somebody had to do it. Never mind the numbers, facts ans statistics.

[Judi Lynn]

19. Great article, Flanker. Thanks for posting it.

It makes the effort to share some facts with us which appear to have eluded our own _Bush-serving media.

Welcome to D.U. :hi: :hi: :hi:

[newyawker99]

26. Hi Flanker!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[rinsd]

31. "Most of the growth came from non-oil sectors"

Where does the article state that?

It makes mention of tax collection increaes and says that crediting oil prices is too simplistic but it never offers evidence.

It cites oil prices in the 70's but wasn't the Venezuelan oil industry only nationalized recently?

The economy is still growing and its does really matter if its because of oil prices because we aren't likely to see the drop we saw from the 70's to the 80's again.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

32. The industry has been nationalized since 1976. n/t

[Flanker]

33. Non-oil sector growth was very high

2004

Caracas, February 17, 2005—Venezuela’s gross domestic product grew 17.3% in 2004, closing the year with a "notable recuperation" according to the Central Bank of Venezuela. The oil economy, which accounts for 80% of the country's exports, experienced an 8.7% growth rate. This growth "constitutes the highest level reached since the Central Bank of Venezuela began to calculate the figure (GDP)," said the Central Bank.

The average growth rate for non-oil economy was 17.8%. All non-oil sectors demonstrated "significant growth", with a particularly strong showing in construction (32.1%), financial institutions and insurance (26.6%), transportation and warehousing, (26.4%) commerce and repair services (25.5%), and manufacturing and industry (25.4%). Mining (11.8%), communications (10.2%), and electricity and water (6.9%) also registered notable growth rates. The private sector grew 18.6% and the public sector grew 11.0%.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1512

Second half of 2005

Caracas, Venezuela, August 31, 2005 —Venezuela’s economy continued its rapid expansion and grew 9.3% in the first half of 2005, relative to the first half of 2004, according to official figures of Venezuela’s Central Bank (BCV). The GDP increase in the second quarter of 2005, relative to the second quarter of 2004, was 11.1%.

According to the bank, most of this economic growth occurred in the non-oil sectors of the economy, which grew by 12.2% in the second quarter, while the oil sector grew by a mere 2.5%. If one compares the private and public sectors of the economy, the private sector expanded far more rapidly, by 13.1%, compared to the public sector, which grew only by 4.5%.

All non-oil sectors grew strongly in the second quarter. Manufacturing grew by 12.4%, commerce and repair services by 21.5%, construction by 20.3%, the government services sector by 7.4%.

A report by the Latin American economic research institution CEPAL, Venezuela’s economy will be the second fastest growing economy in 2005, with an estimated economic growth of 7.0% for 2005. Only Argentina, with a growth of 7.3% is predicted to grow faster. The economic growth for the entire region is expected to be 4.3% for 2005, according to CEPAL.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1742

[CatBoreal]

8. After seeing how the Bush Gang has dealt with Canada and NAFTA,

they're definitely smart to fight this thing.

And Chavez is just the person to lead the fight!

VIVA CHAVEZ! Wish he'd immigrate to Canada and take over from Martin the Wuss!

[robcon]

12. Chavez is leading down a well-worn path for Venezuela

Like several of his predecessors, Chavez is taking the populist road, and the country will continue to decline and suffer like it has for decades. 17% unemploymnet is not getting better.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Reading the Miami Herald, aren't we?

The only ones in decline and suffering are the white elites of Venezuela, as they should, for all the years they exploited the masses.

Viva Chavez! Viva la Revolucion Bolivaria!

Viva Fidel! Viva Cuba!

Abajo con Bush!

[ninkasi]

28. Well, that's the difference...

The people Chavez wishes to help are the common people...the masses, who have been exploited for so long. Bush is the opposite. He can babble all he wants about "job creation", but the fact remains that he has done nothing to prevent American jobs from leaving the country, and the jobs that remain pay less and less, and demand more and more from the worker.

Chavez wants the people doing the work to benefit. Bush wants the workers to serve the wealthy. That's the difference I see. Bush is of, and for, the elite classes who are still trying to take as much as they can from the rest of us. If their greed were ever satisfied, it might be that people would learn to tolerate the injustice, although I doubt it.

The problems is that no matter how much they have, they always want more. It becomes a sickness, an obsession, and Chavez is trying to stop it. Extreme wealth concentrated in a few hands does not help a country, it only causes unrest. Bush is for redistributing all wealth upwards.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

15. And that is exactly why opposition polls show his party winning by

a landslide. :eyes:

[Flanker]

16. Again unemployment is going down also

There are two types of employments meassured, formal and informal (ie streetvendors, maids, etc.) formal employment has gone up and informal emplyment and unemployment has gone down.

(spanish)
http://www.rnv.gov.ve/noticias/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=22720
http://www.unionradio.com.ve/Noticias/Noticia.aspx?noticiaid=146823

Unemployment is currently at 10-11% and it is expected to drop to single digits by the end of the year.

[K-W]

17. No, the well worn path is colonialism. This path is barely explored. nt

[Solon]

18. How would free trade help?

That is the mystery, as far as I can tell, Venezuela's economy is growing, and unemployment is going down. Free trade does promise increased employment, but at a cost to LOCAL economies that are destroyed, and with them, the promise of increased income.

[IndianaGreen]

20. The people of Latin America have spoken against FTAA

At a parallel "People's Summit" in Mar del Plata on Thursday, organized by a coalition of left-wing, indigenous and antiglobalization groups, American proposals on free trade also came in for criticism, as did Mr. Bush himself.

"We Said No and No Means No: No to Bush, No to F.T.A.A. and No to Repaying the Debt," read one large banner at the conference, held in a group of tents and classrooms on the campus of a local university. Several thousand people attended.

"We've had enough of neo-liberalism and the damage it has inflicted on our societies," said Juan Montenegro, who came from Buenos Aires to take part. "Bush is trying to destroy Iraq with bombs and guns and Latin America with an economic program that will rob us of our sovereignty."

The "antisummit" began early in the week and is expected to culminate today in mass protest marches, led by Alfonso Pérez Esquivel, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Diego Maradona, the soccer idol. Mr. Chávez, with a foot in both of the gatherings here, is expected to be the main orator at a closing protest rally to be held at the main soccer stadium.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/04/international/americas/04cnd-prexy.html?hp&ex=1131166800&en=3cdb8cc69efdac1c&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Judi Lynn]

22. Wow! That photo of Bush hiding behind Kirchner is wonderful.

It's just the best!


Whatta pResident.

[Judi Lynn]

25. Trade Fight Brewing at Americas Summit as Leaders From 34 Nations Meet

Trade Fight Brewing at Americas Summit as Leaders From 34 Nations Meet

By Bill Cormier Associated Press Writer

Published: Nov 4, 2005

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (AP) - The Summit of the Americas opened Friday as a battleground over free trade, with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and thousands of protesters vowing to bury a plan to create one of the world's largest free trade zones and Mexico's president saying he and 28 other nations would move forward anyway.

Standing in front of a six-story banner of revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Chavez urged a crowd of more than 10,000 anti-American demonstrators to help him block efforts to relaunch talks for a Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA.

"Only united can we defeat imperialism and bring our people a better life," he said, adding: "Here, in Mar del Plata, FTAA will be buried!"
(snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB4SZMSMFE.html

[Megahurtz]

27. What? Chavez protesting the exploitation of

his own people for the G.O.P. Cheap Labor Plan???

How could that possibly be???????:sarcasm:

[Amonester]

29. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - PRESS RELEASE

Embargo Date: 3 November 2005 06:00 GMT

Summit of the Americas: Job creation alone is not enough to tackle a human rights crisis

Measures to boost employment and tackle poverty will be meaningless unless every human right, including the rights to life, gender equality, basic healthcare and freedom of movement are guaranteed. All human rights must go hand in hand, said Amnesty International on the eve of the Fourth Summit of the Americas.

The Summit -- to be held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from 4th to 5th November 2005 -- will focus on the issue of “creating jobs to fight poverty and strengthen democratic governance.”

“Even though tackling unemployment, reaching adequate salary levels, respect for union rights and decent working conditions are essential, it is a mistake to think that creating jobs will automatically bring solutions to the other grave problems affecting millions of people across the region", said Amnesty International.

Only by adopting an integrated approach to human rights will it be possible to fight poverty and ensure good governance based on the rule of law.

More at link:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR010042005

:smallcandlesmilyhere:

[govegan]

30. Chavez is so correct...neofascist america so wrong

n/t

[norml]

34. Mass continental protest march against Bush

Mass continental protest march against Bush
By MARIA JULIA MAYORAL , special Granma correspondent

11-5-05,9:26am


MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina.—The chief of the White House, W. Bush, is about to receive a clear signal of continental rejection generated by his neofascist policies, when tens of thousands of people march through the streets of this city at the end of the sessions of the 3rd Summit of the Peoples, attended by more than 600 organizations and social movements of the region.

The final objectives of the march, ratified yesterday in a press conference by Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, one of the organizers of the event whose debates focused on alternatives in the face of capitalism, are to express a round NO to Bush and the imperialist FTAA project (Free Trade Area of the Americas).

The outstanding human rights defender also assured that if there would be support mobilizations in many parts of Argentina.

The Continental Mobilization Event: No to Bush! Another America is possible! (the name given to the march) is also a demonstration of support on the streets of Mar del Plata for the Bolivarian Revolution and its leader, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who is to take part in the protest and is to speak in a mass meeting in the World Stadium, where later on, eminent singer-songwriters like Silvio Rodríguez, Amaury Pérez, Daneil Viglietti, Rally Barrionuevo and Panco Villa, and others, are to raise their voices.


snip


http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/2152/1/129/