[image: Logo Venezuela Analysis] Chavez Vows to Keep Fighting as Venezuelan People Puts the Opposition Back in its Place
Feb 25th 2012, by Ewan Robertson Venezuelanalysis.com [image: Hundreds of Chavez supporters gathered yesterday outside the packed Teresa Carreño theatre in Caracas (Rachael Boothroyd/VA).] Hundreds of Chavez supporters gathered yesterday outside the packed Teresa Carreño theatre in Caracas (Rachael Boothroyd/VA). Addressing a packed crowd of supporters in Caracas yesterday Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez designated his presidential election campaign team and with reference to both his health and the presidential elections vowed to fight without truce against whatever challenges lie ahead. Meanwhile, in their frenzy to speculate on and attack Chavez over his health, the Venezuelan opposition again underestimated Venezuelas most important political actor: the people. It was a shock for both supporters and critics of Hugo Chavez when on Tuesday this week he announced that he requires fresh surgery on a lesion 2 centimetres long that had been detected in the same area of his body where a baseball sized cancerous tumour was removed by Cuban doctors last June. Chavez stated that the lesion is likely malignant, but is not displaying signs of metastasis (where cancer spreads to other parts of the body). He will be operated on this weekend in Havana, Cuba, after which further details on his condition will be known. However the response to the news within Venezuela has again thrown into sharp relief the hypocritical and calculating nature of the Venezuela opposition, as well highlighting the protagonism of the Venezuelan people and their majority support for the countrys Bolivarian revolution. *The Oppositions Psychological Campaign* This week the Venezuela opposition, particularly opposition-orientated media, has tried to capitalise on Chavezs news with a campaign of speculation, rumours and criticisms aimed at spreading dismay among Chavezs supporters, speculating on Chavezs health, and attacking both Chavez and the revolution more widely. While the international media has delighted itself in speculation and misinforming about Chavezs illness, with rumours surfacing even before the Venezuelan president had formally announced his need for fresh surgery, the domestic opposition to Chavez has been what can only be termed vulturising over what it has smelled as a weakness among the political forces of the Bolivarian revolution. The right-wing opposition umbrella group, the Democratic Unity Table (MUD), released a communication on Wednesday which accused the Venezuela government of lying about the state of Chavezs health, stating the spreading rumours, speculation and versions that circulate are directly related to secrecy and the absence of precise, clear and medically sound information. Saying the truth is a democratic duty to the Venezuelan people. The statement of course ignored that Chavez had just given an announcement of his medical condition and that we would need to wait until after his surgery to know his exact state of health. It also took breathtaking hypocrisy for the MUD to talk of the importance of truth while they currently face accusations of electoral fraud before the country in their own internal presidential primary elections, held on 12 February. Of course, what the statement actually aims to do is encourage even more speculation of Chavezs health by planting doubt in what the president has said and accusing him and his government of lying. However the political opposition left the real dirty work to be done by their private media allies, who wasted no time spreading rumours of Chavezs health and putting the proverbial boot in while they perceive Chavez to be down. Opposition daily Tal Cual, which in 2009 published a front page image of Hugo Chavez in which they had photo-edited an image to show a gun in his hand where he had actually been holding a rose<http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/130>, referred to a Chavezs lesion in quotation marks to suggest that what he said should not be taken as true information. In an article called the mystery of his health on Wednesday, the paper gave speculation free reign: Chavez only appears so healthy due to taking steroids according to one source, to another, he already has cancer in the liver and will find it difficult to make it to the elections. The article also didnt forget to repeat the claims of former US ambassador to the OAS and conservative hawk Roger Noreiga, who had foretold to anyone who will listen since last July that Chavez would die before the presidential elections on 7 October this year. This coming from the same man who when Chavez was undergoing treatment for cancer last summer declared that with the dictators sickness and disappearance from the political scene for two months, civil society and the democratic opposition have a chance to initiate a transition. It gets worse. Venezuelan opposition paper El Nacional published an editorial yesterday titled Lies and Power, in which along with the now familiar attempt to plant doubt about Chavezs health and the veracity of his statements, took more direct aim at his supporters, declaring that the great mystery of Chavezs body, punished by illness, has resulted in the low morale of his followers. Not finished, the paper compared the situation in Venezuela with the recent Italian film Ceasar Must Die, which deals with Shakespeares work on leadership and succession, and took the opportunity to attack the revolution generally, lamenting a supposed collapse in public values and calling government ministers story tellers. The article finished by exalting a class of journalism (with which El Nacional clearly indentifies itself) that leaves the government with its pants down and ass in the air. Along with speculating about Chavezs health, accusing the Venezuelan president and government of lying, attacking the revolution and attempting to spread dismay and panic in its supporters, there were also (even) more personal attacks against the president himself. A regular opinion correspondent for flagship opposition paper El Universal, Nelson Bocaranda, supposed in his column yesterday that the distress, anxiety, bother and anger caused by the [opposition] primary elections increased the state of [Chavez´s] ill health. Not to give quarter to a man facing surgery, Bocaranda continues that Chavez doesnt realise his message is obsolete, and although it is heard, it is not listened to, while the sight of hundreds of former Chavistas voting in the opposition primaries has to have left him depressed and on the defensive none of that helps him, and he knows it. What the opposition political and media campaign amounted to this week was an attempt to cause maximum political and psychological damage and dismay to Chavez and the supporters of the Bolivarian Revolution. It was a calculated and rather cruel attempt to use the illness of the revolutions leading representative to attack the entire process and augur its demise. It reminds us of the nature of the opposition and its media supporters, as well as drawing attention to the ridiculousness of those who claim that in Venezuela freedom of speech is curtailed. Finally, it demonstrated staggering hypocrisy only days after opposition media were complaining, rather emptily, that MUD presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski was facing personal attacks from Chavez supporters. Unluckily for them, this psychological campaign against the Venezuelan people has also proved to be a spectacular failure. *Holding the Line * The Venezuelan government itself has of course not remained silent on the issue, striking back at the opposition media campaign in particular. Speaking on public television program All Venezuela on Wednesday, Communication and Information minister Andres Izarra emphasised that the opposition media are specialists in creating doubts, conspiring, creating destabilisation and distress, theyve already operated [like this] in other opportunities, and have been defeated they are the media of the right wing that have their operators closely aligned with imperialism, and use communication to pursue their political ends. The minister also highlighted that rather than shying away from the truth, the president had addressed the country at large on his medical situation. Political supporters also stressed the physical condition and willpower of Chavez, and that he would still be the United Socialist Party of Venezuelas (PSUV) candidate come the 7 October presidential elections. Chavez is a man of struggle, of combat always at the vanguard and I believe the operation will be successful stated Venezuelan vice President Elias Jaua, meanwhile PSUV National Assembly deputy Fernando Soto Rojas described Chavez as strong and hard, in good physical condition for a second intervention. His leadership is ratified, the people and the Bolivarian Revolution have their candidate, the date is 7 October Rojas continued, while criticising the opposition for wanting to re-colonise and privatise the country. In must be said, contrary to opposition claims, that Chavez didnt *seem*depressed, on steroids or on deaths doorstep yesterday, as he addressed a packed crowd of supporters in the Teresa Carreño theatre in Caracas, belting out traditional *llanero* songs and designating his campaign team for the presidential elections. I promise you that Im going to fight against come what may, with your support, science, love, and the will to live, he said. Jorge Rodriguez, PSUV leader and mayor of Libertador district in Caracas was named campaign chief. Elias Jaua and finance minister Jorge Giordini head the Program and Organisation of Government Commission, Andres Izarra is in charge of the Propaganda and Counter-Propaganda Commission, and Blanca Eekhout and Yul Jabour for the Great Patriotic Pole and Allied Parties Commission. State news channel VTV also reports that there will be seven regional commanders, 24 state, 333 municipal, 1,067 parish and 11,038 grassroots commanders in Chavezs presidential campaign. The president also called for wide participation, a diversity of voices, and an avoidance of sectarianism. During yesterdays events, Chavez also warned against the media campaign launched against him since his surgery announcement earlier this week, stating now the campaigns will come, every day, [but] they wont surprise us. We wont allow them to strengthen these matrixes [of propaganda], so we need to be ready to read, to analyse, to step past any lies, so that they wont catch us unawares. Finally, Chavez also thanked those who had sent him messages of support from around the country, apologising that he couldnt respond to all of them. He also received messages of support and wishes for a quick recovery from numerous Latin American heads of State, including Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, México, Colombia and Peru. The United States has chosen to stay silent on the issue. *The People Arriba * While the Venezuelan government has maintained a firm line against opposition propaganda, it is the Venezuelan people who have launched an overwhelming response to the aggressive opposition campaign against the president and the revolution. This has been characterised by three main elements: a groundswell of support for Chavez and hopes for a quick recovery, a cogent political analysis, and stern words for the right wing opposition and their media backers, putting them firmly back in their place. If the aim of the opposition was to reduce support for Chavez and induce dismay among his followers, the evidence around the country suggests that this has not been the case. In a mass show of support for the Venezuelan president, over the last few days, social movements have held spontaneous demonstrations, mass rallies have been organised and social networks and alternative news websites have been flooded with articles, commentaries, and messages of support for the Venezuelan president. One of the first groups to organise was the Great Chief Guaicaipuro Bicentenary Indigenous Front, which manifested its support for Chavez in the central Plaza Bolivar in Caracas on Wednesday. The president has given us dignity and thats why well always support him, stated spokesperson Luisa Brito. Similar demonstrations were held around the country. After attending a gathering of Chavez supporters in Coro, Falcon State (North-west), Roberto Picho Rivero stated that in reaction to Chavezs announcement, A national sentiment spread itself and was felt and that demonstrators felt that the man of difficulties would overcome his latest challenge as he had all previous ones. Reporting from the rally outside the Teresa Carreño theatre in Caracas, Rachael Boothroyd of Venezuelanalysis.com said As a person who was present at the rally and who did numerous interviews, I can honestly say that those present turned out for one thing and one thing alone, and that was to express their love and gratitude to a man who has worked himself into the ground for them. She also emphasised the political consciousness of those present, and that despite how much Chavezs leadership is valued by the people, however, they are very clear on one thing; that it is they who are at the helm of this revolution, maintaining, shaping and directing it. Religious organisations of all denominations sent messages of support, from Evangelicals influenced by liberation theology and committed to constructing Bolivarian socialism to the Venezuelan Arab Federation. Adel el Zabayer of the Arab Federation lauded Chavez for having known not only which route the country was taking, but the entire world, and assuming the challenge of preparing us for the worst and minimising the effects of the global capitalist catastrophe, while stating that we need to keep counting on this extraordinary conscience and ability. On the alternative news website Aporrea, a poem was posted by Adal Hernandez that succinctly summed up the mood, entitled Strength, Chavez. He wrote, Its you who dreams, when dreaming is prohibited, its you who remembers the past, when the past makes the present uncomfortable for the vultures. You imagine a world different from capitalism, you believe that we are all equal, all people, in every part of the planet how can I not make revolution while I wait for you? How can I not wait for your prompt return? How can I not shout to the wind in the valley of Caracas? *Who Said Fear? * While voicing support for Chavez and the role he plays as the leader of the Bolivarian revolution, popular debate also centred around the future of the process while sharply reprimanding the Venezuelan opposition and media for their conduct. In an article entitled who said fear? social communication journalist Pedro Marillan Sanchez opined that the revolution would remain with Chavez as leader, and brushed off the political threat posed by the opposition. Esteemed comrades, no one has died here and much less the revolution to those who feel afraid, to those who think the leadership of Chavez is over, put on your shoes because its going to be a long dance! he exclaimed. He further argued that the revolution is still young, and that the people have reached a level of political maturity to assume the challenges ahead whatever happens. In another opinion article on Aporrea, Nelson Jesus Lanz argued that if something were to happen to Chavez the result would be the general destabilisation of the country, thats always been on the cards, sponsored from the Yankee embassy and the bourgeoisie, [so] we need to be prepared for anything. Meanwhile, university professor Aldo N. Bianchi analysed that the coming weeks will allow, based on the medical results, to clarify the [political] situation, while bashing opposition media as acting like scavengers over their treatment of the issue, which had displayed their despicable necrophilia. Indeed what has been striking over the past week is that for every elite Venezuela newspaper article or political statement released attempting to sow fear or manipulate the emotions of the Venezuelan people, there are hundreds of articles from the organised movements and individuals drowning them out, calling for truth, principles, and from the streets, for more revolution. The fear of losing Chavez does indeed have a strong emotional pull among Venezuelas urban and rural poor, wrote Venezuelan journalist Luis Figuera this week. Therefore, over various electoral processes they [the US and Venezuelan elite] have learned that it is dangerous and impractical to wake among the dispossessed the fear of losing Chavez. Given the recent behaviour of the private media, not a lesson well learned it seems, and the oppositions behaviour was savagely critiqued in sources of grassroots communication. We understand that the media team of the opposition is working day and night, loading its cannons with misrepresentations and inventions to fire them against the Venezuelan government, wrote another contributor to the debate, Ramon Yanaz, calling for a strengthening of media truly identified with the Bolivarian process. One of the collateral effects of reaction to Chavezs announcement, argues professor Bianchi, is that already no one remembers [opposition presidential candidate] Capriles Radonski, they only talk about Chavez its obvious who is a leader and who is a second fiddle of the plutocracy fabricated by the media which has conspired for over a decade. When a revolution is true, its carried in the soul and in action, and its certain that we will be millions who go out to defend our country and the process. Oligarchs tremble! Your crappy [election] candidates dont have the balls for this battle! exclaimed Marillan Sanchez in a personal message to the opposition. Meanwhile activist Picho Rivero commented on his disgust as he watched a journalist on opposition-TV station Globovision declaring with great satisfaction that the Carnival has finished, and with it, the disguises [and] there are sick people with disguises as well as you know, no evil lasts 100 years and no illness can be hidden. In response, he issued a simple call: It is against this manner of exercising and doing politics that were committed to fighting, alongside our Commander Chavez. From Coro, we say to you: to the front, Commander! We will live, and we will win! This week the Venezuela opposition has been put back in its place by the people. It has been reminded that it wont be unchallenged when treating in so disregarding and insensitive a manner the health of Hugo Chavez, nor in its effort to influence the political future of the Bolivarian Revolution with psychological warfare. It is the people who will ultimately determine the course of events, as they usually do in Venezuela, and according to what they have said they do not appreciate attempts at manipulation. It appears that this is a reality of Venezuelan politics and society that the opposition has still failed to grasp. ------------------------------ *Source URL (retrieved on 25/02/2012 - 7:23pm):* http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/6829 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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