People's Democracy

THE reinstallation of Hugo Chavez as the President of Venezuela following the unsuccessful and short-lived military coup is significant in more ways than one. Firstly, with all reports indicating the deep involvement of the CIA and US military intelligence in orchestrating this coup, the fact that it failed is extremely significant. After all, US imperialism with shameless impunity had declared in the post-September 11 2001 situation that it is its writ that shall henceforth rule the globe. Once again, it is its support that is permitting the Israeli military genocide in Palestine today. In the recent past and till today, it continues to threaten sovereign countries with unilateral military intervention. Yet, its attempt in Venezuela failed against a person whom it had openly decried as following policies that were against the interests of the US.

During the entire second half of the twentieth century the United States has nakedly pursued a policy that lays down that only those governments that are acceptable to Washington will be allowed to survive in Latin America. Legally elected governments have been overthrown through CIA-inspired, supported and funded coups. The most blatant of them was the overthrow and murder of Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973. Reports confirm that the Pentagon has revealed that even this time round the United States provided critical military and intelligence support for the coup in Venezuela on 12th April.

Secondly, the return of Chavez reaffirms the supremacy of the people's will at a time when many thought that democracy and the role of ordinary people were superceded by US imperialism. This fact in itself is bound to have a tremendous impact in boosting the morale of millions of anti-imperialist fighters who are struggling for peace, democracy and progress all over Latin America.

Thirdly, it also demonstrates the fact that a pro-people and anti-US government will be supported by the people despite US imperialist antagonism. The USA which is so used to propping up corrupt anti-people dictatorships in Latin America to advance its interests, had much reason to seek Chavez's ouster. The Chavez administration which in the first place won the elections despite open US disapproval, brought in a new democratic Constitution, which broke the power monopoly of the hopelessly corrupt and discredited two-party system. It introduced fundamental land reforms which for the first time in many centuries gave the exploited poor peasant the right to his land. It more than doubled the investment in education, and within a couple of years schooled over a million children; regulated the informal economy so as to reduce the insecurity of the poor; achieved a fairer price for oil through the OPEC which significantly increased government income, internationally campaigned tirelessly against neo-liberalism, reduced official unemployment from 18 percent to 13 percent, introduced a large-scale micro-credit program for the poor and for women, reformed the tax system which dramatically reduced tax evasion and increased government revenue, lowered infant mortality from 21 per cent to 17 per cent, tripled literacy courses, modernised the legal system etc. etc.

From the US imperialist point of view Chavez's biggest "crime" however was his political position of unstinted support and the sale of oil to socialist Cuba ignoring US economic blockade. Chavez openly came out opposing the US "war on terrorism" and befriended Iraq. To have such a regime in the world's fourth biggest oil exporter was anathema to the powerful interests that rule the USA.

The popular protests that erupted against the coup were so massive that the leaders who had arrested Chavez in the first place had to unceremoniously quit office paving the way for his reinstallation.

Particularly in the present circumstances, this was a great triumph. However, to discount any further US imperialist interference would be disastrous. As in this case, it is clear that it is only the united will of the people that can foil any future US imperialist manoeuvres.