People's Democracy

Chávez Calls For Greater Unity Of South

Announces Great Alliance With India

THE President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frias, called for greater unity of the South and for remaking and rebuilding the agenda of the South. “Yes, we have to show that the South exists. We have to devise a strategy for the South,” he asserted while delivering a lecture on “The Challenges of Development in Latin America” in the JNU on March 4.

The lecture, organised by the JNU, was attended by students and faculty of the JNU along with a host of invitees, among whom included political leaders, parliamentarians, diplomatic personnel, writers, journalists, activists etc. Prominent among those who participated included former president, K R Narayanan, external affairs minister K Natwar Singh, JNU Chancellor Karan Singh, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat, CPI(M) MPs Nilotpal Basu, Hannan Mollah and Dipankar Mukherjee, writer-activist Arundhati Roy, peace activist Achin Vinaik, and Cuba’s ambassador to India.

Chávez referred to the Bandung conference of NAM in which Nehru, Tito and Nasser played a significant role and said time had come to get back that consciousness of unity of developing countries. In this connection he said that the agreements he was going to sign with the Indian government regarding cooperation in the field of oil would help this cause. He made it clear that Venezuela wanted to supply oil to India so that it could meet its need for development. Chávez invited Indian oil companies to come to Venezuela to explore and extract oil. “From today on there would be a great alliance between Venezuela and India. The Bolivarian Revolution opens its arms for friendship with the Indian people so that together we can build a better future for both of us,” said Chávez.

Chávez touched upon the changes being made to the hydrocarbon laws in his country with the sole purpose of recovering the huge revenue from sale of oil to the people. He said this vast wealth was being diverted to the US through its MNCs and its loyal sepoys in his country – the oligarchies. That is why the new constitution – adopted by the people through a referendum – is being further strengthened by changes in the laws.

Chávez said Venezuela was in the midst of a revolution in social, economic and political spheres. He explained how, with the help of Cuba, efforts were being made to make his country completely literate in the next two years; make education available to all; take health to the poorest of the poor and put in place a strong health delivery system.

In his welcome speech, JNU vice chancellor G K Chadha said the university was honoured and inspired by the presence of Chávez whom he described as a crusader against the new economic policies. He said Chávez had a special position in the world today for implementing radical and bold policies in his country, for lending voice to the underprivileged and for undertaking land reforms, literacy and education programmes. The VC also praised Chávez’s fight for a multi-polar world. (INN)