Far-right Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado during a debate in preparation for the opposition primaries. Photo: El Nacional/File photo.
María Corina Machado, the far-right pre candidate for Venezuela’s primary elections, reiterated her neoliberal agenda as she spoke about her hopes to run for the presidency. Machado is currently unable to hold public office in Venezuela due to her efforts to overthrow the country’s democratically elected president.
This Tuesday, July 18, Machado presented her “Economic Plan of Government” at a virtual event organized by the far-right think tank Americas Society/Council of the Americas, based in New York City, United States.
In her virtual interaction, Machado presented the neoliberal proposals she has for her desired government. She proposed privatizations and negotiation of the foreign debt with international organizations, despite the fact that Venezuelans, Chavistas and otherwise, have voted against the neoliberal agenda countless times.
Machado, the leader of Vente Venezuela, proposed an agreement to restructure the country’s foreign debt through a process that is “financially sustainable” and that contemplates an “affordable payment under terms and schedules” that the nation “can bear.”
She also stated her support for the privatization of most of the water, telecommunications, and transportation industries, in addition to the oil sector, with the purpose of “ending the state monopoly.”
Machado’s proposal includes swapping sovereign debt for ownership or participation in state-owned companies that would be privatized under her very improbable mandate.
She added that she would reform the Hydrocarbons Law and thus eliminate ownership restrictions to increase foreign investment in the industry, allowing foreign oil corporations to control oil and energy production in Venezuela.
Cabello Slams Venezuelan Opposition’s Hypocritical Labeling of Outraged Citizens as ‘Violent’
“We want to open up Venezuela’s energy sector to attract the most advanced and capitalized companies in the world,” said Machado.
On the other hand, Machado suggested restoring Venezuela’s relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and other financial agencies controlled by Washington and used as tools for its hegemonic agenda.
These neoliberal strategies have not turned out well for countries in the region, as in the case of Argentina, where Mauricio Macri indebted the nation with a loan from the IMF, which led to the elimination of social benefit policies in order to meet the commitments and plunged Argentina’s economy into a ongoing and deepening inflationary spiral.
With an economic plan ready, María Corina Machado seems to have path planned for her presidency. The primary elections have not yet been held and, for the time being, she is not eligible to hold public office.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
