Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Dec. 2024. Photo: t.me/NicolasMaduroMoro.
By Earl Bousquet – Jan 3, 2025
The imperial plots and lies will continue, but time and history are always on the side of truth.
History has strange ways of linking events in different places in ways that can suggest unforeseen confluences of collisions, collusions and conspiracies, all visible but each equally confusing, leaving historians to observe together, but always differ.
Interesting Correlations
The death of ex-US President Jimmy Carter on December 29, 2024 is one example, coming two days ahead of the 121st bbanniversary of Haiti’s Revolution and the 66th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution (both on January 1).
Carter’s death introduced added elements to some interesting correlations shared today between Venezuela and the USA. Examples:
• US Independence Day is July 4 and Venezuela’s is July 5
• Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro will be inaugurated on January 10 and US President Donald Trump will return to the White House on January 20
• Carter’s state funeral in Atlanta on January 9 will be one day ahead of Maduro’s inauguration in Caracas
• Maduro begins his third consecutive presidential term six months after Venezuela’s July 28, 2024 elections and Trump will return to the Oval Office two months after the November 5 US elections
Additionally:
• The USA’s 201-year-old Monroe Doctrine (enacted by US President James Monroe on December 2, 1823) and which defines Latin America and the Caribbean as ‘America’s Backyard’, was a direct response to the formation of a liberated ‘Gran Colombia’ led by Venezuela’s Simon Bolivar, between 1783 and 1830
• Haiti’s Revolution created the world’s first Black Republic in 1804, established by ex-slaves who abolished slavery and built a nation that stood-up to and competed with the USA, Spain and France at all levels, economic and military
• In 1776, the USA was only a narrow strip on the east coast of North America continent containing 13 new states, but Washington soon began its territorial expansion, buying Louisiana from France in 1803 and purchasing Florida from Spain in 1821
• The US then annexed most of Mexico, starting with what’s now Texas (in 1836) and (in 1848) included the other territories now known as California, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada
• Venezuela’s Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez pointed out, on the 200th anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine (December 2023), the southern states that formerly belonged to Mexico, today account for 25% of the US GDP, equivalent in size to 4.5 times the GDP of present-day Mexico
• The Monroe Doctrine — akin to the Vatican’s ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ that justified Native Genocide in the name of Christianity — was expanded in 1845 with the idea of ‘Manifest Destiny’, seen as a racist ideology promoting absolute supremacy of White Americans, with an assumed consequential right to subjugate all ‘inferior’ (non-white) peoples of The America and The Caribbean
Tumultuous Times
The past two centuries have seen various degrees of continuity of the struggle between ‘Bolivarianism’ and ‘Monroeism’, manifested today in the battles between the USA and LAC nations that dare to resist neo-colonial and imperial conquest.
Since the ‘Doctrine’ was declared by Washington, the USA has sponsored over 180 direct troop landings and more than 34 direct military interventions in the LAC region — including coups d’etat that resulted in direct military dictatorships.
Haiti, which defeated France’s Napoleon to establish its republic, was several times invaded and occupied by US troops and is yet-again under direct foreign control, with a multinational security force led by Kenya and including three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, all financed by the USA
Cuba and Venezuela also face tumultuous times – the former opening 2025 with much help from China to overcome its grave electricity problems after successive hurricanes and the latter still battling almost 1,000 US-led sanctions over the past six years — all thanks Washington’s implementation of te Monroe Doctrine in Century 21.
The Cuban Revolution in 1959 broke the long period of imperial dominance by the USA and Havana has, for 64 years, resisted all efforts to turn back the hands of Cuba’s time, but the USA continues to resist and reject annual unanimously-supported United Nations (UN) resolutions demanding, in the name of Humanity, that they be lifted.
Venezuela, since President and Commander-in-Chief Hugo Chavez won his first election in 1998 and under Maduro since 2013, has also spent 35 years resisting externally-driven efforts to prevent the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) from continuing to give life to Chavez’s dream of a Bolivarian Socialist Revolution in the country with the world’s largest certified oil reserves (surpassing Saudi Arabia).
Positive Slate
But despite three-and-a-half decades of unending US-led pressure that saw imposition of 936 sanctions against Venezuela up to July 28, 2024, Maduro and the PSUV administration set out, in the six months since, to consolidate earlier historical gains, especially through positive economic adjustments that have paid-off handsomely in the past three years.
Ahead of the July presidential poll, Venezuela, still under siege from its giant Northern Neighbour and its European and other global partners, showed the world a positive slate of achievements that included:
• The Bolivar (Venezuela’s national currency) achieved most-stable dollar exchange price in 13 years
• In June 2024, the country registered the lowest inflation rate in 39 years — 1.0% — down from 96.7% six years earlier (June 2018)
• Hyperinflation was defeated through diversification of national production
• Food Sovereignty saw the nation move from importing 85% previously to 96% of food consumed being locally-produced
• The state registered one million entrepreneurs and over-60,000 new brands
• Thanks to an Economic Recovery Program launched in August 2018, the economy recorded 12 consecutive quarters of economic growth in three years
• Venezuela recorded over-7% GDP growth from January to April, 2024 — exceeding expectations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), suggesting similar or better prospects by year’s-end
• Venezuela led economic growth in the LAC region with 4.0% — according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• 18 new ‘Engines of Growth’ were created to wean the economy off dependence on energy exports and circumvent economic sanctions
• Over US $3.5 Billion was invested in Social Production for 2024, thanks to increased tax revenues of 105% in the First Quarter (over First Quarter 2023)
• Between January and June, Venezuela recorded 1,097,595 international visitor arrivals — a 202% increase, compared to the 363,249 arrivals in the first half of 2023
• Venezuela’s advanced electronic electoral process includes 16 certification audits – unparalleled anywhere else – and with PSUV representatives serving in 270,000 streets, 47,000 communities and 15,700 polling stations
• Before Chavez and the PSUV, 43% Venezuelans of voting age couldn’t vote in elections for lack of ID cards
• The PSUV candidate, President Maduro, Venezuela led economic growth in the LAC region with 4.0% — according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• was nominated by 13 parties, while the Opposition fielded nine divided candidates; and
• The PSUV has now won 29 of the 31 elections held in the past 35 years.
Why We Must Stand With Venezuela: A Conversation With Venezuelanalysis
Final Bid
As Maduro’s third inauguration approached, the Opposition went all-out in a final bid to plant possible fear and uncertainty about the January 10 event.
Last September, following the surprise departure of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzales into voluntary exile in Spain — by military aircraft and with guaranteed safe-passage from Maduro’s administration — de facto opposition leader Maria Corina Machado promised that instead of Maduro taking office on January 10, it’ll be Gonzales, though still then on conditional political asylum in Spain.
On January 2, however, following news the failed opposition presidential candidate might have broken his asylum conditions in Spain and was heading to South America with eyes on Caracas, Venezuela’s Attorney General issued a warrant for his arrest, on several pre-and-post election charges conditionally shelved to facilitate his exit to Madrid.
The state also issued a US $100,000 bounty on Gonzales’ head, requiring anyone who knows his whereabouts to report to the authorities.
Fence-mending
Maduro’s opponents abroad are in clear disarray, with former legislator Juan Guaido – now residing in Miami – pouring cold water on Corina Machado’s promise (to deliver Gonzales on January 10).
On the other hand, much quiet fence-mending also got under way between Venezuela and some earlier government critics.
Spain has restored diplomatic normalcy and named a new ambassador to Caracas, while repairing post-election damage – and will attend Maduro’s swearing-in.
Mexico and Brazil, which initially questioned the July election results, will also attend – with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to personally lead her delegation.
Panama, which joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in condemning Maduro on and after July 28, received strong support from the Venezuelan president after incoming US President Trump said he wants to ‘take back the Panama Canal’ — that the US never owned and which President Carter signed-over full control of 25 years ago in 1999.
Colombia, which expressed early post-election concerns, has also received Venezuela’s loud support against continuing efforts to undermine elected President Gustavo Petro.
Presidents of Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Prime Ministers of several Caribbean nations will also attend, with representation also confirmed from China, India, Palestine, Russia, South Africa and other developing nations, will also be present.
Shared Interests
Incoming President Trump has been untypically quiet on Venezuela, but Caracas and Washington do have shared interests in reducing the number of Venezuelan migrants to the US, which Maduro says will decrease once Venezuela’s economy continues improving.
Trump will surely wish to continue America’s never-ending quest for eternal access to and control over Venezuela’s inestimable energy and natural resources, but as the Biden administration found out over its four years, it’s not that easy.
The next US President will also have seen that even the Venezuelan opposition’s best efforts (including coup attempts he earlier supported) are still insufficient to dislodge Maduro and the PSUV.
Reshaping the Economy
Venezuelans at home are accustomed to the usual ritual of pantomimes of paltry opposition protestations following every PSUV electoral victory and Caracas has, since last July 28, been preparing for the opposition’s predictable actions between Election Day and the official presidential inauguration.
The PSUV, in office under Maduro, was able to quietly re-shape the nation’s economic fortunes.
Sharing notes with other nations battling unfair international economic, political and diplomatic sanctions, Venezuela has learned from similar and different experiences.
Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, responsible for The Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade and the new thrust of economic reconstruction, had consistently reported positive quarterly economic performances long before the July 28 election.
Venezuela is home to 94% of South America’s energy reserves and also rich in minerals like diamonds and iron and since 2018, the PSUV administration decided it was strategically necessary to wean the economy off its near-total dependence on beleaguered energy exports.
Breaking Records
Six years of intense work to reshape the economy is paying-off handsomely. Millions of citizens still feel the painful sanctions bites and pinches, but their resilience was again demonstrated in their total rejection of the opposition’s call to ‘Boycott Christmas’.
The government distributed 14 million toys nationwide (as part of a ‘Happy Christmas 2024’ plan) — and seasonal holiday spending broke records last year.
Between December 20 and 26 – Christmas week — Vice President Rodriguez reported more than 232 million electronic transactions were recorded, representing a 97% increase in e-commerce.
Economic activities in shopping malls also markedly increased by 81% and in supermarkets by 35%, as people spent whatever little cash they had, to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Remembering Carter
Meanwhile, when President Carter’s state funeral takes place in Atlanta, Georgia on January 9, Venezuelans will remember his historic highest-approval ratings for their country’s electoral system.
On 21st September 2012, Carter declared that Venezuela’s electoral system was “the best in the world.” Speaking at an annual event in Atlanta sponsored by his Carter Centre, the ex-president stated: “As a matter of fact, of the 92 elections that we’ve monitored, I would say the election process in Venezuela is the best in the world.”
However, with Carter in a hospice in Atlanta at age 99 on July 28, 2024, his successors in the Carter Centre were accused of changing yardsticks and shifting goalposts to ensure and jusify disapproval of the 2024 elections Venezuelan presidential elections, becoming among the very first observer entities to declare the results null and void.
The Long March Continues…
Maduro’s opponents are hell-bent on reversing Venezuela’s clock, yielding national resources to predatory external forces and even calling for direct US military intervention to oust Maduro and the PSUV.
But the long march started by Bolivar and continued by Chavez continues with Maduro, who’s demonstrated no-less determination keep Venezuela’s resources for the benefit of Venezuelans.
Meanwhile, Caracas remains clearly committed to ensure those spitting in the face of Time and History never succeed in imposing the Monroe Doctrine’s Manifest Destiny on Venezuela, resistance to which continues creating the new paths that still guide today’s political luminaries through the darkest periods in LAC history.
In the week leading to Maduro’s inauguration, the two women Presidents of Mexico and Honduras responded to Trump’s promise to deport millions of Latin Americans from the USA.
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum said if the USA wanted to stop the flow of migrants from and through Mexico, Washington needs to stop the flow of illegal arms from the USA to Mexico and the rest of the LAC region.
Honduras President Xiomara Castro, marking her third year in office this month, said this week that if the US would forcibly send Hondurans back home under Trump, her government would review how much longer it will allow US troops to be present at bases in Honduras.
The imperial plots and lies will continue, but Time and History are always on the side of Truth, which portends well for those who prefer peace and development over war and destruction.
As such, Venezuela can survive — and even better — in 2025!
Earl Bousquet
Earl Bousquet is a founding member of the Workers Revolutionary Movement (WRM) in St. Lucia, writer and contributor to news outlets all over Latin America and the Caribbean.
