Growing threats to social progress in Latin America

By Jennie Bremner

The chief of the US military’s Southern Command, General Douglas Frazer, said on Thursday last week that, in the eyes of the Pentagon, Venezuela’s elected government is a “destabilising force” in Latin America.

Fraser, speaking to the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, argued that:

“They [Venezuela] continue to have a very anti-U.S. stance and look to try and restrict U.S. activity wherever they have the opportunity to do that…they remain a destabilizing force in the region.”

This followed a recent report from Admiral Dennis Blair, National Director of Intelligence to the US Senate, who argued that:

“Hugo Chávez has established himself as one of the US’s foremost international detractors, denouncing liberal democracy and market capitalism and opposing US policies and interests in the region.'”

Worryingly, this report now seemed to place Venezuela on a similar plane to the ‘usual suspects’ in terms of perceived threats to the USA such as Iran, North Korea and even Al-Queda.

Additionally, during a recent tour of Latin America, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also stepped up her criticism of Venezuela and other left-leaning governments such as Ecuador and Bolivia in the region.

Such comments are more worrying as they come alongside negative policy developments in recent months that indicate a new US militarization of the region; rather than pursuing a policy of constructive engagement and dialogue.

In particular, grave concern has been expressed by a number of governments in the region about Pentagon announcements last year that it would open seven new military bases in Colombia.

Summing up the consensus in the region concerning the former agreement, the Brazilian government led by President Lula expressed concern at “a strong military presence whose objective and capabilities have the potential to go beyond Colombia’s internal needs.”

The coup in Honduras last year – following on from the 2002 temporarily successful coup in Venezuela and since followed by the exposing of similar plots in Ecuador and Paraguay – also showed that right-wing forces within the region have not changed their historical distain for democracy.

In response to the recent US accusations, Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuela’s Ambassador in Washington, said that “the Obama administration is continuing the aggressive policy against Venezuela of the Bush administration.” If this is not the case, the Pentagon – with its history of backing reactionary political forces in the continent – certainly continues to enjoy a free hand when it comes to Latin America.

Here in Britain therefore, a number of MPs, trade union leaders and other public figures have already endorsed the founding statement of a new initiative, Venezuela Under Threat. The British labour movement and all progressives should do all we can to argue there must be no return to the disastrous coups and military interventions of the 20th century in Latin America.

Jennie Bremner is Unite Assistant General Secretary and Chair of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. She will be one of the speakers at the Venezuela Under Threat event on March 27th alongside Ambassador Samuel Moncada, MPs Colin Burgon, Jeremy Corbyn and George Galloway and others. The event takes place at Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way, W1T 5DL from 11.00am – 5.00pm. Visit www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk for more information and to register.