Re: [OPE-L] Venezuela After the Referendum

From: GERALD LEVY (gerald_a_levy@MSN.COM)
Date: Tue Dec 04 2007 - 09:48:32 EST


The key question, imo, in the upcoming period in Venezuela 
will be whether the Chavistas can build _more_  popular support 
and consensus.  This requires both a heightened education 
campaign (especially around the meaning of "21st Century Socialism")
and a mobilization of the masses.  Rather than call a tactical retreat, 
the way forward is by empowering the masses including the extension 
of land reform and workers' control.  What the referendum results 
show, at the risk of over-simplifying, is how much organizing 
remains to be done. 
 
While the Chavistas re-group, no doubt US imperialism will
heighten its efforts to destabilize the Venezuelan civil 
society and economy.  This is not a time, therefore, for 
complacency: now, more than ever, socialists need to 
organize against (covert or other forms of) imperialist 
intervention.
 
The referendum has failed.  Long live the Bolivarian  
revolution! Long live the peoples' movement for 21st Century 
Socialism!
 
In solidarity, Jerry


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