Translated "Avante!" article by Angelo Alves, Member of the Political Committee of the CC and of the International Department
The recent Venezuela elections and the economic, interference and destabilization war situation, which preceded them, illustrate imperialism counter-offensive within that sub- continent. One ought to be naïve to consider that imperialism would ever give up its domain projects in the region and “allow” the revolutionary and progressive processes’ development, in progress. On the contrary. Ever since, imperialism, in articulation with the reactionary and fascist forces, tried to stop those very same processes. There exist three important reasons: imperialism’s own nature , which, in the context of the deepening of the structural crisis, not but abandons, but intensifies and becomes more violent, concerning its economic, political and geo-strategic domain policy; the weight and economic importance of countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina with their natural resources; and the role and example of those processes have played in the anti-imperialist resistance and the force rearrangement process, throughout the world.
The counter-offensive acquires several forms and uses various “instruments”, in the search of, simultaneously, take advantage of insufficiencies and contradictions of the so-called processes. Economies asphyxia, of mainly renters’ model situations, dependent on natural resources’ exportation (both energetic and others); use of the media, mainly controlled by the great capital, concerning destabilization campaigns; judicial systems manipulation, currently partly controlled by the great bourgeoisie, in order to destabilize the legitimate political power; hypocrite manipulation of social problems, aggravated with the crisis; external financing and support to destabilization groups and forces, namely of fascist nature, are some of the examples of these “instruments”, among other more “traditional” ones, such as the maintenance of a military strong presence in the region, by their own means – such as the IV North American Navy Squadron – or, instead, by an indirect via, as the Colombia case, among others.
Within Latin America, all progressive processes are under the eye of this counter-offensive. Currently, being more visible in Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and the Ecuador, key-countries concerning the Latin-America integration process, but in the end, affecting all of them. And among all, there exists a process that, owing to its nature, tenacity, example and persistence, is permanently under imperialism aim : Cuba. The process in progress concerning the “normalization” of the relations between the USA and the EU represents a victory for Cuba and its people’s struggle. But coming from Washington and Brussels, the objective to through down the Cuban revolution is not forgotten, but, on the contrary, proceeds under new conditions and clothing. The criminal blockade to Cuba stands, and is intensified by the Obama administration. The interference and destabilization manoeuvres and the defamatory campaigns proceed. Guillermo Fariñas’ presence in Portugal – a Cuban citizen, financed by the USA for home defamatory actions, condemned by the Cuba justice for common crimes, a great defender of the blockade against its people and Cuba’s international isolation, a friend of terrorist Possada Carriles and the Miami mafia – is a signal that the campaigns against Cuba are well alive. Invited to our country by the “democratic” European Parliament, following a shameless interference manoeuvre, concerning Portugal’s external relations. The manoeuvre did not achieve the desired outcome, and that is a positive signal.In reality positive, by the fact that Portuguese institutions ( government and parliament) did not receive Mr. Farinãs, in the respect for Cuba’s sovereignty and the Portuguese Republic Constitution, raising the sore protest of personalities such as Francisco Assis. It does not give him any credit…