Translated "Avante!" article by Pedro Guerrreiro, Member of the Secretariat of the CC
Nicolás Maduro’s victory, as a Patriotic Great Polo candidate, in the presidential elections which took place in Venezuela, on the 14th April last, holds an enormous significance and is of the greatest importance.
It represents a just and legitimate victory, achieved at one of the most difficult and demanding moments regarding the young Bolivarian Revolution. Upon Commandant Hugo Chávez’s passing away, its most important leader, the Venezuela democratic and patriotic forces, passed their first test successfully, as a result, to those who had thought the Bolivarian process had come to an end.
The people of Venezuela, under their sovereignty, expressed their decision to defend and proceed the democratic change process - social, economic , political and cultural - , affirming their sovereignty and national independence, cooperation within Latin America and the world, pointing out socialism as an objective to achieve, and as much as others hinder, minimize, misrepresent and oppose.
This victory’s real reach - although in comparison with previous elections, achieved with a minor vote difference before the reactionary and coup candidate’s votes - might be evaluated on how, those who always were opposed to the change process, begun in Venezuela, 14 years ago and were, therefore, defeated, consecutively in 17 of the 18 electoral processes which took place.
After promoting the economy boycott and carrying out a lie campaign, in order to elude the people of Venezuela, the reactionary and coup forces , not accepting their defeat, currently want to non-legitimize the Venezuelan democratic institutions and impose, under provocation and violence, what they lost at the polls.
In other words, those who, in the 11th April 2002, were responsible for and supported the coup attempt against the Venezuelan institutions and currently, hypocritically and before their defeat, intend to, through delaying tactics and destabilization manoeuvres, call upon they have but a unique objective of jeopardizing once more, the popular expression.
The USA’s administration cynicism ( and that of the OAS’s secretary-general) or the Spanish government itself , upon having supported the 2002 coup and never having stopped conspiring against the Bolivarian Revolution, currently seek to mine Nicolás Maduro’s electoral victory and his taking office, on the 19th April last.
Imperialism, not giving any truces, will do anything at its reach to condition, limit and reverse the changes and achievements in Venezuela, and to, once again, subdue and exploit, in a colonial manner, its people and their resources.
The Bolivarian process, as in so many other moments, is confronted with great and demanding challenges, that only the civic-military alliance reinforcement ,the progressive and revolutionary forces, the change process proceeding - inscribed in the “ Nation Programme” - and the problems’ resolution and the aspirations of the smashing majority of the people of Venezuela, can carry on given an answer.
The Venezuela workers’ and people have proved they are present and able to achieve and concretize alternative policies. Nicólas Maduro’s election as president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is, therefore, a victory for the progressive and revolutionary forces, for all men and women who struggle and aspire for a world of justice, social progress and peace - and your responsibility is too, to defend the people of Venezuela from the offensive manoeuvres against its sovereignty.
