2013 Venezuela diplomat in Bradford

Alvaro Sanchez, Chargé d’Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy to the UK, spoke at the launch meeting of Viva! on Sunday 24th November, and at Bradford College and Bradford Resource Centre on Monday 25^th November.

Alvaro Sanchez at the launch of Viva!”

Alvaro described the neoliberal 70s-80s-90s in Venezuela, when government tried to be small and to leave the country to its exploiters, national and from the USA, and especially taking the profits from oil without caring for the conditions of workers and the 70% who were in poverty in Venezuela.

Hardship exploded into anger and looting in 1992, which the government responded to with repression. In the subsequent years, Hugo Chavez came to be seen as the leader of this leaderless protest movement, and won the 1998 presidential election.

Government programmes from 1999 were very different to what had gone before, with land reform, and social development to the fore, including the Barrio Adentro health system which included doctors from Cuba in poor areas that before had no government health care.

The changes were not always helpful to the interests of those who had enjoyed power under neoliberalism. In 2002 they organised a coup d’état, entirely illegally, deposing Chavez by force. So many people came on the streets to demand his return, which happened within hours.

In 2003, the big businesses organised a shut down, including the oil industry which although nationalised was in the hands of technicians and managers who served the oil buyers not the mass of Venezuelan people’s interests. Again it was not successful and the oil organisation PDVSA was staffed with new people loyal to the government’s aims. It now funds housing and social programmes.

In March this year the president died. Nicolas Maduro was elected president, vowing to continue the government’s social policies. Although there is no doubt about the election results, the opposition have denied them, called for violence, and engaged in an economic war, in which the working class suffers through shortages of goods, speculation and inflation. The government has responded by setting maximum prices, limiting profit margins by law, and arresting business owners who have hoarded goods or played the currency market to make profits.

The opposition has declared that the municipal mayor elections on December 8^th are an opportunity to vote against the president, and there is a fear that they will encourage violence whatever the results in order to try to create dissatisfaction.

Alvaro asked the audience to make up their own minds when they see news reports of Venezuela, and to write to media who are not giving fair reports. These include the BBC, the Guardian and the Economist, who have taken opposition stories as truth and depicted the government as in some way ‘crazy’ or illegitimate.

Alvaro spoke on Monday 25^th November at Bradford CollegeEight students in the Citizenship Class led by Umit Yildiz asked questions:

How has Venezuela responded to the diplomatic crisis in 2010? Alvaro: the international organisations that Venezuela is a member of and has supported, are helping to resolve differences like that one, which is no longer an issue.

Was there opposition to renationalise oil and other industries? Alvaro: PDVSA, the company that organises the extraction and selling of oil was already nationalised in the 1970s, but in the 1990s an ‘oil opening’ sub-contracted its business and oil technocrats bought into neoliberalism. The 2003 stoppage by PDVSA was meant to bring down the government – the technocrats thought that they alone could run the company, but they were successfully replaced. PDVSA now make direct investments on a big scale in housing and social projects.

What are the powers that the president has to decree new laws? Alvaro: the power the president has is entirely legal. It is normal for presidents to go to parliament to ask for such powers in times of crisis, and that is what Maduro has done, in order to be able to act quickly without waiting for the parliamentary procedures. Chavez used such powers in the late 2000s to deal with a climate event in order to be able to respond to the desperate needs then. Now Maduro asked for the powers to deal with economic sabotage, and has been given them by parliament.

The meeting ended with the suggestions of a twinning between students and Venezuela, as they already have contacts with Palestine.

And on Monday 24^th November at Bradford Resource Centre

Representatives from:

The Workers Health Advice Team (Jane Howie), addresses employment law and health issues for workers outside major employers, who don’t have access to occupational health support. Stress-related issues especially now.

Bradford Community Broadcasting (Joe Sheeran), with 200 volunteers broadcasting to a 5-mile radius. Money tight, all from grants. 15 different languages in programmes. 20 years of experience and a good reputation among Bradford’s communities.

Bradford People’s Coalition against the Cuts (Keith Nathan), an umbrella organisation, recently involved in protests at cuts to the youth service. Takes view that the cuts are unnecessary, are ideological, aim to destroy gains of past fifty years – the poor are paying for the rich’s crisis. Difficult in Bradford where a Labour council says it has no option but to implement cuts legislated by a Tory and Liberal government.

International Workers of the World (Mike Chater). A relatively small union that unites all trades, better known in the United States.

Questions:

Is there also a low-skill economy in Venezuela like in Bradford? Alvaro: yes, but the difference is the support given by government through investment. For example one third of Venezuelans are involved in education in one way or another. Venezuela has the highest minimum wage in Latin America. However, there is an economic war in which the poorest are most affected, who would otherwise be better off.

Is oil important essential to the social programmes? Alvaro: well, before this government, there were not the social programmes that oil has now allowed. Chavez played on the oil production in order to raise prices and income that would remain in Venezuela, in order to pay for the social programmes. But it is recognised that one cannot forever rely on oil, diversity of the economy is needed.

Is it true that outsourcing has been made illegal? Alvaro: this was part of the labour legislation passed two years ago in 2011. The reason is because outsourcing creates unprotected, vulnerable workers. There has been opposition from businessmen who say they cannot survive if they don’t outsource. But they have to be legal, and be compassionate.

What is the response of the government to the church? Alvaro: among the lower clergy there is a variety of views, from conservative to liberation theology. It is the upper clergy which has been a problem, who fully participated in the 2001 coup. But the new pope seems to be giving more space for dialogue. Maduro has already met him in Rome.

What priority is education? Alvaro: Education is a huge priority, not only formal education but the youth orchestras and theatre for example. But here is another example where the media does not give Venezuelan government the respect that is deserved The Economist magazine for example campaigned against the 2009 law expanding education, saying it was hopeless and aimed at brainwashing. 3 years later none of its predictions have come true, they should be asked to review what has happened.