* Castro: “Venezuela: A People Under Fire” *

2007-12-02

Richard Moore

Original source URL:
http://www.countercurrents.org/castro021207.htm

Venezuela: A People Under Fire
By Fidel Castro
02 December, 2007
Prensa Latina

Venezuela, whose people are heirs to Bolivar's ideas which transcend his era, is
today facing a world tyranny a thousand times more powerful than that of Spain's
colonial strength added to that of the recently born United States which, 
through Monroe, proclaimed their right to the natural wealth of the continent 
and to the sweat of its people.

Marti denounced the brutal system and called it a monster, in whose entrails he 
had lived. His internationalist spirit shone as never before when, in a letter 
left unfinished due to his death in combat, he publicly revealed the objective 
of his restless struggle: "ŠI am now every day risking my life for my country, 
and for my duty -since I understand it and have the courage to do it- to timely 
prevent, with the independence of Cuba, that the United States expand over the 
Antilles and that they fall, with this additional force, over our lands in 
AmericaŠ"

It was not in vain that he stated in plain verse: "With the poor of this earth, 
my fate I wish to cast". Later, he proclaimed categorically: "Humanity is 
homeland". The Apostle of our independence wrote one day: "Let Venezuela call on
me to serve her: I am her son".

The most sophisticated media developed by technology, employed to kill human 
beings and to subjugate or exterminate peoples; the massive sowing of 
conditioned reflexes of the mind; consumerism and all available resources; these
are being used today against the Venezuelans, with the intent of ripping the 
ideas of Bolivar and Marti to shreds.

The empire has created conditions conducive to violence and internecine 
conflicts. On Chavez's recent visit last November 21, I seriously discussed with
him the risks of assassination as he is constantly out in the open in 
convertible vehicles. I said this because of my experience as a combatant 
trained in the use of an automatic weapon and a telescopic sight. Likewise, 
after the triumph, I became the target of assassination plots directly or 
indirectly ordered by almost every United States administration since 1959.

The irresponsible government of the empire does not stop for a minute to think 
that the assassination of Venezuela's leader or a civil war in that country 
would blow up the globalized world economy, due to its huge reserves of 
hydrocarbons. Such circumstances are without precedent in the history of 
mankind.

Cuba developed close ties with the Bolivarian government of Venezuela during the
hardest days resulting from the demise of the USSR and the tightening of the 
United States economic blockade. The exchange of goods and services grew from 
practically zero level to more than 7 billion dollars annually, with great 
economic and social benefits for both our peoples. Today that is where we 
receive the fundamental supplies of fuel needed for our country's consumption, 
something that would be very difficult to obtain from other sources due to the 
shortage of light crude oil, the insufficient refining capacity, the United 
States' power and the wars its has unleashed to seize the world oil and gas 
reserves.

Add to the high energy prices, the prices of foods destined by imperial policy 
to be transformed into fuel for the gas-guzzling cars of the United States and 
other industrial nations.

A victory of the Yes vote on December 2 would not be enough. The weeks and 
months following that date may very well prove to be extremely tough for many 
countries, Cuba for one; although before that the empire's adventures could lead
the planet into an atomic war, as their own leaders have confessed.

Our compatriots can rest assured that I have had time to think and to meditate 
at length on these problems.

Fidel Castro Ruz - November 29, 2007
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