,V5EZUELA'S ,SOCIAL ,MOVEM5TS 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,EL ,LIB]T>IO ,$ITORIAL ,COLLECTIVE 

,TEXT 3 

,! MOD]N HI/ORY ( SOCIAL /RUGGLES 9 ,V5EZUELA IS ASSOCIAT$ ) ! ACROSS-!-BO>D TRANS=MATION ( ! C\NTRY BR\<T AB\T BY L>GE-SCALE OIL EXPLOITATION BEG9N+ 9 ! #a#i#bS4 ,?IS BECAME EVID5T AFT] ! DEA? ( ,DICTATOR ,J4,V4 ,GOMEZ1 :O RUL$ ,V5EZUELA ) AN IRON FI/ FROM #aih UNTIL ,DECEMB] #a#i#c#e4 ,HIS DEMISE WAS ! SIGNAL = ! APPE>ANCE 9 ! SOCIO-POLITICAL SPH]E ( DIV]SE COLLECTIVELY-ORGANIZ$ ACTORS1 REC5TLY =M$ & UNTIL !N REPRESS$ BY ! DICTATOR%IP4 ,!SE CONSI/$ MO/LY ( WORK]S' UNIONS & /UD5T ASSOCIATIONS1 BUT !Y ALSO 9CLUD$ FEM9I/1 CULTURAL1 PEASANT1 $UCATIONAL1 & PR(ESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS4 

,S9CE ?AT TIME 7! 5D ( ! #a#i#cS ?R\< ! #a#i#eS71 !SE SOCIAL MOVEM5TS 5C\NT]$ MANY DIFFICULTIES 9 !IR /RUGGLE = AUTONOMY4 ,ON ! ONE H&1 DUR+ ?IS P]IOD ! ROLE ( ! ,/ATE1 AS ! LOCAL ADM9I/RATOR ( OIL CAPITALISM1 WAS CONSOLIDAT$ & BECAME MORE COMPLEX4 ,V>Y+ DEGREES ( ACCESS TO OIL-G5]AT$ 9COME VIA ! /ATE W]E :AT PR9CIPALLY DET]M9$ ! =MATION ( ! SOCIAL CLASSES ?AT DEF9$ ?AT P]IOD3 B\RGEOISIE1 MIDDLE CLASS1 PROLET>IAT4 ,! ,/ATE BECAME ! GREAT PROMOT]1 F9ANCI]1 & PRODUC] ( ! 9NOVATIONS CAPITALISM DEM&S1 SO IT WAS NOT 9T]E/$ 9 ALT]NATIVE MOD]NIZ+ OPTIONS ?AT >OSE AUTONOM\SLY \T ( ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS4 ,CONSEQU5TLY1 IT US$ ALL ! ME?ODS AVAILABLE TO IT TO SUPPRESS !M1 MA9LY ?R\< ! POPULI/ %>+ ( ! CRUMBS1 BUT SOMETIMES ?R\< BRUTAL REPRESSION4 ,?OSE YE>S ALSO WITNESS$ 9FI<T+ = ! CONTROL ( ! ,/ATE BETWE5 ! >M$ =CES -- ! CLASSIC GOV]NM5TAL OV]SE] 9 ! HI/ORY ( \R C\NTRY1 & ! POLITICAL P>TIES 7ESPECIALLY ! SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC ,A,D -,ACCION ,DEMOCRATICA1 BUT ALSO ! ,*RI/IAN ,DEMOCRAT ,C,O,P,E,I1 ! LIB]AL ,U,R,D & ! ,COMMUNI/ ,P>TY ( ,V5EZUELA74 ,AL?\< !SE P>TIES W]E BORN AFT] ! EM]G5CE ( ! SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS1 !Y SOON CAME TO CONTROL !M1 BY TURN+ SOCIAL ACTIVISM 9TO P>TY MILITANCY & RELEGAT+ ! ORGANIZATIONS TO A SUBORD9ATE ROLE1 !IR /RUGGLES SUBJECT TO ! 0P>TY L9E40 ,AN EXPRESSION ( ?IS WAS !IR DOM9ANT & UNIQUE EVOLUTION )9 ! TRADE UNION MOVEM5T FROM ! #a#i#dS UNTIL AT LEA/ ! DECADE ( ! #hS4 

,AFT] #aihc ! OIL ECONOMY MODEL ?AT HAD SUPPORT$ ! ,PACT ( ,PUNTO ,FIJO 5T]$ 9TO CRISIS1 ALONG ) ! MA*9]Y ( BIP>TISAN DOME/ICATION ( ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS4 ,9 ADDITION1 TRANSNATIONAL P[]S DEM&$ ?AT ! /ATE ADOPT NEOLIB]AL ECONOMIC PRESCRIPTIONS :ILE RE/RICT+ POPULI/ CLI5TELE PRACTICES 7! DI/RIBUTION ( GOV]NM5T REV5UES TO UND]CUT DISCONT5T74 ,9 ?IS CONTEXT1 GAPS 9 ! C\NTRY'S SOCIAL & POLITICAL FABRIC W]E CREAT$ ?AT ALL[$ = ! REAPPE>ANCE ( SIGNIFICANT AUTONOM\S SOCIAL ACTIONS1 NOT SUBORD9ATE TO ! TRADITIONAL POLITICAL P>TIES4 ,?IS OCCURR$ 9 PREVI\SLY EXI/+ ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS 9 ! NEW SOCIAL MOVEM5TS3 ECOLOGICAL1 NEI<BORHOOD1 9DIG5\S1 FEM9I/1 ,G,L,B,T GR\PS1 TO M5TION ONLY A FEW4 ,! MO/ DRAMATIC 9DICATOR ( H[ MU* ?+S HAD *ANG$ WAS ! SPONTANE\S POPUL> REVOLT KN[N AS 0,EL ,C>ACAZO0 7#b_/#b#g_/#a#i#h#i74 ,?IS WAS ! MO/ P[]FUL MANIFE/ATION ( SOCIAL DISCONT5T 9 \R C\NTRY'S HI/ORY1 :I* ! AU?ORIT>IAN P[] C\LD ONLY RESPOND TO ) BLOODY REPRESSION4 

,! ,SOCIAL ,MOVEM5TS' ,LABYR9? 

  

,AS BIP>TISAN CONTROL OV] ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS DECL9$1 ?OSE 9 REAL P[] NE$$ A REPLACEM5T1 :I* !Y F\ND 9 ,HUGO ,*AVEZ1 ! LEAD] ( ! FAIL$ MILIT>Y C\P ( ,FEBRU>Y #d1 #a#i#i#b4 ,POPUL> ANG] AT ! C\NTRY'S SITUATION G5]AT$ SYMPA?Y = ! ATTEMPT$ C\P1 DESPITE A LACK ( CL>ITY 9 ITS LEAD]S' PROGRAM1 & 9 ITS AFT]MA?1 MESSIANIC MIRAGES 9 FAVOR ( ,*AVEZ SOON APPE>$4 ,AFT] S]V+ TIME 9 PRISON1 ,*AVEZ WAS P>DON$ 9 #aiid & BECAME A PRESID5TIAL C&IDATE1 ) SUPPORT FROM AMONG ! B\RGEOISIE & ! TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS1 AS WELL AS FROM ! MAJORITY ( ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS & !IR ACTIVI/S1 :OSE DEM&S HE PROMIS$ TO HE$ IF HE WON ! ELECTIONS4 

,*AVEZ TOOK (FICE 9 ,FEBRU>Y #a#i#i#i1 & FROM !N UNTIL MID-#b#g OCCURR$ A P]IOD DUR+ :I* HIS RELATION%IP ) ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS MI<T BE DESCRIB$ AS 0GU>D$LY HOPEFUL40 ,! LATT] CLUNG TO !IR ILLUSIONS 9 HIM1 PO/PON+ TIME & AGA9 !IR AG5DA = /RUGGLE1 & SUBORD9AT+ !IR [N DEM&S TO ?OSE IMPOS$ FROM ABOVE1 :I* AIM$ AT CONSOLIDAT+ ,*AVEZ'S P[]4 ,! RESULTS ( NUM]\S ELECTIONS EXPRESS$ ! 0PEOPLE'S FAI? 9 ! PROCESS40 ,! SOCIAL-DEMOCRATS & ! RI<T-W+ OPPOSITION HAD SIMIL> P]SPECTIVES3 0,FIR/ LET'S GET RID ( ,*AVEZ1 !N WE WILL LOOK AT EV]Y?+ ELSE40 ,! />-/RUCK SOCIAL ACTIVI/S ACCEPT$ ?AT ! ,/ATE W\LD DET]M9E !IR ME?ODS & OBJECTIVES1 ?US MORTGAG+ ! RELATIVE AUTONOMY ( ACTION !Y HAD WON 9 ! PREVI\S DECADE4 ,TO ?IS MU/ BE ADD$ ! FACT ?AT1 ?ANKS TO ! RISE 9 OIL PRICES1 ! ,/ATE ONCE AGA9 HAD L>GE RES\RCES TO F9ANCE ITS CRONIES1 N[ >M$ ) LEFTI/ V]BIAGE4 

,FROM ! LA/ MON?S ( #bg TILL TODAY1 MANY SIGNS HAVE EM]G$ 9DICAT+ ?AT ! HONEYMOON BETWE5 ! ,*AVI/A GOV]NM5T & ! SOCIAL ANTAGONI/S MAY BE A ?+ ( ! PA/4 ,9 CONTRA/ TO PREVI\S YE>S ( APP>5T %>P POLITICAL CONFRONTATION BUT ACTUAL DEMOBILIZATION ( ! SOCIAL /RUGGLES1 N[ COLLECTIVE ECONOMIC & SOCIAL DEM&S1 SIL5T = SO LONG1 >E MANIFE/+ !MSELVES ) 9CREAS+ =CE4 ,! ,/ATE'S USE ( P>T ( ITS OIL REV5UES TO PAY (F ITS CLI5TS HAS BE5 LIMIT$ NOT ONLY BY ! FALL 9 ! PRICE ( 0BLACK GOLD0 BUT ALSO BY ! CORRUPTION1 9COMPET5CE1 & 9COH]5CE ( ! CURR5T GOV]NM5T1 :I* IS BUT AN UNR$EEM$ & BLOAT$ V]SION ( PREVI\S ONES4 ,AS A RESULT1 IT IS H>D] = ,*AVISM TO EX]T CONTROL OV] ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS1 :I* SIMULTANE\SLY %[ SIGNS ( NO LONG] BUY+ ! PALE (F]S ( ELECTORAL OPPOSITION4 

,TO CONFIRM :AT WE'VE SAID1 WE 9VITE Y\ TO LOOK AT ! /ATI/ICS ON SOCIAL CONFLICT 9 ,V5EZUELA 9 ! YE>LY REPORTS ( ! ,N,G,O ,P,R,O,V,E,A 7WWW4D]E*OS4ORG4VE71 :I* WE CONSID] TO BE A COMPLETE & TRU/WOR?Y S\RCE4 ,= REASONS ( SPACE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPEAT ?OSE FIGURES H]E1 BUT !Y CONFIRM ?AT UND] ! SO-CALL$ 0,SOCIALISM ( ! ,X,X,I ,C5TURY0 ( ,HUGO ,*AVEZ LIES A SITUATION ?AT IS SIMIL> TO ?AT ( ,LAT9 ,AM]ICA'S NEOLIB]AL RI<T-W+ REGIMES4 

 ,%ATT]$ ,HOPES & ! ,CRIM9ALIZATION ( ,PROTE/ 

  

,! ,P,R,O,V,E,A REPORTS CONFIRM ?AT1 TODAY1 ! /RUGGLE = ! AUTONOMY ( ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS 9 ,V5EZUELA IS FAC$ ) A GR[+ CRIM9ALIZATION ( ! MOVEM5TS' ACTIVITIES4 ,?IS CRIM9ALIZATION IS F]TILIZ$ 9 ! JUDICIAL SPH]E ) A R5OVAT$ >S5AL ( 9/RUM5TS TO LEGALIZE REPRESSION1 9 ! POLITICAL SPH]E1 ) L\D ACCUSATIONS FROM ! SEAT ( P[] ?AT SL&] ALL PROTE/ AS 0A MOVE 9 FAVOR ( A C\P & IMP]IALISM10 & 9 ! EV]YDAY SOCIAL REALM1 ) EF=TS TO MAKE ,*AVEZ'S SOCIAL BASE ! FIR/ TO D5\NCE & SUPPRESS DISSID5T ACTION1 :I* HAS BR\<T US P>A-MILIT>ISM & 0P>A-REPRESSION04 

,DESPITE ?IS1 9/ANCES ( AUTONOM\S SOCIAL /RUGGLE CONT9UE TO APPE> 9 ! MO/ DIV]SE PLACES3 

,! WORK]S' /RUGGLES ( ,F]ROM9]A1 ,S,I,D,O,R1 ( ! RETIR$ ,C,A,N,T,V WORK]S1 & ! V>I\S /RUGGLES 9 ! 9DU/RIAL REGION ( ,>AGUA2 ! /RUGGLES ( 9DIG5\S PEOPLE1 SU* AS ?OSE ( ! ,YUKPAS 9 ! ,SI]RA ( ,P]IJA4 ,! EVICTIONS & OCCUPATIONS DEM&+ ! RI<T TO H\S+ ?R\<\T ! C\NTRY2 ! MANY PROTE/S AGA9/ ! FAILURES & OV]ALL SC>CITY ( PUBLIC S]VICES2 ! SU/A9$ ANG]1 BO? 9 & \TSIDE ! PRISONS1 AGA9/ ! B>B>IC P5AL SY/EM2 ! CLAMOR ( ?OSE VICTIMIZ$ BY ! VIOL5TLY REPRESSIVE APP>ATUS1 AS EXEMPLIFI$ 9 ! ,COMMITTEE ( ,VICTIMS ,AGA9/ ,IMPUNITY 9 ! ,/ATE ( ,L>A2 9 G5D] /RUGGLES1 ! WORK DONE BY ,CASA DE LA ,MUJ] ,JUANA ,RAMIREZ 9 ,M>ACAY2 ! /UD5T PROTE/S ?AT SUFF] JUDICIAL P]SECUTION ?AT CONC$ES NO?+ 9 ! WAY ( VICI\SNESS TO ?AT ( ! DAYS ( ! ,PACT ( ,PUNTO ,FIJO4 

,MEAN:ILE1 ! PEASANTS RECEIVE PROMISES & ALMS IF !Y 0BEHAVE0 BUT GET BEAT5 BY ?UGS & ! COPS IF !Y DON'T4 

,W]E !RE1 >E !RE1 OR WILL !RE EV] BE POSITIVE P]SPECTIVES = ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS 9 :AT SO-CALL$ 0,BOLIV>IAN ,SOCIALISM0 HAS TO (F]8 ,WE CAN ONLY ANSW] ,N,O1 S9CE ANY ADVANCE WILL BE NEGAT$ BY ! CAUDILLI/A IMPOSITIONS ( AN AU?ORIT>IAN REGIME1 UND] :I* SOCIAL ACTIVISM IS =C$ TO B[ BE=E ! SPONSOR%IP1 IDEOLOGY1 & CONTROL BY ! ,/ATE ALONG ) %EEPI% SUBMISSION TO DEMAGOGIC PROMISES :OSE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION DEP5DS ON BUREAUCRATIC PAT]NALISM2 ) ! GR[+ CORRUPTION & 9EFFICI5CY ?AT 9FECT ! (FICIAL SECTOR & ITS SUBORD9ATE SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS2 ) ! SOCIALI/ AG5DA CONV]T$ 9TO A RUSE = POLICIES ?AT S]VE ! TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS2 & ! RISE ( ! 0BOLIB\RGEOISIE10 BORN & NURTUR$ 9 ! %AD[ ( MON/R\S GOV]NM5TAL CORRUPTION4 ,! FREE & FULL DEVELOPM5T ( ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS CAN ONLY COME AB\T IF !Y BREAK ) ! TUTELAGE ?AT ,*AVISM HAS EX]T$ OV] !M1 :ILE NOT FALL+ 9TO ! H&S ( ! NEOLIB]AL RI<T OR ! SOCIAL-DEMOCRACY4 ,! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS NE$ TO >TICULATE IDEAS & PLANS ( ACTION ?AT EM]GE \T ( !IR [N1 AUTONOM\S ACTIVITIES1 9 ! HEAT ( /RUGGLE & 9=M$ BY ! GOALS ?AT CON/ITUTE !IR V]Y REASON = BE+1 AS %[N BY ! MANY HOPEFUL SIGNS REVEAL$ 9 ! SOCIAL PROTE/S M5TION$ ABOVE4 

,9 !SE YE>S1 WE AT ,EL ,LIB]T>IO HAVE TAK5 ! DIFFICULT TASK ( UNMASK+ ! DEBILITAT+ ILLUSIONS CREAT$ BY ! ,/ATE1 ,CAPITAL & !IR ALLIES1 SOME ) ! SOCIALI/ GOV]NM5TAL MASK & O!RS ) ! PSEUDO-DEMOCRATIC MASKS ( ! SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC & RI<T-W+ OPPOSITION4 ,) P]SI/5CE1 WE >E OP5+ ROADS = ! 5?USIA/IC BUILD+ ( AUTONOMY = ! SOCIAL MOVEM5TS1 :]E WE /RUGGLE TO GA9 SPACE = DIRECT ACTION1 SELF-MANAGEM5T1 & MUTUAL AID ?AT WE1 AS AN>*I/S1 PROMOTE4 

7,S\RCE3 ,RETRIEV$ ON #b#b-#d-#f FROM LIBCOM4ORG47 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #a#e1 #bbb 3 ,V5EZUELA'S ,SOCIAL ,MOVEM5TS -- ,ADD$4 

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