Venezuelan Parliament

[ED]

20.07.2005 08:31

 

PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Parliament of Venezuela adopted a resolution on July 14 recognizing the Armenian Genocide, introduced by Parliament Member Victor Hugo Morales and lawyer Janet Madris. Archbishop Komitas Ohanian and Grigor Postalian represented Venezuela's Armenian community at the Parliament session. The resolution also calls on the European Union to deny Turkey a European Union membership unless and until that country recognized the Armenian Genocide. The Cilicia Catholicosate and Catholicos Aram I have greatly contributed to the years-long effort that crowned with success on July 14.

[phantom22]

"A Domino Effect." Turkey is losing the argument because its premise does not "hold water." They have been presenting a false argument to themselves for so long that they actually believe that their version is the truth. Few other nations actually believe their argument. They sometimes prevail through threats to other governments, but the truth will ultimately prevail. Edited July 20, 2005 by phantom22

[MosJan]

Such a good news to start my Day

All i need to do is stay away from other news and i will be just fine for the rest of the day

 

 

Thanks

[Lev7]

good news indeed

[Anileve]

Wow, I had no idea that there is an Armenian population in Venezuela. Is there one in China perhaps? Although, let's not completely rule out that possibilit,. Armen may just start something...

 

If there is one thing positive thing Chavez's gov. is doing, this is it.

[Anonymouse]

There are many Armenians both in Venezuela, Argentina, as well as Brazil.

[Anileve]

Argentina and Brazil I knew about, Venezuela is a new one. My little bug eyed sweetness, I hope you are doing well.

[Nakharar]

Wow, I had no idea that there is an Armenian population in Venezuela. Is there one in China perhaps? Although, let's not completely rule out that possibilit,. Armen may just start something...

 

If there is one thing positive thing Chavez's gov. is doing, this is it.

 

There are many good things Chavez did.

[Lev7]

Wow, I had no idea that there is an Armenian population in Venezuela. Is there one in China perhaps? Although, let's not completely rule out that possibilit,. Armen may just start something...

 

If there is one thing positive thing Chavez's gov. is doing, this is it.

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I am sure if you walk along the Great Wall, you'll find someone dressed in black pants, white shirt, wearing sunglasses and eating sunflower seeds and wearing a big ass gold Armenian cross LOL

[Anileve]

HA!

[Z'areh]

Argentina and Brazil I knew about, Venezuela is a new one.

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wherever there are Lebanese...Armenians can't be far...

 

"wayn fee shghle fee massary...wayn fee massary fee lbnany!"

 

"wherever there's work there's money....wherever there's money there's Lebanese..."

 

This in no way contradict's Armenians' aspirations, especially coming from middle eastern background.

 

it rhymes better in Arabic

Edited July 21, 2005 by Z'areh

[DominO123]

wherever there are Lebanese...Armenians can't be far...

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[kumkap]

If there is one thing positive thing Chavez's gov. is doing, this is it.

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sounds like you've been watching too much fox news. two more interesting links about chavez at the bottom.

 

--

 

Venezuela's Referendum and the Nation's Poor

By Medea Benjamin

 

Hugo Chavez could teach U.S. leaders a thing or two about winning votes

 

I knew that the administration of Hugo Chavez had won my heart when I met Olivia Delfino in one of the poor barrios in Caracas. As I was touring the neighborhood with an international delegation here to monitor this Sunday's referendum on Chavez, Olivia came out of her tiny house and grabbed my arm. "Tell the people of your country that we love Hugo Chavez," she insisted. She went on to tell me how her life had changed since he came to power. After living in the barrio for 40 years, she now had a formal title to her home. With that, she was able to get a bank loan to fix the roof so it wouldn't leak in the rain. Thanks to the Cuban dentists and a program called "Rescatando la sonrisa"-recovering the smile-for the first time in her life she was able to get her teeth fixed. And her daughter is in a job training program to become a nurse's assistant.

 

Getting more and more animated, Olivia dragged me over to a poster on the wall showing Hugo Chavez with a throng of followers and a list of Venezuela's new social programs that read: "The social programs are ours, let's defend them." Then slowly and laboriously, she began reading the list of social programs: literacy, health care, job training, land reform, subsidized food, small loans. I asked her if she was just learning to read and write as part of the literacy program. That's when she started to cry. "Can you imagine what it has meant to me, at 52 years old, to now have a chance to read?" she said. "It's transformed my life."

 

Walk through the poor neighborhoods in Venezuela and you'll hear the same stories over and over. The very poor now can go to a designated home in the neighborhood to pick up a hot meal every day. The elderly now have monthly pensions that allow them to live with dignity. Young people can take advantage of greatly expanded free college programs. And with 13,000 Cuban doctors spread throughout the country and reaching over half the population, the poor now have their own family doctors on call 24-hours a day-doctors who even make house calls. This heath care, including medicines, are all free.

 

The programs are being paid for with the income from Venezuela's oil, which is at an all-time high. Previously, the nation's oil wealth benefited only a small, well-connected elite who kept themselves in power for 40 years through a two-party duopoly. The elite, who controlled the media as well, kept the vast majority poor, disenfranchised, and disempowered. With the election of Hugo Chavez in 1998 on a platform of sharing the nation's oil wealth with the poorest, all that has changed. The poor are now not only recipients of these programs, they are engaged in running them. They're turning abandoned buildings into neighborhood centers, running community kitchens; volunteering to teach in the literacy programs, organizing neighborhood health brigades and registering millions of new voters.

 

Infuriated by their loss of power, the elite use their control over the media to blast Chavez for destroying the economy, cozying up to Fidel Castro, antagonizing the US government, expropriating private property, and using dictatorial rule. They also accuse him of using the social programs that have so improved the lives of the poor as a way to buy votes.

 

The opposition managed to collect enough signatures to trigger this Sunday's referendum on the president's mandate. Chavez supporters, bolstered by almost every poll, expect to win. "The opposition can lie all they want about Chavez," said Olivia defiantly, "but the facts speak for themselves. Before no one cared about us, the poor. Now they do." When I asked her what was going to happen on Sunday, she grinned. "First we're going to vote. And then we'll gather in front of the presidential palace for a huge victory party."

 

The opposition is right: providing people with free health care, education, small business loans and job training is certainly a good way to win support. With the US elections coming up in November, George Bush-and John Kerry for that matter-could learn a thing or two from Hugo Chavez about winning the hearts and minds of the people.

 

--------

 

Medea Benjamin is co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange and the women's peace group CodePink.

 

--

 

Hugo Chavez is Crazy!

 

Interview with Chavez (wow, a president that actually reads books!)

Edited July 21, 2005 by kumkap

[shaunt]

Oh yes! Hugo Chavez, the protector of the vulnerable!

 

 

HUGO CHAVEZ THE SAVIOR!

 

 

Once more just in case,

 

.

[kumkap]

Oh yes! Hugo Chavez, the protector of the vulnerable!

 

         

 

HUGO CHAVEZ THE SAVIOR!

 

   

 

Once more just in case,

 

.

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some people use information to support their opinions, others use animated smilies. what do your smilies prove? that you know something about venezuelan history and social movements?

 

you might take chavez lightly but people in south america certainly don't. he is the most popular political figure on that continent. he has cultivated close ties with russia and iran, two of armenia's most trustworthy friends and trading partners, and his government recognizes the armenian genocide, more than you can say of the u.s.a., still arming turkey to the teeth. venezuela has a president that quotes freely from aristotle, kafka, garcia marquez, camus, bolivar, while the u.s. president can't put together a grammatically correct sentence to save his life. but our resident armenian-american shaunt (shant is the correct spelling for your name btw) dutifully spouts his spoon-fed "my country right or wrong" dribble that passes for reasoned debate now in the u.s.. use your country's vast oil wealth to strengthen education, public health, and other social programs? what an outrage!

[shaunt]

you might take chavez lightly but people in south america certainly don't.  he is the most popular political figure on that continent.  he has cultivated close ties with russia and iran, two of armenia's most trustworthy friends and trading partners, and his government recognizes the armenian genocide, more than you can say of the u.s.a., still arming turkey to the teeth.  venezuela has a president that quotes freely from aristotle, kafka, garcia marquez, camus, bolivar, while the u.s. president can't put together a grammatically correct sentence to save his life.  but our resident armenian-american shaunt (shant is the correct spelling for your name btw) dutifully spouts his spoon-fed "my country right or wrong" dribble that passes for reasoned debate now in the u.s..  use your country's vast oil wealth to strengthen education, public health, and other social programs?  what an outrage!

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Do you think Chavez is the first of his kind in Venezuela, or in South America? Do you think he is the first to run on a populist platform?

 

What befuddles me is your treatment of Chavez's Venezuela as an exemplar state. So, Venezuela recognized the Armenian Genocide; how is that more than can be said of the US? 38 states recognize the genocide, and the federal government eventually will do likewise. And is Chavez's ability to run a nation commensurate with his ability to quote authors? I, for one, think not.

 

Also, I can assure you that I do not endorse the "my country right or wrong" ideology. Although I am politically slumber (I don't even vote), I do have a desire to see the US move towards becoming a more progressive state (not socialist, nor liberal neccesarily). But something people must understand is that certain policies will not work with a nation as large as the US. Norway is a true exemplar amongst the Western world. But then again, I am a Germanophile, heh.

 

PS: If I spell my "Shant," it would be pronounced Sh-ant in English. "Shaunt" is pronounced properly by all. You might want to tell my parents this, as they name me neither "Shaunt" nor "Shant," but "Shunt." I must thank my uncle's impeccable grasp of English phonetic's, .

Edited July 22, 2005 by shaunt

[Anileve]

sounds like you've been watching too much fox news.  two more interesting links about chavez at the bottom.

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Actually it's not a bad thing to watch news of all inclinations. However, I simply cannot get through fox news, no matter how I try.

 

Second of all, people who love him are the same type of people who loved Stalin. It's an identical concept. You appeal only to one group and you berate the other, that's not a very clever way to lead your country into a prosperous and successful future. Despite his attempt to prove to the US that his country can function without a relationship with the US empire he will not go very far. Spite and vengeance never got nations very far. His determination to wipe out poverty and establish independence as a nation is admirable but not realistic, moreover, it's not genuine. He gained many enemies, they stepped on his toes, he became furious and focused on getting each and everyone back. It's just silly.

 

The love of the poor class which is also uneducated will not help him in his trade relations or foreign investments, which are a little reluctant to establish their businesses in the region after Chavez's plight to reduce privatization. His mission is idealistic, just as Che's, Stalin's, Castro's, and Saddam’s was. They were all idealists turned paranoid dictators. Chavez is practicing censorship, and passing every aspect of the country into the hands of the gov., which leaves little room for liberty.

 

Now having said that, it doesn't mean that I approve of what the US is doing to regain its domination in the region and its control of the oil. I am strictly against meddling in the affairs of other states for personal interests, through coercion and force. So if you are implying that I am siding with the approach of the US regarding this issue, you are deeply mistaken.

 

And to add.... he is not the most political figure in Latin America. Most leaders in South America despise him and disapprove of his tactics. The only ones he is popular with is the poor class that doesn't know any better (who can blame them, they've been going hungry all this time), China, which signed an oil deal with Venezuela and Russia, which sold a whooooole bunch of military equipment to Venezuela. Neither one feels any sort of sentiments towards the man, but they do have strong and postive sentiments towards the oil.

Edited July 22, 2005 by Anileve

[kumkap]

chavez has won eight elections in six years according to the information i read, so i think the final word rests with the people of venezuela. they have affirmed their support for him now in several elections which have been verified (by carter's organization no less) as free and fair. the racial factor in that country is interesting: the majority of the poor come from mixed indian/black backgrounds, while the elite are almost all pure-blood descendents of the spanish.

 

Second of all, people who love him are the same type of people who loved Stalin. It's an identical concept. You appeal only to one group and you berate the other, that's not a very clever way to lead your country into a prosperous and successful future.

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i don't see your comparison with stalin. stalin was a mass murderer whose regime held exclusive control over the media and all organs of power in the country. in venezuela the mainstream media is mainly in the hands of the former (now dispossessed) corporate elite, who are virulently against him and use every avenue to attack him publicly. somehow chavez has been able to maintain his popularity in spite of the elite's railing against him. he has not shut down or attempted to shut down any of these media outlets, unlike for example the u.s. which has repeatedly tried to shut down al-jazeera, banning it from reporting from iraq, simply because it reports on iraqi civilian deaths.

 

Despite his attempt to prove to the US that his country can function without a relationship with the US empire he will not go very far. Spite and vengeance never got nations very far.

 

why are you so sure his country can not function w/o a relationship with the us? the us trade deficit increases every year (and is enormous) while the dollar continues to lose value (a benefit in the short run but not in the long run, as asian banks start to dump the vast dollar reserves they hold that keeps the u.s. economy afloat) and the country continues to export its knowledge based jobs overseas. it's being taken over by christian fundamentalists who want to teach children creationism and disdain for science. what kind of future does such a country have? most of the graduate students in the science/engineering departments of u.s. universities are foreigners. as the country shuts itself off to foreign students due to "security concerns", what will happen to the u.s. edge in science and technology? the u.s. treasury has been raided by defense contractors and no one seems to care. as china emerges as a powerhouse and cultivates trading partnerships with russia, iran, brazil, and an oil-rich country like venezuela, i see no reason why venezuela can't stay aloof from the us and form a block with those countries.

 

His determination to wipe out poverty and establish independence as a nation is admirable but not realistic, moreover, it's not genuine. He gained many enemies, they stepped on his toes, he became furious and focused on getting each and everyone back. It's just silly.

 

i don't see why you are qualified to judge whether he is genuine or not. he comes from a poor background himself and if you read the interview i posted you can see that he is quite sophisticated in his understanding of history, economics, and political theory.

 

  The love of the poor class which is also uneducated will not help him in his trade relations or foreign investments, which are a little reluctant to establish their businesses in the region after Chavez's plight to reduce privatization. His mission is idealistic, just as Che's, Stalin's, Castro's, and Saddam’s was. They were all idealists turned paranoid dictators. Chavez is practicing censorship, and passing every aspect of the country into the hands of the gov., which leaves little room for liberty.

 

i don't think venezuela is in need of foreign investments as it is already a oil-rich state. in fact given the environmental track record of multi-national corporations (look at ecuador, colombia, nigeria) it is understandable that a country not in need of such investments close itself off to foreign companies which care only about their profits and nothing for the local population. all venezuela has to do is secure buyers for its product. the logical thing to do is to diversify as much as possible, which is why venezuela sells to the us but also china, iran, and india.

 

as for your comparisons to other political figures, stalin is not good as i stated before, nor is saddam, who was also a mass murderer but also started out as a cia hitman in cairo assasinating communists. the americans liked saddam for most of his reign but relations turned sour once he invaded kuwait, fired missiles at israel and later decided to switch to the euro for denominating his oil sales. castro i guess is a good comparison but he has certainly proved his staying power with the people of cuba, surviving everything from the bay of pigs to assasination attempts to economic blockade. probably the best comparison for chavez is with mossadegh of iran, who was warmly received at the un after his election but was taken out by the cia after he decided the british should not be allowed to profit off his country's natural resources.

 

And to add.... he is not the most political figure in Latin America. Most leaders in South America despise him and disapprove of his tactics. The only ones he is popular with is the poor class that doesn't know any better (who can blame them, they've been going hungry all this time),

 

you may have been right until recently. however the last few elections in south american countries have gone to people committed to weening themselves off the imf/world bank development model and in closer cooperation with chavez's approach. brazil, argentina, bolivia, and the latest is uruguay have all being going in this direction. but even if this were not true, so what? chavez is greatly admired by common people in south america. yes some people in venezuela lost out when chavez was elected, but they were the minority, while the majority (who are poor) have benefitted. in a democracy the interests of the majority prevail over the interests of the minority. simple concept.

 

and as far as his tactics go, there is a long history in south and central america of cia-sponsored coups and topplings of governments, which i'm sure chavez and his cohorts are far more knowledgable about than you are. i'm sure they have studied these episodes and are wise to how to spot them before they occur.

 

this is an excerpt from a piece i read on chavez, written by carles muntaner md, phd, a social epidemiologist at the university of maryland who is currently a health policy advisor to the ministry of health and social development of venezuela:

 

Let's take for example Mission Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood). Against the recommendations of International Financial Institutions, Barrio Adentro is designed to provide free health care to approximately 17.5 M Venezuelans (about 70% of the population) who previously lacked access. The program includes participative management from community members (following Article 84 of the 1999 Constitution), and increase in ambulatories (more 300 already built up to an expected 5000), and Medical Doctors living in the communities they serve (one MD for 12500 residents).

 

This program has been possible because of a cooperative agreement between the Cuban and Venezuelan governments. Venezuelan MDs did not want to practice medicine in poor neighborhoods. This is when a Mayor of Caracas and Chavez envisioned a bold public health alternative. Between April 03 and December 03, more than 10 000 Cuban MDs relocated to Venezuelan neighborhoods to practice primary care. These doctors have at least 10 yrs of post graduate experience and 2 yrs of experience in Integral Medicine (which sees health as a social outcome including housing, education, sports, environment, and food security). They perform between 20 and 40 visits every morning plus family visits in the afternoon, in addition to numerous prevention activities. Thus, operating as a separate health care system Barrio Adentro MDs conducted close to 80 Million visits reaching the whole 23 states while the former system achieved only 20 Million, with limited geographical outreach.

 

In addition, following article 84 of the Bolivarian Constitution, Barrio Adentro is run under the principles of participatory democracy. Local committees (Comites de Salud) chosen by neighbors have the power to directly contact local and federal governments to demand new or improved services for their communities. For example, during visits Cuban MDs and neighbors might realize that residents are in need to literacy courses, dentistry, removal of environmental hazards, thus contacting the appropriate branches of the government to obtain those services.

 

why is the idea that a government devote its resources to promoting the health of its population and improving education so threatening to the powers that be in washington?

Edited July 22, 2005 by kumkap

[MosJan]

VENEZUELAN PARLIAMENTARIANS UNANIMOUSLY RATIFY A RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

 

A press release by journalist Karo Hekimian from Montevideo, Uruguay, informs that the head of Venezuela's Armenian diocese, Archbishop Komitas Ohanian, notified in a radio broadcast that the parliamentarians of Venezuela have unanimously ratified a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

 

His Eminence closed his speech with the following words, "Armenians will lose their identity if they ever forget the Genocide. As a nation we exist in common history, one church and one future. We have to struggle for the Armenian Cause, keep the Armenian children in our legacy as all of us -- organizations, the church and unions -- should go forward together".

 

By Gohar Gevorgian

 

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[Lev7]

VENEZUELAN PARLIAMENTARIANS UNANIMOUSLY RATIFY A RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

 

A press release by journalist Karo Hekimian from Montevideo, Uruguay, informs that the head of Venezuela's Armenian diocese, Archbishop Komitas Ohanian, notified in a radio broadcast that the parliamentarians of Venezuela have unanimously ratified a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

 

His Eminence closed his speech with the following words, "Armenians will lose their identity if they ever forget the Genocide. As a nation we exist in common history, one church and one future. We have to struggle for the Armenian Cause, keep the Armenian children in our legacy as all of us -- organizations, the church and unions -- should go forward together".

 

By Gohar Gevorgian

 

Home | Print | Send |

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very well said

[Anileve]

why is the idea that a government devote its resources to promoting the health of its population and improving education so threatening to the powers that be in washington?

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Ooops, I forgot about this thread.

 

Dan is that you? "kamkap" is something you would chose and the style of analysis is very methodical.

 

Either way, those are valid points and I will need some time to respond. Also I think you've neglected what I mentioned regarding US policy towards Venezuela. I don't agree with any state meddling in the affairs of other nations. However, I also don't think that "the neglect" of certain nations is clever when dealing with economy. US, a prominent consumer should not be shunned only due to some bitter dispute otherwise things may escalate, knowing the aggressive nature of this country.

 

And again, Chavez is very popular with the poor, because he represents the flawed idea of equal distribution of wealth and contaminating socialism/communism. There is more to be said...later....