Domingo Alberto Rangel: Chavez Frias’ Bolivarianism is a sham

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

President Hugo Chavez Frias’ Bolivarianism is a sham … senior Venezuelan columnist Domingo Alberto Rangel says “to be Bolivarian today is to be between God and Devil.”

Rangel brushes aside opposition hype about the presence of Colombian guerrillas in Venezuela, recalling that the Revolutionary Armed Force of Colombia (FARC) has had an “Ambassador” in Caracas since Rafael Caldera was President.

Asking the question whether the FARC has a foreign policy, Rangel observes a contradiction … “they supposedly want to establish a socialist order, even though they do not say so with clarity and internationally they appear to be traditionalist."

"They should have such an internationalist policy that would eliminate current nations and create one unit consisting of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela … if Bolivar talked disparagingly about ‘mini-countries,’ why shouldn’t 21st century Marxists not assume the standard of a single entity from the Orinoco to Guayas?”

FARC, Rangel insists, takes refuge in Chavez Frias’ "ridiculous  bolivarianism, which is an opportunist way of being all right with the armchair Left and all the right wings."

Singling out the all-powerful Venezuelan ranchers with their accusations that Colombian guerrillas are invading Venezuela, Rangel points out that Colombian guerillas have been entering and leaving Venezuela since General Perez Jimenez (1953-1958) and they have done a good job ... “they forced the big landowners and ranchers to recognize social benefits and a decent salary for Colombian laborers … ranchers with a few exceptions paid miserable wages … Colombian workers were illegal pariahs.”

Continuing his criticism of FARC and the ELN’s international policy, Rangel says they seem to ignore the fact that they are the vanguard of a revolutionary movement destined to change not only Colombia but also the whole of meridian America … “they should strike alliances and even fuse with Venezuelan and Ecuadorian groups … policy as regards Venezuela is pure opportunism.”

The FARC’s declaration that it is a Bolivarian group was made to appease Chavez Frias.

“It’s not even original... Venezuela will not be liberated unless Colombia and Ecuador are liberated at the same time. The FARC and ELN could start by organizing Colombians living in Venezuela … they are all hard workers and sometimes in some towns the hardest workers … when there are 1.5 million Colombians at least living here, are FARC and ELN going to renounce such a force because of a limited patriotism that was ridiculous in the times of Bolivar, especially in our days of a prolonged war?”