Venezuela: A process in favor of the people
THE priorities of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela continue to revolve around the battle against poverty in order to attain a decorous standard of living for the great majority of the population, something that is also being attained through the preservation of state assets. These two basic ideas were central in Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s 143rd radio and television address to the nation.
"For us, the social sector is sacred... and anything else can be sacrificed apart from support in that battle against poverty and death and for life," he affirmed on Sunday, March 16, speaking from the Miraflores Presidential Palace.
Fifteen days after having initiated the Food Security Program, directed at the country’s vulnerable sectors, Chávez explained developments and progress in the "peoples markets," which are guaranteed prime necessity goods to be sold at very moderate prices. Through this vehicle, more than 1,900 tons of produce has already been distributed to the poor.
According to the Prensa Latina news agency, it was an opportune moment to inform on government plans to reactivate the state’s role in the sale of foodstuffs, particularly those directed to the needy. According to Chávez, the idea is to "recuperate retail outlets in working-class barrios that have fallen into the terrible hands of exploiters."
In just 1,500 days, the current Venezuelan government has increased medical assistance to the population by 41%, plus its total extension to children suffering from cancer. Chávez also highlighted the reduction of the infant mortality rate from 21.6% to 17.3% per thousand live births last year.
Despite those strides, the Venezuelan president emphasized the urgent need for promoting capital investment in national industry in order to facilitate economic development.
"The difference between other governments that privatized their industries under the pretext of lacking funds and ours, is that the Bolivarian administration is undertaking new projects without handing over our national heritage," he highlighted.
According to EFE, Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramírez stated that the state oil industry, PDVSA, "is maintaining a productive capacity of 3.4 million barrels daily, and will continue to do so if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decides that we should put that volume on the world market."
He pointed out that national oil reserves are in excess of 320 billion barrels of crude, representing more than 30% of the total reserves of OPEC members. (MVR)