Parallels between Chavez's Venezuela and the Spanish Civil War

There are several threads here and in LBN about the new propaganda campaign the Fascist US government has launched against democratic Venezuela and its elected President Hugo Chavez.

I count myself among those that see the US as a new empire following the footsteps of the Third Reich trying to impose its theology and ideology on the entire world. Back in the 1930s, before the Second World War, we had a democratic government in Spain that came under attack by Fascist General Francisco Franco with the support of Hitler and Mussolini. The German Luftwaffe bombed several Spanish cities in support of the Fascist rebels. One of those cities, Guernica, was to become immortalized by Picasso.

Here is an article that illustrates the parallels between Chavez's Venezuela and the Spanish Civil War:

¡No Pasarán! (They shall not pass)

By Lynn Rothman

Madrid. July 18, 1936:

The opening shots of the second World War were fired in one of Europe's poorest countries. Spain, long governed by a wealthy elite and its brutal military police, the infamous Guardia Civil, grabbed its chance for democracy when the 7-year-old dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera collapsed. When elections were held, the monarchist candidates were defeated at the polls. King Alfonso XIII fled Spain for exile in Italy, and a new republic was born on April 14, 1931.

But this fragile democracy would not last.

As the new government attempted to modernize Spain, class conflict erupted. Efforts toward land reform, improved working conditions, and a reduction of privileges within the church and the military were a threat to powerful interests. A military coup was launched.

The army rebellion led by Franco and his Nationalist movement attempted to crush the republican government. Instead the rebels faced armed resistance on the streets of Barcelona and Madrid. A civil war had begun.

http://www.alba-valb.org/articles/no_pasaran.html

Demonstrators marched down the streets of Ybor City (Tampa, Florida) to protest Franco's bombing of Guernica in 1937.

Considering all the crap that is being published by Rev. Moon and the Miami Herald about Chavez and the Venezuelan democratic revolution, here is a good article from Cuba that describes the sort of games being played by the rightwing press:

Havana. January 13, 2005

What the Miami press is saying and what it isn’t saying

BY LORENZO GONZALO*

MIAMI - What we read and listen to in this city of virtual opinions is simultaneously pathetic and sympathetic. From the time that Chávez assumed his country’s presidency after becoming the president to have most often received the vote and approval of the people, Miami has turned into an anti-Chávez trench. Of course, that had a lot to do with the band of Cuban rogues that have controlled the city for close to 40 years. Venezuelans, more tied to and dependent on large foreign businesses – for the most part US owned – arrived in Miami loaded with money. Or better put, they were already living in Miami, but from then – in addition to spending and squandering their questionable wealth – they became susceptible to the anti-agenda. The Cuban villains, experts in those activities, helped them in their task. The Cubans have a lot of experience as "anti-Castroites," and then they were presented with the opportunity of creating the "anti-Chávez industry."

Under these circumstances, the local press, which is a species of the official body of ANTI’s, was obliged to spread propaganda about the new campaign. Chávez immediately became the equivalent of Fidel Castro. Sometimes they said that he was Fidel’s political son and other times called him a puppet, and in every scenario he was presented as a disaster for Venezuela. Obviously not all the financiers reacted the same. The most nationalist have realized that Chávez’ plan is first of all nationalistic and combined with his first priority, the inherited social problems, he is greatly interested in national capital. Important financial figures have realized this, such as Sr. Cisneros, who is proceeding with much caution.

As time has passed, Chávez has demonstrated that he is heading in the right economic direction. This is particularly the case with his social reforms, although no one wants to mention this. The New Herald reported that Venezuela would have to continue selling its oil to the United States because its market produces the greatest profits per barrel.

*From Radio Miami, United States

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/enero/juev13/03miami.html