Matias Vernengo — On Venezuela, Democracy, Violence and Neoliberalism

The question then is how much of the push to limits to the power of the legislative assembly dominated by the opposition, and how much of the political repression (including the treatment of opposition leaders, but also the police violence) results from the very violent and anti-democratic push from the opposition itself, that has tried to bring down the government since the very beginning (including a failed coup attempt in 2002). And this is also a valid concern that many (almost all the mainstream media) on the left seem to forget. I can’t honestly respond. But I can provide a perspective, based on my understanding of the Argentine and Brazilian cases that are closer to my experience.

Naked Keynesianism
On Venezuela, Democracy, Violence and Neoliberalism

Matias Vernengo | Associate Professor of Economics, Bucknell University

See also

Prof. George Ciccariello-Maher of Drexel University analyzes the latest developments in Venezuela, including a new UN human rights report, US sanctions, and the begrudging admission by President Maduro's foes that he still has popular support

TRNN
UN Human Rights Report on Venezuela Ignores Opposition Violence

Nicholas Borroz — The Honeymoon Is Over for Argentina's Macri

That didn't take long.

The National Interest
The Honeymoon Is Over for Argentina's Macri
Nicholas Borroz

James Petras — Epilogue: Argentina – The End of Post-Neoliberalism and the Rise of the Hard Right

The class struggle from above found its most intense , comprehensive and retrograde expression in Argentina, with the election of Mauricio Macri (December 2015). During the first two months in office, through the arbitrary assumption of emergency powers, he reversed, by decree, a multitude of progressive socio-economic policies passed over the previous decade and sought to purge public institutions of independent voices.

Facing a hostile majority in Congress, he seized legislative powers and proceeded to name two Supreme Court judges in violation of the Constitution.

President Macri purged all the Ministries and agencies of perceived critics and appointees of the previous government and replaced those officials with loyalist neo-liberal functionaries. Popular movement leaders were jailed, and former Cabinet members were prosecuted.

Parallel to the reconfiguration of the state, President Macri launched a neo-liberal counter-revolution: a 40% devaluation which raised prices of the basic canasta over 30%; the termination of an export tax for all agro-mineral exporters (except soya farmers); a salary and wage cap 20% below the rise in the cost of living; a 400% increase in electrical bills and a 200% increase in transport; large scale firing of public and private employees; strike breaking using rubber bullets; preparations for large scale privatizations of strategic economic sectors; a 6.5 billion dollar payout to vulture-fund debt holders and speculaters-a 1000%return- while contracting new debts.

President Macri’s high intensity class warfare is intended to reverse, the social welfare and progressive policies implemented by the Kirchner regimes over the past 12 years (2003-2015).…. [Analysis follows.] 

Delivering the sucker punch. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

After doing well under the two Krichner regimes, the Left let its guard down and the hard right to over power.

James Petras Website
Epilogue: Argentina The End of Post Neoliberalism and the Rise of the Hard Right
James Petras | Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and adjunct professor at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Lucas Koerner — Maduro Voices Solidarity with Argentina’s Kirchner Amid Destabilization Effort

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro voiced support for his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, on Wednesday in the face of what the latter has denounced as a destabilization effort against her government following death of Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman.…

President Cristina Fernández also received the backing of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Saturday. 

“All of our support for Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who faces a new destabilization effort,” stated the Ecuadorian leader on his television program. 

Correa claimed that accusations against the Argentine President form part of a broader strategy to destabilize the progressive and leftist governments of the region. 

“This is another chapter of the conservative restoration that today utilizes even judicial instances in order to try to destabilize the progressive governments of our America, as they are also trying to do with [Brazilian President] Dilma [Rousseff] in the case of Petrobras,” he stated.

nsnbc international
Maduro Voices Solidarity with Argentina’s Kirchner Amid Destabilization Effort

Lucas Koerner | Venezuelanalysis