“I don’t believe in the dogmatic postulates of Marxist revolution. I don’t accept that we are living in a period of proletarian revolutions. All that must be revised. Reality is telling us that every day. Are we aiming in Venezuela today for the abolition of private property or a classless society? I don’t think so. But if I’m told that because of that reality you can’t do anything to help the poor, the people who have made this country rich through their labour and never forget that some of it was slave labour, then I say ‘We part company’. I will never accept that there can be no redistribution of wealth in society. Our upper classes don’t even like paying taxes. That’s one reason they hate me. We said ‘You must pay your taxes’. I believe it’s better to die in battle, rather than hold aloft a very revolutionary and very pure banner, and do nothing … That position often strikes me as very convenient, a good excuse … Try and make your revolution, go into combat, advance a little, even if it’s only a millimetre, in the right direction, instead of dreaming about utopias.” -Hugo Chavez speaking to Tariq Ali for CounterPunch.org
Hugo Chavez, the embattled President of Venezuela, yesterday defeated a recall in an election that brought out 94% of this oil-rich nation’s eligible citizens, many who stood in lines over a mile long to vote for democracy, not oligarchy. All this despite fierce and blantant opposition from the oligarchy-owned press, and a full course of dirty trickery care of Bush/Cheney, Inc.
The people celebrate their victory.