"Nobel Peace = Prize Winner Barack Obama, is Preparing for War in South America"; = Interview with Eva Golinger

Mike=20 Whitney----The US media is very = critical=20 of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. = He's =20 frequently denounced as "anti-American", a = "leftist strongman", and a dictator. = Can you=20 briefly summarize some of the positive = social,=20 economic and judicial changes for which = Chavez is=20 mainly responsible?

Eva = Golinger----The=20 first and foremost important achievement = during=20 the Ch=E1vez administration is the 1999=20 Constitution, which, although not written = nor=20 decreed by Ch=E1vez himself, was created = through his=20 vision of change for Venezuela. The 1999=20 Constitution was, in fact, drafted - = written - by=20 the people of Venezuela in one of the most = participatory examples of nation building, = and=20 then was ratified through popular national = referendum by 75% of Venezuelans. The 1999 = Constitution is one of the most advanced = in the=20 world in the area of human rights. It = guarantees=20 the rights to housing, education, = healthcare,=20 food, indigenous lands, languages, women's = rights,=20 worker's rights, living wages and a whole = host of=20 other rights that few other countries = recognize on=20 a national level. My favorite right in the = Venezuelan Constitution is the right to a=20 dignified life. That pretty much sums up = all the=20 others. Laws to implement these rights = began to=20 surface in 2001, with land reform, oil = industry=20 redistribution, tax laws and the creation = of more=20 than a dozen social programs - called = missions -=20 dedicated to addressing the basic needs of = Venezuela's poor majority. In 2003, the = first=20 missions were directed at education and=20 healthcare. Within two years, illiteracy = was=20 eradicated in the country and Venezuela = was=20 certified by UNESCO as a nation free of=20 illiteracy. This was done with the help of = a=20 successful Cuban literacy program called = "Yo si=20 puedo" (Yes I can). Further educational = missions=20 were created to provide free universal = education=20 from primary to doctoral levels throughout = the=20 country. Today, Venezuela's population is = much=20 more educated than before, and adults who=20 previously had no high school education = now are=20 encouraged to not only go through a = secondary=20 school program, but also university and = graduate=20 school.

The = healthcare=20 program, called "Barrio Adentro", has not = only=20 provided preventive healthcare to all = Venezuelans=20 - many who never had access to a doctor = before -=20 but also has guaranteed universal, free = access to=20 medical attention at the most advanced = levels.=20 MRIs, heart surgery, lab work, cancer = treatments,=20 are all provided free of cost to anyone = (including=20 foreigners) in need. Some of the most = modern=20 clinics, diagnostic treatment centers and=20 hospitals have been built in the past five = years=20 under this program, placing Venezuela at = the=20 forefront of medical = technology.

Other = programs=20 providing subsidized food and consumer = products=20 (Mercal, Pdval), job training (Mission = Vuelvan=20 Caras), subsidies to poor, single mothers = (Madres=20 del Barrio), attention to indigents and = drug=20 addicts (Mission Negra Hipolita) have = reduced=20 extreme poverty by 50% and raised = Venezuelans=20 standard of living and quality of life. = While=20 nothing is perfect, these changes are=20 extraordinary and have transformed = Venezuela into=20 a nation far different from what it looked = like 10=20 years ago. In fact, the most important = achievement=20 that Hugo Ch=E1vez himself is directly = responsible=20 for is the level of participation in the = political=20 process. Today, millions of Venezuelans = previously=20 invisible and excluded are visible and = included.=20 Those who were always marginalized and = ignored in=20 Venezuela by prior governments today have = a voice,=20 are seen and heard, and are actively = participating=20 in the building of a new economic, = political and=20 social model in their=20 country.

MW---On Monday, = President=20 Chavez threw a Venezuelan judge in jail on = charges=20 of abuse of power for freeing a = high-profile=20 banker. Do you think he overstepped his = authority=20 as executive or violated the principle of=20 separation of powers? What does this say = about=20 Chavez's resolve to fight=20 corruption?

Eva=20 Golinger----President Ch=E1vez did not put = anyone in=20 jail. Venezuela has an Attorney General = and an=20 independent branch of government in charge = of=20 public prosecutions. Ch=E1vez did publicly = accuse=20 the judge of corruption and violating the = law=20 because that judge overstepped her = authority by=20 releasing an individual charged with = corruption=20 and other criminal acts from detention, = despite=20 the fact that a previous court had not = granted=20 conditional freedom or bail to the = suspect. And,=20 the judge released the suspect in a very = irregular=20 way, without the presence of the = prosecutor, and=20 through a back door. The suspect then fled = the=20 country.

This is = part of=20 Venezuela's fight against corruption.=20 Unfortunately - as in a lot of countries - = corruption is deeply rooted in the = culture. The=20 struggle to eradicate corruption is = probably the=20 most difficult of all and will probably = not be=20 achieved until new generations have grown = up with=20 different values and education. In the = meantime,=20 the Ch=E1vez administration is trying hard = to ensure=20 that corrupt public officials pay the=20 consequences. That judge, for example, = engaged in=20 an act of corruption and abuse of = authority by=20 illegally releasing a suspect and = therefore was=20 charged by the Public Prosecutor's office = and will=20 be tried. It has nothing to do with what = Ch=E1vez=20 said or didn't say, it has to do with = enforcing=20 the law.

MW---Why is the = United=20 States building military bases in = Colombia? Do=20 they pose a threat to Chavez or the = Bolivarian=20 Revolution?

Eva = Golinger----On=20 October 30th, the US formally entered into = an=20 agreement with the Colombian government to = allow=20 US access to seven military bases in = Colombia and=20 unlimited use of Colombian territory for = military=20 operations. The agreement itself is = purported to=20 be directed at counter-narcotics = operations and=20 counter-terrorism. But a US Air Force = document=20 released earlier this year discussing the = need for=20 a stronger US military presence in = Colombia=20 revealed the true intentions behind the = military=20 agreement. The document stated that the US = military presence was necessary to combat = the=20 "constant threat from anti-US governments = in the=20 region". Clearly, that is a reference to=20 Venezuela, and probably Bolivia, maybe = Ecuador.=20 It's no secret that Washington considers = the=20 Venezuelan government anti-US, though it's = not=20 true. Venezuela is anti-imperialist, but = not=20 anti-US. The US Air Force document also = stated=20 that the Colombian bases would be used to = engage=20 in "full spectrum military operations" = throughout=20 South America, and even talked about = surveillance,=20 intelligence and reconnaisance missions, = and=20 improving the capacity of US forces to = execute=20 "expeditionary warfare" in Latin=20 America.

Clearly, this is a=20 threat to the peoples of Latin America and = particularly those nations targeted, such = as=20 Venezuela. Most people in the US don't = know about=20 this military agreement, but it they did, = they=20 should question why their government, led = by Nobel=20 Peace Prize winner Barack Obama, is = preparing for=20 war in South America. And, in the midst of = an=20 economic crisis with millions of people in = the US=20 losing jobs and homes, why are millions of = dollars=20 being spent on military bases in Colombia? = The US=20 Congress already approved $46 million for = one of=20 the bases in Colombia. And surely more = funds will=20 be supplied in the = future.

MW---What is = ALBA? Is it=20 a viable alternative to the "free trade" = blocs=20 promoted by the = US?

Eva = Golinger----The=20 Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas - = Trade=20 Agreement for the People, is a regional = agreement=20 created five years ago between Venezuela = and Cuba,=20 and now has 9 members: Bolivia, Cuba, = Ecuador,=20 Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Antigua = and=20 Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, = and=20 Dominica. ALBA is a trade agreement based = on=20 integration, cooperation and solidarity, = contrary=20 to US trade agreements which are based on=20 competition and exploitation. It promotes = a way of=20 trading between nations that assures = mutual=20 benefits. For example, Venezuela sells oil = to Cuba=20 and Cuba pays with services - doctors, = educators=20 and technological experts that help to = improve=20 Venezuela's industries. Venezuela sells = oil to=20 Nicaragua and Nicaragua pays with food = products,=20 agricultural technology and aide to build=20 Venezuela's own agricultural industry, = which long=20 ago was abandoned by prior governments = only=20 interested in the rich oil industry. ALBA = seeks to=20 not just provide economic benefits to its = member=20 nations, but also social and cultural = advances.=20 The idea is to find ways to help members = develop=20 and progress in all aspects of society. = ALBA=20 recently created a new currency, the = SUCRE, which=20 will be used as a form of exchange between = member=20 nations, eliminating the US dollar as the = standard=20 for trade.

MW---Are US = NGO's and=20 intelligence agents still trying to foment = political instability in Venezuela or have = those=20 operations ceased since the failed=20 coup?

Eva = Golinger----In=20 fact, the funding of political groups in=20 Venezuela, and others throughout Latin = America=20 that promote US agenda, has increased = since the=20 April 2002 coup against President = Ch=E1vez. Through=20 two principal Department of State = agencies, USAID=20 and the National Endowment for Democracy = (NED),=20 the US government has channeled more than = $50=20 million to opposition groups in Venezuela = since=20 2002. The USAID/NED budget to fund groups = in=20 Venezuela in 2010 is nearly $15 million, = doubled=20 from last year's $7 million. This is a = state=20 policy of Washington, which the Obama=20 Administration plans to amp up. They call = it=20 "democracy promotion", but it's really = democracy=20 subversion and destabilization. Funding = political=20 groups favorable to Empire, equipping them = with=20 resources, strategizing to help formulate=20 political platforms and campaigns - all = geared=20 towards regime change - is a new form of = invasion,=20 a silent invasion. Through USAID and NED, = and=20 their "partner NGOs" and contractors, such = as=20 Freedom House, International Republican = Institute,=20 National Democratic Institute, = Pan-American=20 Development Foundation and Development=20 Alternatives, Inc., hundreds of political = groups,=20 parties and programs are presently being = funded in=20 Venezuela to promote regime change against = the=20 Ch=E1vez government. US taxpayer dollars = are being=20 squandered on these efforts to overthrow a = democratically elected government that = simply=20 isn't convenient for Washington. Remember, = Venezuela has 24% of world oil reserves. = That's a=20 lot!

MW---How=20 hard has Venezuela been hit by the = economic=20 crisis? Do the people understand Wall = Street's=20 role in the = meltdown?

Eva=20 Golinger----Actually, the Ch=E1vez = government has=20 taken important steps to shelter Venezuela = from=20 the financial crisis. People here in = Venezuela=20 absolutely understand Wall Street's role = in the=20 crisis and know that the US = capitalist-consumerist=20 system is principally responsible for = causing the=20 financial crisis, but also the climate = crisis that=20 the world is facing. The Venezuelan = government=20 took preventive steps against the = financial=20 crisis, such as withdrawing Venezuela's = reserves=20 from US banks two years ago, creating = cushion=20 funds to ensure social programs would not = be cut=20 and diversifying Venezuela's oil clientele = so as=20 not to be dependent solely on US clients.=20 Recently, several banks have been = nationalized by=20 the Venezuelan government and others have = been=20 liquidated. But this was more due to the=20 mismanagement and internal corruption = within those=20 banks. The Venezuelan government reacted = quickly=20 to take over the banks and guarantee = customers'=20 savings would not be lost. In fact, it's = the first=20 time in Venezuela's history that no = customers have=20 lost any of their money during a bank = liquidation=20 or takeover. This is part of the Ch=E1vez=20 Administration's policy of prioritizing = social=20 needs over economic gain.

MW---Here's an = excerpt from a=20 special weekend report by Bloomberg=20 News:

"Americans have = grown=20 gloomier about both the economy and the = nation=92s=20 direction over the past three months even = as the=20 U.S. shows signs of moving from recession = to=20 recovery. Almost half the people now feel = less=20 financially secure than when President = Barack=20 Obama took office in January...Fewer than = 1 in 3=20 Americans think the economy will improve = in the=20 next six months....Only 32 percent of poll = respondents believe the country is headed = in the=20 right direction, down from 40 percent who = said so=20 in September." = (Bloomberg)

The=20 frustration and disillusionment with the = US=20 political/economic system has never been = greater=20 in my lifetime. Do you think people in the = United=20 States are ready for their own Bolivarian=20 Revolution and steps towards a more = progressive,=20 socialistic model of=20 government?

Eva = Golinger----The=20 rise of Barack Obama neutralized a growing = sentiment for profound change inside the = US.=20 Hopefully, the slowdown in US activism = will only=20 be temporary. South of the border, there = is=20 tremendous change taking place. New = social,=20 political and economic models are being = built by=20 popular grassroots movements in Venezuela, = Bolivia=20 and other Latin American nations that seek = economic and social justice. I believe = strongly=20 that models in process, like the = Bolivarian=20 Revolution, provide inspiration and hope = to those=20 in the US and around the world that = alternatives=20 to US capitalism do exist and can be=20 successful.

The US = has a rich=20 history of revolution. There are many = groups=20 inside the US dedicated to building a = better, more=20 humanist system. Unity and a collective = vision are=20 essential aspects of building a strong = movement=20 capable of moving forward. Every nation = has its=20 moment in history. This is the time of = Latin=20 America. But there is great hope that the = people=20 of the US will soon unite with their = brothers and=20 sisters south of the border to bring down = Empire=20 and help build a true world community = based on=20 social and economic justice for = all.

Bio.--- Eva=20 Golinger, winner of the International = Award for=20 Journalism in Mexico (2009), named =93La = Novia de=20 Venezuela=94 by President Hugo Ch=E1vez, = is a=20 Venezuelan-American attorney from New = York, living=20 in Caracas, Venezuela since 2005 and = author of the=20 best-selling books, =93The Ch=E1vez Code: = Cracking US=20 Intervention in Venezuela=94 (2006 Olive = Branch=20 Press), =93Bush vs. Ch=E1vez: = Washington=92s War on=20 Venezuela=94 (2007, Monthly Review Press), = =93The=20 Empire=92s Web: Encyclopedia of = Interventionism and=20 Subversion=94, =93La Mirada del Imperio = sobre el 4F:=20 Los Documentos Desclasificados de = Washington sobre=20 la rebeli=F3n militar del 4 de febrero de = 1992=94 and=20 "La Agresi=F3n Permanente: USAID, NED y = CIA". Since=20 2003, Eva, a graduate of Sarah Lawrence = College=20 and CUNY Law School in New York, has been=20 investigating, analyzing and writing about = US=20 intervention in Venezuela using the = Freedom of=20 Information Act (FOIA) to obtain = information about=20 the US Government=92s efforts to = destabilize=20 progressive movements in Latin America. = Her first=20 book, The Ch=E1vez Code, has been = translated and=20 published in six languages (English, = Spanish,=20 French, German, Italian & Russian) and = is=20 presently being made into a feature=20 film.