Delia Fiallo's -Fair well to Cuba-

It filled me with pain and sadness to read Delia Fiallo's article "Farewell to Cuba". Cuban Americans, and Cubans on the Island, been betrayed, in my view, by the lifting of the embargo by Obama without the demand for respect for human rights and ending the imprisonment of dissidents.  Delia, a script and writer of love novels, escaped Cuba and, like many Cubans, first stopped in Venezuela where she lived for a short while until moving to the United States.  Like Delia we are all in awe by the visits of many political leaders to Fidel Castro, one of the Latin American most despicable dictators, as though he has done a Super Human task for Cuba, when we all know that he has terrorized its people and destroyed the nation.  The Castro brother's destruction has not been contained to Cuba. Their poison tentacles have spread all over Latin America under the cover up known as " Socialism".  Venezuela is the most recent example of Castro's damage.  We Venezuelan's realized too late that Fidel's hateful agenda against Venezuela became materialized with the "election" of megalomaniac Hugo Chavez. Chavez gave away Oil to Cuba in exchange for ego lifting by Fidel. This evil man convinced Chavez that  he was the Simon Bolivar of the 21st Century. My recent documentary work, Celebrating Life in Union, included interviewing former Cuban political prisoners. I heard nightmarish stories, horrible, inhumane stories of torture and killing, where people lost their families and everything that was important to them. Cubans like Dalia are angry and heart broken because there is now no accountability for the atrocities committed by the Castro regime against the Cuban people. There aren't words to console Delia and the thousands of Cubans that lost their families and everything they owned.  I feel that the last Cuban chapter has not been written yet. That story will remember the Castro brothers as murderers. There remain those who are riding the wave of Hypocrisy and ignoring the pain and suffering that the Cuban people have and continue to endure - they must understand that there is a price to pay for covering up for Dictators and human right Violators. History tends to repeats itself.

International Pressure Against Maduro to stop his Killing Machine

Violence has increased in Venezuela under the Nicolas Maduro's watch.  Maduro has demonstrated a blatant disregard for human rights, particularly against students and political leaders since he took office in 2014. Last week Antonio Ledezma, the Mayor of Caracas was arrested, and  Opposition leader Jorge Borges is “under investigation.”

This past Tuesday, a 14-year-old high school student from San Cristobal was shot in the head at point blank range when he was protesting. This style of murdering dissidents is becoming common in Venezuela. Last week we heard the senseless killing of three university students who were in police custody. They were found tortured to death.  The list of human right violations goes on and on with no end in sight.  The Maduro regime and his clan are very aware  that the Venezuelan problems of food shortage and lack of productivity are not going  away.  Protesters in Venezuela have emerged since last February against the regime’s inability to perform its duties.  Nicolas Maduro is again focusing his attention on oppression and human rights violations instead of solving the immediate economic crisis.

This past January, General Vladimir Padrino López, passed a resolution which gives  license to  police to murder students who protest.  This mandate supports the use of firearms and other weapons against “immediate aggressions” according with the Minister. 

International Pressure Against Maduro to stop his  Killing Machine 

The subsequent abuses of power in Venezuela has prompted international outrage. This past Wednesday the US Secretary of State John Kerry accused Maduro regime of  "egregious behavior" and promised  to expedite  the implementation of recent sanctions to those members of his cabinet that have committed human right violations. These sanctions are crucial, but in addition to the sanctions, international pressure must also  come from the UN, the OAE,  the European Communities, and all the democratic Latin American nations.

This is to stop  the Nicolas Maduro killing rampage and hopefully force him out of office through democratic means. 

It is interesting to note that the students today who are protesting this violent and oppressive regime only know Chavismo as a way of government. They have no other point of reference.

When Chavez came to power in 1999, most of the students where either toddlers or were just entering elementary school.  These young people only have known the Chavez Socialism of the XXI Century , a failing political ideology, hybrid from the collapsing  Cuban  political system under the Castro brothers, who are still holding  power after 56 years.
Maduro will not last that long. The protests will continue. Maduro will go,  but the question is,  how much more  damage will he cause on his way out.

The Rise of Hugo Chavez and the fall of Venezuela

It is hard to believe that Venezuela, until 1999, was considered a very stable democracy with a growing economy in Latin America. Venezuela never faced the levels of depression and human right violations, and the lack of food and goods that it is experiencing today.

The rise of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, with his demagogue talks about Socialism of the XXI century directed to the masses, and the elimination of multiple political parties in favor of the official party has been catastrophic.

Just like Hitler, Stalin or Mussolini did in their days, Hugo Chavez’s empty promises and handouts worked temporarily, but didn't solve the deep-seated problems of poverty and inequality in Venezuela.   Hugo Chavez demagogy, which emphasized in income redistribution, increasing wages by decree, and controlling prices artificially brought Venezuela's economy to its knees.
High oil income estimated to be about 250 billion dollars, during the last 14 years was pilfered or stolen by the government bureaucracy, military officers and bankers that do business with the government. In addition, the lack of accountability and transparency, which existed in the Chavez regime produced a level of corruption never seen before in Venezuela.

These problems compounded by Nicolas Maduro's incompetence, this past year in office, to solve the shortage of food, electricity and other problems inherited from the Chavez’s regime.

The Maduro administration has demonstrated to be incapable of solving the severe corruption, economic problems, and food shortage in the country. This past year the regimen resulted in oppressing dissidents while his government continues excluding significant portions of society from decision-making. The result is that Venezuela has become poorer and a more backward society.
February 2014 kicked off the most severe repression and human right violations that Venezuela has seen in 50 years which led to hundred of people being incarcerated, abused and tortured by the Maduro regime.

February 2015 may mark the end of the Socialism of the XXI and the return to democracy in Venezuela.

Maduro’s Band-Aid to Venezuela’s Economic Crisis

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, instead of creating a free market economy and encourage the private industry and entrepreneurs in Venezuela, decided to put a band-aid to the Venezuelan economic crisis that the Chavez regime created. The selling of $2.5 billion in CITGO bonds and getting a $1 billion loan from CITGO  will further push Venezuela into an economic meltdown. CITGO is owned by Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which is controlled by the government.  This quick CITGO bonanza will temporarily alleviate the enormous cost of the Venezuelan Socialism of the XXI century created by Hugo Chavez. 

During his 13 years in control of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez arbitrarily expropriated many domestic and foreign companies including the Exxon Corporation. Venezuela owes $2.5 billion jto the Exxon Corporation alone, and that debt will have to be paid before te regime get any money out.  The default of Venezuela under the Maduro regime is inevitable. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-20/citgo-said-to-plan-2-5-billion-of-debt-for-dividend-correct-.html

http://pancaliente.info/?p=1478

Once again the Venezuelan opposition units for change in Venezuela, against the Maduro regime.
February 2014, marked the beginning of massive protests around the country which led to hundreds of deaths, abuses and tortures. 2015 may marked the end of the Socialism of the XXI Century in Venezuela.