HUGO CHAVEZ by Greg Palast. Part 3 of 3

And I could confirm the large protests. I'd recently returned from Caracas and watched 100,000 march against President Chavez. I'd filmed them for BBC Television London.

Armed Madhouse Greg Palast Hugo Chazez Venezuela Oil Economy

You'd think George Bush would get down on his knees and kiss Hugo Chavez's behind. Not only has Chavez delivered cheap oil to the Bronx and other poor communities in the United States. And not only did he offer to bring aid to the victims of Katrina. In my interview with the president of Venezuela on March 28, he made Bush the following astonishing offer: Chavez would drop the price of oil to $50 a barrel, "not too high, a fair price," he said — a third less than the $75 a barrel for oil recently posted on the spot market. That would bring down the price at the pump by about a buck, from $3 to $2 a gallon.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• VIVA
• HUGO
• CHAVEZ
• CHE
• BOLIVIA
• FIDEL
• ORTAGA

[mikiskhan]

im venezuelan american. i am in barinas right now. i can tell you that this is all true. the country has never been stronger as a whole as it is now. VIVA CHAVEZ!

[HardTimesAhead]

I have heard people calling Chavez 'corrupt'...

what a joke when you look at the Bush family, the Rothschilds and the rest of the Neo-cons that suck the money from every country they can, send their citizens and sons to be killed in money making wars, lie and steal and take aways people's rights. Chavez is the only world leader openly defying Bush and his cronies and he is serving his people and stopping the global corporations from making his country enslaved.

[michielholland]

I am curious what happens when they rise the price of oil to the level in my country: 1,54 euro/ a liter.

[jmorengo2000]

VIVE CHAVEZ!

[Marly61]

p13tr

Nobody said it was great in Venezeula, what is your point? Can you read? or are you just American?

The point is the elite policies and infleunce has diminished under Hugo so life for average people is now far better then the terrible misery that existed so now it is just misery.

[p13tr0xx]

Marly61 you win i dont have to read your stupidity....You cant fix stupid, i think that you have too much time in your hands... I would love to invite you to the country so that I can show you the misfortune of my people at the end of the day it doesnt matter what we belive what matters is what people are going through down there. have a great life

[Marly61]

p13troxx,

Here is a CIA quote:

" A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes."

Not bad when you look at the economic stats prior to Hugo

[Marly61]

p13troxx;

Lesson number two, the truth is the opposite of what americans say, so just find the opposite and you will find reports on it.

Washington, D.C. - The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) a report today on the Venezuelan economy on the tenth anniversary of President Hugo Chávez's tenure, which began in February 1999.

[Marly61]

p13troxx;

Lesson number 2, the truth is the opposite of what americans believe on economics

"Looking at the economic data and social indicators, it's not difficult to see why Chávez remains popular and has won so many elections, despite overwhelmingly hostile media coverage," said Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director of CEPR and lead author of the report, "The Chávez Administration at 10 Years: The Economy and Social Indicators."

[Marly61]

p13troxx;

Lesson number 2; truth is opposite of what americans believe on economics

Among the highlights:

The current economic expansion began when the government got control over the national oil company in the first quarter of 2003. Since then, real (inflation-adjusted) GDP has nearly doubled, growing by 94.7 percent in 5.25 years, or 13.5 percent annually.

[Marly61]

p13troxx

Most of this growth has been in the non-oil sector of the economy, and the private sector has grown faster than the public sector.

During the current economic expansion, the poverty rate has been cut by more than half, from 54 percent of households in the first half of 2003 to 26 percent at the end of 2008. Extreme poverty has fallen even more, by 72 percent. These poverty rates measure only cash income, and do not take into account increased access to health care or education.

[Marly61]

p13troxx;

Lesson number 2; truth is opposite what americans believe

Over the entire decade, the percentage of households in poverty has been reduced by 39 percent, and extreme poverty by more than half.

There have been substantial gains in education, especially higher education, where gross enrollment rates more than doubled from 1999-2000 to 2007-2008.

Over the past decade, the number of social security beneficiaries has more than doubled.