Karygiannis has received many letters of protest from those in this riding as well as from other places in Canada denouncing his motion "to restore true democracy". A chill comes to my body as I recall that those very same words have prefaced each and every military action in the far and near East in more than a decade directed by the military complex of our neighbours to the South (not that this has not brought them to the brink of bankruptcy, and they are still wondering why their deficit has a bottomless pit.) But they persist in this notion that democracy is something that can be imposed willy nilly. Never realizing that democracy is the suffusion of the social and political lives of communities, in balance with governmental structures that allow an equitable distribution of the wealth of a nation, and a shared cultural heritage, in the case of Venezuela: Black, Aboriginal Native, Mestizo and white ethnicity.
nchamah
letter by Alfredo Marroquin- Toronto
Hon. Jim Karygiannis, MP
Scarborough-Agincourt
Dear Mr. Karygiannis:
I always think that when intelligent people do unintelligent things it is because they are either ignorant or plainly ill-spirited. I have noted that you have set up a petition to the Conservative Government to have an emergency debate on Venezuela's democracy, "calling for the Canadian Government to support the Venezuelan diaspora's efforts of restoring true democracy to Venezuela". You state that "the people of Venezuela are suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez". Where have you obtained this information from? According to accounts from respected Latin American and world institutions, this is far from the truth.
Restoring Democracy to Venezuela? I wonder what you mean by this. In Venezuela, under the President Hugo Chávez government, there have been 14 Elections in 14 years. President Chávez only lost one election, results he respected. This confirms that President Chávez has faced the polls with more elections than any other government.
In the most recent presidential elections in 2012, 81% of Venezuelans voted in an exemplary manner, the turnout was a far greater level of participation than in previous elections. On October 7, 2012, 8, 133, 952 million Venezuelans not only voted for Chávez to be re-elected as President but they also voted for the Bolivarian Socialism to continue. This strong preference was also demonstrated in the State Governors and State Legislators elections held on December 16, 2012, in which the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, (PSUV, Chávez’s party) won 20 of the 23 states in Venezuela, including in 5 states which were for a long time ruled by the right wing opposition MUD.
Jimmy Carter stated before the election in 2012 in Venezuela, “As a matter of fact, of the 92 elections that we’ve monitored, I would say that the election process in Venezuela is the best in the
world.”
Does “restoring democracy” mean to give power to the wealthy elites who misgoverned Venezuela for so many years despite the will of the people of Venezuela who have clearly stated they want to continue building the path of participatory democracy with social justice? As far as I know this is not what we know as democracy. The people of Venezuela have spoken, the elite must listen and accept they lost election after election as they will probably lose the next municipal election in May 2013.
You also state that "the people of Venezuela are suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez". Again I am perplexed at your seemingly biased conclusions. Who are the people of Venezuela who are “suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez” you are referring to?
Are you referring to the elite class who ran the country for over 40 years when human rights were violated with impunity? The international community paid no heed to people who opposed government corruption, disappearing, torture and murders, CIA led secret police and the slaughter by the state forces of 3,000 humble people on the Streets of Caracas in 1989. They all supported the kidnapping of President Hugo Chávez and the coup d'etat that deposed his democratically elected government in 2002. Coup that lasted 48 hours as the people rose up to demand his re-instatement.
The same elite class that as a result of the Arab oil embargo of 1973 which led to a further swelling of elite government coffers, allowing them to get richer, live a scandalous luxurious life and educate their children in expensive US universities while the poor struggled for food, housing and Medicare. This is the elite class that
Dear Mr. Karygiannis:
I always think that when intelligent people do unintelligent things it is because they are either ignorant or plainly ill-spirited. I have noted that you have set up a petition to the Conservative Government to have an emergency debate on Venezuela's democracy, "calling for the Canadian Government to support the Venezuelan diaspora's efforts of restoring true democracy to Venezuela". You state that "the people of Venezuela are suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez". Where have you obtained this information from? According to accounts from respected Latin American and world institutions, this is far from the truth.
Restoring Democracy to Venezuela? I wonder what you mean by this. In Venezuela, under the President Hugo Chávez government, there have been 14 Elections in 14 years. President Chávez only lost one election, results he respected. This confirms that President Chávez has faced the polls with more elections than any other government.
In the most recent presidential elections in 2012, 81% of Venezuelans voted in an exemplary manner, the turnout was a far greater level of participation than in previous elections. On October 7, 2012, 8, 133, 952 million Venezuelans not only voted for Chávez to be re-elected as President but they also voted for the Bolivarian Socialism to continue. This strong preference was also demonstrated in the State Governors and State Legislators elections held on December 16, 2012, in which the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, (PSUV, Chávez’s party) won 20 of the 23 states in Venezuela, including in 5 states which were for a long time ruled by the right wing opposition MUD.
Jimmy Carter stated before the election in 2012 in Venezuela, “As a matter of fact, of the 92 elections that we’ve monitored, I would say that the election process in Venezuela is the best in the
world.”
Does “restoring democracy” mean to give power to the wealthy elites who misgoverned Venezuela for so many years despite the will of the people of Venezuela who have clearly stated they want to continue building the path of participatory democracy with social justice? As far as I know this is not what we know as democracy. The people of Venezuela have spoken, the elite must listen and accept they lost election after election as they will probably lose the next municipal election in May 2013.
You also state that "the people of Venezuela are suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez". Again I am perplexed at your seemingly biased conclusions. Who are the people of Venezuela who are “suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chávez” you are referring to?
Are you referring to the elite class who ran the country for over 40 years when human rights were violated with impunity? The international community paid no heed to people who opposed government corruption, disappearing, torture and murders, CIA led secret police and the slaughter by the state forces of 3,000 humble people on the Streets of Caracas in 1989. They all supported the kidnapping of President Hugo Chávez and the coup d'etat that deposed his democratically elected government in 2002. Coup that lasted 48 hours as the people rose up to demand his re-instatement.
The same elite class that as a result of the Arab oil embargo of 1973 which led to a further swelling of elite government coffers, allowing them to get richer, live a scandalous luxurious life and educate their children in expensive US universities while the poor struggled for food, housing and Medicare. This is the elite class that
gave full access for US and other European multinationals to fully benefit from the oil, mining and other natural
resources, only to lose those privileges when Hugo Chávez won the presidency for the first time in 1998.
The same elite class that at the present time and as part of destabilizing campaign are over-pricing and hoarding of basic goods, from toilet paper to sugar and are funding armed men to create violence to create chaos in order to get the attention of those in the international community who fall in their trap.
The “diaspora” you may be referring to, was once part of Venezuela’s oil elite, maybe “brilliant professionally” trained in foreign universities who had to leave because they could no longer benefit from corrupt deals they were used to.
I am perplexed that you ignore the vast majority of Venezuelans. Those who have in a very exemplary way, chosen the path they want their country to follow.
The reason why a majority of the Venezuelans, and particularly amongst those from the working class and the poor, support Chávez so enthusiastically, is because he has challenged the powerful ruling class and imperialism and has delivered tangible, concrete improvement in their living conditions, GDP per capita doubled, infant mortality halved, poverty decreased by two thirds and it now 6.97%, illiteracy has been eradicated and hundreds of thousands have gained access to the education system, and above all, because Venezuelans see for the first time in their lives that their direct participation in grassroots politics bring about social change.
When governments from the European and North American nations are imposing “austerity” measures on the already suffering population, Chávez has widened the state pension program for the elderly, raised the minimum wage by 30%, reduced employment rate from 20% to 7 %, has built over 400 thousand homes for the poor and middle class, implemented education programs and has created a subsidized food program. Recently Mr. José Graziano da Silva, Director of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) declared Venezuela a nation that has reached food sovereignty for its people.
In terms of education, only in 14 years of being in government, Chávez has built more than 20 universities making Venezuela the 5th in the world with the highest free university enrollment and education and adult education campaigns have helped to improve literacy rates among the adults.
I am sorry Hon. Jim Karygiannis, I do not know what is the Venezuelan people you claim are “suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chavez”, you are referring to, because as far as factual information is concerned, the majority of Venezuelans, especially the poor and middle class are not suffering, on the contrary,they are happy Chávez is their president.
No wonder, The Washington Post highlighted a global happiness survey released last year by the polling firm Gallup, which found that Venezuela is the fifth happiest country in the world. According to the poll, 64 percent of Venezuelan respondents said their well-being was thriving.
We hope other governments in the world would opt for emancipation and independence and put people first not corporations’ greedy thirst for profits, as President Chávez so lovingly and valiantly has done for his people.
I urge you to reflect and cancel this petition that does not reflect well on your party. Continuing with this action, misinformed about the reality, will only show that your actions are not the result of ignorance but of mean spiritedness and lack of political intelligence.
Sincerely,
Alfredo Marroquin
The same elite class that at the present time and as part of destabilizing campaign are over-pricing and hoarding of basic goods, from toilet paper to sugar and are funding armed men to create violence to create chaos in order to get the attention of those in the international community who fall in their trap.
The “diaspora” you may be referring to, was once part of Venezuela’s oil elite, maybe “brilliant professionally” trained in foreign universities who had to leave because they could no longer benefit from corrupt deals they were used to.
I am perplexed that you ignore the vast majority of Venezuelans. Those who have in a very exemplary way, chosen the path they want their country to follow.
The reason why a majority of the Venezuelans, and particularly amongst those from the working class and the poor, support Chávez so enthusiastically, is because he has challenged the powerful ruling class and imperialism and has delivered tangible, concrete improvement in their living conditions, GDP per capita doubled, infant mortality halved, poverty decreased by two thirds and it now 6.97%, illiteracy has been eradicated and hundreds of thousands have gained access to the education system, and above all, because Venezuelans see for the first time in their lives that their direct participation in grassroots politics bring about social change.
When governments from the European and North American nations are imposing “austerity” measures on the already suffering population, Chávez has widened the state pension program for the elderly, raised the minimum wage by 30%, reduced employment rate from 20% to 7 %, has built over 400 thousand homes for the poor and middle class, implemented education programs and has created a subsidized food program. Recently Mr. José Graziano da Silva, Director of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) declared Venezuela a nation that has reached food sovereignty for its people.
In terms of education, only in 14 years of being in government, Chávez has built more than 20 universities making Venezuela the 5th in the world with the highest free university enrollment and education and adult education campaigns have helped to improve literacy rates among the adults.
I am sorry Hon. Jim Karygiannis, I do not know what is the Venezuelan people you claim are “suffering daily at the hands of Hugo Chavez”, you are referring to, because as far as factual information is concerned, the majority of Venezuelans, especially the poor and middle class are not suffering, on the contrary,they are happy Chávez is their president.
No wonder, The Washington Post highlighted a global happiness survey released last year by the polling firm Gallup, which found that Venezuela is the fifth happiest country in the world. According to the poll, 64 percent of Venezuelan respondents said their well-being was thriving.
We hope other governments in the world would opt for emancipation and independence and put people first not corporations’ greedy thirst for profits, as President Chávez so lovingly and valiantly has done for his people.
I urge you to reflect and cancel this petition that does not reflect well on your party. Continuing with this action, misinformed about the reality, will only show that your actions are not the result of ignorance but of mean spiritedness and lack of political intelligence.
Sincerely,
Alfredo Marroquin
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