[March 18, 2014] While Americans and the rest of the world are focused on the developments in the Ukraine and the mystery of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, there are important U.S. leadership matters regarding Venezuela that are being overshadowed. Attention to the slow disintegration of the socialist economy and on-going violence, in our own hemisphere, has more key issues effecting Americans.
Last year I sat on the border between Venezuela and Columbia. I watched as the Columbian army interdicted large-scale cocaine distribution networks, often aided by the Venezuelan army by Venezuela-supported terrorist groups (like the communist FARC). Yes, that means that part of the socialist-based economy is supported by selling hard drugs in considerable quantities.
Successful socialist economies cannot exist on the hard work of their citizenry and efficiencies of their domestic organizations. They must have major natural resources to export to make up for an unproductive population. In the case of Venezuela its exports are oil and cocaine. Yet, between government corruption and incompetency, Venezuela continues to struggle – now with commodity shortages and rising unemployment.
Over the past month in Venezuela there continues to be demonstrations and protests against the government, mostly over their inadequate handling of the economy. To add insult to injury, it is now reported that the government has invited the Cuban military to assist inside the country. Venezuela exports oil to Cuba as a subsidy.
While there has been some minimal reporting by world media organizations and almost daily (yet small) demonstrations by Venezuelan-Americans in the U.S., our government senior leadership has largely ignored it. The issue of illegal drug exports is important, yet there has been no notable international or American condemnation and very little action.
While the Russian activity in southern Ukraine must be addressed, there is no definitive or unified action by Europe and America – there is much rhetoric however.
A growing Venezuelan freedom movement that has visions of democracy is gaining strength. U.S. leadership could be leading the world in support of this movement but alas, we have neither a strategy to address it or the will to support it.
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Photo is of the Communist FARC terrorist group.