First of all, Venezuela and the entire world have witnessed today the US Department of State Spokesman, that is, the US Department of State, speaking in support of ExxonMobil attempts at damaging the energy, economic interests of the Venezuelan people and nation.
The remarks by Department of State Spokesman Sean McCormick just make things clearer. The US government is behind the ExxonMobil plot. Such remarks mirror what the entire world and all of us know. The power structure in the United States is sheer representation of the multinational oligarchy and bourgeoisie. It is the state of multinationals which simply operates through the political power, in this case, the Department of State.
The spokesman says that the US government deems it a trade dispute and Venezuela must pay a fair compensation. It is the other way around. It is not a trade issue; it is a political dispute. On the one hand, the government of President Hugo Chávez exerts its sovereignty and rescues the oil sovereignty for all Venezuelans and for our hemispheric sovereignty. On the other hand, the government of the United States of America and its domestic lackeys drafted the laws during the eighties and nineties to grasp the biggest oil reserve in the world at this present time, that is, the Orinoco Oil Belt.
It is a dispute, but a political, geopolitical and historical one between the sovereignty recovered by our country over the Orinoco Oil Belt or the Venezuelan oil, which is indeed Venezuelan now, and the interests of those who would rather take a grip of the Venezuelan oil wealth. And nobody is more willing to do it than the elite that rules the United States of America.
The coups, the sabotages of 2002, 2003 and 2004, and the international, political, media and domestic offensive of the petty persons of the opposition who are well known by all of us, and who try unsuccessfully to create unrest, have one purpose only: to try to destabilize Venezuela. What for? The purpose is the comeback of the same old petty persons, of the old politics, handled directly by the United States and the representatives of the empire interests. They would get their grip on the Venezuelan oil. Yes, it is a dispute indeed, but not commercial by nature. It is a political dispute, because Venezuela made use of its sovereignty. Oil belongs to Venezuela, and will be the Venezuelans' property now more than ever. And now, it is at the service of society, development, building of social equality and Venezuelans' happiness.
What fair compensation is the US government talking about? The Venezuelan people and the people of the South of the world are the ones who deserve to be compensated; the poor and needy of this planet, which have been plundered by ExxonMobil for almost one century. ExxonMobil has financed coups, looted the oil wealth. And Venezuelans wonder, “Who is accountable to history, justice and public opinion for this sacking of our country by ExxonMobil?”
They are those who appear on the media, surrender and get down on their knees to the empire; they try to confuse everyone and fish in troubled waters, like Giusti. Everybody knows him. He is a direct advisor to President George W. Bush. He is only one of these petty persons who have been very active lately, engaged in political and judicial lobbying throughout the world.
The government of President Hugo Chávez has given a fair, historical, sovereign and lawful answer. We, Venezuelans, as it happened today, should be united and move on, in the street, with much strength, ability and expression.
Over the next few days, we will take part in a wide variety of Latin American and world ambits to continue working on the active solidarity of our governments, of social movements across the world, which are keenly aware of this fight; which back the defense by the Venezuelan people of the country’s oil and energy sovereignty.
The sad remarks by the Department of State Spokesman uncover the US government, which is behind this ploy. This is the price to be paid by those of us, who want to be free and sovereign forever.
Any multinationals willing to share their investments based on respect to sovereignty, the Constitution and the laws; ready to have a mutually beneficial relationship are welcome. As a matter of fact, following nationalization of the Orinoco Oil Belt last May 1st, they have held talks and reached successful agreements.
Today, Venezuela manages its resources in a sovereign, wise manner, with very clear standards.
PDVSA workers and people in general are determined to defend, with much consciousness, the oil, political sovereignty of our country.