Review of “Venezuela in Light of Anti-American Parties and Affiliations in Latin America”

Abstract: This article offers an overview of the structure of those political parties and international organizations most relevant to the current goings-on in northern South America and the Caribbean. It highlights a network of revolutionary-left parties and concludes with a working hypothesis regarding the network’s conspiratorial prospects.

Keywords: 21st Century Socialism, Sao Paolo Forum, Transnational Criminal Organizations, Political Science

Party Affiliation in Latin America and Connection to Political Movements

Venezuela in Light of Anti-American Parties and Affiliations in Latin America was written by Lt. Col. Geoff Demarest, JD, PhD and published in Military Review Online in June of 2019.

The author argues that one needs to become familiar with the ideological signaling and collaborative habits of an armful of militant-left organizations in order to understand the Bolivarian Movement that has lead to the economic crisis and deterioration of democracy in Venezuela.

As a multi-national movement predicated on the idea that pan-Latin American revolution should be accimplished “by any means necessary,” Bolivarianism is defined by it’s soaring rhetoric and criminal behavior.

First Tier:

  1. The Cuban Communist Party (PCC)
  2. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)
  3. The Brazilian Workers Party (PT)

Second Tier:

  1. The Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional or FSLN) in Nicaragua.
  2. Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo or MAS) in Bolivia.
  3. Dominican Liberation Party (Partido de Liberación Dominicana or PLD) in the Dominican Republic.

These organizations wield enhanced influence within the above described composite in that they control their respective country-level governments.

Associated Groups:

  1. FARC-EP
  2. ELN

Umbrella Organizations

  1. The Forum of São Paulo (Foro de São Paulo or FSP)
  2. The Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (Conferencia Permanente de Partidos Políticos de América Latina y el Caribe or COPPPAL).

The Sao Paolo Forum’s Origins

Lula da Silva’s Worker’s Party was the organizing force behind the first Sao Paolo conference. Foreshadowing the corruption that was to later shown via Operation Car Wash, the first conference later lead to corruption charges being brought against the organizers for misappropriation of public sector funds.

A number of the FSP associated parties run the offices of the chief executive of their respective countries. This includes Ecuador’s PAIS Alliance (Patria Altiva y Soberana Alianza), El Salvador’s Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional or FMLN), Uruguay’s Broad Front (Frente Amplio or FA), and Mexico’s National Regeneration Movement (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional or MORENA).

This does not mean that only one party per country is given credentials to attend.

While none of these following Colombian political parties have much electoral support, all are members of the Foro de Sao Paulo.

(1) Patriotic March (Marcha Patriótica)
(2) Progressive Movement (Movimiento Progresista)
(3) Green Alliance Party (Partido Alianza Verde)
(4) Colombian Communist Party (Partido
(5) Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Alternativo)
(6) Here for Socialism (Presentes por el Socialismo)
(7) Patriotic Union (Unión Patriótica)
(8) Citizen Power Movement (Movimiento Poder Ciudadano)

Given that some of the above mentioned groups are designated terrorist organizations and that there is an increasing suspiscion as to the motivations and goals of the actors involved Sao Paolo Forum – other organizations act as front groups for their interests. The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, or ALBA) “advances PCC and PSUV positions on a complete range of international issues.”

The author closes his article with the statement that until these extraregional entites and their coercive associates are weakened, that democratization in Venezuela will be more difficult – an assessment made evident by the fact that the Cuban military now occupies a significant role in the functioning of the government of the PSUV.

While Venezuela in Light of Anti-American Parties and Affiliations in Latin America only takes Venezuela as it’s subject, it’s also worth mentioning in this review that the Forum’s influence is not limited to Latin America. Thus this ends the literature review. Below continues with an extension of the author’s thesis – which relates to my own movement of movements thesis.

The PSUV and the FARC-EP

One of the recurring tropes used by the PSUV and their political accomplices is that everyone that seeks to maintain a global political order based on laws is a Nazi.

As of other journalists and investigators have pointed out – the FARC and ELN have recieved arms, vehicles and special treatment from Nicholas Maduro. Nicholas Maduro even welcomed FARC leaders while at the Sao Paolo Forum to “set up base” in Venezuela.

Given the effectiveness that these organizations have had in helping leftist parties win office in Latin America – one would expect them to try to export the process. And indeed they have!

U.S. Social Forum: The North American Iteration of the  Sao Paolo Forum

The United States Social Forum, like the New Horizons Conference in Iran, presents an opportunity for the assessment and recruitment of political activists by foreign intelligence services.

The United States Social Forum emerged from American political activists collaboratings with numerous radical political action groups. 15,000 people and numerous organizations attended the first convergence in 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia and there have been several other regional and national Forums since then.

This, however, is not the extent of influence that can be charted. Indeed, a number of American political activists connected to the United States Social Forum have travelled to the Sao Paulo Forum.

Americans at the Sao Paulo Forum

American organizations associated with the Sao Paolo Forum include political parties – such as the Communist Party USA and the Green Party, as well as movements such as Code Pink, Black Lives Matters, CISPES.

As is evident from the above flyer, there are several  U.S. organizations whose political activities, rhetoric and goals align with that of the Anti-American Parties which normally attend the Forum.

Indeed Black Lives Matter founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors were present at the first United States Social Forum while Opal Tometti has recieved an award from her activism from Nicolas Maduro.

The United Socialist Party of America

Conceptual Map of the United Socialist Party of America. Important to note is that this excludes other NGOs and movements that fit into their activities.

Given all this I believe it’s worth reconceiving how Socialist Parties within the United States are viewed.

In Venezuela the PSUV brought sundry Socialist political activists together due to the charisma and policies of Hugo Chavez.

It seems reasonable to state that a similar political alignment, which I call the United Socialist Party of America, has also formed. But rather than love of a leaders, it’s around hatred manufactured against President Donald Trump.

Carlos Ron, the Counselor of Political Affairs at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the larger, bald man two seats away from the 1st Annual People’s Congress of Resistance Convention.

This development isn’t some organic happenstance, but something that has been manufactured in large part by a variety of Venezuelan political officials – like Carlos Ron, pictured above. Carlos along with Jesus “Chucho” Garcia, Jorge Arreaza and other diplomats have frequently attended socialist events in the United States – be it at Party of Socialism and Liberation meetings or at events held at the People’s Forum in New York – an obvious nod to the Social Forum. What the extent of their influence has been – be it funding, access to goods and services, etc. – is something for another article.