Free market capitalism is economic system of choice for Venezuela, according to President of National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez, Newsmax interview consistently tried to inquire about socialism, China and Russia. Responses of Jorge Rodríguez were surprisingly geared towards convergence to longtime United States goals. Newsmax host also asked about elections that would be called during next five years. Jorge Rodríguez replied about a long-standing agreement that must be made: between a variety of opposition factors exerting political life within Venezuela, as well as any exiles who would choose to come back.
Amnesty law is about to be approved today. Discussions of Amnesty Law however are expected to be a bit more tense than previously, such as release and subsequent detention back into prison of extremist politician Juan Pablo Guanipa confirms that there is an intolerant sector of Venezuelan society who just wishes to promote guarimbas, violent protests, and immediate regime change in violation of agreements that were supplied for release of prisoners prior to approval of Amnesty Law. Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior and Justice explained that there are limits, considerations, and other fine print attached to liberations. Not all persons suspected to have committed political crimes may be released if they represent a threat to Venezuela’s peace and stability.
Most of Venezuela’s opposition has judiciously engaged in civilized dialogue, tempting for reconciliation, while Juan Pablo Guanipa instead of spending time with his family: went back immediately into propaganda arena, promoting requirements on imminent presidential elections that are not scheduled until 2030. Just as Newsmax reporter conceded, Public Ministry Attorney General has already expressed a legal opinion that conditions for release of Juan Pablo Guanipa were not honored. So it is likely that he will remain in either conventional prison at Maripérez or transferred back into domicile prison: so that he may enjoy a more comfortable life. However, priority will shift to remaining political prisoners that are still in a number of prisons within Venezuelan territory, and metamorphosis of Helicoide into a community center for police community and Santa Rosaliía municipality.
Back to Jorge Rodriguez, he has clearly expressed that focus of his conversations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio mostly promote reconciliation and stability. Calling for elections immediately does neither promote reconciliation nor stability. Foreign investors are at advanced stages of investment planning. Any diversion from an economic growth emphasis might slow down their entrance into Venezuelan market. Although it is also a fact that the longer any international company takes to invest in Venezuela, the higher price it will have to pay for assets and increased market share: as competitors from all over world are setting up shop as we speak.
Expressions of hatred against reconciliation and accusations to citizens to become new prisoners, because they have supported previous Chávez or Maduro governments, are abundant in social media. All of those instances must be treated as hate crimes. Extremists are proposing to violently get into power, requiring United States to launch a second Delta Force attack. While United States is already busy planning military strategies for both Iran and Cuba, as Venezuelan case has been militarily solved.
Marco Rubio expressed to Jorge Rodríguez that defense of Venezuelan sovereignty is a matter of Venezuelans: which entails that contrary to public opinion, United States cherishes Venezuela as a sovereign country, and is helping out to promote stability and conditions for economic investment. Donald Trump’s main goal is to drill as much petroleum as possible, which is in total agreement with president of National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez, who a number of times has reiterated that oil underground is useless. Oil wealth must be produced and commercialized to earn a flow of income that will allow Venezuela to build hospitals, roads, and other investment assets.
Initial reactions to Newsmax interview to Jorge Rodríguez are intending to destroy Newsmax: as a conservative news outlet from Make America Great Again movement. While Jorge Rodríguez may be incorporated into MAGA movement on its Venezuelan version. Interestingly, red is color that distinguishes both Republican and Socialist parties in United States and Venezuela respectively. However, Delcy Rodríguez, president of Venezuela and sister of Jorge Rodríguez, once expressed that her political party is not Socialist Party: but Somos Venezuela new party, which is distinguished by pink color. Double militancy in simultaneous parties is not allowed. As Venezuela is not entering an election phase in near future, no updated information on these political party affiliations and discrepancies may become apparent.
Venezuela is strictly focused on stabilization, recovery, and reconciliation. We now must turn our attention to deterring those people who do not wish to reconcile. Juan Pablo Guanipa does not wish to reconcile. He wishes to promote confrontation on streets and asking for extemporary elections. Many of his claims are not supported by Venezuela’s constitution. Senator Rick Scott, crazy Cuban representatives and extremist unqualified for office María Machado are all a small subset of individuals: who have clearly expressed a preference for not reconciling. Sufficient voices within Venezuelan homeland will require them to be off limits, as they are considered criminals against homeland.
Venezuela is expected to continue its honeymoon with United States as Venezuela once again. That already happened during 1950s and 1960s. We are one of most reliable partners of United States, which is cluttered by a number of diplomatic impasses with several countries in the world. Domestically, as midterm elections approach, United States seems to be tilting and shifting towards Democratic party, leaving Republicans just as a core of true American values allies: including new government of Venezuela led by constitutional president Delcy Rodríguez and President of National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez.
Even Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior and Justice, sounds sober. He does not sound as threatening as he used to. He is no longer bullying opposition as he used to. However, he is making clear there are limits to Amnesty Law, especially if they are supported by Venezuela’s attorney general. While Venezuela and United States enjoy beautiful relations in diplomacy and economics, we must remember that Marco Rubio has expressed explicitly to Jorge Rodríguez that Venezuela’s sovereignty and internal affairs are a matter of Venezuelans. Venezuela is already being considered as a sovereign independent country by United States: as long as we comply with stabilization, a preference for Western Hemisphere, and an emphasis on free market capitalism, which are requirements that both Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez seem determined to follow.
It is likely that Delcy Rodríguez and Jorge Rodríguez actually betrayed former President Nicolás Maduro. Nicolás Maduro would have never have expressed in such emphatic and final version that Americas or Western Hemisphere are priority of Venezuela: as former President Maduro was rather focused on multilateralism and Global South issues. Former President Nicolás Maduro was not free market oriented, as he was always preferring workers communist approaches for economic transactions: featuring oppression, colonialism and other confrontational traditional attitudes against free market capitalism. Former President Nicolás Maduro preferred opaque petroleum arrangements that benefited his former allies Russia and China, whose output of petroleum was never substantially increased.
PDVSA has reported increases in Orinoco Belt outputs over last weekend, as some wells that were operating below capacity have recently been applied investment that will make them pump further outputs. We shall expect a more speedy accumulation of crude that will be exported into United States and other energy markets through traders approved such as Vittol. Once Amnesty Law is passed and political prisoners are released, which should happen in next few hours, luminaries of extremism will be forced to end their chaotic show. Venezuelans will again be induced to think in economic terms: such as benefits of investment coming through reformed hydrocarbon law, as explained by Jorge Rodríguez to Newsmax reporter. Jorge Rodríguez finished his interview with a message to Donald Trump: that Venezuela is an available friend for investment. Win win negotiations are available for both Americans and Venezuelans.
Critics of aforementioned interview assume that people only hold a specific set of beliefs during their entire lifetimes, neglecting possibility that people actually change their mind as they please. Whenever they realize that their previous belief systems did not work out, Jorge Rodriguez explained that a socialist oriented law, as hydrocarbons law was before last week, prevented free market capitalist companies to invest in Venezuela. Oil output decreased. Now we are reverting back into capitalism. Many examples of countries in world have suggested that countries indeed go back from socialism back to capitalism. Certainly that will be Cuba’s future once Donald Trump, Díaz Canel and Castro family reach an agreement on how to liberalize the island’s economy, and how country would be run from now on.
In case of Venezuela, Delcy and Jorge Rodríguez either changed their minds or they were always capitalistic. However, to remain in power and secure their ascent to highest power positions, they needed to lie and pretend they were socialist: when they were actually capitalist. Only time will tell exact reasons why Jorge and Delcy Rodríguez so successfully departed from unsuccessful communist ideology of deposed Nicolás Maduro. There are even rumors that Nicolasito Maduro Guerra, son of former deposed president Nicolás Maduro, was also within wide range conspiration against his father. Nicololasito was well raised and pampered with capitalistic fortune: as a result of monies earned by corruption of his father. He may now want to clean up his image and clean up his conscience, as well as he would like to work for a more inclusive and prosperous and reconciled country.
Reconciliation again is first and foremost. Extremist opposition does not wish to reconcile. Anyone who does not wish to reconcile shall be considered as criminal: as they are unwilling to promote peace and prosperity for Venezuela and the Americas. Political prisoners who are about to be released are encouraged to campaign on basis of reconciliation and economic growth. Any politician who gets out of jail and suggests untimely elections, regime change, street protests, guarimbas and other activities that will produce uncertainty will be likely candidates of being reverted back to prison, as conditions for guaranteeing their return into civilized society will likely have been breached.
Rubén Rivero