In the face of the anti-communist threats from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, unity between both progressives and the Venezuelan left within the framework of the Bolivarian Revolution is essential, guided by the ideological and moral principles of the "three roots" and Hugo Chávez himself. Division could lead to a far-right government.
The case of Bolivia, among other experiences, should serve as a lesson. It is not about supporting factions or particular groups, nor about personal interests or sympathies. Alongside organized popular power, the working class, the peasantry, and patriotic students, it is crucial to recover the true direction of the Bolivarian process, guided by the example of the radical Patriotic Society, the War of Independence, the Federal War as envisioned by Zamora, and the rise of Commander Chávez. This is without diminishing the anti-imperialist ideological significance of Pío Tamayo, Salvador de la Plaza, Gustavo Machado, and the heroic young people who formed the guerrilla forces of the 20th century.
It is crucial to avoid the "failed state" and "tutelage state" narratives, which would force us to abandon the Bolivarian Revolution, a complex process due to the multi-class nature of the ruling party. The political and ideological task will be to win back the factions of the revolutionary left that unconditionally supported Chávez. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the differences between the government's position in the balance of power and the Bolivarian process itself.
The time has come for the ideological, political, and theoretical recovery of the national left's historical memory, under the most honest critique and self-critique, to chart the course for the struggle for sovereignty outside of any postmodern "left" position based on the thesis of the "traitorous government." Of course, we demand the autonomy of the national executive and the restoration of forces aligned with People's Power, but not outside its sphere of constant transformation as an expression of the class struggle.
Reading sociologist José Antonio Egido's article, "Decoloniality, the Latest Anti-Marxist Artifact Produced in North American Universities," invites a much-needed debate on the complex horizon currently facing the nation-state. "Decoloniality does not seek to enrich the ideological heritage that animates the national liberation struggle of oppressed peoples. It aims to fuel anti-Marxist prejudices in order to preserve right-wing hegemony..."
