Published at: 21/02/2024 09:00 PM

• That day, Carlos Andrés Pérez, aligned with Washington, announced a series of macroeconomic adjustments that suddenly subjected the People of Venezuela to shock measures such as the sudden increase to 100% of gasoline, the 30% increase in public transport, the release of interest rates, mass layoffs of public employees, the privatization at “skinny chicken” prices of profitable State companies, the elimination of incentives for agriculture, the elimination of student travel, the increase in the cost of public services and control of exchange.
• This package of neoliberal measures implemented by the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez and imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), significantly affected the most vulnerable social strata due to food shortages, the high cost of living and the elimination of social investment in housing, health and education.
• The indicators and statistics at the time showed that the economy contracted by 8.1%, the inflation rate rose to 84.5%, while the poverty rate reached 62% of the population, including 30% below the absolute poverty line (National Institute of Statistics-INE, February 27, 2018).
• Exactly two weeks after assuming the presidency in an event known as “The Coronation”, Carlos Andrés Pérez made the announcements, from the Ayacucho Hall of the Miraflores Palace, of the set of measures that brought Venezuela to its knees before the IMF.
• Before taking this disastrous step, President Pérez, very isolated from reality, commented: “What Augusto Pinochet achieved by force of arms, I will achieve with the support of the votes.”
• This megalomaniac comparison of the truth, wanting to be equated with Pinochet in his achievements, with total ignorance of popular intelligence and the social forces that converge in history led to the popular uprising of “El Caracazo”.
• To suppress it, CAP used force of arms, resulting in more than 3,000 people killed, hundreds missing and thousands injured.
• The neoliberal strategy in relation to Venezuela consisted of:

1. The disappearance of Venezuela as a nation state, through the gradual loss of its economic sovereignty, the dismantling of its historical memory and the surrender of its territorial sovereignty.
2. Debt it first to declare it in default (bankruptcy) later.
3. Deregularize the economy and “eternalize foreign debt” with unpayable installments, installments, and interest.
4. Prioritize the interests of national and international banks over the interests of the working classes.
5. Privatize (auction) all state companies, to the highest bidder, even those of strategic value.
6. Abolish free education and health services by privatizing them.
7. Give financial institutions the power to veto any social initiative.
8. Eliminate social investment policies, while eliminating any type of control or subsidy that would protect education, health and/or food.

Mazo News Team