"We warn the opposition: our revolution is peaceful, but it is not
disarmed. People know we are fighting for the future of humanity. It is
the poor who will reign over the future," President Hugo Chávez recently
announced via his twitter account,@chavezcandanga. In reference to the
right wing opposition he wrote, "They have a plan for violence and
military intervention, backed by imperialism."
Many Venezuelan
and foreign analysts say that the fire in the oil refinery of Amuay,
state of Falcón, was part of the "plan for violence ... backed by
imperialism." Indeed, when looking more closely, we can recognize the
handwriting of the CIA and Mossad all over it.
The Venezuelan
journalist, Modeira Rubia, wrote in Barinas that the fire looked like,
"the result of deliberate sabotage to undermine Hugo Chávez's chances of
victory" in the upcoming presidential elections on the 7th of October.
The fire broke out just 43 days before the election date, a planned and
deliberate attack against the economic heart of Venezuela, its oil
industry.
Percy Francisco Alvarado Godoy, a retired Cuban
Secret Service agent turned journalist, voiced the opinion that the
explosion in the refinery of PDVSA in Amuay could have been executed by
clandestine specialists acting on behalf of the CIA and Mossad. He had
already warned a month before the incident that all sorts of terrorist
acts were to be expected in order to destabilize the country.
Interestingly, the right wing opposition candidate launched a propaganda
blitz immediately after the fire broke out in Amuay, as if he had known
in advance what would happen. But the attempted coup d'état backfired:
the Venezuelan people stand united and support Comandante Chávez, now
more than ever.
His pre-election polls look splendid, reaching
an approval rate of 70 percent, while those of the imperialist puppet
and right wing candidate, the "Majunche" (Mediocre), look miserable.
Four parties withdrew their support for him. The organisations "Vota
Piedra" (Vote Rock), "Cambio Pana" (Change Friend), "Unidad Democratica"
(Democratic Unity) and "Mano por Venezuela" (A Hand for Venezuela)
decided that they will not appear on the right wing opposition's ballot
ticket.
Most Venezuelans are appalled at the opposition's
brutal media war against President Chávez and the stepping up of violent
acts on their territory.
"The counter-revolution, with its
inability to win via electoral means, has a plan to generate violence,
destabilization and intervention before the elections. Such is shown by
the attacks of the right wing's spokespersons and their media that
ranged from calling for Chávez's resignation, to making attacks against
the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), to attacking the National
Electoral Commission," the Frente Francisco Miranda Youth Organization
wrote in its bulletin.
"We must prepare ourselves for the
scenario they call plan B, which the gringo embassy in Caracas and the
CIA are preparing," they warned.
President Hugo Chávez,
however, is harboring his own plans. A long time ago, he started to
fortify the FANB and founded the civic militias for additional vigilance
of the homeland.
Civilians participate in battalions,
specifically geared to them. All strata of society have their own proper
battalions. There are peasant, women, worker and student battalions.
Additionally, young communications specialists form communicational
guerillas, to raise awareness among young people about the media lies of
the Venezuelan right wing fascists.
Each year, April 14 is
celebrated as Day of the Bolivarian Militias, when President Chávez
reminds the population that, "The militias are the people, and the
people are the militias. The armed people and the armed forces are one."
Civic militias have a long tradition in history, from the workers'
guerillas in Russia, who overthrew the Tsar in 1917, to the Cuban
militias, who helped the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro in the late
1950s.
The Venezuelan militias are armed with Russian-made
Kalashnikov AK-47 rifles, effective and versatile weapons, light and
easy to use. The militias assist regular training sessions, just like
the FANB does.
As a former Lieutenant Colonel of the FANB,
President Chávez says that, "A soldier, who is not anti-imperialist, is
not a Venezuelan soldier." He wants to fortify the patriotic spirit and
pride in wearing the Venezuelan uniform.
Hugo Chávez warned
all members of the FANB, National Guard and Militias that the
imperialistic strategy aims at reducing the Venezuelan soldiers' pride
and self-assurance by ridiculing their efforts and achievements.
"Their media bombard us incessantly to minimize our national pride, so
that people will feel ashamed of being Venezuelan soldiers. This is
their strategy, their structure of domination," he pointed out.
President Chávez encourages his people to live according to their
democratic, socialist and patriotic conscience, ignoring all attempts of
manipulation by foreign agents or media.
"Misión Soldadero"
was launched to give Venezuelan soldiers greater benefits by raising
their salaries and upgrading their housing, as 30.000 new homes will be
built in Forte Tiuna (Caracas) to benefit 150.000 military personnel.
Special funds have been created for education, recreation and social
security of the FANB. "A soldier should be able to spend a vacation of
15 days on Margarita Island or in some other Caribbean resort with his
family," the President emphasized.
As Supreme Commander of the
FANB, he has decided to modernize military units and equipment.
Currently, engineer brigades are being transformed, for example the 61st
Brigade of Refurbishment Engineers and the 64th Brigade of Railway
Engineers. Furthermore, tactical units have been installed: the 608th
Support Battalion; the 613th, 621st and 632nd Refurbishment Battalions.
This year, many military maneuvers took place in different regions of the country:
The Venezuelan Navy embarked on drills from the 12th to 16th of May.
Operación Quigua 2012 was carried out to evaluate capacities and
deficiencies of the Navy. Vice Admiral Victor Araujo commanded the
simulation maneuvers which started from the Aeronaval Base Antonio Díaz
on La Orchilla Island in the Caribbean Sea. In the training involved
were amphibious tanks, missile launcher frigates, patrol ships of the
Venezuelan Coast Guard and Sukhoi fighter jets.
Furthermore, the FANB undertook a maritime radar vigilance project,
supervised by Admiral Diego Alfredo Molero Bellavía. The radar system
"Vila" was tested to optimize its use in 24/7 coastline surveillance.
In May this year, cadets of the military academies went to El Pao,
state of Cojedes, for training. In an area of about 40.000 hectares they
participated in the simulation of a conventional war against "El País
Imperialista."
The first attack was carried out by Sukhoi
fighter jets Su-30MK2, bought from Russia. In the next attack, tanks
were involved, protected from above by Russian-made MI-35 helicopters.
In the final phase of these exercises, parachutists dropped from the
sky.
Brian Dugarte, a young cadet, commented, "We cadets of
today bring a new spirit to the Bolivarian military." adding that the
five Venezuelan military academies (Army, Navy, National Guard and
Technical Military) constitute "a great family."
Scarlette
Rengijo, one of the 350 female cadets studying at the Bolivarian
Military University, stressed the importance of cadets accomplishing
such drills like those of El Pao. "We are prepared for reality. We are
military defending the sovereignty of our homeland," she said.
From the 7th to 17th of May, a group of fighter aircraft carried out the
Yavire 01-02 exercises at the air base "Capitán Manuel Ríos" in the
state of Guárico. Sixty-one professional fighter pilots with 7 Russian
Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighter jets went on training missions to improve their
operative readiness and combat capacity.
From the 17th to 19th
of May, Venezuelan militias and cadets engaged in simulated phases of a
"prolonged war." The drills took place in Higuerote-Mamporal, state of
Miranda, and consisted of several tasks, such as defending more than 100
kilometers of coastline in case of a hostile invasion. They also
received instructions on how to use and operate explosives.
In
the last week of May, the military airfield of Santa Elena de Uairen,
state of Bolívar, saw the joint exercises VENBRA VI of the Venezuelan
and Brasilian Air Forces. The drills included reconnaissance flights
over the Amazonian jungle on both sides of the borderline, with combined
training of communications and control. These maneuvers also proved to
be helpful for the pilots in exchanging their experiences with
surveillance logistics.
The Venezuelan-Colombian border is
another sensitive area, where the FANB dispatched about 3.500 men for
surveillance. Air Force brigades, tanks and logistics units are
operating along the border in cooperation with their Colombian
counterparts.
Operación Centinela II 2012 is aimed against
narcotrafficking and contraband, according to General Henry Rangel
Silva, the Venezuelan Minister of Defense. "This is an offensive to
fight anarchist groups, criminals without nationality, who are trying to
incrust themselves along our border on a permanent basis," the general
explained.
Operación Centinela I had already been successfully
accomplished in March 2011, with 15.000 military personnel along the
Venezuelan borders to Brasil, Guayana and Colombia.
During
the past decade, Venezuela bought various military equipment from China,
with more to come soon. In July 2012, a contract was signed to acquire
Chinese amphibious tanks, communications and logistics systems for the
Venezuelan Marine Infantry. The Government approved 500 million USD so
that, "Venezuela will possess Armed Forces which are more powerful day
by day," according to Hugo Chávez.
In August this year, Admiral
Diego Molero Bellavía announced the purchase of eight Chinese
anti-submarine helicopters. They will be used with the Venezuelan patrol
ships, type Avante 1.400 and Avante 2.400. The Chinese helicopters,
type Harbin Z9C, are manufactured by the Harbin Aircraft Corporation.
Furthermore, a contract was signed to buy Chinese radio communications
systems. The China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation
(CEIEC) will sell these modern systems to the Compania Anónima de
Industrias Militares (CAVIM) in Venezuela.
Of course, proper
instruction and maintenance are just as important. Venezuelan military
personnel travelled to China in August this year to receive flight
training and maintenance instruction for Y-8 planes. Major General José
Gregorio Pérez Escalona informed that Venezuelan military pilots and
technicians had embarked on training and instruction courses for several
weeks in China.
In 2011, Venezuela bought eight Chinese Y-8
planes. The Y-8 has four engines, a transport capacity of 88 passengers
and 20 tonnes of cargo, non-stop flight time is 7.5 hours.
This
summer, the Venezuelan Navy refurbished its Lupo frigates, Mariscal
Sucre class, with Chinese help, according to the Navy Commander, Admiral
Diego Alfredo Molero Bellavía. In a press note, the admiral confirmed
that maintenance and modernization works were to be completed on the
frigates in Puerto Cabello.
Russia is the other country selling
military equipment to Venezuela. Two new battalions of T72 tanks are
expected to be delivered by the end of 2012.
In July this year,
a conference took place with the Commander of the Venezuelan Air Force,
Major General José Gregorio Pérez Escalona, and a Russian delegation of
19 experts. The objective was to discuss the maintenance of Russian
SU-30MK2 Sukhoi fighter jets and Russian helicopters, types MI-17, MI-26
and MI-35, in Venezuela. The Russian delegation went on an inspection
tour, giving technical advice.
As every year, in 2012 Chinese
and Russian military equipment was displayed during the military parade
on Venezuela's Day of Independence, the 5th of July.
Parading
along Paseo los Próceres in Caracas, 1.800 soldiers, cadets and militias
celebrated the 201st anniversary of the Venezuelan Declaration of
Independence. The 5th of July has also been declared as Day of the
Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
It is always an exciting
spectacle for young and old to see the colorful costumes and fancy
outfits, for example the Presidential Honor Guard in their Husar
uniforms from the times of Simón Bolívar during Venezuela's War of
Independence against the Spanish crown.
The 311th Infantry
Battalion "Simón Bolívar" carried Russian AKA 103 Kalashnikov assault
rifles. The peasant and women militias trotted along the presidential
stand with brisk steps, singing, "We will win, Comandante! We pass in
front! We are here!" The special forces of the FANB came with their
heads covered in black, presenting Russian Dragunov sniper rifles.
"We want to give stability to Venezuela: political, social, economic
and institutional stability," President Chávez said during his welcome
speech. "Among our most important institutions, we are proud to present
the FANB. The Venezuelan National Armed Forces are here to defend our
nation and to neutralize all destabilizing attempts," Hugo Chávez
concluded.
Today, the FANB is better equipped, trained and
ready for combat than ever before, thanks to President Chávez and the
Bolivarian Government of Venezuela.
Adelante, Comandante. Hasta la victoria siempre.
By Olivia Kroth
Prepared for publication by:
Lisa Karpova
Pravda.Ru
