Venezuelanalysis

The latest VA podcast episode dives into the recent Congress on Communal Democracy, exploring its history, participants, and its mission to build grassroots alternatives to “liberal democracy.”

Host José Luis Granados Ceja, fellow VA member Cira Pascual Marquina and Catalan activist Isa Chacón discuss the limits of current political systems, the power of collective self-determination and autonomy, and examples of communal governance in Venezuela and elsewhere. Closing with a call for global solidarity, the congress’ manifesto champions anti-imperialism, radical social transformation, and a new path forward beyond the status quo.

The latest Venezuelanalysis podcast episode catches up on the latest developments from Venezuela on many fronts.

Host José Luis Granados Ceja is joined by fellow VA writer Andreína Chávez Alava to discuss the recent arrests of foreign nationals and weapons seizures, the XVI BRICS Summit, and new corruption allegations in the Venezuelan oil industry.

With the Venezuelan opposition in disarray following its most recent attempts to take power, the ball is now in Washington's court. Where does the US empire go from here?

Venezuelanalysis podcast host José Luis Granados Ceja and editor Ricardo Vaz went over the different scenarios in the latest episode. The conversation also covered the plunder of assets like CITGO, the thirst for Venezuelan resources and the global interconnectedness of imperialism.

The Venezuelan political landscape has seen the farthest-right sectors, led by María Corina Machado, emerge as the leaders of the opposition. But this trend is far from unique to Venezuela. From Argentina to Italy, and with the Gaza genocide as the ugliest exponent, fascism and its violent impact are growing.

In the latest VA podcast episode, staff members José Luis Granados Ceja and Cira Pascual Marquina are joined by writer and podcaster Justin Podur to discuss the alarming rise of fascist forces on a global scale and the grassroots efforts to fight back.

Following a short hiatus, the Venezuelanalysis Podcast is back with a new format. On-the-ground staff members are set to feature more prominently, with the podcast now published on YouTube and delivered on a more regular basis.

In this episode, host José Luis Granados Ceja is joined by editor Ricardo Vaz to catch up on the latest from Venezuela: renewed US sanctions, Edmundo González's exile, aircraft piracy and lots more!

With the Venezuelan presidential elections fast approaching, Venezuelanalysis members José Luis Granados Ceja and Andreína Chávez sat down for a special podcast episode to discuss a range of topics, from imperialist soft power to corporate media propaganda. 

The brutal US-led sanctions campaign has led grassroots socialist organizations to reinvent themselves and come together to survive the conditions created by the economic blockade. In our latest podcast episode, we go deep into communes and the socialist project in Venezuela, discussing the challenges in building a communal economy, political autonomy and lots more.

Host José Luis Granados Ceja is joined by Venezuelanalysis’ Cira Pascual Marquina who shares her experiences documenting the efforts of communards to build their productive capacity and end their isolation. We also speak with Juan “Juancho” Lenzo, co-founder of Tatuy Televisión and the Communard Union’s communications coordinator, to discuss the genesis of the Communard Union and its role in defending socialism as the strategic horizon of the Bolivarian Revolution.

Music: 

Embandolaos - Los Caimanes Negros

Dionis Bahamonde Alan Gonzalez Eli Rondon y Truk - Comuna o Nada

With the US reimposing oil sanctions, we look at the implications and how grassroots socialist movements hold the key to fighting back. 

On today’s episode we talk with Laura Lorenzo about the Pueblo a Pueblo initiative, a grassroots plan for organizing the production, distribution, and consumption of food that directly connects agricultural producers with urban dwellers. Host José Luis Granados Ceja is also joined by Venezuelanalysis editor Ricardo Vaz to discuss the decision by the Biden administration to once again impose an oil blockade on Venezuela.

Music: 

Embandolaos - Los Caimanes Negros

Tyburcio - Campesino Amigo

The ruling class must establish its hegemony in order to assure its survival, and cultural production is critical to this process, dominance over our cultural lives is indispensable for capitalism to reproduce itself.

As Gramsci wrote: “To achieve a revolutionary perspective, the worker must first be freed of the ideological fetters imposed on him by the cultural organizations of the ruling class.”

On today’s episode we’re talking about culture as a site of political struggle. To address this topic we will speak with Luigino Bracci Roa, a communications activist, expert in digital communications and a rank-and-file worker in Venezuela’s Ministry of Culture. Host José Luis Granados Ceja is also joined by VA’s Andreína Chávez to talk about music as a space for constructive criticism within the Bolivarian process and the role of cultural expressions such as the gaita Zuliana as a reflection of the central place that voices of the people should occupy. 

Music: 

Embandolaos - Los Caimanes Negros

Betulio Medina - La Grey Zuliana

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez sought to build a participatory democracy that would directly include the population in decision making and knew that a robust education system, one that would seek to incorporate those historically excluded from the formal educational system, was indispensable.

From primary school all the way into higher education, Venezuela massively expanded educational opportunities for the population since the onset of the Bolivarian Process. Unfortunately today, under a brutal economic blockade, many of those gains have been rolled back. Venezuela’s public education system suffers from underfunding, with high rates of academic desertion, and low wages for teachers. But better outcomes in education are still possible if there’s the political will to fight for them.

To address this topic, host José Luis Granados Ceja speaks with Dr. Luis Bonilla Molina, former vice-minister for education and current co-director of the Latin American Council for Social Sciences’ International Research Center Other Voices on Education. José Luis also talks to Venezuela Analysis’ Cira Pasqual Marquina about the role of movements and organizers to promote educational inclusion and participation, her own experience as an instructor at the Pluriversidad Patria Grande in Caracas and her efforts at political education through the Escuela de Cuadros program. 

Music: 

Embandolaos - Los Caimanes Negros

Que Vivan los Estudiantes - Los Guaraguao