Efrain Chury Iribarne: Lets start with the theme of the upcoming elections in Greece and the interference and pressure from leaders of Western Europe. JP: Yes. It is important to analyze the context, because the Greek context also affects other countries like Iceland, Spain, Italy, Portugal and perhaps some Eastern European countries. But there is a big wave that is on the left now. According to recent polls the Socialist Left Party -Syriza- is leading the polls, with 30%, while the right is 27%. This is because seven years of depression with unemployment rates exceeding 30% and over 60% among youth, loss of income in the order of 40% in pensions and a similar percentage cuts are applied to health. It is in this arc in which the Greek electorate looking for an alternative. But Germany, particularly its prime minister Angela Merkel insisted that Greece must comply with the policies of austerity and continue to pay the debt while the people are suffering so much. That can not be. Syriza has changed into something their proposals, instead of repudiating the debt and march towards a more radical position relative to the capitalists have offered a moratorium on debt and increased public investment. But the response from France, England, Germany -the neoliberal rulers in that area- is very negative. They are doing a campaign of terror, saying that if Greece decides to impose a moratorium and make public investments, they can cut off funding and may even expel Greece from the European Union. This terrorism has had little effect in the meantime, but there is a massive intervention of economic terrorism, media terrorism, and who knows if no other intrigues, more clandestine, that deal with the same electoral process. Now if Syriza wins and starts to implement a progressive program but I say moderate moderate because they are not questioning the European Union, nor capitalism, but want to impose limits on payments abroad to try to stimulate the economy, that may have an effect beyond Greece. In Spain, in Portugal, in France even, because it goes to show that there is an alternative and always, if there is willingness of the government, you can escape the desperate situation that affects millions of people. Then, the Greek elections and confrontations can have a multiple effect and question to the European Union and even its currency, the euro. So I reiterate that much is at stake in this election, beyond that it is a small country. The rulers say a confrontation with Greece have no effect beyond Greece, but I have strong doubts about that because Italy for example, is in a very precarious situation; Spain is even worse; and there are elections coming up in these countries. There are twelve elections this year in Europe and either option, either left or right-wing populism, could give good results for the situation we have seen in the past seven years. ECHI: Let the issue of oil and falling prices. Where noted when US was involved in this? JP: US is fueling this new operating system called fracking (removal of gas by hydraulic fracturing), a type of horizontal drilling, with many subsidies and tax exemptions. Now, at first everyone thought it was a policy to get foreign currency abroad and lower dependence. But I think beyond that, the goal was political in the sense of putting pressure on three countries in particular: Venezuela first, second and third Iran Russia; countries all critics and opponents to the imperialist policy in some sense. US is instrumentalising surplus production at present to develop their geostrategic policies, passing by strengthening its position and weaken, and perhaps topple governments, particularly in Russia and Venezuela. It is difficult to ascertain to what extent Putin forecasts are valid, there is obviously a cyclical period of ups and downs in oil prices historically; in fact we have seen a barrel to $ 120 last year and has dropped to less than 60 by year-end. But what also goes low when demand and supply balances. But beyond that, I think OPEC (OPEC) has more force than estimated Washington, perhaps they can weaken some of the members of the organization, but the whole of OPEC will continue to function as he has worked in the last 40 or 50 years. In any case, it is an economic war that has gone from economic parameters, and will depend on how decisions are handled. Russia is expanding its relations towards Asia, with China, India, Turkey; meanwhile, now Maduro are traveling to China; and Iran has deepened its oil ties with China. So the fact that the worlds largest economy is an alternative market, offers some respite. Like the situation remains serious because revenues go down, and when revenues fall social or budget cuts are evident. And this will focus attention on the oil exporting countries must diversify their economies beyond having a recognition of his people. What matters here is that when you have to impose austerity, one must recognize that the rich and big business are the ones who should make the greatest sacrifice, while the poor should continue to receive subsidies while costs and taxes for the rich are increased. That is, if we need to make restrictions on public spending, the weight must fall on the shoulders of big business and they are also allies of the empire. Then, once the austerity begins to affect them will also weaken the US political leverage. ECHI: is there resistance to fracking in the US? JP: Yes, there are national protests throughout the country. Here in New York is prohibited fracking, the New York governor announced two weeks ago that statewide majority are huge protests and demonstrations against the process, while in the neighboring state, in Pennsylvania are applied with disastrous results on the infrastructure, health with water and land pollution. Then depends on the correlation of forces in each state. In New York we have a great ability to resist this process, with support in all regions of the state, even in the city of New York, because they fear that the waters coming from the north are affected by the chemicals used for removing fuel. Then there are protests but some places are stronger than others. In Texas there are protests but the strength of oil is higher, that occurs in some Midwestern states, from Texas to North Dakota; are quite deserted and there the strength of the oil is stronger states. But here in New York and the Northeast in Vermont or Massachusetts, we will not find fracking, despite reservations in some of these states are minimal. Now, with the low price and high costs, are closing many plans for exploitation because not worth investing when prices are so low. Therefore the low price of oil is also affecting fracking. ECHI: What role does Saudi Arabia in this environment? JP: It is complex. Saudi Arabia is making the game of Washington does not want lower oil production to raise the price, although they say they want to keep the market share they have. There is another argument that Saudi Arabia wants to lower the price to harm producers for fracking in the US; yet another hypothesis says that Saudi Arabia does the game with Washington keeping prices low to harm Iran, which is a declared enemy. And Saudi Arabia has huge reserves, then think they might sacrifice some income if that may have some effect weakening Iran. This is a hypothesis that seems to me worth considering. However, relations between Saudi Arabia and the US are very narrow; many years that the US has military bases there and Saudi Arabia always works with all US wars, whether in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria. That I think is significant when we consider collaboration with the US to lower oil prices. ECHI: How is the social situation in the US? Regarding the clashes between police and citizens. JP: Yesterday had the funeral of another policeman, a Chinese Muró killed two weeks ago. The police continue their protests against the liberal mayor, because he has criticized the police for abuses against African Americans. And yesterday, some policemen turned their backs to the mayor when he was giving a speech. The police are very well organized and ask impunity; want to subordinate to civilian authorities mainly in the city of New York, because here is a great resistance to police abuses in the city. In addition, there are African police also say that police discriminate for promotions within the body. New York is a city where most residents are Hispanic, African American, Asian; and it is a situation where police used their power to abuse especially people of color. Create a big problem because the authorities need the police to control and protect big business and Wall Street investors; meanwhile have to get a majority vote of minorities which are majority. So try to take stock of words, balance, subordinated to the demands of the police. For example, we have not seen any serious investigation into what happened to the strangulation of an African American a few weeks ago. Police are still unpunished, despite everything weve seen so far. Then, pa Police has built a formidable political, very organized power; and when they are upset, they lower crime procedures, begin to loosen the records of robbery, murder, start late, flojean in their work; and this has been evident in the past two weeks when arrests are down 60%. Some say this is normal because what they normally do are small abuses, for example grab a guy smoking pot and put in jail; so now this oversight, this police protest, maybe not as bad as some say. ECHI: It was reported that John Ellis Jeb Bush could aspire to the nomination of the Republican Party. Is that so? JP: Yes, it is a serious candidate, has a strong financial backing, has a base in Florida and has the backing of the Bush Dynasty was the presidents father, the son and now the second youngest. Everything suggests that the representativeness having on the right, Bush is a serious candidate. There are even sections of Wall Street who are favoring Jeb Bush because it is less aggressive among conservative than others, like the Cubans who are aggressive, more reprehensible and have no ability to attract moderates. In the exaggerated US policy for the economic right Bush is being presented as moderate, despite supporting all militarists and measures; is more liberal on immigration than most Republicans; but in any case it will be one of the two or three candidates for the submission of applications for Republicans. ECHI: What other things are you working? JP: Well, I want to note that reviewing 2014 we found many problems and criticisms, but some positive results are also highlighted. For example, the revelations about the US National Security Agency, the discovery that it is involved in international espionage, was very positive because it caused many suspicions and criticisms of US foreign policy. It was a way to expose the subversive policies and lack of respect for the autonomy of countries. The second positive thing we saw were the revelations of the Report of the US Senate about how the CIA was involved in the torture of suspects, including two days ago allegedly died of a heart attack another political prisoner who was about to testify in a proceeding court. So that is publicly known that the secret police used torture is a very positive factor, because it becomes a factor smear of US foreign policy. Was also positive in 2014 the agreement between Russia and China, because it creates a more multipolar world, with more options for growing countries. At the same time, I see as a positive campaign China, affecting large corrupt leaders, which may result in greater popular participation and complaints against corrupt that are dominating the economy and enriching. Finally, we had an agreement to begin negotiations between the US and Cuba, which was another positive step, as well as negotiations with Iran rather than simply sending marines. Now, we must oppose these positive results during the past year we have seen how Washington supported the coup in Ukraine, imposing a rightist government; the coup in Egypt that brought to power a repressive military government; around US to militarize its intervention in Iraq; and we also have the economic policy that continues to deepen the wealth of the 1%. At what point these positive and negative what prospects have for the new year? Negotiations with Cuba and Iran are in danger because the new US Congress is very right and could put obstacles to dialogue and put unacceptable conditions to that dialogue that could block any agreement. Secondly, we have the problem that Washington re-strengthen its presence in the Middle East supposedly to fight ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant); but again establishing its presence there and military activity. In other words we have seen the possibility of change, even positive, but the lack of political alternatives in some cases weakens the ability to extend and get a positive result. Therefore, we should not feel that we can only defense. We have seen that in Greece and other countries are moving popular movements and must take into account that the fascist right when the left does not advance against the powers that arises. That is the danger, if the left does not advance the other hand, the extreme right, could use the crisis to increase their own power. Excerpted by La Haine
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 17:43:47 +0000