The rector of the National University of Communes, Jorge Arreaza, stated that the United States is attempting to force a hegemony with a power it no longer has. During his participation in the «Struggle Against the FTAA: A Challenge for the Peoples” forum, he pointed out that the North American country seeks to impose itself by force through military deployments under false narratives.
The event, held at the Celarg (Center for Latin American Studies “Romulo Gallegos”) in Caracas to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the rejection of the FTAA, was attended by the former Chancellor, who recalled how historically peoples and governments have reacted against imperialist actions. Arreaza emphasized resistance against attempts at hegemonic imposition.
Arreaza was particularly critical of the so-called «Washington Consensus» that was being imposed in the 1990s. He emphasized that it was «a neoliberal proposal based on ten measures with a brutal asymmetry» that prioritized fiscal discipline through reductions in public spending and social investment.
Among the measures he criticized, the rector mentioned tax reforms that benefited the wealthiest and harmed the poorest. He also criticized the elimination of sovereign central banks and the complete liberalization of capital flow controls, measures he considered detrimental to economic sovereignty.
He specifically referred to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) as a mechanism designed for deeply unequal economies in favor of the United States. He stressed that these policies sought to consolidate an asymmetrical and harmful trade model for Latin America.
Finally, Arreaza denounced that the liberalization of foreign direct investment and privatizations were created exclusively to protect large corporations and transnational capital. He reaffirmed the continued relevance of the struggle against these hegemonic models that continue to affect the peoples of the region.