Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Folha de S. Paulo January 1th 1980

The human race has entered the new decade amidst insecurity and affliction. The fundamental reason for this is the tension about Middle East oil supplies indispensable to the consumer society. But this is only a superficial expression of the fact. If one analyzes just a little, he discovers that the decisive underlying factor, and perhaps the only one, is the tension between Russia and the United States. Because those wielding the threat of petroleum blackmail would have no way to resist the American colossus if they did not count on a Russian nuclear offensive against the United States in the event the U.S. tried a military occupation of the oil fields. This is absolutely confirmed by Russia's brutal invasion of Afghanistan.

The failure of détente thus becomes evident. Détente was based on an illusion   born in the relaxed and festive atmosphere of Yalta that the Communist mentality would mellow considerably. This mellowing would supposedly turn Moscow into a loyal partner of the White House and the Vatican for the establishment of peace in the world.

This illusion mesmerized almost all the media during the decade of the 70's. And the decade ends in a terrible disillusionment expressed in dramatic terms by John Paul II: "Two hundred of the fifty thousand atomic bombs could destroy the majority of the most important cities of the world immediately."

So after ten years of playing ostrich, we find ourselves right back at the starting gates of the cold war. Conclusion: either the ostriches of the West (Carter), the collaborationist clergy, the easy going leftist businessmen, etc...) take their heads out of the sand, or the new decade will see ever greater concessions of the West to Soviet imperialism, that is, the end of it all.

Am I being pessimistic about the situation? How can I be optimistic? I don't confide in men, but rather in God. I am not an optimist in the naturalistic sense. But I am confident in Providence. So I enter the new decade with a serene, courageous, and high spirit: "in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph," Our Lady predicted at Fatima to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.