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Thread: Turmoil in Venezuela

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    Default Turmoil in Venezuela

    According to the Mexican press, it's all Trump's fault:

    From Jim Stone:

    THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT NEWS REPORT BY MEX MEDIA POSTED BELOW. TO SUM IT UP, THEY GAVE TRUMP FULL CREDIT FOR OUSTING MADURO.

    You won't hear this the way Mex media reported it on American media, Mex media made Trump look GREAT. Amazing report!


    UPDATE TO BELOW:
    The following is not about whether or not I agree with America messing around with other people's countries, (I called Maduro's replacement a stooge) the post is instead about how Mexico covered Trump with this, giving him credit for the revolution, and if you go into the comments, Venezuela does not want to become a refugee nation, they want to "Make Venezuela great again" and see Trump as an inspiration. There's no chance America's MSM is going to report this, which is why the following post needs to be spread far and wide.


    THE STORY BELOW HIT A NERVE WITH THE LIBERAL "ELITE". IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. I WANT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO FORWARD IT TO ALEX JONES AND HAVE HIM WATCH THE NEWS REPORT THAT IS AT THIS LINK: https://noticieros.televisa.com/programas/en-punto-con-denise-maerker/ BEFORE IT GETS REPLACED AT 11:59 PM on the 24th.

    Make sure you send along what my summary of that report says below.With the way trolls and Trump's opposition responded to this, which amounted to an outright attempt to destroy how Mex media reported this (they made Trump a hero) it is very important for this to receive widespread exposure in America and Alex would be just the guy to do it. If the Latino community gets ahold of this, it is ADIOS DEMS.

    --------------------------------------

    BOOOOM! Mex media gave Trump 100 percent credit for today's overthrow of Venezuela's president Maduro

    Fat chance you'll hear this on America's MSM -

    Here's the story, as reported by Diez En Punto (A very popular Mex MSM news program) They said that Trump successfully got a message to the people of Venezuela that there is proof that Maduro stole the election and was not Venezuela's legitimate president. They then stated in clear terms that immediately after this statement from Trump was widely spread, people took to the streets and rioted.

    Trump was credited 100 percent for this, with no other cause or reason for Maduro's sudden ouster.
    Why did I not hear about this Trump victory until the Mex MSM said it? Very odd . . . . .

    Unfortunately, the Mex media also reported that the people of Venezuela then listened to the U.N. and appointed a U.N. stooge as a temporary president until elections are held . . . . they did not use the word "stooge", but, you know . . . . .

    This is highly probably Trump's statement that Diez En Punto stated directly caused the uprising
    To be VERY CLEAR: Diez En Punto flatly stated there was no other cause for Maduro's sudden ouster than that statement from Trump, and that when the Venezuelan people saw it, they snapped because life is CRAP there and they suddenly FLIPPED OUT. Total chaos.

    If you have not heard about the recent rebellion in Venezuela, it is because the news is too fresh. It kicked off FULL SCALE this evening. It (may) be headlines in the U.S. tomorrow but you can bet Trump causing this won't be mentioned in America's MSM.

    "La réalité est un rêve que l'on fait atterrir" San Antonio AKA F. Dard

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Well, Maduro is still in power and commands the military so it's not over yet. I think we need to wait a few days to see how this actually pans out as it's still unclear but as far as we can tell, Venezuela has two presidents!

    The other problem is that Russia and China support Maduro and say Juan Guaido is the illegal one.

    I have a Venezuelan girlfriend with relatives still in the country so we have literally inside information...

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    For some background from Global Research:


    The Coup in Venezuela Must be Resisted

    By Craig Murray Global Research,

    January 24, 2019Craig Murray



    Venezuela has elections. Juan Guaido has never even been a Presidential candidate. Despite massive CIA opposition funding and interference over years as Big Oil tries to regain control of the World’s largest oil reserves, Nicolas Maduro was democratically re-elected in 2018 as President of Venezuela.

    The coup now under way is illegitimate. I opposed Maduro’s move to replace the elected National Assembly. Sometimes I read back things I wrote in the past and decide I was wrong. Sometimes I think the article was right, but a bit of a potboiler. Occasionally I am proud, and I am proud of my analysis on Venezuela written on 3 August 2017. I believe it is still valid.
    Hugo Chavez’ revolutionary politics were founded on two very simple tenets:
    1) People ought not to be starving in dreadful slums in the world’s most oil rich state
    2) The CIA ought not to control Venezuela
    Over the years, Chavez racked up real achievements in improving living standards for the poor and in providing health and education facilities. He was widely popular and both he and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, also racked up very genuine election victories. Maduro remains the democratically elected President.

    But the dream went sour. In particular it fell foul of the tendency of centrally planned economies to fail to get the commodities people want onto shop shelves, and to the corruption that goes with centralisation. The latter was certainly not worse than the right wing corruption it replaced, but that does not diminish its existence.

    Every revolution will always displace an existing elite who are by definition the best educated and most articulate section of the population, with most access to resources including media – and to CIA secret backing, which has continued throughout at an increasing rate. Chavez did not solve this problem in the way Robespierre, Stalin, Trotsky or Mao would have done. He embraced democracy, let them be – and largely left their private offshore billions, and thus their power, untouched.

    Inevitably the day came when economic and administrative failings cracked the solidity of support from the poor for the revolution. The right then stepped up their opposition with a campaign led by corrupt billionaires, which the western media has failed to acknowledge has been throughout murderously violent.

    The problem with revolutionary millenarianism is that its failure to achieve utopia is viewed as disaster by its proponents. Maduro ought to have accepted that it is the nature of life that political tides ebb and flow, ceded power to the opposition gains in parliament, maintained the principles of democracy, and waited for the tide to turn back his way – taking the risk that the CIA might not give him the chance. Instead he has resorted to a constitutional fix which dilutes democracy, a precedent which will delight the right who in the long term have most to fear from the populace. Given the extreme violence of the opposition, I am less inclined to view arrests as unquestionably a straightforward human rights matter, than are some pro-western alleged human rights groups. But that Maduro has stepped off the democratic path I fear is true. He has, bluntly, gone wrong, however difficult the circumstances. I condemn both the departures from human rights best practice and the attempt to use a part indirectly elected body to subvert the elected parliament.

    But, even today, Venezuela is still vastly more of a democracy than Saudi Arabia, and a far greater respecter of human rights than Israel in its dreadful repression of the Palestinians. Yet support for Israel and for Saudi Arabia are keystones of the foreign policy of those who today are incessant in their demands that we on the “left” condemn Venezuela. The BBC has given massively more news coverage to human rights abuse in Venezuela this last month than in a score of much worse countries I could name – than a score put together.

    Human rights abuse should be condemned everywhere. But it only hits the headlines when practised by a country which is on the wrong side of the neo-con agenda.
    Anybody who believes that a country’s internal democracy is the determining factor in whether the West decides to move for violent regime change in that country, is a complete idiot. Any journalist or politician who makes that claim is more likely to be a complete charlatan than a complete idiot. In recent years, possession of hydrocarbon reserves is very obviously a major factor in western regime change actions.

    In Latin America over the last century, the presence of internal democracy has been much more likely to lead to external regime change than its absence, as maintenance of US imperialist hegemony has been the defining factor. That combines with oil reserves to make the current move a double whammy.

    It is disheartening to see the Western “democracies” so universally supporting the coup in Venezuela. The EU in particular has leapt in to support Donald Trump in the quite ludicrous act of recognising corrupt Big Oil puppet Guaido as “President”. The change of the EU into full neo-con mode -so starkly represented in its bold support for Francoist violence in Catalonia – is what led me to reconcile with Brexit and a Norway style relationship.

    When I was in the FCO, the rule on recognition was very plain and very openly stated – the UK recognised the government which had “effective control of the territory”, whatever the attributes of that government. This is a very well established principle of international law. There were very rare exceptions involving continuing to support ousted governments. The pre-1939 Polish government in exile was the most obvious example, though once Nazism was defeated Britain moved to recognise the Communist government actually in charge, to the fury of exiled Poles. I was involved in the question of the continued recognition of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone during the period in which he was ousted by military coup.

    But I can think of no precedent at all for recognising a President who does not have and has never had control of the country – and has never been a candidate for President. This idea of the West simply trying to impose a suitably corrupt and biddable leader is really a very startling development. It is astonishing the MSM commentariat and political class appear to see no problem with it. It is a quite extraordinary precedent, and doubtless will lead to many new imperialist adventures.

    One final thought. The right wing Government of Ecuador has been one of the first and most vocal in doing the West’s bidding. The Ecuadorean government has been colluding with the United States over the efforts to imprison Julian Assange, and at this very time has arranged for FBI and CIA personnel in Quito to take false and malicious statements manufactured by the Ecuador government in collaboration with the CIA, about Julian Assange’s activities in the Embassy in London.

    Ecuadorean government documents had already been produced out of Quito, and shown to MI6 and CIA outlets like the Guardian and New York Times, purporting to show the diplomatic appointment of Julian Assange to Moscow in December 2017. I have believed throughout that these fake documents were most likely produced by Ecuador’s new CIA influenced government itself.

    Today Ecuador, once a key part of the Bolivarian revolution, is simply a puppet of the CIA, voicing support for a US coup in Venezuela and working to produce fake testimony against Assange. I warn you firmly against giving credence to Luke Harding’s next “scoop” which will doubtless shortly emerge from this process.
    *

    The original source of this article is Craig Murray
    Copyright © Craig Murray, Craig Murray, 2019

    Related:
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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Yes, Juan Guaido is not a legal president but the situation is Venezuela is so dire that almost any change to oust Maduro is a good thing. Over 3 million have fled the country, there's food and medicine shortages, people die every day on the streets because of desperation causing violence and inflation is beyond belief (millions of percent?). Whatever, life is unbearable and Maduro is greatly responsible for the country going down the drain.

    It's debatable whether Maduro really got democratically elected because corruption is rife and he has no qualms about killing anyone who gets in his way (they use live bullets on peaceful demonstrators) .

    Something has to change.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    UK government comes out in support of Venezuela's Juan Guaido, after attempted coup - UPDATES

    RT
    Thu, 24 Jan 2019 14:48 UTC



    Juan Guaido, President of Venezuela's National Assembly, gestures to supporters. © REUTERS/CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS

    The UK government, led by Prime Minister Theresa May has come out in support of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido as the head of the democratically elected National Assembly, in response to the attempted coup.

    A spokesperson for the prime minister said that the 2018 presidential poll was neither free nor fair, stating that the UK fully backed Guaido, Reuters reports. May's spokesperson said:
    "The 2018 presidential election in Venezuela was neither free nor fair, so the regime's basis for power is deeply flawed. We fully support the democratically elected National Assembly with Juan Guaido as its president. In relation to the US, we think it is totally unacceptable for Venezuela to cut off diplomatic ties. The solution to this crisis lies in working to find a peaceful and diplomatic solution, not in expulsions."
    On Wednesday Guaido declared himself acting president after calls for a regime change from Washington. Both he and President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second term earlier in January, have many supporters in the country, which is now apparently balancing on the brink of total chaos.

    The UK joins a whole host of nations who have come out in support of the opposition leader, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the US. Russia, China and NATO member Turkey are among the nations, which have rejected the attempted coup.

    SOTT Comment: The events in Venezuela have taken a dramatic turn with countries around the world choosing sides.

    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: Britain claims Maduro 'not legitimate leader' of Venezuela


    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: 'So much for non-meddling': Russian FM spokeswoman slams West for 'handpicking' Venezuela govt
    Recognition of the rebel president in Venezuela is a prime example of Western disrespect for international law and sovereignty, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

    "The example of events in Venezuela shows clearly how the progressive Western community actually treats international law, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of states - by handpicking the government there," Zakharova said on Facebook.

    Maduro responded [to US recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaido] by severing diplomatic ties with the US and ordering all American diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours. Venezuela's army has backed the government.
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: US refuses to withdraw diplomats from Venezuela after Maduro breaks ties
    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has refused to pull diplomats from Caracas, arguing the government that severed diplomatic ties with the US is not legitimate and threatening 'appropriate actions' if anyone is endangered.

    "We call on the Venezuelan military and security forces to continue protecting the welfare and well-being of all Venezuelan citizens, as well as US and other foreign citizens in Venezuela," Pompeo said in a statement on Wednesday evening, adding the US "will take appropriate action to hold accountable anyone who endangers the safety and security of our mission and its personnel."

    Quote
    Secretary Pompeo‏Verified account @SecPompeo

    U.S. will conduct diplomatic relations with #Venezuela through the government of interim President Guaido. U.S. does not recognize the #Maduro regime. U.S. does not consider former president Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations. https://go.usa.gov/xEBU3

    5:14 PM - 23 Jan 2019
    1,100 replies 9,232 retweets 15,507 likes
    Cuba and Bolivia have expressed support for Maduro, while Mexico has said it would continue to recognize Maduro's legitimacy "for now."
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: 'Maduro won't roll over': US-backed coup could lead to civil war
    Calling the presidency of Nicolas Maduro a "disastrous dictatorship," the US State Department urged the country' "military and security forces" to revolt against the democratically elected president. While the Venezuelan army refused to violate their allegiance, according to the defense minister, the society remains divided, standing over the abyss of a possible internal conflict.

    Mr. Maduro will not just roll over and accept this. The question now is: who is going to be on his side and who is going to be on Mr. Guaido's side and how ugly will things get...

    "There is a great danger that this could lead to a civil war," former US diplomat Jim Jatras told RT. "If the military splits, or the police, we could have very serious violence in this country. Millions of Venezuelans rose out of poverty during the Bolivarian revolution. They are not going to accept the imposition of the US-chosen new president," Brian Becker from the anti-war ANSWER Coalition told RT, warning that if civil war erupts it will be a "bloodbath."

    Venezuela's pro-Washington neighbors might be used to fuel the coup in Caracas.

    "If the US is now recognizing a fake leader of Guaido, then US courts will try to expropriate the oil reserves of Citgo, the properties of Citgo, which is owned by Venezuela in the United States," La Riva told RT.

    "Maduro will try to protect what he sees as a legitimate constitutional authority. There will be a confrontation. There will be violence," Jatras noted. "And I would not be at all surprised if covert assets will be used to try to raise the temperature of that violence so then Maduro can be accused of 'killing innocent peaceful protesters.' That would warrant even stronger steps taking against Venezuela."
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: Venezuela divide: Turkey, Russia, China stand against Washington, its Latin America allies
    Russia supported Maduro as expected, saying it will continue working with his government. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned the US against trying to topple Maduro by force - a scenario that Washington has been reportedly deliberating for quite some time.

    "We believe it would be disastrous and would damage the foundations of the model of development preferred in Latin America," he said. "As you know, one of the slogans, the conceptual elements of self-identification of the many closely connected nations in Latin America is unity in diversity."

    China voiced support for the Maduro government's effort to overcome the instability in Venezuela. When asked whether Beijing still considered him the president of the country, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China was among the many nations and international organizations which sent its representatives to Maduro's inauguration ceremony on January 10. "I want to emphasize that outside sanctions or interference usually make the situation more complicated and are not helpful to resolving the actual problems," she said.

    Turkey criticized the US for its continued interference with Venezuela's domestic affairs. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called Guaido's self-appointment "very strange" while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced solidarity with Maduro, saying "Maduro brother, stand tall".

    Iran is another nation, which sided with Maduro's government and criticized Washington for its involvement there. Tehran supports Caracas and the people of Venezuela "in the face of any foreign intervention in the country's internal affairs or any illegal or anti-popular actions, such as attempts to stage coups," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in a statement.

    But some nations in the eastern hemisphere are taking the side of the US over Venezuela. Georgia and Ukraine both declared they too were recognizing Guaido as the acting president and no longer considered Maduro the head of the country.


    "Millions of Venezuelans said 'No to Maduro, no to populism'," declared Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, who himself became head of state after a US-backed armed coup in Kiev toppled the elected president of the country.
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: Facebook's 'verified account' tick used to interfere in Venezuela
    © instagram

    The head of the Russian State Duma has blasted US tech giant Facebook for giving the Venezuelan opposition leader's accounts a blue verification badge while denying it to its elected president.

    "It's quite surprising when such big social networks, which claim to be independent, act in this way, playing to the tune of Washington," Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Lower Chamber in the Russian Parliament, told journalists on Thursday. He added that Facebook was serving as a tool of US foreign policy.


    Facebook said the 'unverification' claim is not accurate. It did not take away the blue badge form Maduro's accounts as they were never verified in the first place, the tech giant explained in response to online outrage. Guaido got the blue tick on Instagram in November last year and recently on Facebook.
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: Gunshots, molotovs: Skirmishes in Caracas as Venezuela upheaval escalates UPDATE RT: 1/24/2019: Lavrov: US interfering in Venezuela? No need to ask Mueller to determine that
    Russia accused the US of hypocrisy over its instigation of a coup in Venezuela, saying such actions are in sharp contrast to the outrage which Americans express over alleged interference in their own domestic political affairs. The Russian minister said the speed of the developments on Wednesday indicated that the opposition's move was likely orchestrated by foreign actors.

    Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Kremlin, said that Moscow considered Maduro the legitimate head of state in Venezuela and rejected the suggestion that Russia may extend political asylum to him.

    Responding to questions from the media, Peskov said Caracas has not asked for Russia's help to deal with the political crisis. At the moment Moscow considers the situation in the country to be an internal matter and does not plan to intervene diplomatically or in any other way, he said.
    UPDATE RT, 1/24/2019: Putin: Foreign interference in Venezuela's internal affairs grossly violates international law



    Opposition supporters' rally • Russian President Vladimir Putin © Reuters/Isaac Urrutia/Global Look Press/Kremlin Pool
    Russia's president pledged his support for the elected government of Venezuela during a phone call with President Nicolas Maduro. He also criticized the "destructive external meddling" to which the country has been exposed.

    The Russian president has expressed his support to the legitimate authorities of Venezuela in this time of political crisis which he said was caused by a "destructive external interference that grossly violates the most basic norms of the international law."

    Putin and Maduro also agreed to continue cooperation between the countries "in various fields."

    France and Britain joined the chorus on Thursday. London claimed that Maduro is "not a legitimate leader" of Venezuela while Paris said that Maduro's election was "illegal" and "Europe supports the restoration of democracy."
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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    A local note here from Ecuador. There are now tens of thousands of Venezuelans fleeing here in desperation, standing on street corners with placards begging for money or work.

    It's becoming quite an issue, and the Ecuadorian government is being pressured to find some way of controlling the migrants.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Abby Martin went to Venezuela. Here's her report (actially, it is an interview by Jimmy Dore) of what is going on in Venezuela.



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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    A local note here from Ecuador. There are now tens of thousands of Venezuelans fleeing here in desperation, standing on street corners with placards begging for money or work.

    It's becoming quite an issue, and the Ecuadorian government is being pressured to find some way of controlling the migrants.
    I sat beside some newly arrived Venezuelians yesterday in Montreal bus. The man offered me his seat (wow, feel old) which Canadian never do?!! Anyhow, they spoke Spanish together so I started chatting with them and they told me they were so grateful to Canada to receive them, and how difficult it was over there. They added "nuestros hijos estan allegre y en seguridad aqui" our children are happy and secure here.

    I just imagine what the neighboring countries to Venezuela must be taking in.

    This was an entirely created famine, not from natural disaster, but from policies of rich countries.

    And now the same rich countries would have saved Venezuela from their new dictator like president, pushed there by them, please, give me a break.

    =====

    a note to myself: my Spanish still need some work and polishing for recuperating what has not been practiced for 30 years, chatting was rather slow, me still looking for words (they come back slowly). But, I understand almost everything. A month or two south would probably make it.
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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
    Abby Martin went to Venezuela. Here's her report (actually, it is an interview by Jimmy Dore) of what is going on in Venezuela.
    I'm a fan of Abby Martin but I'm not sure everything she says here is true. If the US really wanted to overthrow Maduro and steal Venezuelan oil they would have sent in the Jackals and removed him. This is not like Iran, Afghanistan or Syria because Venezuela already has a Rothschild banking system.

    As John Perkins said, he was the Economic Hitman that attempted to bring Chavas down and put Venezuela in debt and US control. But the US doesn't need to do that with Maduro, other than the fact that Maduro is rightly against the CIA.

    There's no doubt that Maduro is an unfit president. Every year it gets worse. He was just a worker on the underground alongside my girlfriend's father (who escaped here to the Canary Islands)! He is supported by Russia mainly because he is anti US.

    OK, as an edit I will expand on this complicated situation.

    In July 2017 Maduro changed the constitution to 'give power' to thousands of local area constituents including a percentage of indigenous people. This is why he is popular among the poor - because they think they have some power. At the time, his government claimed that this would end the problems and begin economic recovery.

    Unfortunately, poor Venezuelans are not politically wise (to put it politely) and easily duped into supporting any president who gives them a voice. As we've seen, this major change in policy did nothing to make things better and the country has spiralled into world record inflation where the currency is literally worthless (it was revalued by knocking off a handful of zeros last year). Sanctions don't mean much if no importers want Venezuelan currency.

    Then Maduro attempted to overcome the weak currency by introducing the 'Petro' crytocurrency based on the price of a barrel of oil! Needless to say, no foreign country wanted to accept payment in this (it was outlawed in the US) and few locals adopted it. The man is a clueless subway worker who has no economic or political skills but he is able to fool a lot of people...

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    I can say that from this peanut gallery vantage, that this situation looks like this to me:

    1) The US has meddled in Venezuelan affairs in an unethical, probably criminal way. And it is none of their business.

    2) Maduro appears to be incompetent.

    3) This is likely not going to end well.

    If Maduro, and his supporters, really want to save their country from continued disaster, they need to use their allies to stabilize the supply of essential goods and services for their people. This should be accomplishable given their oil wealth. After stabilization, then they can undertake market reforms that allow some level of private enterprise to restart a frozen economy.

    In any case, I hope that the current regime survives and reforms under a workable socialist model (northern Europe has numerous successful socialist government models that embrace democracy, for instance).

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    Angry Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Mr. Hervé,

    I am Venezuelan. I, as many fellow citizens, had to leave my country. I am shocked and utterly surprised by your baloney post. Juan Guaidó is a young man with a big responsibility, he is not “a stooge” as you say. If America messes with other countries, I don’t care. But, if they help my country, it is not your concern. France for instance, conquered a lot of countries in the past. Some of those countries are very poor... but I don’t want to speak about History, there are plenty of information about it.

    The “Mex media” you’re referring to is not telling the whole truth. Maduro is being removed from office using legal mechanisms available in the 1999 venezuelan constitution. Juan Guaidó had to gather some of the best lawyers, economists and politicians in order to take the oath as incumbent president. The mission of those people is stabilize the country, remove Maduro and his people, bring humanitarian aid to the country, help to restore law and order and bring the country to the point new democratic elections elect president and cabinet.

    We venezuelans love our country. Before chavistas came, it was a place with defects and shortcomings (as most of Latin American countries are) but a good place to live. Fidel Castro wanted to control the country since the 60’s. Right now, Cuba runs the country. Maduro is a puppet of the cubans, as Chavez was before him. The damage this people made is of immense proportions.

    If you want to understand what happened in Venezuela on January the 23rd, please ask people who know. Mexico is not Venezuela.

    Unfortunately, I don’t have time to edit my post and quote all the misinformation. The truth will be known someday.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by perolator (here)
    Mr. Hervé,

    I am Venezuelan. I, as many fellow citizens, had to leave my country. I am shocked and utterly surprised by your baloney post. Juan Guaidó is a young man with a big responsibility, he is not “a stooge” as you say. If America messes with other countries, I don’t care. But, if they help my country, it is not your concern. France for instance, conquered a lot of countries in the past. Some of those countries are very poor... but I don’t want to speak about History, there are plenty of information about it.

    The “Mex media” you’re referring to is not telling the whole truth. Maduro is being removed from office using legal mechanisms available in the 1999 venezuelan constitution. Juan Guaidó had to gather some of the best lawyers, economists and politicians in order to take the oath as incumbent president. The mission of those people is stabilize the country, remove Maduro and his people, bring humanitarian aid to the country, help to restore law and order and bring the country to the point new democratic elections elect president and cabinet.

    We venezuelans love our country. Before chavistas came, it was a place with defects and shortcomings (as most of Latin American countries are) but a good place to live. Fidel Castro wanted to control the country since the 60’s. Right now, Cuba runs the country. Maduro is a puppet of the cubans. The damage this people made is of immense proportions.

    If you want to understand what happened in Venezuela on January the 23rd, please ask people who know. Mexico is not Venezuela.
    Hi perolator,

    Doesn't it disturb you greatly that a big bully nation has covertly manipulated markets to destroy Venezuela's economy, and overtly applied sanctions that directly affect every Venezualan? You must be aware that the USA, INC. doesn't actually "help" other nations, right? The USA helps itself to other nations. Do you have any idea how many Yemeni people are being starved to death right now, that the USA is not just 100% completely aware of but actually participating in a naval blockade with saudi arabia, to starve the Yemenis? Do you realize you are asking for help from sociopathic monsters that pick other nations out of their teeth?

    Do you think that the USA, INC. respects, has compassion for, and will help Venezuelan citizens but not the Yemenis?

    The USA doesn't need to steal your oil, but they want to at least control the "valves" (control the oil production to market), and are probably fine with leaving it as USA strategic reserves for now. The USA (and the globalist-deep state forces controlling it) have already taken possession of Venezuela's oil - you guys just don't know it yet. Just be aware that, whether Venezuelans in general really are asking for the USA's help or not, the USA is "coming to help." You've been manipulated and targeted for decades, and you are looking really weak now, the smell of blood in the water, and the Great White Shark, Los Estados Unidos, is circling for the kill. I wish I knew what to tell you to really help you, but I have a terrible feeling that Venezuela is just about to get turned into a full USA vassal state with a USA selected puppet as ceremonial head of state.

    Suddenly and miraculously, the flour and oil (cartel-controlled food products) will very quickly reappear, and sanctions will be lifted and you'll get a few new military bases, and your lawmakers will "decide" to privatize the oil. The USA is like a gigantic wrecking ball on the downswing, and sadly, you Venezuelan's couldn't dodge it if you tried.


    (I found the Venezuelan economist interviewed to be honest and forthright)


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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
    Doesn't it disturb you greatly that a big bully nation has covertly manipulated markets to destroy Venezuela's economy, and overtly applied sanctions that directly affect every Venezualan? You must be aware that the USA, INC. doesn't actually "help" other nations, right? The USA helps itself to other nations. Do you have any idea how many Yemeni people are being starved to death right now, that the USA is not just 100% completely aware of but actually participating in a naval blockade with saudi arabia, to starve the Yemenis? Do you realize you are asking for help from sociopathic monsters that pick other nations out of their teeth?
    I think that boxing the USA as a bully is a weak argument, you can apply it to every situation in the world and be happy that USA never intervenes anywhere where help is needed, where people are dying of starvation. Doesn't it disturb you even more to be paying taxes to fund such a "bully"? ;-)

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    We all know that the US practices economic colonisation of other countries through the CIA but this not not what is happening in Venezuela. Sadly, Abby Martin is presenting the Russia Today viewpoint and the MSN has their own (US) agenda. Propaganda.

    People here should stop swallowing the BS and listen to to perolator who is Venezuelan and knows the truth. It is Maduro who is causing the food shortages and inflation, not the US. Elections are rigged (the person in charge of elections had cancer and is given hospital treatment if she does what she is told). It is a complicated situation and I will post later in full detail what is really happening (I know Venezuelans here in the Canary Islands). For example, food gets stopped at Military checkpoints and destroyed or confiscated (we know drivers) under the direction of Maduro. Officials get appointed if they support Maduro and then they get food, Farmers can't farm unless they support Maduro or they get no water.

    It's complicated...

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    We all know that the mainstream media cannot always be believed and almost never when it comes to wars, revolutions and regime changes. The same applies inside Venezuela where pictures of demonstrations and government supporters are routinely doctored. Russia has an agenda in supporting Maduro (against the US) and very little of what has been reported in other countries and in this post is true.

    How do I know this? Because my girlfriend in Venezuelan, her mother worked for the government and is still in Venezuela and her father was a friend of Chavas and worked alongside Maduro before he came to power. Fortunately, we have the Internet and social media to give the truth as reported by people living in the country.

    Originally the government in Venezuela was a Military Government and Maduro still runs it as such. Talk of legitimate elections and legal process is nonsense as corruption rules the day. The president actually does not have ultimate power as there is the National Assembly and some Legal Tribunal of Lawers (I forget the exact name) both of which have to pass laws and directives.

    However, because corruption means only those who support Maduro get food and medicine, up until now things have gone Maduro’s way. Real support for Maduro is very limited. In the last year, conditions have got so bad people are beginning not to care about their lives any more and are openly turning against the government from grass roots to people within the government.

    As perolator said, Juan Guido was put into power legally by the National Assembly so we now have a real power struggle and the first chance for real change in Venezuela. The idea that the US is controlling food and causing hyper inflation is propaganda nonsense. The situation is a result of measures put in place by Maduro to keep power. He fools the ignorant poor by blaming the US but now even the poor are turning against him.

    As I posted before, Maduro is totally incompetent and ridiculously introduced the Petro cryptocurreny tied to the price of a barrel of oil in an effort to have a stable currency. He made it a law that banks had to accept payment in Petros! It’s like Teresa May introducing the FnC crypto tied to the price of Fish and Chips and insisting that UK banks accept it!

    With prices doubling every week, inflation has now reached record levels and a small bag of beans costs half a month’s salary so why would supermarkets stock up on food almost nobody can afford? That’s the problem – suppliers don’t supply anything because they know people can’t afford to buy whatever it is. Nothing to do with sanctions or the US!

    Too many people here are posting stuff they know nothing about and believing the propaganda.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Not long ago, I read this article by a former Venezuelan prepper who managed to get out of the country:

    Defending A Venezuelan Homestead: "Eventually People Will Come For What You Have"

    by Tyler Durden
    Wed, 01/16/2019 - 19:05

    Authored by JG Martinez D. via The Organic Prepper blog,

    My cousins there in the open country of Venezuela tell me that nights are dark. The government cut the power, and hungry people use this to go to the farms and see what they can steal.


    [...]

    About Jose
    Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has a small 4 members family, plus two cats and a dog. An old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Thanks to your help Jose has gotten his family out of Venezuela. They are currently setting up a new life in another country.
    "La réalité est un rêve que l'on fait atterrir" San Antonio AKA F. Dard

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)

    Doesn't it disturb you greatly that a big bully nation has covertly manipulated markets to destroy Venezuela's economy, and overtly applied sanctions that directly affect every Venezuelan? You must be aware that the USA, INC. doesn't actually "help" other nations, right? The USA helps itself to other nations. Do you have any idea how many Yemeni people are being starved to death right now, that the USA is not just 100% completely aware of but actually participating in a naval blockade with saudi arabia, to starve the Yemenis? Do you realize you are asking for help from sociopathic monsters that pick other nations out of their teeth?
    Mr. Leahy,

    It is completely fine that the "big bully nation" where you live in, by the way, takes care of its own interests, or "helps itself". This is the way a country must be, i.e. protect their citizens, ensure their people enjoys a reasonable good way of living. Au contraire, The venezuelan government is not helping their people. They divert a large amount of national resources to their beloved Cuba, despite massive shortages in Venezuela. Incredibly and treacherous as it seems, the venezuelan government is helping itself to achieve their goal of keep power forever.

    Regarding the sanctions that affect every venezuelan: The bulk of sanctions are targeted to individuals of the chavista regime. Some of those sanctions affects the country directly as you say, to diminish the flow of money the government has to their disposal, to put in their endless pockets. The sanctions prohibits dealings in new debt and equity issued by the government of Venezuela and its state oil company. It also prohibits dealings in certain existing bonds owned by the Venezuelan public sector, as well as dividend payments to the government of Venezuela. This criminal government acquired so much debt that the once rich South American country is in ashes.

    Venezuela is one of the largest illegal drug distribution hubs of the planet. The government officials and the military have getting so much money in the process they are developing ways to invest their newly acquired multi-millionaire status all over the world. All of them have made huge investments in the U.S. and Europe via bogus companies and third parties. The money laundering scheme is so big and broad, that prompted the U.S. to impose sanctions to protect its currency.

    Quote Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
    Do you think that the USA, INC. respects, has compassion for, and will help Venezuelan citizens but not the Yemenis?
    I do not know about the Yemeni situation, so I cannot comment about it. Sincerely, I don't care about the issues in other countries. I care about my family, my homeland and the country I am living in.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    The acid test is the oil

    We are at the fork in the road.

    Venezuela’s future is bright in any case, things have to get better

    In scenario A the local politicians sell out to international oil interests, and the big boys reap most of the financial gains for themselves. These interests do throw a bone to the locals to keep up the impression of benefit.

    Under scenario B which the Chavistas are holding out for, a publicly owned oil industry provides the financial benefits to the people via the government. This is how it is in Norway. This is the correct and just solution. This is the scenario that international capital and their US government. Stooges seek to avoid at all costs.
    we have subcontracted the business of healing people to Companies who profit from sickness.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    Quote Posted by Baby Steps (here)
    The acid test is the oil
    The oil is just part of the problem. It is far from the big picture.

    Quote Posted by Baby Steps (here)

    We are at the fork in the road.

    Venezuela’s future is bright in any case, things have to get better

    In scenario A the local politicians sell out to international oil interests, and the big boys reap most of the financial gains for themselves. These interests do throw a bone to the locals to keep up the impression of benefit.
    In any case, It is not just the oil.
    1. It is the gold uncontrolled extraction (causing criminal ecological damage) and smuggling.
    2. The illegal drug machine (full fledged worldwide distribution).
    3. International Terrorist (Hezbollah) training camps and safe zone.
    4. Colombian guerrilla safe zone.
    5. Diamonds, Coltan, Aluminium, Iron, Bauxite.
    6. Iranian trade, circumventing U.S. sanctions.
    7. Uranium distribution to Iran.

    Venezuelans want a stable country, a safe country with a strong economy. That's it. If it means "being given a bone" it's okay.

    Quote Under scenario B which the Chavistas are holding out for, a publicly owned oil industry provides the financial benefits to the people via the government. This is how it is in Norway. This is the correct and just solution. This is the scenario that international capital and their US government. Stooges seek to avoid at all costs.
    It is so hard to understand chavistas are ruthless criminals with no idea whatsoever how to run a country? They have 20 years with all the power at their disposal. They got enough money to fund 20 Marshall plans and despite that fact they ruined the country. The Norwegian government is no point of comparison to the Venezuelan government. Is like comparing an elephant to an ant.

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    Default Re: Turmoil in Venezuela

    US Regime Change in Venezuela: The Documented Evidence

    By Tony Cartalucci Global Research,
    January 25, 2019



    The Latin American nation of Venezuela faces dangerous destabilization with the United States and its allies having recognized opposition figure Juan Guaido as “president” and declaring actual Venezuelan president – Nicolas Maduro – no longer recognized.

    In response, President Maduro has demanded US diplomatic personnel to leave the country.

    Protests and counter-protests have reportedly taken to the streets as both sides attempt to seize the psychological and political initiative.

    Why Venezuela?
    According to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo – the impetus for Washington’s sudden interest in Venezuela is the suffering of the Venezuelan people.

    Reuters in their article titled, “Pompeo calls on Venezuela’s Maduro to step down, urges support from military,” would claim:
    In a statement, Pompeo said Washington would support opposition leader Juan Guaido as he establishes a transitional government and prepares the country for elections.

    “The Venezuelan people have suffered long enough under Nicolas Maduro’s disastrous dictatorship,” Pompeo said. “We call on Maduro to step aside in favor of a legitimate leader reflecting the will of the Venezuelan people.”
    In truth, Washington’s motivation is the fact that according to The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on Earth – more than Saudi Arabia and accounting for nearly a quarter of all OPEC production.



    The US doesn’t necessarily need this oil in terms of energy – but in terms of maintaining a US-led unipolar international order – controlling or crippling nations with large amounts of hydrocarbons prevents the emergence of a multipolar world nations across the developing world seek, led by reemerging global power – Russia – and newly emerging global power – China.

    A Venezuela governed by a stable political order able to produce wealth from its massive oil reserves – and dedicated to a multipolar alternative to Washington’s current international order is intolerable for Wall Street and Washington and explains the vast amount of time, energy, money, and resources the US has invested in destabilizing and overthrowing first President Hugo Chavez – with a coup attempt in 2002 – and now President Maduro.

    US Meddling in Venezuela
    Even the Western media has admitted that the US has long meddled in Venezuela’s internal affairs by funding the opposition.



    The UK Independent in a recent article titled, “Venezuela military chief declares loyalty to Maduro and warns US not to intervene,” would admit (emphasis added):
    The US has a long history of interfering with democratically elected governments in Latin America and in Venezuela it has sought to weaken the elected governments of both Mr Maduro and Mr Chavez.
    Some of the effort has been in distributing funds to opposition groups through organisations such as the National Endowment for Democracy, while some has been in the form of simple propaganda.
    Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, said that for the past 20 years it had been US policy to seek a change of government in Caracas. Mr Trump’s recognition of Mr Guaido was the most obvious effort to undermine the government.
    The US National Endowment for Democracy’s (NED) own current webpage admits to extensively interfering in every imaginable aspect of Venezuela’s internal political affairs with funds directed at:
    • Building Strategic Capacity for Local Democratic Actors
    • Cohesive Strategic Communications
    • Defending Human Rights Victims
    • Developing Tools for Agile Communication
    • Empowering Citizens through Local and National Policy Dialogue
    • Facilitating Humanitarian Aid Relief
    • Formulating a Comprehensive Public Policy Reform Package
    • Fostering Scenario Planning and Strategic Analysis
    • Fostering Small Business Enterprise in Defense of Democracy and Free Markets
    • Improving Democratic Governance in Venezuela
    • Improving Local Democratic Governance
    • Leadership Empowerment and Socio-Political Participation
    • Monitoring Human Rights Conditions
    • Monitoring the Human Rights Situation
    • Promoting Access to Justice and Public Services
    • Promoting Checks and Balances
    • Promoting Citizen Journalism
    • Promoting Citizen Participation and Freedom of Expression
    • Promoting Democratic Governance
    • Promoting Democratic Values
    • Promoting Dialogue and Reconciliation
    • Promoting Freedom of Association
    • Promoting Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
    • Promoting Human Rights
    • Promoting Independent Journalism
    • Promoting Political Engagement and Advocacy
    • Promoting the Rule of Law
    It is clear that the US is funding virtually every aspect of opposition operations – from media and legal affairs, to indoctrination and political planning, to interference in the economy and the leveraging of “human rights” to shield US-funded agitators from any attempt to arrest them.

    At one point during US regime change efforts, NED-funded front, Sumate, would even organize a recall referendum against President Chavez – which he won. The Washington Post in a 2006 article titled, “Chavez Government Probes U.S. Funding,” would admit:
    [Sumate] organized a recall referendum in 2004 that Chavez won and also is a vociferous critic of the government and the electoral system.
    The article also admits that:
    USAID which hired the Maryland-based company Development Alternatives Inc. to administer the grants has declined to identify many Venezuelan recipients, saying they could be intimidated or prosecuted.
    While the nature of the US government’s extensive meddling in Venezuela remains intentionally covert – admissions surrounding Sumate’s activities illustrate how even entire referendums are organized through the use of US money and guided by US directives.


    Maria Corina Machado, founder of Sumate, an alleged Venezuelan election monitoring group, funded by the US National Endowment for Democracy (NED), meeting with US President George Bush who presided over the failed 2002 coup attempt seeking to oust President Hugo Chavez.

    NED and other organizations operating in parallel – including convicted financial criminal George Soros’ Open Society Foundations – seek to entirely overwrite Venezuelan institutions, governance, and law, replacing it with an obedient US-sponsored client regime and system of administration.

    US support is not confined to broad efforts to build up the opposition – but also specific efforts to aid senior opposition leaders.

    A leaked 2004 US State Department document titled, “Status of Capriles and Sumate Cases,” made it clear that NED funding was ongoing even then, and that the US State Department was required to provide aid to NED-funded front Sumate being prosecuted for the very obvious treason they were engaged in. It also illustrated US State Department support for senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles Radonski.
    Capriles – along with Leopoldo Lopez – served as mentors to current opposition leader Juan Guaido who is now openly being offered some $20 million by the US State Department in aid.

    US Efforts to Cripple Venezuela’s Economy
    Reuters in an article titled, “Pompeo urges regional bloc to support Venezuela’s Guaido,” would claim:
    [Pompeo] pledged $20 million towards humanitarian aid for Venezuela, where economic collapse, hyperinflation, and food and medicine shortages have sparked an exodus of millions of people.
    The paradoxical nature of this supposed aid is that the United States had deliberately caused this economic collapse, hyperinflation, and food and medicine shortages in the first place – specifically to undermine and destabilize first President Chavez’ government and now Maduro’s.

    The US Treasury Department aimed sanctions specifically at (PDF) Venezuela’s central bank and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) – Venezuela’s state-owned oil and gas company to restrict financing and to block transfers – while the US and allied OPEC members acted in concert to lower global oil prices – not only to cripple Venezuela’s oil-based economy – but those of other US adversaries including Iran and Russia.



    While the Western media repeatedly claims US sanctions have been reserved for Venezuelan officials only, the Washington Post itself would admit in an article titled, “Venezuela’s oil gives Maduro little leverage against the United States,” that (emphasis added):
    “Seventy-five percent of cash-generating oil exports are coming here,” said Scott Modell, the managing director of Rapidan Energy and a former CIA officer in Latin America. Though Venezuela exports considerable amounts of crude oil to major diplomatic allies like Russia and China, almost all of the profits are used to service preexisting debts. “They don’t get cash for that, and they are desperate for cash,” Modell said.
    The article also stated:
    Citgo’s ownership has long been a source of tension between the United States and Venezuela. In August 2017, the Trump administration signed an executive order that blocked the repatriation of dividends, and sanctions on Venezuelan officials have placed Citgo in an increasingly fraught position.

    Just under half of PDVSA’s shares in the company were used as collateral for a $1.5 billion loan the Venezuelan government took out from Russian energy giant Rosneft in 2016. Foreign creditors have suggested they may try to acquire parts of Citgo to service their debts.

    Modell said that there is debate in the United States about whether the U.S. government could seize the company itself. Some opposed this, arguing that Citgo should be an asset available for a post-Maduro Venezuela that could help provide a “petroeconomic recovery” for the ailing country.
    It is clear that significant efforts have been made to cripple Venezuela’s ability to profit from its oil with even the US media and those it interviews admitting the US is unsure of just how far to go – realizing that once the damaging sanctions are reversed, remaining, intact infrastructure will allow Venezuela to “provide a “petroeconomic recover” for the ailing country.”

    In other instances of economic warfare, large sums of Venezuelan gold have been withheld in the UK which refuses to return it to the Venezuelan government, The Times reports.

    Efforts within Venezuela through US-funded opposition groups, focus on hording certain essential goods creating artificial shortages while armed gangs hired by wealthy business and land owners ravage state-backed farmers and industries to further exasperate prices, supply, and demand.

    A Washington Post article titled, “Venezuela’s paradox: People are hungry, but farmers can’t feed them,” refers to the armed gangs merely as “criminals” but links to Venezuela Analysis which gives a fuller but contradictory version of events.

    Venezuela Analysis’ article, “Venezuelan Farmers on Disputed Land Say They Have No Intention of Vacating,” depicts efforts by farmers to use land reclaimed from wealthy owners to produce agricultural goods, but who are targeted by hired mercenaries, attacked and driven off. In other cases, wealthy oligarchs are able to secure concessions from courts to consolidate control over farmlands used to produce food.

    The Venezuelan government has been increasingly resorting to price controls and emergency measures to compensate in the face of overwhelming economic warfare but with varied success.



    Economic destabilization is a key component in US regime change efforts – witnessed in all of Washington’s past and current confrontations including against Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Russia for an array of alleged offenses centered around “human rights” and fabricated threats to US national security.

    Conversely – nations like Saudi Arabia whom even former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted is “providing clandestine financial and logistic support to ISIL and other radical Sunni groups in the region,” and undeniably among the worst human rights abusers on Earth – has escaped not only sanctions, but even the most basic condemnation for its serial violations of international law and rights abuses.

    This stark contrast helps illustrate the true, politically-motivated nature of US sanctions arrayed against targeted nations with but the thinnest rhetorical veneer applied to obtain public support.

    Where even powerful nations like Russia and China must work for years to create alternatives to US-dollar domination across global finances – a nation like Venezuela already destabilized from decades of US-fomented chaos stands to suffer greatly in the face of sanctions and economic warfare – now coupled with another overt US-backed coup attempt.

    Imperialism, Not “Socialism”
    Venezuela sits on an ocean of proven oil reserves. It has been openly slated for regime change by the US and has been for years with documented evidence proving the current opposition vying for power is funded by Washington, for Washington’s, not Venezuela’s benefit.

    Sanctions and economic warfare have been aimed at Venezuela just as the US has done with the numerous other nations it has overthrown, invaded, and otherwise destroyed – or those that it is trying to overthrow and destroy.

    There is no missing puzzle piece that makes Venezuela an exception to what is another textbook case of US-backed regime change.

    Attempts to claim Venezuela’s crisis was precipitated by “socialism” – even if one is able to ignore the voluminous amounts of evidence proving US subversion has instead – still doesn’t add up.

    China is also socialist – communist in fact – with a high degree of central planning and nationalized industry. It possesses the largest high-speed rail network on Earth, has a space program with the ability to launch people into orbit, and has the world’s second largest economy.

    Conversely, the US hasn’t a single mile of high-speed rail, currently pays the Russian Federation to launch its astronauts into orbit, and has thoroughly squandered its place as largest global economy in pursuit of aspirations toward unrealized global domination.

    There is clearly more that contributes to a nation’s success or failure than being “socialist” or “capitalist” – whatever either term even really means. For Venezuela, its failures are a direct and clear result of US imperialism. And only through exposing and rolling back US meddling, can Venezuela’s fortunes be reversed.


    This article was originally published on the author’s blog site: Land Destroyer Report.

    Tony Cartalucci is Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook” where this article was originally published. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.
    "La réalité est un rêve que l'on fait atterrir" San Antonio AKA F. Dard

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