Labour veterans who supported Chile Solidarity will know what's coming next
“Washington has placed Venezuela on the regime change fast track,” argues Eva Golinger, the noted American born author and newspaper editor, in a hard hitting article in which she she writes that:
“There is a coup underway in Venezuela. The pieces are all falling into place like a bad CIA movie. Headlines scream danger, crisis and imminent demise, while the usual suspects declare covert war on a people whose only crime is being gatekeeper to the largest pot of black gold in the world.”
This follows the US Department Of State imposing a second round of financial sanctions on Venezuela this month.
The sanctions include visa restrictions on Venezuelan government officials, whom the USA accuses of ‘human rights violations’ in a reference to last year’s right-wing coup attempt through violent street protests.
The US went ahead with the sanctions despite total opposition from the Community Of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Heads of State Summit in Costa Rica in January. CELAC brings together all the Latin America and Caribbean nations and works as an alternative to the US-backed Organization Of American States.
In December last year, after an earlier round of sanctions on Venezuela, the heads of states of MERCOSUR, the (the Latin American equivalent of a ‘common market’), which includes Brazil and Argentina, opposed sanctions against Venezuela.
February’s unilateral sanctions also sparked outrage throughout Latin America. It prompted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to meet with Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) secretary general, Ernesto Samper, to ask for the help of the regional bloc’s mediation on the interventionist actions carried out against the country by the United States.
President Maduro was clear that US Vice President Joe Biden had been pressing other countries to ‘isolate’ Venezuela. Maduro said he had proof that the US Embassy in Venezuela was attempting to bribe officials to ‘turn them against his government’ – in effect the start of an American backed ‘regime change’ attempt against a democratically elected government.
In her article, Eva Golinger explains:
“President Obama approved a special State Department fund of US $5 million to support anti-government groups in Venezuela. Additionally, the congressionally-funded National Endowment For Democracy is financing Venezuelan opposition groups with over US $1.2 million and aiding efforts to undermine Maduro’s government.”
She also argues that the USA is:
“Making Venezuela’s economy scream. As shortages continue and access to dollars becomes increasingly difficult, chaos and panic ensue. A very similar strategy was used in Chile to overthrow socialist President Salvador Allende. First the economy was destroyed, then mass discontent grew and the military moved to oust Allende, backed by Washington at every stage. Lest we forget the result: a brutal dictatorship led by General Augusto Pinochet that tortured, assassinated, disappeared and forced into exile tens of thousands of people. Not exactly a model to replicate.”
Those of us with longer memories will of course have spotted the signs that lead to a neo-liberal experiment where privatisations, sell-offs of state assets and the dismantling of employment rights were tested out in the Chilean people.
Labour cannot ignore the recent sanctions imposition on Venezuela and the attempst to destablise the country. Labour veterans who supported Chile Solidarity following the 1973 coup will know the signs and what’s coming next.
Labour needs to be clear that they will oppose ongoing attempts by the USA and others to de-stabilise Venezuela with ‘regime change’ as its final goal with a Chiliean style against a democratically elected government.
Tony Burke is vice chair of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. Follow him on Twitter
71 Responses to “Comment: Venezuela on ‘fast track’ to coup”
Claire O'Brien
Um, there are indications that the Opposition isn’t taking your advice. Could you give it a call with a reminder that you TOLD it not to seek violent overthrow under any circumstances? Yet, they have already disregarded you.One would think that this early display of poor judgement would prompt you to an urgent effort to prevent a violent overthrow while there is still time. And since your comittment to democracy is so strong, one would also reasonably expect you to re-evaluate their political values re. governing a nation.
You appear remarkably calm about your connection to the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government. Maybe that’s because you know the Opposition is crawling with the CIA agents who have been there recruiting students for at least a year, Maybe it’s because you know the extent to which the Venezuelan economy was deliberately sabatouged by the US, its pals, and its tools.
You might as well get on the record now, because the methods used to destroy the head of state of this sovereign nation are copybook CIA. They are identical to the process used to overthrow the democratically elected president of Chile, and they are proven, legally recognized FACTS. Believe me, proving US responsibility will not be a legal strain.
But if the blood starts to flow, you’ll find out that the people of Latin America have had enough of ruthless torture at the hands of mass murderers installed to protect US interests.
We know where to find those responsible.
Because the blood is always on the same hands
IT’S NOT OUR FUCKING OIL!
Claire O'Brien
Come back when you know what a Stalinist is. While you’re figuring out that no socialist or communist on the planet is a Stalinist, I’ll check Italy for a right wing true believer who plans to put Mussolini on the next presidential ballot
Dave Stewart
You say that Venezuela has become poorer which may be true in terms of GDP or income per capita but that VAST majority of previously unbelievably poor people in Venezuela are now significantly better off. GDP is not the only important thing.
ForeignRedTory
‘Washington has placed Venezuela on the regime change fast track’
Considering the way the coutry is run, that’s a darned good idea.
An incompetent busdriver is unqualified to run a country, quite regardless of what ideology he tries to implement. Chavez merely picked a wrong way of running the State. With the current clown – no more competent than Idi Amin Dada – having the wrong map is the least of the problems, since the main problem is that he has his hands on the wheel in the forst place.
‘Labour needs to be clear that they will oppose ongoing attempts by the USA and others to de-stabilise Venezuela with ‘regime change’ as its final goal with a Chiliean style against a democratically elected
government.’
Wrong. Labour needs to be clear that it does not prop up an incompetent clown he can be removed. Perhaps the author would also oppose removing Hitler since he was democratically elected?
Guest
Ah yes, always your beloved deaths when the coup you “oppose” happens blah blah, as you talk casually about burning people alive for the greater good of your rich.
So you’ll burn the left. As you lash out and demand that your rich get to run things, not allowing law or the democratic will of the people to have a say.