Saving Venezuela’s Social Democracy
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Trump regime hardliners are hellbent on eliminating it, wanting control over Venezuela’s oil, gas, gold, and other valued resources, along with gaining another imperial trophy.
Since established under Hugo Chavez in February 1999, Venezuelan social democracy has been a thorn in the side of four US regimes, seeking dominance over all other nations - by brute force if other tactics fail.
Trump regime efforts to topple Maduro haven’t gone as planned, escalating things likely coming, the struggle to save Venezuelan sovereignty continuing.
On Thursday, the State Department warned of an “immediate reaction” from the international community if anything happens to usurper in waiting Guaido, deputy spokesman Robert Palladino saying:
“We hold former President Maduro (sic) and those surrounding him fully responsible for the safety and welfare of interim president Juan Guaido (sic) and his family,” adding:
“It would be a terrible mistake for (Maduro) to arrest” him. US policy will “continue to support democracy in Venezuela (sic)…using sanctions and diplomatic pressure” against Maduro - ignoring the coup plot to topple the region’s preeminent democracy.
Venezuela’s Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo blamed the Trump regime for a blaze at the Petro San Felix heavy oil processing plant on Wednesday, saying:
“There was a terrorist act that we denounce at an international level,” three storage tanks set ablaze, pointing fingers at Washington.
Separately via Twitter, he accused the Trump regime of “intensifying terrorist incursions” against state oil giant PDVSA, saying the White House “decided to rob Venezuela of its oil resources (and) wants blood to flow.”
Maduro slammed the Trump regime, saying “(n)o one should let themselves be fooled! The Venezuelan opposition and the US government do not want to help the country. On the contrary, they want to seize our natural resources. They want to unleash an ‘oil war’ to invade our homeland and rule here! But they will fail!”
Earlier he denounced Trump regime coup plotters before thousands massed in Caracas saying: “What are (they) going to do now? Are (they) going to continue playing at intervention?”
“A month ago, I promised to continue standing tall, and along with the Venezuelan people, I am keeping that promise to defend the homeland.”
He asked opposition supporters: “How long are you going to continue causing the country harm, continue inventing little games to destabilize and damage the country?”
Thousands “came out onto the streets to tell the empire: Hands off Venezuela. The combativ(eness) is impressive, the consciousness, the statements I see on men and women standing tall, the people, the invisible, those who never show up on gringo television.”
“Invisible to international cameras, to reporters from around the world, who don’t show the true people, or the wood with which we are made, or the majority sentiment. Because we, the people of Hugo Chavez Frias, are the majority.”
He called the struggle against Yankee imperialism “a battle for peace, with independence, with territorial integrity; peace with social justice and social equality; peace with national dignity.”
In March, large anti-imperial rallies were held in Caracas and elsewhere nationwide, support for usurper in waiting Guaido waning. Venezuelans overwhelming oppose foreign interference, over 80% against military intervention.
According to the White House, Trump regime hardliners may impose sanctions to prohibit Visa, Mastercard, and other credit card companies from processing financial transactions in Venezuela.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved anti-Bolivarian measures - banning US export of tear gas, riot, and related gear to Venezuela.
A second measure authorized up to $150 million for so-called “humanitarian aid” - intended solely as part of the plot to oust Maduro and eliminate Venezuelan social democracy.
During a Thursday Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meeting in Vienna, US and allied officials walked out when Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza began addressing the session.
A similar affront to Venezuelan sovereignty occurred in Geneva last month when Arreaza addressed the UN Human Rights Council.
Separately, Venezuela’s military will hold drills on protecting strategic facilities in the country, according to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, saying:
“In order to reinforce the victory of our people in the face of aggression against the power lines, President Nicolas Maduro has ordered National Bolivarian Armed Forces to hold drills ‘Ana Karina Rote’ this Saturday and Sunday to protect the people and strategic facilities.”
The struggle to preserve and protect Venezuelan social democracy from the US imperial scourge to eliminate it continues - a battle essential to win, inflicting a major defeat to the Trump regime at the same time.
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