Trump Regime Hardliners Frantic Over Russian Involvement in Venezuela
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Russian intervention against US-supported terrorists in Syria changed the dynamic on the ground.
Aggression launched by Obama, escalated by Trump, continues endlessly in parts of the country, most areas liberated. Things weren’t supposed to go this way when US aggression began in March 2011.
Russia’s involvement foiled Washington’s best laid plans, wanting Syria transformed into another US vassal state, isolating Iran, ahead of a similar plot to topple its government.
Trump regime hardliners fear Russia’s involvement in Venezuela will defeat them again. Short of direct Pentagon intervention, possible but unlikely, Maduro, Venezuela’s military, and popular support for Bolivarian social democracy defeated them on their own.
Trump warned he’s open to “all options” if Russian personnel don’t leave Venezuela. Pence called the move an “unwelcome provocation.” Regime hardliners Pompeo, Bolton and Abrams made similar warnings – Russia undeterred by their threats.
According to Abrams, the Trump regime will announce a response in the coming days, saying “(w)e have a very nice options paper of the various things that can be done in US-Russia relations. There is a lot of things that are on the list. So, The Russians will pay a price for this.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow stopped paying attention to US threats and sanctions long ago, pursuing its lawful agenda, including cooperative relationships with other countries undeterred.
What does it mean, get out,” she asked? “Is it the tourists who have to get out? Is it the energy companies that have to cancel their contracts? What does it mean, get out?”
“To tell Russia to ‘get out of Venezuela’ is going completely over the top. This is total boorishness on a global scale.” There are no “legal let alone moral” grounds for Trump regime demands.
Pompeo called deployment of Russian military forces to Venezuela “reckless escalation,” adding the Trump regime won’t “stand idly by” in response.
On Friday, Bolton issued the following statement on Venezuela, including on Russia’s involvement, saying:
The US “condemns Nicolas Maduro’s continued use of foreign military personnel in his attempt to remain in power (sic), including the introduction of Russian military personnel and equipment into Venezuela (sic).”
“Maduro will only use this military support to further repress the people of Venezuela (sic); perpetuate the economic crisis that has destroyed Venezuela’s economy (sic); and endanger regional stability (sic).”
“We call on the Venezuelan military to uphold its constitutional duty to protect the citizens of Venezuela” – precisely what it’s doing by opposing the Trump regime’s coup plot, supporting democratically elected and reelected Maduro.
“We strongly caution actors external to the Western hemisphere against deploying military assets to Venezuela (sic), or elsewhere in the hemisphere (sic), with the intent of establishing or expanding military operations (sic),” said Bolton, adding:
“We will consider such provocative actions (sic) as a direct threat to international peace and security in the region (sic).”
“We will continue to defend and protect the interests of the United States, and those of our partners in the Western hemisphere (sic), which are rooted in a shared respect for liberty, security, and the rule of law (sic).”
The above remarks and similar ones by Trump and other regime hardliners show they’re desperate, their diabolical plot to topple Maduro not going as planned.
Russia isn’t cowed by Trump regime threats. Zakharova said its military personnel “arrived…in accordance with the provisions of the bilateral agreement on military technical cooperation,” adding:
“The Russian side has not violated anything – not international agreements or Russian and Venezuelan law.”
“Russia is not tipping the balance in the region. Russia is not threatening anybody unlike certain (Trump regime officials) whose statements I…quoted.”
She denounced “the provocative activities of the impostor (Guaido), the so-called ‘acting president’…undermining the legal foundations of Venezuela’s statehood, (along with US-led) bullying of the legally elected president” Maduro.
“Regarding Washington’s idea of who we ‘must’ support in Venezuela, Russia supports the legitimate authorities.”
Venezuelans alone may choose their ruling authorities. International law strictly forbids foreign interference in the internal affairs of other countries. It’s flagrantly illegal at all times, under all circumstances – except in self-defense if attacked, clearly not the case in Venezuela.
Zakharova also accused the Trump regime of stoking instability and chaos in Venezuela, seeking to crush its economy and topple its legitimate government, calling US sanctions flagrantly illegal.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will defend its interests in Venezuela with “all mechanisms available to us,” refusing to submit to unacceptable US demands.
Kremlin presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said involvement of Russian military personnel in Venezuela is “within the (legal) framework of” bilateral relations.
Unlike the presence of US forces wherever they’re deployed, Russian military personnel threaten no one.
Venezuela’s military attache in Moscow Jose Rafael Torrealba Perez said Russian forces arrived in Caracas as part of bilateral defense cooperation, adding: “In no way are we talking about Russia’s military presence to conduct military operations.”
US war by other means failed to change policies of targeted nations – notably not in Cuba for nearly 60 years, Iran for 40 years, and Venezuela since 1999.
Short of US military intervention, Trump regime tactics to topple Maduro and eliminate Venezuelan social democracy will likely fail.
What hasn’t worked since Trump took office, notably since January, won’t likely succeed ahead – especially with Russia involved to help protect and preserve the Bolivarian Republic.
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