Venezuela’s Opposition: Attacking Its Own People

[Judi Lynn]

April 20, 2016
Venezuela’s Opposition: Attacking Its Own People

by Eric Draitser

The corporate media would have you believe that Venezuela is a dictatorship on the verge of political and economic collapse; a country where human rights crusaders and anti-government, democracy-seeking activists are routinely rounded up and thrown in jail. Indeed, the picture from both private media in Venezuela, as well as the mainstream press in the US, is one of a corrupt and tyrannical government desperately trying to maintain its grip on power while the opposition seeks much-needed reforms. In fact, the opposite is true.

The sad reality of Venezuela is that it is the Bolivarian Revolution that is being undermined, targeted, and destabilized. It is the Socialist Party (PSUV), its leftist supporters (and critics), Chavista activists and journalists, and assorted forces on the Left that are being victimized by an opposition whose singular goal is power. This opposition, now in the majority in the National Assembly, uses the sacrosanct terminology of “freedom,” “democracy,” and “human rights” to conceal the inescapable fact that it has committed, and continues to commit, grave crimes against the people of Venezuela in the service of its iniquitous agenda, shaped and guided, as always, by its patrons in the United States.

This so-called opposition – little more than the political manifestation of the former ruling elites of Venezuela – wants nothing less than the total reversal of the gains of the Bolivarian Revolution, the end of Chavismo, and the return of Venezuela to its former status as oil colony and wholly owned subsidiary of the United States. And how are these repugnant goals being achieved? Economic destabilization, street violence and politically motivated assassinations, and psychological warfare are just some of the potent weapons being employed.

Making the Economy Scream

In what is perhaps the most infamous example of US imperialism in Latin America in the last half century, the Nixon administration, led by Henry Kissinger, orchestrated the 1973 overthrow of Salvador Allende, the Socialist President of Chile. In declassified CIA documents, it has been revealed that President Nixon famously ordered US intelligence to “make (Chile’s) economy scream,” a reference to the need to undermine and destabilize the Chilean economy using both US financial weapons, and a powerful business elite inside Chile, in order to pave the way for either the collapse of the government or a coup d’etat. Sadly, US efforts proved successful, leading to a brutal dictatorship that lasted nearly two decades.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/20/venezuelas-opposition-attacking-its-own-people/

Good Reads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016152978

[Judi Lynn]

1. Outstanding paragraph from the article for anyone who doesn't have time to read the whole thing:

Of course, there’s little doubt that the scarcity of goods is largely manufactured for political ends. One need only look at the conspicuous reappearance of goods in the immediate aftermath of the right wing Unity Roundtable (MUD) victory in the December 2015 elections to see how connected the supply problems are with political agendas. Additionally, massive hoarding of basic consumer goods in warehouses owned by prominent Venezuelan business interests sheds added light on the lengths to which the right wing opposition and elites will go to make their own country’s economy scream.

[Oele]

2. Please keep posting articles that mention the "make the economy scream" Nixon anecdote.

It just never gets old!

[COLGATE4]

3. Don't forget Allende. Another oldie but goodie

to explain the 'real reason' Venezuela is swirling the bowl.