U.S. Masses Aid Along Venezuelan Border As Some Humanitarian Groups Warn Of Risks

[Eugene]

Source: NPR

U.S. Masses Aid Along Venezuelan Border As Some Humanitarian Groups Warn Of Risks

February 16, 2019 9:00 AM ET
JOHN OTIS

The U.S. effort to distribute tons of food and medicine to needy Venezuelans is more than just a humanitarian mission. The operation is also designed to foment regime change in Venezuela — which is why much of the international aid community wants nothing to do with it.

Humanitarian operations are supposed to be neutral. That's why the International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations agencies and other relief organizations have refused to collaborate with the U.S. and its allies in the Venezuelan opposition who are trying to force President Nicolás Maduro from power.

"Humanitarian action needs to be independent of political, military or any other objectives," Stéphane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesman, told a press briefing last week in New York. "The needs of the people should lead in terms of when and how humanitarian assistance is used."

Venezuela needs all the help it can get. Hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine have prompted more than 3 million Venezuelans to flee the country. Many of those who remain suffer from malnutrition and weight loss. Hospital patients sometimes die due to a lack of antibiotics and other basic drugs.

Over the past two weeks, the U.S. government has been massing tons of non-perishable food and emergency medical kits in warehouses near the Colombian border city of Cúcuta — and American officials are promising much more.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/16/695154567/u-s-masses-aid-along-venezuelan-border-as-some-humanitarian-groups-warn-of-risks?ft=nprml&f=1001

[flotsam]

1. I want you to remember that while these bastards are doing this

that they cancelled the funding for Meals on Wheels. Maybe US seniors should claim their home is being run by a socialist?

[GatoGordo]

3. The bastards bringing food to people who are starving?

Meals on Wheels is a very worthy program, but then, the seniors getting these meals delivered aren't being told its OK to live on 18 cents a day. And most have clean, running water and oh... I don't know. Electricity? And for the most part, can vote in open and free elections?

Socialism for the win?

[flotsam]

4. No

The bastards using food to encourage another regime change south of the border. It's a parlor game they've played for 50 years.

[GatoGordo]

5. The bastards offering food and medicine to the starving and sick... are the bad guys?

???

[flotsam]

6. Certainly

Why don't they offer the same to all their citizens?

[GatoGordo]

7. Are US citizens surviving 1.7 million percent inflation?

A devalued currency at the rate of 99.99999979% over the last 20 years?

18 cents per day minimum wage?

As much as Uncle Sam has been culpable for any number of offenses in Latin America in the past, feeding starving people of a malignant government doesn't rank very naughty to most people.

[GatoGordo]

2. There are those who think that humanitarian aid to Venezuelans is secondary to the Revolution

No food. No medicine. No pensions for retirees.

"But, but... the Oligarchs!"

No electricity. No cooking gas. No water. No transportation.

"Vile Capitalism! Profiteers!"

1.7 million percent inflation. Worthless currency. (lost 99.99999979% of its value in 20 years) A daily minimum wage of 18 cents.

"Imperialists! Usurpers!"

Collapsed infrastructure, including oil. No jobs. No food sovereignty. Mass emigration. Massive brain drain. Nationalizations and subsequent bankruptcy of entire industries. Corrupt government with no democratic, open and transparent elections.

"Trump! Bush! The sellouts in the Democratic Party!" (DLCC, DNC PAC, etc)

Yes, God forbid that a failed government admit that it is utterly out of its element and open up its borders to food and medicine, as opposed to clinging to power. Because that is the only thing that Maduro/Delcy/Diosdado/Vlad et alia give a shit about.