Venezuela regime “must change or be changed”

[bemildred]

Have some KoolAid. First time I've heard of these fuckwits.

The Washington Center for Security Policy warned that the increasingly repressive - and aggressive – government in Venezuela must either “change or be changed” if the region is to avoid the terrible human costs of a new generation of revolutionary upheaval.

---

The paper strongly urges Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to reverse the Bush Administration's do-nothing approach toward Latin America, noting that, "over the past four years, Jimmy Carter has been the most visible - and arguably the most influential - U.S. leader in Latin America." Carter's imprimatur on the results of a rigged Venezuelan election process has given the regime priceless legitimacy.

"Nowhere is the lack of U.S. strategic policy more evident than in the unchecked rise of a self-absorbed, unstable strongman in Venezuela who has made common cause with terrorists and the regimes that support them, and has developed a revolutionary ideology that has begun to plunge the Americas again into violence and chaos," the paper says.

Noting that the Latin American Left is far from monolithic, the paper urges the Bush administration to work with the hemisphere's democratic governments, even anti-American ones like that of Brazil - which has displayed growing unease about the violence and chaos around its perimeter that Venezuela has been fomenting - in order to contain the subversion and prevent the further planned violence emanating from Caracas.

Ends in last paragraph with a threat of violence.

MercoPress

[knowbody0]

1. the strong man who pushes away the evil emperor

[IChing]

2. Interesting background of mercopress

MERCOPRESS is a news agency concentrating in Mercosur countries which operates from Montevideo, Uruguay,
and includes in its area of influence the South Atlantic and insular territories.

It is getting money from the CIA and front groups from the links I found, because it was failing.

[bemildred]

4. It seems to be drifting to the right of late.

But that's just an impression of mine.

[NorCalDem]

3. What exactly are the human costs involved?

increased health care, increased wealth for the poor (i.e. enough $$ to finally buy food and clothing), shelter for the poor, decreased coffer size to mega-oil conglomerates. If those are the human costs involved in Chavez's Bolivarian revolution, let me know where I can sign up.

[KingOfLostSouls]

5. The Fact it called Brazil "anti American"

shows its nothing but a neocon front

the neocons know iraq isn't going well and are going to look for more energy to control, Venezuela is a prime target. the fact that latin america is moving away from right wing neocon ideology of corporate controlled duopoly markets and goverments run by brutal dictators to establishing self ruled nations where the wealth of their nation doesn't flow outwards is against the dreams of empire.

people like max boot, grover norquist, william kristol, donald rumsfeld, etc can't stand the idea of people deciding their lives for themselves. if it is not in their dream of corporate dominated imperium, it is "anti american."

[Judi Lynn]

6. They're not TOO obvious, are they? Real anti-Chavistas.

Current status of Company.
Mercopress is an English language news agency that is based in
Montevideo. The location of the company in Montevideo has two
advantages. It is the headquarters for Mercosur and Monte Video is
also the major port with access to the South Atlantic.

History of company.
The company has been operating for ten years. It was formed as a
result of the collaboration of several independent journalist from the
region who were interested in the integration effort initiated with
the formation of Mercosur also known at the Common Market of the South
(Mercado Comun del Sur).

Mercosur, launched in 1991, is the economic integration of Argentina,
Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Other countries are expected to join
including Chile, Bolivia, Columbia, Peru and Venezuala. Mercosur was
formed to increase efficiency and competitiveness of member states.
These aims are intended to be achieved by increasing the pace of
economic development, promoting better use of resources, conserving
the environment, improving communications, co-ordinating macroeconomic
policies and the complementation of the different industries. The
program is sponsored by the United States whose aim is to make the
entire American continent a free trade area.
(snip/...)

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=99274

Just as I Ching noted, it's funded here. Hey, it's OUR publication. We pay for it! Why don't we tell them to write the truth?

They carried bogus poll reports on Chavez before the referendum, using opinion polls by companies ALSO funded by U.S. entities.

[bemildred]

7. Some of that appears to me to be incorrect.

Specifically, MercoSur is not US sponsored, that would be FTAA,
and as noted, Venezuela is on board with MercoSur.

MercoPress OTOH might well be under "influence", and while a useful
source of information, it has shown a tendency to dispense KoolAid
from time to time, as it does here.

I found this piece interesting for two reasons: first the outright
dispensation with any connection to reality, reminds me of the
Miami Mafia and their propaganda organs, "if reality is not congenial
enough let's just make shit up"; and second this is the first place
I've heard use of military force and invasion suggested overtly.