2 February 2019 | MEDIA DIVERSIFIED| Mohamed Elmaazi
In recent years the Venezuela government has found itself in conflict with right-wing opposition forces, but also with genuine grassroots organisers who want to carry the “Bolivarian revolution” forward. Thus democratising policies under Chavez have stalled. Mohamed Elmaazi details the steps that have led to ordinary Venezuelans being caught between a rock and a hard place.
Feature image via ‘Defending The Revolution‘ documentary
On 28 January US president Donald Trump announced further sanctions targeting the Venezuelan state-owned energy company, PDVSA. Oil represents the main source of external revenue for the country and at least 30 per cent of its GDP. Five days previously, opposition leader Juan Guaidó appointed himself “interim president”. The AP revealed that this was pre-arranged following secret talks with Trump officials. Journalists from Consortium News, an independent investigative and political review journal have also revealed that DC elites have been grooming the “far-right” figure, who has repeatedly called on the military to overthrow Nicolás Maduro’s democratically elected government.
Sanction them
Trump’s executive order adds to the already crippling US sanctions targeting the country, whose economy has been increasingly under pressure since the collapse in oil prices in 2012. Hundreds of thousands of people have emigrated. Canada, the UK and right-wing allied governments have all come out in support of US regime change efforts in Venezuela. The UK government is refusing to return 14 tonnes of Venezuelan gold.
Russia blasted the[0:16] move as ‘cynical’ and ‘unlawful’. China said it opposes “unilateral sanctions”. Solidarity protests, demos and actions against the unfolding coup-attempt are occurring on a daily basis in countries around the world. Major trade unions in the UK and worldwide have denounced these policies.
Ignore their elections
Many governments in the West are demanding that President Maduro immediately triggers a new presidential election. This is patently absurd given that he was only sworn in on 10 January following early elections. The reason for them being called early was due to pressure from the US controlled Organization of American States and the right-wing opposition. The same opposition that ended up boycotting them. Former US president Jimmy Carter referred to Venezuela’s electoral system as the “best in the world” and Forbes called them a “model for the world”. Hardly left-wing renegades.
Read the full article here: https://mediadiversified.org/2019/02/02/venezuela-under-assault-social-democracy-socialism-and-imperialism/