The Situation With the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC - Press Conference - May 15
"Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada reported US authorities tried to forcibly evict a group of individuals who were peacefully occupying the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC..."
WATCH: Members of the Embassy Protection Collective Speak Following Their Release from Jail
https://twitter.com/anyaparampil/status/1129496865148461057
"We must not allow the US to forcibly evict an embassy.."
"There are the amounts of Venezuelan government funds frozen, witheld or confiscated by international financial institutions, a total of US $5.4 bn #HandsOffVenezuela
https://twitter.com/HOVcampaign/status/1130177080237416448
Canada is thick with the thieves.
Venezuela: After Opposition Support 'Deflated' - US Targets Food Aid Supply
"That Guaido failed with his clownish coup attempt does not mean that the US [and Canada] will give up on its regime change efforts. Venezuela's economy is in deep crisis. The cause is not the minor socialist attempts its government made, but the economic war the US is waging against it. The Trump administration is now joining the opposition effort to increase the number of people in Venezuela who go hungry..."
US Sanctions Are Crippling Venezuela, but the Bolivarian Revolution is not Defeated! (and vid)
https://twitter.com/telesurenglish/status/1131560419099676674
"How much have sanctions cost Venezuela?"
Forgot to save my more in-depth comment, damn. Anyway, short form: if Trump focuses on Iran and the outcry and challenge distract him, Venezuela might be safe or escape the spotlight much like what happened with Bush Jr and Iraq (and early coup against Chavez).
Engler: Canada's Five Year Campaign to Oust Venezuela's Government
https://dissidentvoice.org/2019/05/canadas-five-year-campaign-to-oust-ve...
"Why does the dominant media pay so much attention to Russian 'meddling' in other countries, but little to Canada's longstanding interference in the political affairs of nations thousands of kilometres from our borders?
"Here's Debbie Wasserman-Schultz with Juan Guaido's fake ambassador, who recently requested US military assistance to help his desperate boss usurp power in Venezuela. Fitting that the corporate tool who fixed DNC primaries has so much affinity for rightist coup plotters."
https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1135054319257104390
Canada closes embassy in Venezuela.
The contrast between our government's support for Honduras and a right wing Brazil under Balsero and their condemnation of Maduro in Venezuela is just sickening. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia is treated with kid gloves as is Israel no matter what transgressions they make.
"This neocon Ted Talk is run by the first cousin of Leopoldo Lopez, who just attempted a military overthrow of Venezuela's elected government. Oslo Freedom Forum is a prime example of the weaponization of human rights to advance the interests of oligarchy and empire."
https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1135648028793196550
Very popular modus operandi in Canada too.
North American, European Public: Finally Wake Up Damn It!
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/51729.htm
"...While the ideological battle for Caracas was raging, I was thinking: is there anything that could still move the Western public into action? How much more can the Western public really stomach? Or can it stomach absolutely everything...?
Behind Washington's Anti-Maduro Lobby (and vid)
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/06/10/venezuela-coup-lobby-washington-dc/
"How corporate forces are lobbying for a coup in Venezuela and the campaign of disinformation the opposition and its US backers have waged to gin up support for sanctions and even military intervention..."
"Important discussions today in DC with Sec Pompeo about the new NAFTA, the crisis in Venezuela...Thank you for your close partnership with Canada."
CBC Radio still continues to stir the pot of how much of a humanitarian crisis is underway in Venezuela. Meanwhile, no freaking asks for crisis intervention donations from the usual frontline humanitarian workers (i.e. IRC, MSF, MCC, UN, etc).
"Associates of Venezuelan coup frontman Juan Guaido embezzled funds raised in Colombia for humanitarian aid and lavishly spent it on hotels, nightclubs and expensive clothes. This is a monumental scandal. Great work by Orlando Avendano."
https://twitter.com/dancohen3000/status/1139750016753569792
Lindsey Graham Wants To Invade Venezuela to Put 'Points on the Board' (and vid)
"Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC) wants the US to use military forces to intervene in Venezuela to depose the country's contested [by them] president Nicolas Maduro. His reasons: it will scare other foreign countries like North Korea and Iran to see America put 'points on the board.' 'We need points on the board. Start with your own backyard...Fix Venezuela and everybody else will know you are serious..."
Engler: Ottawa Hires Hitman To Overthrow Venezuelan Government
https://yvesengler.com/2019/06/17/ottawa-hires-hitman-to-overthrow-venez...
"Meet the hired gun Ottawa is using to overthrow the Venezuelan government..."
ps Rabble used to run Yves Engler's columns but seems to have stopped doing so. Just as they stopped running Roger Annis. These are two excellent critical left commentators. One wonders what is going on...
Rabble still hosts both of their blogs.
Thanks for that info. Wonder what's going on?
MUST WATCH - Guaido's Party Caught Embezzling US 'Humanitarian Aid' Cash
"Millions of dollars raised for 'freedom and democracy' in Venezuela ended up spent in Colombia by aides of US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido and were exposed by Colombian spies in yet another blow to his cause."
US [and Canadian] Sanctions Block Medicine From Venezuela, Killing Thousands (and vid)
https://twitter.com/TheRealNews/status/1146403221973245952
'Ordinary Venezuelans talk about how the sanctions have made it increasingly difficult to access life-saving medications.'
"According to a recent report, as many as 40,000 people have probably died in Venezuela because of the US sanctions and ore than 300,000 people are estimated to be at risk because of lack of access to medicines or treatment."
Shame on the Canadian political class and its silent supporters/enablers for participating in this cruel siege warfare!
Disturbing report on human rights abuses by Venezuelan special action forces.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/04/world/americas/venezuela-police-abuses.html
Great Josh. Do you recommend the Honduras solution for Venezuela?
The report didn't mention that any of the actions (arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and enforced disappearances) were ordered by the Maduro government. Batchlet also limited investigations to interviews to victims of the government and opposition sides (how that was determined is not described). The government admitted to over 5,000 deaths during security operations, which is alarming. However, the more violent protests become, the more likely a violent reaction occurs. Not a justification but a fact.
"As the foreign-led right wing coup-attempt in Venezuela miserably fails, Canada is tightening the screws to try to force regime change. Venezuela is not renewing visas of Canadian diplomats involved in the coup attempt, so Canada angrily closed its embassy."
https://twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1135351266173968384
Great Josh. Do you recommend the Honduras solution for Venezuela?
No.
Washington Orders International Embargo on Venezuela, Threatens Invasion
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/07/vene-a07.html
"US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday, freezing 'all property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States.' The move is the culmination of a series of increasingly severe sanctions and mark a new stage in the US coup operating against the Government of Nicolas Maduro. US imperialism is starving Venezuelans into submission in order to install a puppet regime under Juan Guaido to gain full control of the largest proven oil reserves on the planet..."
'John Bolton Tried To Assassinate Me': Interview With Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (and vid)
https://twitter.com/GrayzoneProject/status/1158818685274009601
"The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal sits down with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. We discuss the plots to kill him, US sanctions on food distribution, corruption allegations and the corporate media's industrial grade demonization campaign against hinm and his elected government."
Canada's FM Freeland makes herself useful to Trump and Bolton in this ongoing imperialist project in whatever ways she can. As always some Canadian 'progressives' also cheer it on.
Escalating! Trump Declares Full Scale Economic War Against Venezuela (and podcast)
"On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Jon Kiriakou are joined by Lucas Koerner, an activist and writer for VenezuelAnalysis.com . President Trump yesterday issued an executive order freezing all Venezuelan assets in the US and prohibiting transactions with the country."
Canada and especially its hawkish foreign minister Chrystia Freeland play an outsize role in this sanction-siege and collective punishment of the Venezuelan people. Alarming and shameful collaboration/complicity by Canada.
I love that Venezuela is fighting back and putting forth an official declaration of being subject to illegal hostility before the UN Security Council. The US actions are aggresive acts of war. I am so ashamed of Canada being party to these hostile actions. Chrystia Freeland has to go - she is a complete US war machine/"humanitarian intervention" toady.
I love that Venezuela is fighting back and putting forth an official declaration of being subject to illegal hostility before the UN Security Council. The US actions are aggresive acts of war. I am so ashamed of Canada being party to these hostile actions. Chrystia Freeland has to go - she is a complete US war machine/"humanitarian intervention" toady.
She's not a toady but rather a true believer who very likely has worked for one of the US agencies for many years.
Disturbing report on human rights abuses by Venezuelan special action forces.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/04/world/americas/venezuela-police-abuses.html
Human Rights Watch is not happy:
But Ms. Taraciuk expressed disappointment that the report stops short of urging the United Nations to set up a commission of inquiry. It calls instead for the government to set up an independent investigation, with some unspecified international participation.
“You cannot ask Venezuelan courts, which have no independence, to investigate the executive,” she said.
Must mean that Bachelet is too respectful of national sovereignty - a mistake the U.S. and Human Rights Watch would never make.
Food Shipment Destined For Venezuela Seized in Panama Canal Due to US Blockade
"Venezuela calls on the UN to stop this serious aggression by Donald Trump's gov't against our country, which constitutes a massive violation of the human rights of the entire Venezuelan people, by attempting to impede their right to food..."
"It is a disgrace that the US directly blocks the delivery of food to Venezuela. This is like the Nazi blockade of Leningrad."
https://twitter.com/Alfreddezayas/status/1159201105399681025
Trump's starvation siege and sanctions are killing people. Canada collaborates. 'Feminist foreign policy?' Say something or share the shame.
China To Rescue Venezuela Defying US
"China has agreed to bail out and repair Venezuelan oil refiners in exchange for oil and fuel. The move would complicate the US economic blockade on Venezuela and ease fuel shortages in the country."
"Venezuela FM Jorge Arreaza asked his counterparts in the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization to meet and discuss unprecedented fires currently ravaging the rainforest. Yet [Freeland's] Lima Group nations refused for what he says are 'ideological reasons."
https://twitter.com/anyaparampil/status/1165306617719664642
"Yesterday Venezuela Solidarity Coalition activists confronted Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau. When it was pointed out to Morneau that Justin Trudeau's government supports many human rights abusers, all he could say was 'we disagree.'
https://twitter.com/dimitrilascaris/status/1166031182989074432
Trudeau and Freeland are freaking hypocrites and a danger to the stability of South America and the protection of the Amazaon. At least the 24-7 PR pressure circus on Venezuela to support the elite usurper, Juan Guaidó, has been put on the back burner.
Trudeau and Freeland are freaking hypocrites and a danger to the stability of South America and the protection of the Amazaon. At least the 24-7 PR pressure circus on Venezuela to support the elite usurper, Juan Guaidó, has been put on the back burner.
That is likely because he is seen as a joke by most people in Venezuela, even people who didn't vote for Maduro.
Even more so since he recently announced, he will 'boycott' the upcoming 2020 legislative elections, but plans to keep his self-claimed title of 'acting president' even after his one-year term as leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly ends in the new year.
Unfortunately, the Trudeau/Freeland imperialist, 'rules-based-international-order' takers are top of the charts according to the latest poll:
Canadians Think Trudeau Best Suited To Represent Country Globally: Mainstreet Poll
https://ipolitics.ca/2019/08/27/canadians-think-trudeau-best-suited-to-r...
"Results of the 2,463 person phone survey, conducted between July 30-31, show that 35.7 per cent of respondents selected the Liberals' Trudeau as the best fit to represent Canada internationally, with Scheer not to far behind at 31 per cent and 12.7 per cent not sure. The NDP's Jagmeet Singh was the next popular selection at 6.1 per cent..."
Most Canadians intuitively understand that imperialism is good for their economy so at least two thirds of them want the Con/Lib consensus on Canada's role as a US vassal state
Freeland Stop The Sanctions and Interference Against Venezuela!
http://rabble.ca/whatsup/freeland-end-sanctions-and-interference-against...
Thursday, August 29, 2019, 1500-1600 (3-4 pm)
344 Bloor St West, Toronto
An Action By The Canadian Women Voice For Peace/Hands Off Venezuela
Chrystia Freeland's Attempt to Muscle Cuba Against Venezuela on Behalf of Washington Fizzles...
https://twitter.com/BrunoRguezP/status/1166839009265557504
"In the meeting with Canada's Foreign Minister Freeland I expressed that tightening of US coercive measures vs Venezuela damages its people and are contrary to International Law and the dialogue process. I reiterated our invariable solidarity with President Nicolas Maduro."
Washington's Canadian enforcer and thug, Chrystia Freeland. Shameful and disgusting.
The CITGO Conspiracy: Opposition Figures Accuse Guaido Officials of 'Scam' to Liquidate Venezuela's Most Prized International Asset
"This July 29, a US court ruled in favor of the Canadian mining firm Crystallex, sparking fears CITGO could soon be liquidated to pay back interested parties. CITGO's survival fell into limbo on July 29, when a US Federal Appeals Court upheld a ruling declaring that Crystallex, a Canadian gold mining firm could seize $1.4 billion worth of the refinery's shares..."
Ottawa Goes To Havana To Talk Venzuela, Returns Empty Handed
https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/09/06/ottawa-goes-to-havana-to-talk-ve...
"This has been the third visit to Havana by Chrystia Freeland this year. Her last visit was preceded by a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Ottawa last August 22. Freeland received Pompeo with lots of praise for him and the wars that Canada has fought alongside the US. Is it possible that Freeland was bringing the metaphorical carrot (or stick) on behalf of Pompeo...?
'Bolton Held Me Back!' Trump Says He's A BIGGER Hawk on Venezuela & Cuba Than Fired Adviser
"In fact, my views on Venezuela and especially Cuba, were far stronger than those of John Bolton..."
US To Provide Venezuela's Guaido With $52 Million in Funding
https://twitter.com/AbbyMartin/status/1178531880523558912
"US govt gives $52 MILLION to coup leader Juan Guaido at the same time it asphyxiates Venezuela's economy with genocidal sanctions that have killed at least 40,000 people."
And FM Freeland is up to her armpits in it Canuckleheads!
#HandsOffVenezuela
"Journalist Max Blumenthal was arrested and jailed this weekend in a blatant attempt to stifle and suppress Grayzone Project's reporting on the US-orchestrated Venezuelan coup. Everyone who cares about press freedom in the US should speak out against this."
"Journalist Max Blumenthal was arrested and jailed this weekend in a blatant attempt to stifle and suppress Grayzone Project's reporting on the US-orchestrated Venezuelan coup. Everyone who cares about press freedom in the US should speak out against this."
I have to agree that this sounds really, really bad. I hope Blumenthal has the resources to sue the DC cops who treated him in such an outrageous way.
Yes. Hopefully he won't be shamefully smeared, slimed then abandoned to torture and destruction by the state as is the case with Julian Assange, whom Blumenthal supports.
CrossTalk on Max Blumenthal: Arresting Speech (and vid)
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/472325-max-blumenthal-arresting-grayz...
"Dissent is being criminalized. Speech is being arrested. Just ask Max Blumenthal [or Julian Assange] - editor of the Grayzone Project and a leading investigative journalist. Increasingly, questioning mainstream media narratives and interrogating policy makers can get you banned, demonetized and even arrested."
Salon has an article about the media hypocrisy regarding the Blumenthal arrest.
Venezuelan Leftist Parties and Unions Stage Protest, Demand Gov’t Answers
Caracas, November 1, 2019 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Several Chavista political parties and trade unions staged a demonstration on Thursday to demand answers from the Maduro government.
The protest was called by the newly formed Unitary Platform in Defense of Working Class Rights, spearheaded by the Communist-led National Working Class Struggle Front (FNLCT).
Dozens of militants from the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV), Homeland For All (PPT), Lucha de Clases, as well as members of the FLNCT-affiliated trade unions, were present in the demonstration staged in front of the Attorney General’s Office in Caracas.
Pedro Eusse, member of the Venezuelan Communist Party Central Committee and FNLCT coordinator general, spoke to Venezuelanalysis about the need to find a “revolutionary exit” from the crisis. “Amidst this crisis we are seeing policies that preserve the benefits and profits of capital over workers’ rights,” the communist leader explained. The rally was held at the Attorney General’s office, Eusse explained, to draw attention to violations of labor rights as well as the criminalization of working class struggles.
He added that the goal is to create a space of debate and “collective construction of policies,” as well as critical evaluation of the government’s performance, so as to combat what he termed a state of “defenselessness” that workers, campesinos and pensioners find themselves in.....
Guaido Supporters Invade Venezuelan Embassy in Brazil and Announce New 'Ambassador' (and vid)
"Supporters of Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Guaido have seized Venezuela's embassy in Brazil. About 20 Guaido supporters jumped the embassy wall and occupied the facility. Reporting on the invasion, Venezuelan Charge d'Affaires, Freddy Efrain Meregole has requested help from all political parties and social movements to resolve the crisis. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro acknowledged self-declared president Guaido as Venezuela's leader earlier this year..."
Freeland's amigos hard at work.
CodePink Founder Medea Benjamin Threatened with Arrest After Protesting U.S. Foreign Interventions
quote:
MEDEA BENJAMIN: There was a press conference being held outside to announce the creation of this new Democracy Caucus on Venezuela, and so we decided to go with our signs saying “Hands off Venezuela,” “No coup.” And the Venezuelan opposition elite showed up, as well. We know these people very well from the time we were part of the Embassy Protection Collective trying to stop them from taking over the Venezuelan Embassy in D.C. They are thugs.
And it’s important to understand, Amy, that this is not about Nicolás Maduro. This is about the policy of intervention that we are opposing. And the creation of this caucus was yet another piece in that. The U.S. is paying for the salaries of a parallel government that they have set up. And these people showed up at the press conference yesterday. And they push and pull. They grabbed all of our signs. They grabbed the phone out of the hands of one of us. And I was pushed and shoved and choked and thrown to the ground.
And then, later, I was accused of being the one to assault Congresswoman Deborah Wasserman Schultz. And there was a bulletin put out for my arrest. They showed up at my house, five cop cars plus police on motorcycles. And they threatened to arrest me. I was very intimidated. And I must say that I feel that this is par for the course, because, unfortunately, the police, whether it’s the Capitol Police, D.C. police or Secret Service, have always been working hand in glove with the Venezuelan opposition. And every time we get assaulted, which is unfortunately on a regular basis, we ask them to be arrested, the police won’t do it, and instead we get charged.
AMY GOODMAN: So, explain what happened. They came to your house, what, like five squad cars of police. They attempted to arrest you. But what happened?
MEDEA BENJAMIN: And motorcycles. Well, I asked where the warrant was for my arrest, and they didn’t have the warrant. And they waited and waited, and they said that their detectives were looking over the footage that they had. And I said, “Good, look over the footage, because you’ll see that I was being choked and thrown to the ground.” And then, after a time, they said, “All right, you’re free to go.”
Now, I don’t know if that really means free, because we have the case of Max Blumenthal, that five months after being at the Venezuelan Embassy, they came and surrounded his home and did the same thing, put him in jail for 20 hours, and now he is facing court charges for a false assault arrest. We have the four people from the Embassy Collective who are facing very serious charges for upholding international law. We have my own partner, who for six months had his passport taken away, had to report to court every week, until they finally dropped the charges.
So, I think people should know that there is a systematic attempt to intimidate those of us who are standing up for international law, standing against U.S. policy of intervention going back to the days of the Monroe Doctrine, standing up against the very brutal sanctions that are hurting people in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, and that we need more people to join us in this and get our elected officials to speak out. Right now Bernie Sanders is the only one doing it. We need the other candidates to do so. We need our Congress to do so, to say, “Stop the U.S. interference in the internal affairs of other countries.”
