Instead of doing a Ukraine again coup the US should have offered free assistance to Maduro with no strings attached. Hard to fathom what's happened in Venezuela but looks like it might turn into a Libya if US invades.
6
All US staff should leave and they should take their undercover activists with them. Why is the united States so frightened by small socialist governments like Cuba and Venezuela. Castro thought the states would have been happy that he removed Batista and the American mafia from control of Cuba. I guess America was happy with the status quo, they feared socialism more than corrupt leaders and crooks. Hugo Chavez was legally elected to replace the American cronies running Venezuela. He improved thecountry's health care with the help of Cuba.He treated his citizens to cheaper gas and oil prices at home and even sent free oil to New England during fuel shortages there . The country is reeling now because of the inhumane sanctions imposed by the United States of America. This has been going on for years and has brought on abject poverty in the nation. Propping up a puppet leader loyal to America is reminiscent of Kissinger's plots in the past.
17
Trolling and gaslighting.
1
@Tom
RIGHT ON!
1
Another Bay of Pigs?
4
What Steve from CT said:
BBC Reporter Corrects US Media on Venezuela W/Greg Palast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeNCbXVHrR8
PS. Oil needs to stay in the ground. If we want a future, say 2120, that does not look like Venus, oil needs to stay in the ground.
5
Is the Times incapable of asking Secretary Pompeo the simple question WHY or HOW keeping U.S. diplomats in Venezuela "restrains" U.S. foreign policy concerning Venezuela? If I speculate (as the author here does) that this Pompeo statement recalls the days in 2003, when our Government withdrew U.S. diplomats from Bagdad immediately prior to launching "shock and awe" missile strikes on an Iraqi government which "had to go" (as our
Government now is saying of the Maduro government, then I will be inundated with criticisms for engaging in such speculation. Wouldn't it be helpful if the Times were to employ some journalistic effort here, and press Secretary Pompeo to explain his "restraint of U.S. policy" comment?
6
From all reports, one is inclined to believe that Venezuela is on the brink of social and economic disaster. A country deserving of better than dictatorial oppression.
Not one for having the USA involved in world leadership and involvement, the plight of these good people deserves special and extreme treatment. Unlike what we did with our disastrous experience with Sadaam Hussein, Iran and Afghanistan, we should take a bold move and remove this regime using extreme military might and temporarily annex Venezuela providing the necessary assistance in rebuilding the country and its people to its rightful prominence. In return, we will take ownership of the rich oil resources as compensation for our aid.
A solution that benefits all parties without the specter of occupation that would invite world wide opposition.
2
@Nick DiAmante
Stinks of colonialism...
3
I do hope you are sarcastic.
6
"... we should take a bold move and remove this regime using extreme military might and temporarily annex Venezuela providing the necessary assistance in rebuilding the country and its people to its rightful prominence."
Hopefully Trump will perform a better job than Bush's Iraq's regime change.
1
I don't think we should invade Venezuela. And South Americans won't invade each other. So, we have no policies options. Get ready for more suffering until the tide turns internally and the military flips.
I think what the article doesn't make clear enough is there is a consensus among Latin American countries (less Cuba) that Maduro most go.
Of the major Latin American counties, only Mexico currently has not recognized Guaido's government. This was not the case during the USA's dubious interventions in Latin America in past decades. The Anti-Maduro consensus reflects a broad movement to advance a united Latin American vision for the region. The US doesn't call all the shots anymore.
6
@Nicholas Bianchi Sir, take some time to understand the similarities between the western backed south american government of the 70's/80's and their counterparts today. Start with Columbia. You will learn why many current governments in SA support the US position. Furthermore, the population in these countries are split. Support appears unanimous on our media but it is not. What we are told by western outlets is not close to what's actually going on in Venezuela or SA for that matter. Let's not be so quick to forget the history of SA and more recently, the middle east.
7
U.S. policy toward Venezuela is still an impulsive, and increasingly, dangerous form of "diplomacy by swagger." The problem with this is that if you swagger in one direction too much, you end up falling over.
The U.S. can threaten Maduro by saying that "all options are on the table," but the fact is that the Lima Group will not support military intervention, and if we go it alone, support for the U.S. position generally will quickly evaporate elsewhere in the world, leaving the Cubans, Chinese and Russians in the undeserved position of being given a free pass for their role in the destruction of Venezuela.
Maduro will die in the last ditch before he succumbs to external pressure, and only a negotiated departure -- with plenty of positive incentives -- has a hope of prying him out of power in time to prevent a further collapse of Venezuela into chaos and strife.
Our diplomats are no longer going to be in Caracas, which is a good and correct decision, but we must keep the lines of communication open to Maduro by other well-established means.
6
The situation in Venezuela is indeed dire. Nevertheless, the US should not under any circumstances take military action. There was a rotten dictator in Libya who was abusing his people, so we decided we could make things all better by going after him.
Now years later Libya, like Venezuela, rich in oil resources, that once had reasonable infrastructure, is in a state of civil collapse.
Keep the sanctions on the Maduro regime and punish it economically, but another military intervention will only spawn a counter-revolution and a never ending guerilla war.
Venezuelans must take charge of their country, not the US or any other outside force, including Russia or Cuba.
7
I wonder what Maduro, Cilia, Diosdildo, El Salami, and Delcy (and families) will do in their last days on Earth. This is probably the largest precursor that could be sent. This is the water going out before the Tsunami.
2
A US military intervention and then a big victory for the Donald? Nothing is off the table with this guy.
Oh, the tide is moving in the direction of the Venezuelan people all right - judging from the slant of this article, they're swimming in it already, as are we all now. Thank those excellent sewage engineers in the Trump administration.
5
Trump wants a war soooo bad he can taste it. I mean John Bolton and Eliott Abrams what could go wrong?
I really think most of the trouble down there is from the good old CIA trying to get control of the oil and coke. Like they have always done.
Same as it ever was. I just wish it was once in a lifetime.
7
Still waiting for the smoking cyber-gun, fair enough. Meanwhile, Rubio got the news about the failed backup generators rather fast. Also "exploiting power outages" is an approach mentioned the in training manual for whatever they renamed the School of the Americas. Guaido's public statement shows he read that chapter. As he said on Twitter, “the light will return when the usurpation [of Maduro] ends.”
7
How is Juan Guaido supposed to believe that we've got his back when we withdraw in the middle of efforts to oust Maduro? Without even a symbolic US presence in Caracas to thwart him, Maduro is likely to feel emboldened to take increasingly aggressive steps against his enemies, real and perceived. If President Trump's goal, however destructive and ill-advised it might be, is to somehow militarily intervene in Venezuela, then removing Embassy personnel would be a first step. And maybe all this isn't as much about Trump putting Mr. Guaido into power as it is about Mr. Trump trying to show the world how tough he is, regardless of the catastrophic consequences that would undoubtedly result.
3
The article says: “Because of backing from the military, Mr Maduro has held on to power...”
In fact, pro-Maduro demonstrations at least as large and often larger than the divided opposition’s demonstrations fill the streets of Venezuela’s cities. Whether the US likes him or not, Maduro has extensive support among the Venezuelan people particularly the much larger poorer classes and that support is reflected in the make-up of the military.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/09/venezuela-maduro-and-guaidos-supporters-return-to-the-streets
11
“This continues to be my main area of concern,” Mr. Bruen said. “They are using this bellicose rhetoric pretty cavalierly. It strengthens Maduro’s position without seeming to be part of an escalation strategy.” Why does anyone believe there is a strategy. This is yet another major foreign policy blunder by the Trump administration. Antagonize allies, embrace autocrats. ignore human rights violations, start trade wars and blunder your way to a embarrassing failure in negotiations with North Korea. Now we have threaten to invade a country because Trump’s golf buddies talked him into it. Maduro is an incompetent autocrat but he has a lot of supporters who will take up arms in a guerrilla war against invading U.S troops. As with all Trump endeavors there is no plan. There is just the usual winging it with lots of bluster and a scary lack of expertise.
9
Like many here, I am also concerned that this withdrawal is in preparation for (yet another) disastrous attempt by a Republican president to "liberate [INSERT COUNTRY]", A.K.A. try to get their oil into the hands of their friends (Koch Bros., ExxonMobile - the usual suspects).
I am, however, very disappointed by the inaction of the Democratic house majority! Why haven't they asked the officials from the DoD, Pentagon, CIA and State department to testify on the presence and extent of preparations for a military intervention in Venezuela, and the intelligence that is based on? Democrats, just like Republicans, voted overwhelmingly for the invasion of Iraq. We know today that they were hoodwinked. As Bush 2 famously said: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice - we can't get fooled again. Plus, we really couldn't afford another Iraq war. We're still paying for that disaster.
9
Wait -- I thought the Trump administration and suddenly most Republicans had done a complete 180 regarding Russia, ground zero for communism, so why do communist bashing on poor little Cuba? What about Putin's support for Venezuela and deals with oil and threats to the U.S. to leave his friend Maduro alone or else? Don't hear much saber rattling directed at Russia, by golly.
2
every day, we see journalist touting a "blow to Trump"; this situation is tragic for Venezuela. isn't that the real news?
Obama sat by while Cuban influence and horrendous hugo chavez policies destroyed Venezuela. We should at least try to help the people.
9
Even though I wasn’t old enough to fully understand the build-up and subsequent invasion of Iraq, I get an uneasy feeling of deja vu when reading about the situation in Venezuela.
Right-wing media pushing a relatively obscure country’s political situation into the mainstream? Check.
Unpopular president seeking re-election? Check.
Oil barons lurking in the background, no doubt dreaming of one day pushing out OPEC and accessing one of the world’s largest known oil reserves? Check.
Bush invaded Iraq in March 2003. While Trump most likely won’t invade this March, don’t be surprised if it happens in the next 6 months, before the presidential primaries heat up, in order to control the narrative/national discussion going in.
I can see the slogan already: the mighty forces of Capitalism charging into a “Socialist” cesspool, liberating the poor Venezuelans from oppressive “Socialist” rule. If you speak out against the war, you’ll either be branded as a USA-hating Socialist who would rather see America become Venezuela; or you hate our military. Or both, cause anything goes on Fox News these days, who will support and defend every indefensible aspect of this illegal war, if it were to happen.
Am I wrongheaded for being a little bit worried here?
8
I'm sure the US was behind the Venezuelan electric grid crashing.
That's the sort of stuff our State Department/CIA do when they are attempting regime change.
Remember all the fuss and worry that OMG the Russians are going to get into our electric grid... just projection, the US knows that can be a vulnerable point to destabilize.
The US is a danger to the world.
7
@Lucy Cooke how are you sure? I am sure I can provide you with an extensive list of the corrupt chavistas that stole the money that was supposed to maintain the failing power grid since a decade ago... hundreds of millions of dollars, google Derwick, the top 50% quality electrical engineers have fled the Country in desperation and Maduro’s gang is super inept.
This was even announced weeks ago by those forced to remain back under Maduro tending to the crumbling infrastructure.
I am sure there are babies and old people dying in hospitals due to this horrible experiment chavez called socialism for xxi century.
Venezuela needs a hand.
We need to rid ourselves of this Cuba and Russia directed genocide.
1
This is not true. Venezuela's leadership, and the socialist, communist practices from afar, along with utterly corrupt national leadership (many of whom have taken their spoils to the United States)are fully responsible for this. A person with a high school education and a basic book on regional history could have predicted this. The situation is now one of potential destabilizing actions throughout a broader region of South America. Hunger and hopelessness will make a person due desperate and despicable acts in the name of survival. This crisis is now on the door of America, and unfortunately, we have elected a sociopath as President at a time when America really needs all three branches of government to be working somewhat effectively.Things will get much worse before they get better.
1
The only things propping up Maduro at this point are universal hatred of the Trump regime and the mind-boggling incompetence of the same.
1
@Eric
You have been reading the NY Times too much. Maduro has been democratically elected, and his people stand behind him, despite difficulties and his admistration's mistakes. The Times has been claiming he and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, were dictators, and this is simply a lie. I went to Venezuela in 2006 to see for myself what was going on and, having been in the Philippines in January 1986 (when there WAS a dictator in power, Ferdinand Marcos), I saw that Chavez was not a dictator.
7
@Kim Scipes
2006 was quite some time ago. A LOT has happened in the last 13 years.
My Venezuelan friends who still have family in Caracas wouldn't agree with your statement, nor would the thousands who demonstrate against both Chavez and now Maduro.
I don't need to read the paper to figure this out - I only need to speak to the Venezuelans who have fled.
5
@Emily R
While you are correct that 2006 is a long time ago, the people who have fled--especially to the US--are people who can AFFORD to leave; i.e.., you're getting a distorted version of reality since you're only getting one side of the story, and the one who has a direct interest in propagating negative stories.
I, too, talk with people who live or have lived in Venezuela. But I also read on-line sites like www.venezuelanalysis.com, and Orinoco Tribune, as well as news on web sites from around the world such as www.countercurrents.org from India. I also look at a number of sites in the US. In short, I'm trying to understand what is going on, not just accepting propaganda, even when it comes from individuals.
By the way, the mobilizations for Maduro are much larger than fro Guido, and 92% of the population does not want the US to invade. Might be worth thinking about.
3
The US could not overthrow Maduro with butter so we will overthrow him with guns. This is the beginning of another long war.
3
Gee, why don't we just sail down there and fix that country like we fixed Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Cuba, Chile and so on?
14
@Economy Biscuits all VERY different situations and outcomes... but if I want one outcome I hope it is like Chile’s Democracy and humming economy for my beloved Venezuela.
Venezuela needs a hand at this point.
Cuba and Russian directed armed forces are killing those who protest.
Citizens are not armed to fight back.
@Chris A
The "interests" of the people there is very different than the interests of the US oil companies. This movie has played out many times before. The US hasn't been the "good guy" since WW2. The rest of the world knows this. The US has had a terrible record in SA.
2
Remember when Central and South America suggested that Nixon go home along with all other Yankees? Well it's that time again. Kissinger did enough damage in his day to last for centuries of mistrust from our Latin American neighbours. Get out of Venezuela's internal politics and try to concentrate on your own political hassles. You have a wanna be dictator as President, an all too powerful leader of the senate and a growing base of right wing bigots. Tidy up your own house first.
7
Geez Louise, I can't keep it straight! Are we getting ready to go to war with Venezuela or Iran?
We can't have two doggy tails wagging at the same time, can we Mr. Trump?
2
Trump wants to invade Venezuela; Pompeo and Rubio banging the war drums. Another War; Trump? Ray Sipe
4
We do not have a stellar history in Latin America and many Latin Americans haven't forgotten. Did we help or hinder Mr. Guaidó when we endorsed him? Certainly we will not be welcomed south of the border if we make the mistake of intervening militarily. Let Latin America fight it's own battles and make it's own way in the world. Anti-yanwuismo has not disappeared and our intervention will only increase it, regardless of the outcome.
7
The days of prosperity, only a few years ago, had a capitalist system of freedom and human rights. Imperfect and some corruption, for sure. Yet, all were better off, with jobs, reasonable inflation, and abundant food. Now, starvation.
Capitalism ain't perfect but its far better than any alternatives, Bernie.
4
Bernie isn’t advocating for anything but capitalism.
Just a more tightly controlled capitalism, and a stronger social safety net. Ditto for the rest of the so called socialists running on the left.
8
@Bryan - thank you.
4
Reading this article comes across as if the USA just noticed that Cuba and Russia have calling the shots in Venezuela. Cubans and Russians have been in Venezuela for decades.
Well, better late than never.
The problem with Socialism South of the border is not Socialism, it is the Grifter Class.
It is a story that can be traced all the way back to the discovery, circa 1905, of the planet’s largest petroleum riches barely a few-hours flight from the continental USA. What ensued soon after was a rush to exploit the black gold, and the concurrent creation a new class of people propelled by the oil riches and their desire to become wealthy quick.
Becoming a politicians and a member of the ruling class became the easiest and fastest way to riches in Venezuela. A government job has always been the fastest way to acquire wealth in Venezuela by grafting. Since then, social norms have never changed regardless of who is in power and what their political persuasion is.
Replacing Maduro and reestablishing free market policies and free elections, is not going to change much, unless the new government also has a strong commitment to policies to end corruption and the grifter class from power.
6
@Truth Is True, Thank goodness 'The Grifter Class' has not shone up here in our USA!
I mean that would never happen here. Couldn't..not with our system of government.
I am shocked to learn that Russia and Cuba were there all this time, as supporting actors!
How did that slip off our radar?
Isn't that our historical role in every country south of our border wall?
We should invade a few of them just to remind them of who is in charge.
2
@Truth Is True It is Socialism first and the Leaders who undyingly revere a system which has not survived the test of time -- failed political dogma basically. Let's hope this thinking via some of the newer politicians in the US does not take hold, we already have the ultra-rightists who became intrenched in the Republican Party via the Tea Party to contend with. We need middle of the road Leaders and Politicians, not extremists, evidenced by Trump and his crew.
1
@Truth Is True. this situation is tragic for Venezuela. isn't that the real news?
Obama sat by while Cuban influence and horrendous hugo chavez policies destroyed Venezuela. We should at least try to help the people.
The days of prosperity, only a few years ago, had a capitalist system of freedom and human rights. Imperfect and some corruption, for sure. Yet, all were better off, with jobs, reasonable inflation, and abundant food. Now, starvation.
Capitalism ain't perfect but its far better than any alternatives, Bernie. That is the truth.
1
And on and on goes the campaign of bellicose lies and outright deception aimed at the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution and its leaders with the stated goal of installing a puppet government responsive only to Washington's corporate designs in that country. From old coup attempts against Hugo Chavez to two-faced "humanitarian aid" campaigns, and most recent electric grid cyberattacks, there seems to be no end to the U.S. fanatical ideological fixation with one of Latin America's richest countries (it's the oil stupid!). But time and time again, and despite all odds, 21st. century socialism has come on top. What can possibly make Trump and Co. think that this time they'll be able to set back the clock of history, the use of military power perhaps? Be careful what you wish for, for it might teach you still another lesson that you won't soon forget.
19
@Rafael Gonzalez The bellicose lies sadly have proven to be coming from Chavez and now Maduro, who have both failed the average Venezuelan miserably because their policies are not grounded in reality. And apparently you have no common sense because the country which is rich in resources is in dire straits. Blackouts for a wealthy country. How can anyone state as you do that it is not Maduro's regime which is to blame? The new man waiting in the wings to de-throne Maduro (so typically Latin in his blaming the US for every thing he does wrong) is a breath of fresh air and currently the only hope the people of Venezuela have. Chile was better off with Pinochet (and he was brutal) than Venezuela is with the clown, Maduro.
3
@JHM you're obviously an agent provocateur with no other function than to offer same old arguments favoring discredited U.S. interventionism in Latin America and elsewhere in the world. Good luck Charlie!
1
The overwhelming majority of the commenters here blame the USA. Typical.
They don't point out that Maduro's regime has killed many peaceful protesters; that roughly 80% of the population wants him gone; that more than 10% of the country's population has fled in the last few years because of fear of reprisals, starvation and gigantic inflation; that his "election" was conducted via fraudulent means; that he routinely jails political opponents. And I could go on and on. I'm sure the starving, and subjugated people suffering from a lack of freedom and liberty in Venezuela appreciate the immense support American liberals have for despotic regime.
13
@W
There is extremely little evidence that you can present for any of the statement made here. There is good evidence that the Koch Bros are behind much of what is going on in Venezuela. They badly need the type of heavy oil found there because their refineries are built for that type. Venezuela has not given the Kochs a good prince or perhaps denied sales to them. Regardless y ou totally miss the point that America has "taken over" more than 80 countries with these types of crimes; same routine over and over again. Maduro was democratically elected and he did not kill anyone. He has had to control insurgents trying to take over his government. He is not perfect. The gov of that country has for decades made the mistake of using the oil commodity for a source of funding and failed to expand the economy. So they are poor managers of the gov just like Charvez was. But that does not allow us, in any way, to go in an take over a democratic country. We are committing crimes as we do this and should be sanctioned by the UN.
4
The NYT articles like to repeat that Venezuela was the richest country in SAmerica. True. The problem was that those riches went to the already rich ( and now golf buddies of Trump and Rubio in El Doral zuela /Miami) prior to Chavez. If those oil profits had helped the larger poor population, there would not have been a Chavez/ Maduro Regime.!!!
3
I guess if .. oh, let's say Honduras ... had a lot of oil, Trump would be willing to intervene there... you know, just for the good of the civilians.
13
@jhanzel The US with Hillary Clinton leading the charge did engineer a coup there, just about five years ago.
Big Banana/Coffee/Ag interest there.
us army 1969-1971/california jd
3
@jhanzel
Well, if a nasty Hoduran dictatorship had thousands of Cubans intelligence agents keeping it in power and invited malevolent Russian military forces in, I’m certain we’d be more interested, oil or not.
@marvinhjeglin - five years ago huh? Wasn't she busy with Benghazi, or lining up donors for the Clinton Foundation or running the child pornography ring out of pizza restaurant in New York. Busy busy busy.
You cannot keep blaming everything that goes wrong during Trump's reign on Obama and Clinton. He's been there three years. He owns it. Time to put his big boy pants on.
3
One logical way out--internationally supervised elections for Venezuela.
4
Events on the ground indicate that neither Maduro nor Guaidó want to see a bloodbath of their people. We don't know whether the Trump administration has any such concerns about Venezuelans. They seem indifferent to the fate of other peoples throughout the world, so long as Trump and his backers are not inconvenienced. Trump would love to crow about a victory over the forces of socialism, at whatever human cost.
But both Maduro nor Guaidó want the other to just go away. We COULD see massive Maduro defections, without deaths or generational trauma. But it's a gamble. I would try to persuade both of them to agree with a sharing of power. overseen by the UN, or some other neutral broker. Such transitions have succeeded.
Failing that, at the very least I would guarantee Maduro and his backers safe passage to the nation of their choice. A bloodbath would take a generation to heal. Not saying it's going to happen, but I wish everyone would do what they can to avoid it.
2
@Chasethebear
If the US had stayed out of this it would have been simpler. We do not belong there.
2
@Frank Agreed. The country needs support, not interference. But Venezuela distrusts us too much for us to even play an honest broker role.
1
I sense a "Wag the Dog" moment coming. So much winning!
2
Yes, I'm sure that electric grid crashed all on its own, with no outside help. Now it's time for the outside helpers to say that Venezuela can't govern itself, at least without more outside help. That's especially true if nobody quite remembers voting for Guiado for president there.
6
@Mike McGuire
Great advice. You are completely correct. Now is time for Russia and China to step up and help, while protecting their own particular investments of course.
2
@Mike McGuire
You're right about the electric grid needing "outside help" to crash, but you may want to consider corruption, the absence of sufficient qualified engineers and the absolute lack of maintenance for years before jumping to conclusions about any foreign country's interests on whether Venezuelans have electricity or not.
This is a real concern. I think Donald Trump will do whatever he thinks will protect him from all the investigations regardless of the consequences. I really hope this is not a prelude to military action. By serving Trump and not the Constitution Mike Pompeo is redefining the previously powerful Secretary of State position. Apparently Pompeo will support and defend Trump no matter what. John Bolton has certainly shown he prefers military action over diplomacy.
8
I know most Americans don’t really have knowledge or care about Latin America. I have been married to a Venezuelan for 20 years. Maduro has got to go I wish we would put some teeth behind our bark and just throw the idiot out. He can spend his days with his Iranian friends.
12
@C As much as I agree that Maduro has to go due to his crimes, the United States' does not have a right to directly intervene especially for the reasons of controlling the oil industry there. The only reason the Administration is interested (John Bolton even talked about it) is American Interests in the oil in Venezuela. The U.S. should join with other countries to create a dialogue, instead of attaching more sanctions which is partly what destroyed Venezuela's economy in the first place. The economy there is similar to Iran's decades ago when the market was flooded with cheap oil to cause the country to lose money, sanctions enacted to destroy any prosperity and starve the people, and lastly in Iran they disguised arms as Humanitarian Aid in order to create a coup d'etat so we could have American interests could profit over the oil rich nation. It didn't work out very well then, I don't think it'll work out very well this time around.
5
We care about Venezuela but other than sanctions on Maduro and his cronies I can’t see our other options. An invasion by the USA alone would be a disaster in so many ways.
We are also up against the propaganda machines of Russia and China. The pro Maduro comments on this forum are not from United States Democrats.
The electrical problems in Venezuela have been going on for years. The problem is incompetent management and theft of maintenance funds.
1
Maduro may be a despot, but Guiado has all the makings of being a stooge for the American corporate interests (especially in the Petroleum industry) which now dominate the agenda of the Republican Party. Maduro does need to step down from power. However, the Venezuelan people must be patient and wait at least until February of 2021, when it is likely that a new President of the United States will be in office.
U.S. intervention in Venezuela may or may not serve the interests of the Venezuelan people (depending on whether Guiado is even worse than Maduro). However, U.S. military intervention in Venezuela will certainly be a catastrophe for American democracy and institutions. The majority of Venezuelans are very clear that while they are happy to see Madoro go, they do not want to resort to some American military invasion and occupation in order to achieve his ouster. Only if the Venezuelans are left to sort out their political problems by themselves, without foreign interference, will it be possible for that country to achieve sustainable solutions.
As for the USA, it will simply get entangled in another military quagmire, endlessly having to prop up a feckless figurehead in Guiado. Worse, American jingoism will be stirred up, to the benefit of the GOP, and Trump will have found an easy way to steal prestige and gain a boost in popularity.
19
@Outerboro Very much agree. I lived in Venezuela in 1977 to 1980, which only qualifies me to care deeply. This situation is ripe for even further calamity - I appreciate your caution and let-them-take-care-of-it counsel.
4
@Outerboro The people had sorted out their political problems, they supported and elected Chavez, and the US proceeded to get rid of Chavez, they attempted to assassinate Chavez, and waged economic warfare against the people for years. Why does the US sanction Venezuela anyway? The people did nothing against the giant in the north at all. Their only crime was to elect a left-leaning government. They did not threaten to bomb or invade the US, nor did they impose sanctions or attempted a regime change in Washington DC.
But the US went on to punish the people in Venezuela. Why, if not for the oil?
16
The rightwing un-factual extremist Pompeo and the Trump white nationalist personality cult are giant embarrassments, especially when seen through the lens of Venezuela. Look at what has happened to America, since Reagan's revolution.
Our public K-12 schools are a mess. Our roads and bridges are lousy. Our better public and private universities are filled with the children of the rich. Health care costs are sky high. Folks no longer have pensions. The gap between the rich and the rest of us has exploded.
Those things are all worse than they were before Reagan. Yes, of course: we still have a functioning economy and democracy, though there are dark inklings from the white nationalist Trump McConnell Republicans that they would do anything at all to retain power.
The slow-motion failures of our own extremist rightwing un-factual un-democratic ideologues, e.g., Pompeo, are similar to the high speed failures of the Maduro Venezuelan extremist un-factual un-democratic socialists.
This isn't a right wing or left wing thing. It is an extremist, un-factual, un-democratic, ideologue, personality-cult, anything goes thing.
24
@RobertAccording of international observers, including the Carter Center, Maduro was elected in a clean election. Be it as it may, the US has no right to interfere in the country.
What have the people in Venezuela done to justify to be economically destroyed with years of sanctions?
What right does the US have to instigate violent regime change and replace Maduro with a bloody right-wing dictatorship for decades to come. Not even one time did regime change bring anything else but blood and tears to the people. See the ME after all the regime changes organized and paid for by the US.
What if someone did that to us? Putin's meddling pales compared to that.
2
@R. Littlejohn
Thank you for your reply. Weren't the original sanctions in answer to Mr. Maduro's destruction of democracy and democratic institutions after his election? And not about the election per se? I don't remember. Under Chavez and now Maduro, Venezuela has become a failed state. Millions of Venezuelans don't have enough to eat. Millions have left Venezuela, mostly for Colombia and Brazil. Being a failed state doesn't in and of itself justify regime change or sanctions. it does however demand a response. Including generous aid. And a firm request to stop human rights violations. It complicates things greatly that Venezuela is presently sending most of its oil to China and Russia in order to pay back loans, and receiving no payments for it. It doesn't help that those countries see Venezuela as one of their puppet states.
1
Why are we so bothered by what Maduro does while we love the Saudis, Kim, China and other places that do the same or worse?
48
@Thomas Renner
1. Closer to home.
2. Pathetic, almost laughable, incompetence.
3. Popular anti-government mass movement.
4. Bogus "socialism" is an easy target.
5. (Almost forgot) Oil.
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@Thomas Renner Regime changes always end in bloody right-wing dictatorships.
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@Thomas Renner
You know, besides the fact that Caracas is closer to Miami than LA?
Oh, and exactly no one loves the Kim or Beijing dictatorships.
Mr Pompeo......When there's no clean water or electricity in Puerto Rico for close to a year can we thank the excellent engineers from the United States?
How about clean water in Flint, Michigan? Thank the excellent hydrologists from the United States?
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In blaming Cuba for its negative influence in Venezuela, shouldn't we be wondering how different things might be if the U.S. had continued the Obama policy there instead of the Trump cold war bullying?
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I do not get why this is a setback. Whether a few U.S. diplomats are in the country or not will have no impact on whether the Venezuelan dictator can stay in power. It would seem very doubtful that the U.S. has anything to do with the power outages. People have been reading too many spy novels. The power has been going out for years. There is not a lot the U.S. should do. No troops, no arms to the opposition. Offer humanitarian aid, which has been rejected in the past. Beyond that, wait and see. It is not our job to bail out the Venezuelans. However, we did not cause this. Their rotten government did this. Unfortunately, other bad actors such as the Russians will delight in keeping Venezuela in misery, just to spite the U.S., by propping up Maduro, the bus driver turned dictator. It is in their interest to do this because keeping Maduro in power will keep Venezuelan oil output low which will prop up Russian oil prices. I see little hope for the place until Maduro is gone and foreign investment returns to this once prosperous place. Whether the opposition can flip the military and run him out remains to be seen.
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Is it possible that all the hand-wringing in the mainstream media about a socialist dictatorship in Venezuela, all the support for a coup, all the sanctions, threats of military intervention have only one basis: Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world.
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@Martha Shelley But Maduro is just not our boy, Guiado is our boy and would protect our interests as long as he and the oligarchs are paid well. That is the minority white population. The Koch bro. have two refineries in Texas specialized for oil from Venezuela, they get their oil but the money goes to Guaido, not to the people. The US confiscated the peoples' money.
Our MSM has government talking points with the Trump stamp of approval.
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If you are for the forces of freedom then you are against the Trump administration.
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The Koch brothers have a refinery in Texas that can only refine heavy crude like from Venezuela and Canada tar sands. The Koch’s have been trying to build a pipeline to carry this toxic oil from Canada to Texas, but have has been delayed by people along the way worrying about such things as their health and environment. Thus the Koch’s , big republican donors have pressured Trump to get the Venezuela oil on the cheap by stealing it.
BBC Reporter Corrects US Media on Venezuela W/Greg Palast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeNCbXVHrR8
Also it is about race. The followers of Chavez and now Maduro are people of color, and are about 70% of the population. The followers of Guaido are mostly white. You can easily see this in the pictures of the protests.
Venezuela has been letting in aid, just not from countries trying to overthrow them. If the US wanted to give aid to Venezuela they could stop their sanctions and freezing of banking assets, preventing them buying food and medicine with their own money.
There are over 190 countries in the UN, of which only around 50, through Trumps bullying are backing Guaido.
Last I checked there are people sleeping under bridges in most US cities, cutting off aid to Puerto Rico and no clean water in Flint. Yet Trump is using Trojan horses to force “aid” on Venezuela so he can steal their resources.
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Elliot Abrams! Ach, here we go again. Abrams is one of the stars of the Iran-Contra fiasco and was convicted of hiding information from Congress. (along with Oliver North)
A true Neocon "if-you-got-it-use-it" saber rattler. Pardoned by the recently canonized G.H.W. Bush, of course.
He just won't go away!
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This is a setback for trump? Why? What’s the big deal?
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America's arrogant pretensions as to its 'Exceptionalism' has led the 'world's purveyor of democracy' to ignore the UN Charter and to shamefully disavow international law and international norms.
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On March 10th this newspaper stated: “Top U.S. officials have said Nicolás Maduro’s regime burned an aid convoy last month. But TV footage contradicts that claim and shows how this unverified information spread across Twitter and television.” Today, it says the US has been rather bellicose in threatening that all options, including military, are on the table. Yet it asserts that “outside experts”, without evidence, dismiss the possibility the US is implicated in the country’s electricity blackout. Does this add up logically? Who are these nameless experts? Are they the same experts who insisted Sadam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction as justification for military action?
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Americans are outraged that Russia meddled in their own affairs, yet they continue to meddle in everyone else's.
Perhaps its a good thing that Putin pointed this out?
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From the time Trump came down the escalator it has been clear that his fundamental strategy is distraction ("Ignore the little man behind the curtain, I am the great and powerful Oz!"). And it has been equally clear that for a demagogue the ultimate distraction is starting a war. So I and a lot of other Americans have been waiting. And mercifully ("Little Rocket Man" to the contrary notwithstanding) our wait has been in vain. Until now. There is too much cognitive dissonance in Trump backing a progressive opposition politician in Venezuela or any other place when he has made it crystal clear that his heart is with fascists and proto-fascists everywhere (Russia, Poland, Hungary, etc., etc. ad nauseum). Ominously, Trump's support for the progressive Venezuelan opposition becomes increasingly militant ("all options are on the table") as the multi-lateral investigations of his administration, and especially of his businesses, close in. Patriotism is the last resort of a criminal. Invade Venezuela, and put our fighting men and women at risk, and then sic Fox News on all those traitors who would dare to attack Trump when our country is at war.
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After 20 years a US Administration finally calls out the power usurper Cuban government and their Venezuelan treasonous collaborators by name. A true Democracy would have found the path to impeach either, or both, Chavez and Maduro, removed them from office and try them as traitors. The evidence was clear and on the surface. That would have been the true measure of a genuine democracy, not just holding rigged elections every few years. The country lies in ruins and will take several generations to repair the deep wounds and destruction these traitors wrought . What a waste of lives and opportunities. For what?
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@J Lorenzo Democracies do not force dictators with bloody regime changes in other countries. By all accounts, Chavez and Maduro were elected, legitimate heads of state whether we like it or not. A CIA organized regime change will bring bloody misery for decades to come to the country.
Regime change is against international law.
Shame but there is no U.S. role here past history precludes any action. Besides no National Interest at stake to warrant intervention people will starve and die because of a failed corrupt government retains power from a military junta.
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I said it last week and I'll say it again today. Anything negative for Trump is positive for America.
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When will we learn that the US is causing the blackout? When will we learn how much we are paying the military leaders to abandon Maduro? When will it become obvious that Venezuela would be off our radar if it didn’t have oil?
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With our history of violent intervention in the region, I'd want us gone too.
I'm no fan of Maduro's, but the situation in Venezuela is frankly none of our business. We can provide (non-political) humanitarian aid, but otherwise we should keep our noses out.
After the mess we made of Libya just a few years ago, I'd hoped we'd learned this lesson.
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Turning off the electricity is a crazed method to shut down adverse communications concerning the current dictatorship in Venezuela. Without communications, free speech comes to an immediate halt, as disaster reigns. Without the Internet, conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated beyond poverty. No electricity is the crudest of dictatorial degeneration. When free speech becomes “the enemy of the people”, guess what happens to society.
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The US setup a coup. It failed.
The US needs to get over it. The US used the same lies, tactics, propaganda as everywhere else.
The world sees it these days. The trio of Bolton, Pompeo and Rubio don't call the shots when most of teh rest of the world are against this. The US empie is ending and it's their own doing. You can only lie so often. It's about oil and the petro dollar and the military machine and the shareholders of armaments companies and the vested interests of the pro-war "thinktanks".
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@Maurits Yes, see 1953 in Iran.
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Attention should be paid to the level of desperation the regime is reaching. The kidnapping/arrest and further home search and continued detention of journalist Luis Carlos Díaz by the SEBIN (intelligence forces) are a very worrisome sign. Luis Carlos has been instrumental in explaining how censorship of the internet works and how the crippling of Venezuela's infrastructure is a deliberate acts by a cornered government to curb the flow of information and freedom of expression. He has been reporting on this for the past decade and is highly regarded among local journalists and the international community.
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America`s interest in the Venezuelan peoples human rights is a sham. But it finds the leadership of Maduro in the process of adding Russian and Chinese military bases. Rather than wait, the US wants Maduro replaced at once.
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The immature and intemperate public behavior of the Trump administration vis a vis the Maduro administration is responsible for this turn of events. We need an adult behind-the-scenes foreign policy that prepares for domestic turmoil in foreign lands, but does not augment it.. Sandbox mentality (e.g. "red lines") does not result in beneficial regime change. Now, once again, the Yanquis can either go to war or go home. How sad. We should instead have been preparing to help when and if a democratically chosen regime took control.
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The US is mishandling this crisis in Venezuela at every turn. Surely blame lies at the top because its as if we’re acting with complete ignorance of history or as if we’re unable to wrap our little brains around complexities. These are DT’s hallmarks. Yes, surely blame lies at the top but even our career government officials appear to have lost their senses.
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AN intervention won’t be supported in a continent with a history of US intervention, and it will only galvanise the South American left who are being voted out of power because of their corruption. As an Australian living in Argentina and watching what’s happening in the world the more left or right you are, the more you like to play the victim. It will only play into Maduro’s hands.
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In previous instances the withdrawal of U.S. diplomatic personnel from an embassy eliminates the potential for hostages/human shields should military action be considered a viable option.
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Am I the only one wondering what actually caused the blackouts? I have seen the usual tropes about inadequate investment, mismanagement, etc. but is it possible that Maduro's claim that the blackouts are caused by US cyberattacks is true? As Trump and Pompeo have repeatedly said "All options are on the table".
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@Jsailor
No, the system is far too old and outdated. There's nothing there to be hacked. It would be like going back in time and trying to launch a cyber attack on a US power station from the 1960's.
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@Jsailor It is very well possible. Snowden talked about this and said the United States has the capability of shutting down many countries' grids.
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@Jsailor I don't think there is any way to know. However, if the cause is in fact cyberattacks and it results in getting rid of the socialist dictatorship, wouldn't that be preferable to bombing or some other form of violence?
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#handsoffvenezuela No more American wars of aggression.
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The US no longer has any moral standing to properly deal with situations like this.
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@Peter Stern
The U.S. hasn't had any moral standing since 1945
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Not OUR United States of America, Mr. Stern. The Robber Barons who have taken over OUR governments and want to destroy the world.
The vast majortiy of Americans do not agree with their actions and WE THE PEOPLE must make sure the world knows they do NOT speak or act for us.
6