Venezuela

Escalating the Escalation: A Short History of the Long War on Drugs in Latin America from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump

( Tomdispatch.com ) – Today, Donald Trump presides over his own Murder Incorporated, less a government than a death squad. Many brushed off his proclamation early in his second term that the Gulf of Mexico would henceforth be called the Gulf of America as a foolish, yet harmless, show of dominance. Now, however, he’s created […]

Latin America

In the new Great Game, can Venezuela negotiate an end to deadly US sanctions?

Ramzy Baroud

(Middle East Monitor ) – The tables have turned. A high-level US delegation visited Venezuela on 5 March, hoping to repair economic ties with Caracas. One of the world’s poorest countries, in part due to US-Western sanctions, Venezuela is, for once, in the driving seat and capable of alleviating an impending US energy crisis if […]

Cuba

After the Attempted Coup in Washington, Americans should rethink overthrowing other peoples’ Governments

Akan Malici

Greenville, SC (Special to Informed Comment) – Now that the disastrous Trump presidency is over, there is much hope placed in Joseph Biden. But it may be misplaced if the American people do not reckon with themselves. We all hated the images from the Washington Capitol a few days ago, and we heard words like […]

Donald Trump

Iran sends Oil, Gas Flotilla to Venezuela; will Trump attack it to Sabotage Biden?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Bloomberg reports that a flotilla of ten Iranian vessels is heading for Venezuela. They have turned off their shipboard Automatic Identification System, or AIS, so that US signals intelligence cannot find them easily. The ships typically go around the Cape of Good Hope and then head northwest to Caracas. Will […]

Crime

Wagging the Dog: As Trump and Iran square off on Venezuela Oil Shipments, will US Go full Pirate of the Gulf?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Trita Parsi writing at Responsible Statecraft wonders if the Trump administration is planning to widen its piracy against Iranian vessels on the high seas as part of an October surprise. Trump had four Iranian oil tankers seized in August, alleging that they were heading for Venezuela. The problem? There is […]

Latin America

Venezuela crisis: Trump threats to Maduro evoke bloody history of US intervention in Latin America

The Conversation

By Joseph J. Gonzalez | – Violence erupted at the Venezuela-Colombia border over the delivery of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, killing four people and injuring 24 on Feb. 22. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that his “days are numbered,” and Trump officials reiterated that the U.S. is considering all […]

Venezuela

The Trojan Horse of US “Aid” to Venezuela

H. Patricia Hynes

(Informed Comment) – Hope and US Aid at the Border: the title of a recent New York Times video deodorizes the US attempt to overthrow President Maduro of socialist Venezuela and replace him with a hand-picked member of the Venezuelan elite, capitalist class. As the major media presents it, the US is altruistically rushing to […]

Donald Trump

Trump Hawks don’t Care about Democracy, they Want a Brutal Coup for Venezuelan Oil

Peter Certo

(Otherwords.org) – Do we think people who armed death squads and started wars really want to “bring democracy” to Venezuela? By Peter Certo | January 30, 2019 For some months now, Venezuela’s socialist government has lurched through a series of escalating crises — hyperinflation, mass protests, political violence — while both the government and its […]

Featured

Turkey, NATO ally, Rejects US “Coup Attempt” in Venezuela

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – It is no surprise that Iran should be supporting the Venezuelan government of Maduro, given that both typically take anti-imperialist stands. What is astonishing is that NATO member Turkey has piled on the criticism, along with the Turkish press. It is s sign of US-Turkish relations being at their nadir. […]