by
Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers
Part
3 - Is War Against Venezuela Coming?
A
military coup faces challenges in Venezuela as the people, including
the military, are well educated about US imperialism. Tillerson
openly urging a military coup makes it more difficult.
The
government and opposition recently negotiated a peace settlement
entitled “Democratic Coexistence Agreement for Venezuela.” They
agreed on all of the issues including ending economic sanctions,
scheduling elections and more. They agreed on the date of the next
presidential election. It was originally planned for March, but in a
concession to the opposition, it was rescheduled for the end of
April. Maduro signed the agreement even though the opposition did not
attend the signing ceremony. They backed out after Colombian
President Santos, who was meeting with Secretary Tillerson, called
and told them not to sign. Maduro will now make the agreement a
public issue by allowing the people of Venezuela to sign it.
Not
recognizing elections and urging a military coup are bad enough, but
more disconcerting is that Admiral Kurt Tidd, head of Southcom, held
a closed door meeting in Colombia after Tillerson’s visit. The
topic was “regional destabilization” and Venezuela was a focus.
A
military attack on Venezuela from its Colombian and Brazilian borders
is not far fetched. In January, the NY Times asked, “Should the US
military invade Venezuela?” President Trump said the US is
considering US military force against Venezuela. His chief of staff,
John Kelly, was formerly the general in charge of Southcom. Tidd has
claimed the crisis, created in large part by the economic war against
Venezuela, requires military action for humanitarian reasons.
War
preparations are already underway in Colombia, which plays the role
of Israel for the US in Latin America. The coup government in Brazil,
increased its military budget 36 percent, and participated in
Operation: America United, the largest joint military exercise in
Latin American history. It was one of four military exercises by the
US with Brazil, Colombia and Peru in Latin America in 2017. The US
Congress ordered the Pentagon to develop military contingencies for
Venezuela in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.
While
there is opposition to US military bases, James Patrick Jordan
explains, on our radio show, the US has military bases in Colombia
and the Caribbean and military agreements with countries in the
region; and therefore, Venezuela is already surrounded.
The
United States is targeting Venezuela because the Bolivarian
Revolution provides an example against US imperialism. An invasion of
Venezuela will become another war-quagmire that kills innocent
Venezuelans, US soldiers and others over control of oil. People in
the United States who support the self-determination of countries
should show solidarity with Venezuelans, expose the US agenda and
publicly denounce regime change. We need to educate people about what
is really happening in Venezuela to overcome the false media
coverage.
Share
this article and the interview we did on Clearing The FOG about
Venezuela and the US’ role in Latin America. The fate of Venezuela
is critical for millions of Latin Americans struggling under the
domination of US Empire.
***
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