Ramping
up interventionist rhetoric and policy against progressive
governments in the region, United States Vice President Mike Pence
said working for “freedom” in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela is a
priority for Donald Trump’s administration during a ceremony in
which new U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States
(OAS), Carlos Trujillo, was sworn in.
“We
will stay by the side of those who long for freedom and we will
confront their oppressors,” Pence said during the event in the
White House.
During
his speech the U.S. vice president singled out Cuba, Nicaragua and
Venezuela. Of Cuba he said the island continued to live “under
tyrannical legacy,” using terminology and rhetoric used by
right-wing Cuban Americans against the communist government of Cuba.
Later it
was Nicaragua’s turn. Pence accused Daniel Ortega’s government of
“brutally repressing” peaceful protesters, a common
allegation used by successive U.S. governments and their western
allies to justify interference despite lacking proper evidence to
back their claims.
Then he
attacked the Venezuelan government calling President Nicolas Maduro a
"dictator" and charged him with turning “one of
South America’s most prosperous countries into one of the
poorests.”
Over the
years Washington has maintained economic and political attacks
against these three countries hoping to bring about regime change.
Since
1960 consecutive U.S. governments have imposed an economic blockade
against Cuba. In the 1980s U.S. President Ronald Reagan began
financing and training a paramilitary group within Nicaragua known as
the Contras. In 2015 the Obama administration declared Venezuela a
“threat to its national security” and the policy of
economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation was unleashed.
The U.S.
Senior Director for Latin America Juan Cruz called Monday for the
Venezuelan military to overthrow Maduro under a constitutional
provision that justifies rebellion against dictatorial rule.
Earlier
this year former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also hinted at
a military coup in Venezuela.
The new
U.S. ambassador to the OAS announced Wednesday that the OAS general
assembly meeting scheduled for June will include a debate on the
situation in Venezuela. “We can get there with a resolution
condemning Venezuela for not accepting basic humanitarian aid. That
is the first step,” Trujillo explained.
Maduro
has refused to accept international aid because he says he is certain
that the economic crisis Venezuela faces has been created by the
U.S.-sponsored sanctions that affect all Venezuelans.
Pence is
expected to address the OAS permanent council next Monday.
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