While Trump cuts food stamps, USAID bankrolls Venezuela regime change with half a billion in tax dollars
The Trump administration has spent $654 million in “aid” to try to overthrow Venezuela’s government, including $435 million through USAID and $128 million directly to Juan Guaidó and his corrupt coup gang — all while imposing crippling austerity at home.
by Ben Norton
Part 2 - USAID’s role in US coup attempt against Venezuela
USAID has long acted as a front for the CIA and other government agencies, disguising regime-change activities as supposed humanitarian work. Under the administration of Donald Trump, the organization’s role as an arm of US hybrid warfare has become more aggressive than ever.
In February 2019, a USAID plan was revealed to train “aid workers” as special operations forces who serve in teams with military and intelligence operatives to advance US “national security” interests.
That same month, the ostensible humanitarian agency was activated as the lead element in a plot to overthrow Venezuela’s elected government. USAID collaborated with the Defense Department and State Department in a scheme in Cucuta, Colombia, on Venezuela’s border.
In February 2019, a USAID plan was revealed to train “aid workers” as special operations forces who serve in teams with military and intelligence operatives to advance US “national security” interests.
That same month, the ostensible humanitarian agency was activated as the lead element in a plot to overthrow Venezuela’s elected government. USAID collaborated with the Defense Department and State Department in a scheme in Cucuta, Colombia, on Venezuela’s border.
USAID worked hand in glove with Venezuelan coup leaders, many of whom disguised themselves as so-called aid workers. On February 23, they tried to ram a US “aid” convoy across the Venezuelan border.
The putsch attempt was ultimately unsuccessful. So as a last resort, violent right-wing coup-mongers set the aid on fire, and Washington and the international media immediately blamed the Maduro government — in a scheme first exposed by The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal, and finally acknowledged weeks later by The New York Times.
The putsch attempt was ultimately unsuccessful. So as a last resort, violent right-wing coup-mongers set the aid on fire, and Washington and the international media immediately blamed the Maduro government — in a scheme first exposed by The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal, and finally acknowledged weeks later by The New York Times.
Actual aid organizations publicly condemned USAID’s involvement in the violent coup attempt. The International Red Cross said the stunt “is, for us, not humanitarian aid.” And the United Nations slammed the “politicized” nature of USAID’s activities.
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