US coup in Venezuela

[biggytitbo]

Privatisation and massive IMF loans, is the playbook ever different for these guys https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/25/venezuela-us-coup-leader-juan-guaido-state-oil-company-imf

[Urinal Cake]

In the absence of contrary evidence I can't dispute Amnesty's numbers. But interventional regime change is not the only answer.

[biggytitbo]

Regime change is not only not the answer, it is the problem.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

There's been a bit recently about how Human Rights Watch are often useful idiots inadvertently feeding data to cherry pick.

[NoSleep]

In the absence of contrary evidence I can't dispute Amnesty's numbers. But interventional regime change is not the only answer.

I recall some Amnesty reports of human rights abuses during Chavez's time that turned out to be down to individuals in the police force who had been in place from before the time of Chavez and were just carrying on as they used to. One of the many problems of managing a nationwide organisation without tearing it up by the root and starting again.

[biggytitbo]

This reminds me of how the government and media unquestioningly use stats about Syria from the 'Syrian observatory on human rights', which is one bloke in Coventry who parrots dubious one sided claims from opposition figures in syria or just outright makes stuff up.

[ZoyzaSorris]

In the absence of contrary evidence I can't dispute Amnesty's numbers. But interventional regime change is not the only answer.

What is Amnsty's evidence? I haven't seen it.

All I know is that when it comes to US enemies, Amnesty seems to invariably run with the most lurid claims of the US favoured opposition factions. Used to be a big supporter as a youngster, dont believe a word they say these days unfortunately.

[Jakey Chesterton]

Imagine clapping this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1089237879845380096

[KennyMonster]

Imagine clapping this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1089237879845380096

Fucking hell, I've only seen that 30 seconds but from that 30 seconds I'm certainly not on Maher's side of the argument, he's making Coulter look reasonable there, that's how fucking low the 'soft left' 'centrists' fucking are when they show their true colours.

[Urinal Cake]

As I understand it Amnesty International are generally reputable when it comes to reports. Obviously the nature of their work carries risks and not easily verifiable. But regardless of the exact number of extrajudicial killings it is probable a lot occurred.

Interesting article https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/venezuela-us-sanctions-united-nations-oil-pdvsa-a8748201.html

The first UN rapporteur to visit Venezuela for 21 years has told The Independent the US sanctions on the country are illegal and could amount to "crimes against humanity" under international law.

Former special rapporteur Alfred de Zayas, who finished his term at the UN in March, has criticized the US for engaging in "economic warfare" against Venezuela which he said is hurting the economy and killing Venezuelans.

The comments come amid worsening tensions in the country after the US and UK have backed Juan Guaido, who appointed himself "interim president" of Venezuela as hundreds of thousands marched to support him. European leaders are calling for "free and fair" elections. Russia and Turkey remain Nicolas Maduro's key supporters.


Mr De Zayas, a former secretary of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and an expert in international law, spoke to The Independent following the presentation of his Venezuela report to the HRC in September. He said that since its presentation the report has been ignored by the UN and has not sparked the public debate he believes it deserves.

"Sanctions kill," he told The Independent, adding that they fall most heavily on the poorest people in society, demonstrably cause death through food and medicine shortages, lead to violations of human rights and are aimed at coercing economic change in a "sister democracy".

On his fact-finding mission to the country in late 2017, he found internal overdependence on oil, poor governance and corruption had hit the Venezuelan economy hard, but said "economic warfare" practised by the US, EU and Canada are significant factors in the economic crisis.

In the report, Mr de Zayas recommended, among other actions, that the International Criminal Court investigate economic sanctions against Venezuela as possible crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.

The US sanctions are illegal under international law because they were not endorsed by the UN Security Council, Mr de Zayas, an expert on international law and a former senior lawyer with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said

[biggytitbo]

The extraordinary sight of the Guardian giving free reign for the right wing CIA sponsored coup leader to spout his propaganda unchallenged in their paper https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/27/juan-guaido-venezuela-has-chance-to-leave-chaos-behind

[jobotic]

Yeah it's shit but they did give Aaron Banks articles too so they're happy to publish what cunts have to say.

There another op-ed condemning the coup.

[biggytitbo]

Yeah they had a few anti ones with Iraq and Libya too, that's always the guardians limited hang out.



I'm guessing there will be some 'violence and intimidation', even if John has to go over there and orchestrate it personally.

[pcsjwgm]

The backing of Trump/Pompeo/Bolton and Bolsonaro, the appointment of right-wing death squad supporter Elliott Abrams, Guaido's commitment to privatisation, and his words of appreciation for Benjamin Netanyahu show that Ilhan Omar was right to describe the coup as right-wing, something for which she was relentlessly attacked:
https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1088599057981943809

[biggytitbo]

Why are virtually the entire liberal establishment, almost all of the media, the 'resistance', most of the democrats, most politicians in the UK, and the EU so heartily behind it then? 🤔

[hummingofevil]

Yeah it's shit but they did give Aaron Banks articles too so they're happy to publish what cunts have to say.

There another op-ed condemning the coup.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/27/tory-values-conservative-party-repellent-brexit

We all knew it but strange how beardy kept so quiet for this long about it for the casual reader.

[chveik]

Why are virtually the entire liberal establishment, almost all of the media, the 'resistance', most of the democrats, most politicians in the UK, and the EU so heartily behind it then? 🤔

don't pretend to be naive, you know why

[biggytitbo]

Isn't it a about time the rest of the guardian admit they are centre right aswell?

[Blumf]

Seen this linked elsewhere:

https://twitter.com/Louis_Allday/status/1088448677440442368

This is too perfect.

Anti-Maduro Venezuelan on 19 January: "I'm living in the cutest apartment in Paris studying fashion... life is good"

24 January: "I live here [Venezuela]. I live this. live with having rationed food, toilet paper, basic human necessities."

[biggytitbo]

Imagine you lived in a foreign country and knew nothing about UK politics and the only sources your media ever uses to describe Jeremy Corbyn are FBPE people on twitter, tory party members, guardian columnists and Rachel Riley. Not knowing any better, what would you think of him?


That's basically what our media do with places like Venezuela.

[ZoyzaSorris]

Thats a very good explanation.

[NoSleep]

You don't think there's some wilful disingenuousness about the media's "ignorance"?

[biggytitbo]

Trying to think the last time the BBC had a front page headline about how one of our allies that is an actual dictatorship - like Saudi, Bahrain or Egypt, is a dictatorship?

[Paul Calf]

https://sputniknews.com/latam/201901311071992554-uk-venezuela-maduro-sanctions

Britain Calls for EU Sanctions on Venezuelan President Maduro

"Targeted sanctions against the kleptocrats who have enriched themselves on the back of the rest of the population who are very poor, that is something I think can be effective", UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt stated Thursday.

The article will be updated later, but it's hard to see how it could sustain this standard of satirical brilliance.

[biggytitbo]

And Sputnik news even reported what he said fairly without giggling.

[pcsjwgm]

Important information about coup leader Juan Guaido, provided by Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal:
https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/29/the-making-of-juan-guaido-how-the-us-regime-change-laboratory-created-venezuelas-coup-leader/

[ZoyzaSorris]

Im not surprised by the US and its south american right wing allies trying to pull something as brazen like this but Im a bit disappointed how much europe has been involved (biggy trigger warning)

[JohnnyCouncil]

Important information about coup leader Juan Guaido, provided by Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal:
https://grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/29/the-making-of-juan-guaido-how-the-us-regime-change-laboratory-created-venezuelas-coup-leader/

Thanks for posting, really interesting read.

[biggytitbo]

Yep, what we're seeing constructed before our eyes is an entirely false reality (almost reminds of my of the Sound of Drums), pushed unanimously by every major media outlet and political commentator in the West as if it were a normal and reasonable thing.


This is the power of the incredible propaganda apparatus the western war empire has created, it is an unprecedented reality warping engine and its used against us in countless other ways every day, not just in such overt ways as this.

[shh]

All the EU is asking for is another vote, I thought such things were fairly popular round these parts? I suppose democracy becomes less of a priority when you're not personally affected.

Anyway, a propos of nothing in particular, Conrad at least partly based his Nostromo on Venezuela, as timely as ever.