{"id":126965,"date":"2019-02-04T12:00:05","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T12:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=126965"},"modified":"2019-02-11T11:13:41","modified_gmt":"2019-02-11T11:13:41","slug":"venezuela-what-activists-need-to-know-about-the-us-led-coup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/02\/venezuela-what-activists-need-to-know-about-the-us-led-coup\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela: What Activists Need to Know about the US-Led Coup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>28 Jan 2019 &#8211; <\/em>Two things stand out about the US coup in Venezuela.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First, it is unusually open. Typically, the US tries to hide its coups.<\/li>\n<li>Second, the coup is built on a series of obvious falsehoods, yet the bi-partisans in Washington, with a few exceptions, keep repeating them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>First, we will correct the falsehoods so readers are all working from the same facts. Second, we will describe how this coup is being defeated. It will be another major embarrassment\u00a0for the Trump administration and US foreign policy.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to understand\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/analysis\/Why-Is-Venezuela-a-Key-Geopolitical-Target-for-The-US-20190124-0016.html\" >Venezuela has become a geopolitical conflict<\/a>\u00a0as Russia and China are closely allied with Venezuela. China and Russia coming into the backyard of the United States challenges\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/monroe-doctrine\" >the antiquated Monroe Doctrine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world and the second largest gold reserves, as well as diamonds and other minerals such as coltan (needed for electronic devices). And,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/news\/14213\" >Venezuela is taking over as president of OPEC<\/a>\u00a0and will be in a position to push for\u00a0oil payments in non-dollar currencies or in cryptocurrencies, a major threat to the US dollar.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_126966\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/venezuela-usa-demo.jpg\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126966\" class=\"wp-image-126966\" src=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/venezuela-usa-demo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/venezuela-usa-demo.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/venezuela-usa-demo-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-126966\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A protest outside the United States Consulate in Sydney on January 23 to demand no US intervention in Venezuela. Photo: Peter Boyle<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Correcting the Record<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are a series of false statements repeated by DC officials and corporate media to justify the coup that are so obvious, it is hard to believe they are not intentional. In his two-paragraph comment on the coup, even Senator\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sanders.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/sanders-statement-on-venezuela\" >Bernie Sanders repeated them<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong><em> Truth: President Nicol\u00e1s\u00a0Maduro is the legitimate president.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>President Maduro was re-elected on May 20, 2018, in response to the opposition demanding an early election. The\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/The-Case-for-Legitimacy-of-Maduros-Second-Presidential-Term-20190108-0026.html\" >legitimacy of the election of Maduro is so evident<\/a>\u00a0that it must be assumed those who say he is illegitimate are either intentionally false or ignorant. The election was scheduled consistent with the Venezuelan Constitution and in consultation with opposition parties. When it became evident that the opposition could not win the election, they decided, under pressure from the United States, to boycott the election in order to undermine its legitimacy.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenleft.org.au\/content\/venezuelas-maduro-illegitimate-10-facts-counter-lies\" >The facts are<\/a>\u00a09,389,056 people voted, 46% of eligible voters. Sixteen\u00a0parties participated in the election with six candidates competing for the presidency.<\/p>\n<p>The electoral process was observed by more than 150 election observers. This included 14 electoral commissions from eight countries among them the Council of Electoral Experts of Latin America; two technical electoral missions; and 18 journalists from different parts of the world, among others.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/The-Case-for-Legitimacy-of-Maduros-Second-Presidential-Term-20190108-0026.html\" >According to the international observers<\/a>, \u201cthe elections were very transparent and complied with international parameters and national legislation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Venezuela has one of the best electoral systems in the world. Voter fraud is not possible as identification and fingerprints are required for each voter. Voting machines are audited before and immediately after the election. Venezuela does something no other country in the world does \u2014\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/on-the-technical-aspects-of-voting-venezuela-does-it-right\/\" >a public, citizen\u2019s audit<\/a>\u00a0of a random sample of 53% of voting machines that is televised. All 18 parties signed the audits.<\/p>\n<p>Maduro won by a wide margin, obtaining 6,248,864 votes, 67.84%; followed by Henri Falc\u00f3n with 1,927,958, 20.93%; Javier Bertucci with 1,015,895, 10.82%; and Reinaldo Quijada, who obtained 36,246 votes, 0.39% of the total.<\/p>\n<p>This same voting system has been used in elections that Maduro\u2019s party has lost in governor\u2019s and legislative elections. Venezuela is a real democracy with transparent elections. The United States could learn a good deal about real democracy from Venezuela.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong><em> Truth: The economic crisis is caused by outside intervention, internal sabotage and the decline in oil prices.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>There is no doubt the economic situation in Venezuela is dire. The cause is the economic war conducted by the United States, the major decline in oil prices and economic sabotage by the opposition. In essence, the United States and opposition created problems in the Venezuelan economy and now say Maduro must be replaced because of problems they created.<\/p>\n<p>Oil was discovered in Venezuela in the early part of the 20th Century and has dominated the economy since then.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/d\/dutchdisease.asp\" >The Dutch Disease<\/a>,\u00a0the negative impact of an economy based on one natural resource, causes a sharp inflow of foreign currency, which raises the value of the country\u2019s currency, making the country\u2019s other products less price competitive. It is cheaper to import products rather than create them. This makes it more difficult for segments of the economy like agriculture and manufacturing to develop.<\/p>\n<p>Chavez\/Maduro sought to diversify the economy. They put in place\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/municipalism-in-venezuela-path-to-a-bottom-up-economy\/\" >thousands of communes<\/a>\u00a0and hundreds of thousands of people working in cooperatives to build agriculture and manufacturing. When the global price of oil was cut by more than half, it collapsed Venezuela\u2019s public finances undermining these efforts.\u00a0The economic war by the US made it difficult for Venezuela to borrow and trade with some countries.<\/p>\n<p>Economic sanctions against Venezuela began under President Obama, and the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/consortiumnews.com\/2019\/01\/25\/the-radicalization-of-us-policy-on-venezuela\/\" >Trump administration escalated<\/a>\u00a0them with financial sanctions. United States sanctions cost Venezuela some $6 billion\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/opinion\/Trumps-Sanctions-Have-Cost-Venezuela-US6bn-Since-August-2017-20181005-0020.html\" >since August, according to an October analysis.<\/a>\u00a0Measures against the nation\u2019s oil industry have prohibited the Venezuelan majority-owned company, CITGO, from sending profits back to\u00a0Venezuela, a $1 billion loss to the government yearly. Now, the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/amp\/news\/articles\/2019-01-25\/u-k-said-to-deny-maduro-s-bid-to-pull-1-2-billion-of-gold\" >Bank of England is refusing to return $1.2 billion in gold reserves<\/a>\u00a0after US officials, including Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, lobbied them to cut Venezuela off from its overseas assets.<\/p>\n<p>The US economic war and sabotage of the economy by business interests\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/opposition-protests-in-venezuela-rooted-in-falsehoods-us-support-violence\/\" >has been exposed as part of the effort to remove Maduro<\/a>\u00a0by creating social unrest and lack of confidence in the government.\u00a0\u00a0This has included hoarding of goods, storing essentials in warehouses and selling Venezuelan goods in Colombia.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2018, Venezuela pointed to a false media campaign exaggerating migration from Venezuela. They highlighted\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Venezuela-Rejects-False-News-on-Humanitarian-Crisis-Migration-20180903-0006.html\" >statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees<\/a>\u00a0to affirm that Venezuela has the fewest volunteer migrants in the continent. They pointed out\u00a05.6 million Colombians have fled violence in their country and live in Venezuela. Venezuela has programs that have\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Testimonies-Venezuelan-Migrants-Who-Returned-Homeland-20180901-0021.html\" >helped thousands of Venezuelans return home<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Socialism strengthens economies, as\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/how-ending-austerity-built-economic-growth-in-portugal\/\" >demonstrated in Portugal<\/a>. Indeed, one criticism of Venezuela is that the Bolivarian Process is moving too slowly to put in place a socialist economy. There is a need for more sectors to be nationalized and put under democratic control of the people.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong><em> Truth: The opposition is violent, not the Maduro government.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Opposition protesters have been extremely violent. One tactic of the opposition was to be violent and then film the government\u2019s response to make the government look violent. When A<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/world-ignores-opposition-violence-at-venezuela-protests\/\" >bby Martin was confronted by opposition protesters,<\/a>\u00a0they told her, \u201cDo not film anything that we do. Just film what the government does to us.\u201d She reported on the violence saying, \u201cthe vast majority has been caused by either indirect or direct violence by the opposition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Martin reports the opposition\u00a0attacked hospitals,\u00a0burned down the Housing Ministry, assassinated Chavistas and attacked citizen communes such as an art commune that gave free dance and music lessons to local children. Afro-Venezuelans were burned alive. Protesters pulled drivers out of buses and torched the buses. When photos and videos of opposition violence were put on social media, Martin and her colleague, Mike Prysner, became the target of a false media campaign on social media. The opposition did all they could to prevent them from reporting the truth using hundreds of death threats and threats they would be lynched.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/news\/13066\" >Venezuela Analysis<\/a>\u00a0reported that violent opposition protests included an attack on a maternity hospital\u00a0endangering the lives of more than 50 newborn babies.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/mass-protests-in-venezuela-on-both-sides\/\" >Another report described<\/a>\u00a0the opposition using snipers to shoot government officials and civilians. Opposition newspapers urged that blunt objects be used to \u201cneutralize\u201d pro-government protesters, resulting in serious injuries and death.<\/p>\n<p>Steve Ellner also reported that\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenleft.org.au\/content\/venezuela-violence-caused-opposition-not-government\" >violence was coming from the opposition<\/a>. He pointed to attacks at\u00a0grocery stores, banks, buses, and government buildings. \u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/news\/10346\" >Other commentators<\/a>\u00a0described specific incidents of violence by the opposition including killing people.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/news\/10391\" >Maduro ordered the arrest<\/a>\u00a0of a retired general who tweeted how to use wire to decapitate people\u00a0on motorcycles, which happened, and how to attack armored vehicles with Molotov cocktails.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chavezcode.com\/2013_11_01_archive.html\" >Documents show that violence<\/a>\u00a0was the opposition\u2019s strategy. They sought to \u201cCreate situations of crisis in the streets that will facilitate US intervention, as well as NATO forces, with the support of the Colombian government. Whenever possible, the violence should result in deaths or injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The tales of government violence are\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/Maduro%20also%20called%20for%20a%20peace%20conference%20on%20Wednesday,%20February%2026th,%20describing%20it%20as%20%E2%80%9Ca%20national%20peace%20conference%20with%20all%20the%20country%E2%80%99s%20political%20sectors%20%E2%80%A6%20so%20we%20Venezuelans%20can%20try%20to%20neutralize%20violent%20groups.%E2%80%9D\/\" >rooted in lies<\/a>. The government\u2019s response was\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theborneopost.com\/2014\/02\/24\/venezuelans-protest-en-masse-in-rival-rallies\/\" >Maduro calling for a peace conference<\/a>\u00a0describing it as \u201ca national peace conference with all the country\u2019s political sectors \u2026 so we Venezuelans can try to neutralize violent groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong><em> Truth: The National Assembly acted in violation of the law and is in contempt of court.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The National Assembly\u00a0is not the only democratic body in Venezuela. Indeed, its actions since the opposition won a majority have violated the law and protected the violence of the opposition with an embarrassing amnesty bill.<\/p>\n<p>On\u00a0December 6, 2015, the opposition won a parliamentary majority in the Assembly. There were allegations of vote buying in Amazonas state that were investigated by the National Electoral Council, another branch of the government. The Supreme Court barred four legislators from Amazonas taking office, two from the opposition, one allied with the opposition and one from the ruling party. The National Assembly allowed three candidates to take office. The Assembly has been\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/analysis\/13018\" >held in contempt of court<\/a>\u00a0since July 2016 and their decisions were nullified.<\/p>\n<p>Before the court ruling, the Assembly passed\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/in-venezuela-amnesty-bill-right-wing-confesses-to-17-years-of-crimes\/\" >an amazing amnesty law<\/a>, which granted\u00a0amnesty for crimes the opposition has committed since 1999 (Chavez\u2019 election). The law is an admission of guilt and provides a well-organized catalog of crimes including felonies, crimes committed at public rallies, terrorist acts involving explosives and firearms and undermining the economy. They essentially admitted exactly what Chavez\/Maduro have claimed \u2014 crimes to overthrow the government for 17 years. Venezuela\u2019s\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/venezuelas-supreme-court-strikes-down-amnesty-law\/\" >Supreme Court ruled<\/a>\u00a0the amnesty law was unconstitutional. Inaccurately, the Trump administration calls the Assembly\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s only remaining democratic institution.<\/p>\n<p>This January, a subsidiary of the state oil company asked the Assembly to intervene claiming the\u00a0president cannot make reforms to mixed public-private oil businesses without the prior approval of the National Assembly. On January 16, the court ruled that the Assembly was still in contempt of court and could not act. This is also when the Assembly elected Juan Guaid\u00f3 as their president, who would later appoint himself President of Venezuela, as part of the US-led coup. Guaid\u00f3\u2019s election to head the legislature was illegal and nullified by the court.<\/p>\n<p>The Assembly still exists but remains in a state of contempt of the judiciary. It can rectify the situation by removing the lawmakers accused of electoral fraud. The Assembly refuses to do so because their goal is to remove Maduro from office and they need a super-majority to do so.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_126967\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Medea-Benjamin-CODEPINK-Mike-Pompeo-OAS.jpg\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126967\" class=\"wp-image-126967\" src=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Medea-Benjamin-CODEPINK-Mike-Pompeo-OAS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Medea-Benjamin-CODEPINK-Mike-Pompeo-OAS.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Medea-Benjamin-CODEPINK-Mike-Pompeo-OAS-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-126967\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK disrupts Mike Pompeo at the OAS. Press TV.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>A Timeline of the US Coup in Venezuela<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/d548c6a958ee4a1fb8479b242ddb82fd\" >Anti-Maduro Coalition Grew from Secret Talks,<\/a>\u201d the Associated Press explains the coup was \u201conly possible because of strong support from the Trump administration, which led a chorus of mostly conservative Latin American governments that immediately recognized Guaid\u00f3.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since August 2017, Donald\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Russia-Warns-US-Military-Action-In-Venezuela-Catastrophic-20190109-0011.html\" >Trump has been saying that military intervention<\/a>against Venezuela was a distinct possibility. AP describes this as a \u201cwatershed moment\u201d in the coup planning. They report Trump pressuring aides and Latin American countries to invade Venezuela. In September, the New York Times reported that the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/venezuelanalysis.com\/news\/14040\" >Trump administration had been meeting with coup plotters<\/a>\u00a0since mid-2017.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/amp\/articles\/a-call-from-pence-helped-set-an-uncertain-new-course-in-venezuela-11548430259\" >The Wall Street Journal reports<\/a>\u00a0Trump has long viewed\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0as\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/trump-takes-aim-at-venezuela-in-u-n-speech-1505847154?mod=article_inline\" >one of his top-three foreign policy priorities<\/a>, with Iran and North Korea.\u00a0Trump requested a briefing on\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0on his second day in office, talking of the immense potential of Venezuela to become a rich nation through its oil reserves.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/d548c6a958ee4a1fb8479b242ddb82fd\" >AP reports<\/a>\u00a0that Trump \u201cpersonally sparked\u201d this as he brought up regime change in Venezuela in every meeting with Latin American leaders.<\/p>\n<p>After Maduro was re-elected,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/western-hemisphere-leaders-say-they-wont-recognize-venezuelan-elections-1523755394?mod=article_inline\" >administration plans began taking shape<\/a>, driven in part by key members in the National Security Council and anti-Maduro advocates in Congress like extreme interventionist Senator Marco Rubio.<\/p>\n<p>On November 1, John Bolton zeroed in on Latin America, calling Cuba, Nicaragua, and\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0a \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/policy-and-politics\/2018\/11\/1\/18052666\/john-bolton-troika-tyranny\" >troika of tyranny<\/a>.\u201d On January 2,\u00a0Bolton met with his Brazilian and Colombian counterparts to collaborate to \u201creturn\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0to its democratic heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On\u00a0January 10,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/venezuelan-leader-starts-second-term-with-grim-outlook-11547127001?mod=article_inline\" >Maduro was sworn in for his second term<\/a>, Pompeo spoke with opposition leader Guaid\u00f3, pledging support. Canada also played a key role,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/d548c6a958ee4a1fb8479b242ddb82fd\" >AP reports<\/a>\u00a0that Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke to Guaid\u00f3 the night before Maduro\u2019s inauguration offering Canada\u2019s support. This was 13 days before\u00a0Guaid\u00f3 announced he was president of Venezuela.<\/p>\n<p>On January 12, the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/amp\/articles\/a-call-from-pence-helped-set-an-uncertain-new-course-in-venezuela-11548430259\" >State Department backed Guaid\u00f3\u2019s move<\/a>\u00a0to invoke his authority as president of the assembly, saying, \u201cIt is time to begin the orderly transition to a new government.\u201d On January 15, the National Assembly declared Maduro as illegitimate. The Trump administration worked to get allies lined up to support\u00a0Guaid\u00f3\u2019. By January 18, the Venezuela Foreign Minister was\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/A-Coup-in-Progress-Venezuelas-FM-Decries-US-Backed-Plans-20190118-0012.html\" >describing a US coup in progress<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The night before Guaid\u00f3\u2019s announcement on January 23, Vice President Mike Pence\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-venezuela-idUSKCN1PG1W9\" >put out a video message<\/a>\u00a0encouraging Venezuelans to overthrow their government, saying, \u201cWe are with you. We stand with you, and we will stay with you.\u201d\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/amp\/articles\/a-call-from-pence-helped-set-an-uncertain-new-course-in-venezuela-11548430259\" >Guaid\u00f3<\/a>\u00a0also\u00a0received a phone call from Pence the night before he appointed himself president where he pledged that the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/tens-of-thousands-protest-venezuelan-president-maduro-11548264274?mod=article_inline\" >U.S. would back Guaid\u00f3<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Guaid\u00f3 declared that Maduro\u2019s government was illegitimate and he was assuming the presidency. In a well-coordinated charade, almost instantly, Trump recognized Guaid\u00f3 as the country\u2019s rightful leader. To further demonstrate the preconceived, tightly coordinated and efficiently carried out the coup, US allies, among them Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru, quickly recognized the coup president.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/amp\/articles\/a-call-from-pence-helped-set-an-uncertain-new-course-in-venezuela-11548430259\" >Trump administration is<\/a>\u00a0claiming Guaid\u00f3 represents the lawful government and is entitled to all Venezuelan revenues. The State Department notified the Federal Reserve that Guaid\u00f3 is the agent for access to Venezuelan assets in US banks.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly as quickly, Maduro\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/venezuela-turmoil-puts-billions-of-dollars-in-russian-investment-in-jeopardy-11548339521?mod=article_inline\" >drew statements of support<\/a>\u00a0from Russia, China,\u00a0Turkey, Mexico, Cuba,\u00a0Bolivia, and others. The Venezuelan\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Venezuelan-Top-Court-Calls-for-Probe-into-Illegal-Actions-of-Suspended-National-Assembly-20190123-0020.html\" >Supreme Court called for an investigation<\/a>\u00a0into the National Assembly and\u00a0Guaid\u00f3, regarding the illegal usurpation of Executive power. The Venezuelan military announced it supported Maduro and Russia warned the US not to intervene militarily.<\/p>\n<p>On January 25, the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/how-the-organization-of-american-states-became-an-agent-of-regime-change\/\" >Organization of American States, which is traditionally a US tool,<\/a>\u00a0rejected a resolution to\u00a0recognize Guaid\u00f3.\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/a-coup-is-not-a-democratic-transition-us-peace-activist-interrupts-pompeo-speech-on-venezuela\/\" >Medea Benjamin of CODE PINK interrupted Pompeo at the OAS<\/a>\u00a0holding a sign that said: \u201ca coup is not a democratic transition!\u201d Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza thanked Benjamin, saying, \u201cWith her protest, she\u00a0revealed the macabre coup plan against Venezuela, we will always prevail, thank you!\u201d\u00a0Eighteen countries defeated the proposal.<\/p>\n<p>At the<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/a38cb9e66f0d45bbb06f3edc2ecedc79\" >\u00a0UN Security Council meeting<\/a>\u00a0on January 26,\u00a0Russia\u2019s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the United States of attempting \u201cto engineer a coup d\u2019etat.\u201d He demanded to know whether the Trump administration \u201cis ready to use military force\u201d against Venezuela. European countries gave Venezuela eight days to hold an election, a suggestion Venezuela rejected. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Venezuela an \u201cillegitimate mafia state.\u201d He\u00a0accused Russia and China of trying \u201cto prop up Maduro.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Both\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Russia-China-Caution-US-Against-A-Venezuelan-Coup-20190124-0007.html\" >China and Russia have told the US<\/a>\u00a0not to intervene in Venezuela\u2019s internal\u00a0affairs. In December,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/russia-sends-2-nuclear-capable-bombers-venezuela-n946246\" >Russia sent two\u00a0<\/a>nuclear-capable strategic Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Russia-Debates-Sending-Second-Military-Group-to-Venezuela-20181226-0017.html\" >along with<\/a>\u00a0an An-124 heavy military transport plane and an II-62 long-haul plane. As of December, Russia has one brigade in Venezuela and was\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Russia-Debates-Sending-Second-Military-Group-to-Venezuela-20181226-0017.html\" >discussing sending a second military brigade<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Undiplomatic-Russia-Rejects-US-Reaction-to-Military-Cooperation-with-Venezuela-20181211-0002.html\" >Venezuela<\/a>\u00a0even before the coup due to the continued threat of intervention from the United States.<\/p>\n<p>China has lent over $50 billion to Venezuela through oil-for-loan agreements over the past decade and has become a partner in the Venezuelan oil industry. In December, seven months since signing a\u00a0financial business venture with China,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/news\/Venezuela-Oil-Joint-Venture-Thrives-Within-Months-of-China-Deal-20181216-0020.html\" >Venezuela\u2019s oil production has doubled<\/a>\u00a0to 130,000 barrels per day. The take-over of Venezuela\u2019s oil would also be an attack on China.\u00a0China and Venezuela signed 28 bilateral strategic cooperation agreements on September 14 in the areas of oil, mining, security, technology, finance, and health.<\/p>\n<p>Demonstrating the nature of the coup president, the first acts that\u00a0Guaid\u00f3 took were to seek a loan from the International Monetary Fund, which would put Venezuela in debt to western bankers and under their control, and to privatize the Venezuelan oil industry, which would rob Venezuela of the funds being used to lift up the poor and working class.<\/p>\n<p>The appointment by Mike Pompeo of Elliott Abrams as the person in charge of overseeing operations \u201cto restore democracy in Venezuela\u201d is an ominous sign. It is scandalous and demonstrates the most\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/26\/americas\/elliott-abrams-venezuela-special-envoy-career\/index.html\" >extreme elements of the US establishment<\/a>\u00a0are leading the charge. Abrams was\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2019\/jan\/26\/elliott-abrams-venezuela-us-special-envoy\" >convicted during the Iran-Contra scandal<\/a>,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/an-actual-american-war-criminal-may-become-our-second-ranking-diplomat\/\" >supported US-backed death squads<\/a>\u00a0in Guatemala and El Salvador in the 1980s, played a\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/venezuela-latest-elliott-abrams-trump-pompeo-maduro-juan-guaido-a8747306.html\" >key role in the Reagan administration support for the murderous Contras<\/a>\u00a0in Nicaragua and was the person who\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2002\/apr\/21\/usa.venezuela\" >gave approval for the US-backed coup in Venezuela in 2002<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Analyst\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/a-failed-coup-in-venezuela\/article26093486.ece\/amp\/\" >Vijay Prashad writes<\/a>\u00a0the coup\u00a0violated\u00a0the charters of the United Nations and of the Organisation of American States and describes efforts to call on the military to rise up against the government have failed.\u00a0The Trump administration is now\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/trump-leaves-military-option-on-the-table-for-venezuela-2019-1\" >threatening<\/a>\u00a0a total oil embargo on\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0and is leaving the \u201cmilitary option\u201d open.<\/p>\n<p>The concerted campaign by the US and Canada to install Juan Guaid\u00f3 as the new \u2018self-declared\u2019 interim President of\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.firethistime.net\/\" >has been met with initial failure<\/a>. Unfortunately, the illegal and undemocratic attempts to destabilize the country and overthrow the democratically-elected President will continue with harmful consequences. The people of\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0are rising once again to defend their country against hostile foreign intervention. It is essential that we support them in this fight. Many groups are\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/popularresistance.org\/hands-off-venezuela-trump-denounced-for-backing-coup-detat\/\" >holding solidarity rallies<\/a>\u00a0and issuing statements of support. Find rallies and protests\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.answercoalition.org\/no_to_trump_s_coup_emergency_actions_in_solidarity_with_venezuela\" >here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pslweb.org\/\" >here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While Sanders got all the facts wrong about Venezuela, he did reach the right conclusion:\u00a0\u201cThe United States has a long history of inappropriately intervening in Latin American countries. We must not go down that road again.\u201d People in the United States have an important role to play in supporting Venezuela and defeating the coup.<\/p>\n<p>__________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers<\/em><em> are directors of <\/em>Popular Resistance.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/countercurrents.org\/2019\/01\/28\/venezuela-what-activists-need-to-know-about-the-us-led-coup\/\" >Go to Original \u2013 countercurrents.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>28 Jan 2019 &#8211; First, we will correct the falsehoods so readers are all working from the same facts. Second, we will describe how this coup is being defeated. It will be another major embarrassment for the Trump administration and US foreign policy. It is important to understand Venezuela has become a geopolitical conflict as Russia and China are closely allied with Venezuela.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":126966,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[197,65,53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-feature","category-anglo-america","category-latin-america-and-the-caribbean"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126965"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126965\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}