Stephen Lendman

Allied with Venezuelan anti-government fascists, Washington long sought regime change. So far, coup attempts and other destabilization efforts failed.

Perhaps Trump plans toppling its government, supporting tyranny over Bolivarian democracy, wanting another sovereign independent government eliminated, along with gaining control over Venezuela’s huge oil reserves, the world’s largest, including its heavy oil. In early April, violent anti-government protests erupted, similar to earlier ones, an orchestrated imperial plot, wanting Venezuela’s sovereignty undermined, Bolivarian fairness eliminated.

On April 6, US SOUTHCOM commander Admiral Kurt Tidd threatened intervention in response to what he called a “growing humanitarian crisis” - largely made in the USA, he failed to explain.

A government statement “alert(ed) the international community to the plan which is underway to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Venezuela, contravening the United Nations’ Charter and its principles and aims.”

“This is a call to the peoples of Our America in the face of these serious occurrences against our country.”

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects this latest act of interference, which is against the principle of the self-determination of the people, and ratifies its unshakeable commitment to the institutions of the Bolivarian Republic to defend its liberty, sovereignty and the independence of the nation, as part of the historic legacy of our liberators.”

On April 17, President Nicolas Maduro released video footage, showing opposition agitators confessing to payments received for participating in violent anti-government protests.

One individual said “(t)hey proposed that I go to today’s march and burn and vandalize, and that they were going to pay me 300,000 bolivars (about $70). And I accepted.”

Other confessions were similar. Maduro said video footage “demonstrate(s) to the Venezuelan people how (anti-government fascists) conspire against the country.”

Authorities have dozens of video confessions, he explained. Violent anti-government protests continued throughout Easter weekend, numerous arrests made.

Late Tuesday on national television, Maduro said “I have decided to launch strategic, special, civil and military plan to ensure the functioning of our country, its security, internal order and social integrity.”

He accused the State Department of orchestrating violence, planning another coup attempt, and approving “imperialistic intervention.”

Venezuelan political analyst Juan Linares said the country “is suffering from an acute economic, political and social crisis.”

“To a large extent, this is a result of the actions of Washington, which has declared the leadership of the country its enemy.”

“The US is behind the actions of the opposition, which is intentionally raising tensions in Venezuela.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez accused 11 Latin American regimes of interfering in her country’s internal affairs, saying:

They pursue “interventionist politics,” aiming to undermine Venezuelan constitutional order and legitimacy - serving US imperial interests.

On April 18, a State Department statement expressed support for anti-government protestors, along with demanding release of imprisoned figures responsible for murder, terrorism, coup-planning and other crimes.

Is another US coup plot imminent? Does Trump intend forcefully overthrowing Venezuela’s democratically elected government?

He’s waging war in multiple theaters, threatens aggression against other countries, Venezuela likely on his target list for regime change.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.