Stephen Lendman

Washington wants Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ousted, social democratic Bolivarian governance abolished, unrestrained predatory capitalism replacing it, Washington getting control over the country’s huge oil reserves, along with gaining another imperial trophy.

Economic war and weeks of street violence were made in the USA, perhaps ahead of tougher Trump administration efforts to forcibly remove Maduro. Days earlier, bipartisan destabilizing Senate legislation was introduced (S. 1018) on the phony pretext of “provid(ing) humanitarian assistance for the Venezuelan people…defend(ing) democratic governance, and combat(ing) widespread public corruption…”

On May 3, the bill was referred to committee, before sending it to House and Senate members for rubber-stamp passage, followed by Trump signing it into law.

The measure includes tougher sanctions and concerns about state oil company PDVSA’s dealings with Russia’s Rosneft. It calls Maduro’s government a threat to US national security.

Washington’s anti-democratic National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and USAID provide millions of dollars for opposition elements, including for economic war and street violence.

National Security Advisor HR McMaster met with opposition National Assembly president Julio Borges, agreeing on restoring stability as quickly as possible - by regime change they failed to explain.

According to White House press secretary Sean Spicer, they discussed “the need for the government to adhere to the Venezuelan Constitution, release political prisoners, respect the National Assembly, and hold free and democratic elections” - code language for Washington’s regime change intention.

Despite government calls for dialogue and negotiations to resolve things, manipulated violent protests continue. Opposition elements called for “shak(ing) up the country.”

Western media scoundrels ignored hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans marching in support of Bolivarianism on May Day.

The Alliance for Global Justice opposes US imperialism. It seeks social change, economic justice, and participatory democracy through grassroots organizing and action.

It supports dialogue between “the government and all the components of the Venezuelan society so that every further form of violence is avoided, human rights are respected and negotiated solutions are sought to the humanitarian, social, political and economic crises, which are exhausting the people.”

It urges supporters to demand Washington keep its hands off Venezuela. Regime change is longstanding US policy.

Continuing economic war and street violence aim to replace Bolivarian fairness with predatory capitalist exploitation. Earlier coup attempts failed. Another one could happen any time.

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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.