Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)

In Colombia visiting narco-terrorist/Nobel Peace Prize winning President Juan Manuel Santos, Pence threatened Venezuela, saying:

“President Trump has made it very clear that we will not stand by while Venezuela collapses into dictatorship.”

“A failed state in Venezuela threatens the security and prosperity of our entire hemisphere and the people of the United States of America.”

Washington intends doing whatever it takes to change things, he blustered - wanting the country’s model democracy replaced by fascist tyranny imperial America controls, he failed to explain.

Venezuela threatens no other countries. It’s not “collapsing into dictatorship,” as Pence roared. Tyranny lies in Washington, not Caracas. Imperial America threatens everyone worldwide.

Together with Santos, Pence said

“(t)he United States stands with Colombia. (Police state) Colombia has no better partner and friend than (rogue state) America.”

The country is a longstanding narco-state. Regime military forces aided by paramilitary death squads have a deplorable history of state terror.

It’s responsible for murdering thousands of trade unionists, campesinos, human rights workers, journalists, and others opposing ruthless regime policies, along with maintaining close ties to imperial America.

Pence deplorably praised its “rapid progress toward freedom” - then railed against nonexistent “tyranny” in Venezuela - ignoring US orchestrated political and economic war, along with CIA-instigated street violence.

He recited a litany of Big Lies about Bolivarian social democracy under President Maduro, ignoring the viciousness of his host nation, run by a bona fide thug.

“The United States, Colombia, and free nations of Latin America will not be silent,” he roared. “The United States will not stand by” and do nothing.

It’s doing plenty, entirely responsible for chaos and violence harming ordinary Venezuelans - supporting Bolivarian democracy, opposing US imperial ruthlessness.

On Monday in Caracas, thousands participated in an anti-imperialist march, angered over Trump’s belligerent comments, suggesting possible US military intervention.

One participant said “(w)ith objective of protecting its economic interests, the United States has historically spilled blood in the name of liberty and freedom.”

Another said Venezuelans “will not permit imperialism to put its claws on our country.”

Addressing the crowd, Maduro asked “(w)hich one of you has a private golf club?” He called Trump’s threats deplorably vulgar, saying “Venezuela, a nation of mestizos, will defend itself against US military threats!”

Defense Minister Padrino Lopez read a Bolivarian National Armed Forces statement, saying:

“The US president refers to Venezuela as a very dangerous disaster while his government cannot find solutions to complex problems like the mass consumption of different drugs, racial discrimination, consumerism, and inequality, as well as his warlike policies which have caused and continue to cause so much harm to humanity.”

Ongoing US destabilizing tactics failed, other than causing chaos and economic hardships for ordinary Venezuelans. Is naked aggression Trump’s next option?

His threats rallied most Venezuelans to support their government against the scourge of Yankee imperialism.

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

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