by Stephen Lendman

He's Venezuela's democratically elected president. It doesn't matter. Washington's dirty war continues.

It's done so since Chavez's December 1998 election. He became president in February 1999. He served until his March 5, 2013 death.

He survived Washington's April 2002 coup attempt. A 64-day 2002 - 03 general strike and oil management lockout.

A failed August 2004 national recall referendum. He was Washington's main hemispheric enemy. It wanted him ousted. It wanted him dead. Obama killed him. Most likely by poison or cancer causing substances. Four major surgeries in 18 months couldn't save him.

He knew he was marked for death. He said so numerous times. So did Maduro, saying he "was poisoned by dark forces in order to hit at the Venezuelan people and Latin America."

Washington targets all independent nations for regime change. It wants subservient pro-Western governance replacing them.

It wants convenient stooges it controls empowered. Venezuela made a client state. Bolivarianism crushed. State-owned enterprises privatized.

Predatory capitalist harshness replacing economic and social justice. Control of Venezuela's vast hydrocarbon resources.

By far the world's largest. Proved mostly light sweet reserves are around 300 billion barrels.

The Department of Energy estimates heavy and extra-heavy oil resources at up to 1.36 trillion barrels.

It's a prize Washington covets. For over 15 years, US administrations targeted Venezuela disruptively. Obama continues what his predecessors began.

America's National Endowment for Democracy (NED), National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Republican Institute (IRI), US Agency for International Development (USAID), Development Alternatives, CIA and FBI actively wage economic and political war on Venezuela.

It continues. In mid-February, US-manipulated destabilizing protests began. They continue violently. Dozens died. Hundreds were injured.

Weeks earlier, John Kerry lied saying:

"(T)he Venezuelan government has confronted peaceful protesters with force and in some cases with armed vigilantes claiming to support the government."

On May 8, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski turned truth on its head, saying:

"(D)emocracy is…under threat in Latin America. (W)hat is happening in Venezuela illustrates the threat perfectly."

"(S)uccessive rulers in Venezuela eroded respect for democratic principles…"

Protests became "a movement to restore the democratic freedoms that Venezuelans have lost."

"The government has responded…with teargas, with plastic bullets, leaving more than 40 people dead and hundreds injured."

"It has empowered armed civilian thugs to intimidate and kill" anti-Bolivarian Venezuelans.

Fact: Venezuelan democracy is real.

Fact: It's by far Latin America's best.

Fact: It shames America's sham system.

Fact: Monied interests rule.

Fact: People have no say.

Fact: Democracy is pure fantasy.

Fact: Venezuelans have the real thing.

Fact: It's model democracy.

Fact: Its electoral system is the world's best.

Fact: It's constitutionally mandated.

Fact: Washington instigated Venezuelan protests.

Fact: It manipulates them.

Fact: They're in middle income and upscale neighborhoods only.

Fact: Most Venezuelans oppose them.

Fact: They support Bolivarian fairness.

Fact: They deplore Washington's dirty hands.

Fact: They oppose disruptive US practices to change things.

Obama wants Venezuela looking like Ukraine. He wants fascists replacing democrats. He wants Washington dictating Venezuelan policy.

He's mindless of what most Venezuelans cherish. Bolivarian fairness is polar opposite neoliberal contempt for social justice.

It bears repeating. Obama wants Maduro ousted. He wants him dead. Fascist anti-government National Assembly member Maria Corina Machado was involved in the aborted April 2002 coup.

She's up to her old tricks again. Venezuela's Bolivarian Intelligence Service was commissioned to intercept or record her private communications by court order.

An email she sent said:

"I believe the time has come to join forces, make the necessary calls, and obtain the financing to annihilate Maduro…"

"(A)nd the rest will come falling down," she added.

She wants Maduro assassinated. She wants him dead. She's currently charged with incitement and other crimes.

In March, Venezuela's National Assembly (NA) passed an emergency motion to impeach her.

To remove her parliamentary immunity. Ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) member Tania Diaz accused her of treason.

For "seeking foreign government support and advice to sabotage Venezuelan democracy," she said.

NA Speaker Diosdado Cabello supports Diaz. He requested Machado be investigated on charges of terrorism and murder, as well as incitement of violence and related crimes.

"(T)his congresswoman will have to face the Venezuelan justice system for her crimes, destruction, disasters, and the incitement of crime from her calls for destabilization," he said.

"We will investigate and arrive at consequences," he added.

"There will be no impunity in Venezuela, and this is the message that we send to the people, to be calm and remain confident in Maduro's leadership."

Machado "will be judged as a murderer and a terrorist."

"She will be tried for crimes against humanity, conspiracy, and destabilization."

Since February, she called for Maduro's ouster. She did so publicly. She encouraged street violence.

She requested foreign intervention. She lied claiming Maduro committed "severe crimes against humanity."

Her May 23 email was intercepted. International strategy isn't working, she said. It's "taking too long," she complained.

"I'm fed up with waiting," she said. "We have to take out this trash - starting with the one heading it and by taking advantage of the world situation with Ukraine and Thailand as soon as possible."

She intends "struggl(ing) until the end," she added. She wants street violence continued.

"(I)n the subway, Metrobus, Bolivarian high schools, public universities, and everywhere…"

"We will invade everywhere with women expressing despair at living in a country with no freedom," she claimed.

It bears repeating. She wants Maduro dead. He thanked 20 governors and 255 mayors. On May 30, they "formally rejected the plan for my assassination," he said.

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua compared Venezuela to Washington's disruptive Ukrainian policy, saying:

"The United States' plan to isolate and manipulate Russia…and Venezuela will not succeed, given that the US government no longer has the capacity to determine the fate of the majority of the world's countries."

On May 28, US House members overwhelming passed legislation mandating sanctions against Venezuela.

They did so by voice vote. They acted illegitimately.

On May 20, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee overwhelmingly approved the "Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act."

It includes sanctions on Venezuelan officials. "(F)or ordering human rights abuses against the citizens of Venezuela, and for other purposes," it said.

It turned truth on its head. Washington's criminal class is bipartisan. It deplores fundamental freedoms.

It mocks democratic rights. It represents Washington's imperial agenda. It reflects fascism writ large. It wages war on humanity.

Jaua responded. He called congressional action "completely illegal."

"There is nothing in international law that authorizes the US government and its legislature to employ unilateral sanctions," he said.

"The only body authorized to so is the Security Council of the United Nations."

Usurping its authority doesn't wash. "These are psychological messages," Jaua added.

Washington targets "countries that have taken a path toward independence, toward sovereignty, toward self-determination."

He recalled Chavez's democratic vision. He championed "a balanced world, with many poles of power, so that nobody can exercise imperial hegemony over another, as the United States" claims a divine right to do.

"We've had enough," Jaua stressed. La Salida (the ousting) reflects opposition political strategy.

Fascist extremists declared war on Venezuelan democracy. Opposition elements say violence will continue until "we remove those who govern us."

By any means possible. Maybe another coup attempt. By ousting Maduro. By killing him.

Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (VSC) issued a statement. In part, it said:

Bolivarian fairness threatens hardline elements. Their "illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional objectives."

"We therefore:

• Condemn the violence unleashed by extreme right wing elements during opposition rallies and marches that led to the death of innocent people as a result of that violence, and condemn any undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional actions against the democratically elected and constitutional government of President Maduro.


• Call for the immediate cessation of extreme right wing violence against the established and constitutional authorities of Venezuela, and urge everybody to heed President Maduro's call for peace and dialogue in Venezuela.


• Express our unconditional support for President Maduro, his elected government and the constitutional principles enshrined in the democratically-endorsed constitution.


• Urge statements of solidarity for the the elected government of Venezuela and condemning the extreme right wing violence."

"No to violence! No to coup-mongering in Venezuela! Yes to dialogue, peace and respecting the democratic will of the majority!"

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

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com

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