Are our legislators buying into all the government hype about Venezuela? After writing a letter of concern about the U.S. government’s actions in Venezuela to U.S Rep. Richard Neal, I received a form letter reply from him that pretty much repeated the accusations totally in line with what the Trump administration claims to be the case. The more I learn about our nation’s involvement in Venezuela, the more I am concerned.
I have been in contact with several people who have recently returned from Venezuela or who have spoken to relations there and have quite a different story to tell. I had been to that country several years ago, while Chavez was alive. The U.S. Peace Council visited Venezuela last week and has reported back. There is evidence that the story we are all being told in the media is extremely misleading.
In fact, our government has a long history of spreading untruths to gain popular support for actions against other countries, especially when there are economic benefits for U.S. corporations with regime change. South and Central American countries have been targets for years and rulers have been replaced with U.S. intervention numerous times when there is money to be found in places where governments will not welcome our capital interests.
Our government tends to find opposition by individuals or groups in a targeted country, funding them and helping them to overthrow the leader who is obstructing our attempts to gain financial involvement in their country. Sometimes the leaders do have a history of corruption and injustices and this is used to spread the impression that we’re justified in getting involved in the name of human rights. Unfortunately, the human rights abuses become magnified whenever our government becomes involved in their affairs, mostly because our intentions are impure.
We need to question the words and truths that our government puts out. We need a media that asks the tough questions. We need a system where corporate interests are not running our government. We need legislators who are willing to do their diligence to find truth. That is the what is necessary for a functioning democracy.
miriam kurland
Williamsburg