Home > LET’S INVADE VENEZUELA

LET’S INVADE VENEZUELA

by Open-Publishing - Friday 16 September 2005
20 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts USA South/Latin America Peter Fredson

By Peter Fredson

The insolence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez toward U.S. President George Bush cannot be tolerated any longer by the neoconservatives of the U.S. Bush must not allow any inferior nation or race or person to challenge the U.S. bid for world domination. Bush, the darling of his God, the love of his remolded Republican Party, the Messiah of corporations, the apocalyptic leader of American Taliban Fundamentalists, has been insulted beyond any possible bounds of taste, decency or civility.

Bush must respond with cruise missiles, bunker buster bombs, stealth bombers, battleships, destroyers, and aircraft carriers, in another show of Shock and Awe similar to that incurred by Saddam Hussein, who also dared to challenge Bush’s imperial leadership. Unless he considers that his political capital has been damaged by incompetence, Iraq quagmire and Katrina, Bush might better show some slight contrition or accommodation.

President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, gave a speech to the United Nations which Bush cannot ignore as a mere prank.

On September 15, 2005, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took President Bush to task in front of a United Nations Global Summit for invading Iraq without U.N. consent. Most of the attendees gave Chavez rousing applause for his critique of the arrogant American President.

Chavez told the U.N. summit that fighting a war without U.N. authorization showed that Washington had no respect for the world body.

The Bush appointment of a bullying and threatening John Bolton showed that Bush wanted to dominate the U.N. and rebuild it with his white supremacist Christian ideology.

So Chavez recommended moving U.N. headquarters to a country that has more regard for the organization. "There were never weapons of mass destruction but Iraq was bombed, and over U.N. objections, (it was) occupied and continues being occupied," said Chavez.

Every American knows the immense effort Bush spent in selling Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the frightening spectacle Condi Rice presented of “Mushroom Clouds.” Yet none were ever found.

Bush has never explained what other “noble cause” might have motivated him to lie to the entire country for several months and to twist all intelligence to his political advantage.

Chavez explained: "That’s why we propose to this assembly that the United Nations leave this country, which is not respectful of the very resolutions of this assembly" He suggested moving the U.N. Headquarters from New York to some other international city which would be less dominating and bullying.

Chavez obviously would like the U.N. to be located in South America, but someplace where Bush and his worshipful media would not be trying to remold the U.N. in the Christian Fundamentalist image. The American Taliban are highly organized and wish to claim superiority and dominion over all.

Certainly moving the U.N. is preferable to Bolton suggestions to destroy the U.N. as a useless appendage for the U.S. If the U.N. is such an irritant to Bush, then moving it would certainly relieve some of the irritation.

Bush was not in the audience when Chavez spoke to the world representatives. But the U.S. president did address the summit on the opening session Wednesday morning, before returning to Washington. The U.N. delegates had been asked to talk for only five minutes each, but Hugo Chavez ran overtime. The presiding diplomat sent Chavez a note reminding him that his time had expired but Chavez threw the note down, saying that if Bush could talk for 20 minutes, so could he. One wonders if this insolence will bring on the immediate launching of missiles and bombers?

When Chavez came to the end of his discourse, he got the loudest applause of the entire summit, as most countries had experienced the wrath of the Bush administration in many ways. Bush does not believe in diplomacy, unless it involves threats by Condi Rice and bullying until his demands are met. His impatience and irritable actions have been felt world wide.

Chavez accused the U.S. government of backing plots against him, and alleged that Washington was preparing to invade his country. American fundamentalist Pat Robertson said that Chavez should be eliminated by assassination because he is a threat to the U.S.

Since that time, when Bush did not strongly admonish Robertson, Chavez said that Robertson had clearly "expressed the wish of the elite that govern the United States."
Chavez has accused the U.S. of sending CIA agents, and other professionals, to upset the balance of Venezuela and effect a “regime change” as Bush did to Saddam Hussein. The U.S. has done this in the past, and Bush will probably try it again because he likes to stay a course.

U.S. officials, as usual, were prepared to express many denials of Chavez’ claims, expressing snide concerns about the health of the Venezuela’s democracy under Chavez, who was first elected in 1998 pledging a social "revolution" for the poor majority.

Americans are well aware that Bush and Rice use the words “Democracy” and “Freedom” in the most brazen way possible for people who invaded a sovereign country with lies.

Bush criticized Venezuela’s government, saying it "failed demonstrably" to make a concerted effort to block shipments of illicit narcotics to the United States and Europe last year.

In early August, Chavez said that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was sending agents to Venezuela for espionage, and suspended cooperation with the agency. The Bush administration, as is their custom, denied all charges.

Venezuela is the world’s fifth-largest oil exporter. Chavez warned that the world is facing an unprecedented energy crisis. "not because we the producers want it but because we are running out of oil."

Chavez demonstrated that the United States was the most wasteful country. He said he was shocked when a quarter of all the cars he saw on New York streets had only one person in them. "That’s crazy, one person with a huge car ...using up gas and polluting the atmosphere," he said. "The world cannot tolerate this model of development called the American way of life."

Chavez has extended a preferential oil trade deal called PetroCaribe to 13 Caribbean countries in part of a plan to challenge U.S. economic domination of the region. Venezuela will soon sell up to 190,000 barrels of fuel a day to Latin countries Lucia, offering favorable financing while shipping fuel directly to reduce costs, saving millions of dollars.

The U.N. members agreed states agreed on a watered-down document for world leaders to adopt which takes some tentative steps to meet U.N. development goals and reform the United Nations, especially in view of ill-tempered objections of John Bolton.

Venezuela and Cuba reserved judgment on the 35-page document, which will probably be adopted today when the three-day summit ends.

Chavez said the document was "illegal" because it was given to Venezuelan delegates only five minutes before the summit started and only in English. This demonstrates the "railroading” tactics of the Bush administration, most notable in Congress where they are practiced daily.

Whatever occurs, keep watching the news, Condi Rice statements, and troop movements for peculiar “revolts”, “instability”, and “anti-democratic” pronouncements from the Bush administration.

Syria and Iran are already on the list marked for extinction as separate nations by Bush, and Venezuela could be next in line. After all, war profiteering is remarkably profitable for a few selected superior individuals, and wars seem to be so easily started that nothing should surprise us.

Remember that in April 2002 the U.S. backed a coup which kidnapped Pres. Chavez and overthrew the new democratically constructed constitution. Within three days, millions of people demonstrated and, by help of loyal soldiers, won back their country. The white racist coup leaders still reside in Florida, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic just waiting for the Bush and the CIA signal to overthrow a legitimate regime.

Forum posts

  • Dear Mr. Fredson,
    Thanks for bringing this speech to our attention. It is an excellent evaluation of the state of affairs of the World and a comprehensive criticism of the policies of the US and its Western allies. He also offers suggestions and solutions to the chronic plights of our Planet. One can fully understand after listening to his oratory, why the American Establishment hate this man so much. Too bad, that the rather boringly intoned English translation, takes away from the firy passion of his speech. I am sure, he is comparable to Mr. Galloway in Spanish, in that regard. God bless this man for his mission of Truth and Peace.
    You can view the video recording of his speech, (which lasts 22:30 minutes) on the UN website: www.un.org/webcast/summit2005/statements15.html (Realplayer is required.)

    • Thanks for identifying the web cast designation. I enjoyed it immensely
      My Spanish is very limited but the expressions of passion and conviction of Chavez certainly equal or exceed those of George Galloway. Chistopher Hitchens who can tune a phase or a lie with the best was truly turned from a moth into a butterfly and finally reinstalled into his proper biological position as a slug. His comments on Juan Cole of Informed Opinion were as outrages as his claims about Lebanon, George is certainly up on his history about the marines. What a delight it would be to see Amy Goodwin of Democracy Now, moderating a debate between the Colonel and "The Commander in Chief". in the United Nations. Perhaps the topic might be current myths and realites concerning Freedom and Democracy in Venezuela and the USA.

    • By listening to the speech of Dr. Chavez I sensed a broad minded and educated men. In comparision Bush’s speech was not worthy to listen at all - an Idiot like Adolf Hitler, who became president of the United States. Hard to imagine why the press and the redneck like this Bush creature.

    • "God bless this man for his mission of Truth and Peace. " Hmm... I think not. God may be talking to him soon but it probably won’t be about his mission for truth or peace but rather the opposite.

      It is unfortunate that there are so many uneducated people in the world that think their tiny little opinions matter to the rest of us. Potentially you could make a difference, but you need to get facts straight before arguing and complaining about how things should be in your dilusional world. Call it arrogance, but facts are facts and Senior Hugo doesn’t have them straight and neither do you people that have posted here for the most part. Here is one example of many of Hugo’s attempts at distributing disinformation that you all seem to enjoy so much. :

      "Plan Balboa" Not a U.S. Plan To Invade Venezuela
      Instead, a routine Spanish military exercise, documents show

      Washington — Since April 2004, Venezuelan officials, including President Hugo Chavez, have falsely claimed that the United States is planning to invade Venezuela in an operation supposedly entitled “Plan Balboa.” President Chavez repeated this claim prominently in a September 16, 2005 interview on the ABC News program Nightline.

      The allegation is false. “Plan Balboa” is a mischaracterization of a Spanish military exercise called Operation Balboa, which took place in 2001.

      Operation Balboa was a routine academic military exercise conducted by Spain’s Higher School of the Armed Forces from May 3-18, 2001. It included officers from different countries, including Venezuela. Neither the United States nor NATO participated in the exercise.

      A description of Operation Balboa, in Spanish, can be found on the Internet. The cover sheet is marked “Ejercicio Específico Planeamiento Operativo ‘Balboa’” (Operation “Balboa” Specific Planning Exercise), clearly denoting an exercise. Moreover, the operation is described as an “Ejercicio de simulacion,” meaning “simulation exercise.”

      In the September 16, 2005, interview, President Chavez told Nightline host Ted Koppel that he had “evidence” of an alleged U.S. plan to invade Venezuela and, at Koppel’s request, promised to supply Nightline with documentation to back up his charges. On November 15, 2005, Koppel reported:

      Back in September, I interviewed Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chavez, an outspoken opponent of the Bush administration. He said that he would produce for us documented proof that the U.S. planned to invade his country. Two months later, we reported that we had received nothing of the kind.

      Last Friday, we did receive some documents that Venezuela says prove NATO countries did plan an invasion – something called “Plan Balboa.” This evening, the U.S. State Department said that plan was a routine, academic, military exercise planned by Spain with absolutely no U.S. involvement. That is exactly what we have been told by a former Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations and what we reported to you a couple of weeks ago. End of story.

      The documents on Operation Balboa to which Mr. Koppel referred are posted on the Venezuelan news and analysis Web site VCrisis.com. Each bears the notation “Clasificado Didactico,” i.e., “classified for instructional purposes” – further demonstration that Operation Balboa was only a simulation.

      Asked by Nightline to evaluate the documents, Ambassador Adolfo Taylhardat, a Venezuelan diplomat for 39 years and an elected member of the Latin American Parliament, concluded that the documents contain no evidence of a planned U.S. invasion of Venezuela, but instead pertain to a Spanish military exercise conducted in 2001. (See related article on VCrisis Web site.)

      Diego Quintana, spokesman for the Spanish Embassy in Caracas, states that Operation Balboa “was an exercise, nothing more. And [Venezuelan government officials] know that.”

      The Miami Herald investigated the charges and concluded, “Yes, Plan Balboa does exist, but only as a war game – organized by Spain’s military, not the U.S. military… .”

      The Operation Balboa documents make it clear that the exercise was constructed around a fictitious scenario. For example, a notional “United Nations Security Council Resolution 1580,” dated March 21, 2001, is included. There was no United Nations Security Council resolution by that number in 2001; the highest-numbered resolution that year was 1386. The actual UNSCR 1580 was adopted on December 22, 2004, and pertained to the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.

      Moreover, all the Operation Balboa documents are in Spanish. The language of the U.S. government and U.S. armed forces is English. The only two official languages of NATO are English and French, according to NATO’s official Web site.

      Thus, it is clear that “Plan Balboa” is not a U.S. scheme to invade Venezuela, but a 2001 exercise by Spain’s Higher School of the Armed Forces, in which neither the United States nor NATO were involved.

      How did such a false story arise? General Melvin Lopez Hidalgo, then Secretary of Venezuela’s National Defense Council, said in April 2004 that the “Plan Balboa” story arose after a Venezuelan Air Force officer training in Spain reported details of Operation Balboa to his superiors. In the May 2, 2004 issue of the pro-government Venezuelan weekly Quinto Dia, General Lopez claimed, falsely, that “Operation Balboa” was a U.S./NATO war plan. Since then, pro-Venezuelan government media and Internet reports have repeated the story, and the government of Venezuela has continually mischaracterized what was a routine Spanish military exercise, in what appears to be a deliberate campaign of anti-U.S. disinformation.

  • Well let’s face it, you all know that Bush is a dictator, why should Bush be different from other dictators and pay any attention to the UN.

  • Let me first say I’m not a big fan of George W. Bush and his policies...

    I am, however, a Venezuelan that is VERY well versed in the reality of what is happening in Venezuela today.

    Just because Chavez speaks well and is "passionate" about his positions does not mean he knows what he’s doing. He’s simply one more demagog. A populist who says what the people want to hear but has no concrete results to show for his government.

    Keep in mind Chavez is simply an army Lieutenant Coronel. That’s all he is. He is well versed in the autocratic ways of any military corp and thus governs the country in this way.

    He has taken over all the powers in Venezuela and has now left no counterbalance to his authority. The legislative, judicial and electoral powers in the country have all made it very clear (in public) numerous times that they always wait to see what their leader orders before making a decision.

    The constitution has been changed and new laws have been created which create, among other things, censorship. Did you know it is illegal now in Venezuela to make fun of the president or any other official ? They can invade private property and take over any business they want. They now force the media to transmit based on their beliefs....we have no CHOICE anymore.

    They can do all these things "legally" because they have changed the laws and placed judges, military, police, lawmakers, etc. in key positions so there is no questioning or opposition. So they can say everything they do is LEGAL...but that does not make it DEMOCRATIC.

    Liberties of all kinds are being lost while no true actions to combat poverty and inequality are being taken. How many new roads have been built ? How many new hospitals do we have ? OK...let’s scratch that last one...how many well stocked and staffed CURRENT hospitals do we have ? How many new schools have been built (that are actually in operation with a plan and appropriate budget and staffing) do we have ?

    Chavez and his team are simply a bunch of ex-military (PLEASE remember they were the ones that attempted to overthrow a government some years ago and many people DIED in the attempt) neo-comunist adventurers who are improvising as they go. They give out money and packs of cheap food and keep repeating the mantra of anti-imperialism and the eternal fight of rich vs. poor because that’s what th simple people like to hear...but in actuality they SAY a lot and DO nothing.

    My country is slowly going back in time. We have lost many liberties obtained in the last 50 years of, obviously, imperfect democracy. We are now being saturated by Cuban teachers and doctors whose main mission is not to teach or heal but rather to indoctrinate. The existing infrastructure (schools, roads, hospitals, security, etc.) is deteriorating rapidly.

    All you have to do is actually GO to Venezuela and spend a couple of weeks there (not like Jesse Jackson...invited by Chavez for a "tour" of "selected" sites but actually on your own...tlak to people in the streets, businesses, colleges, schools, hospitals, etc.) and you will see the truth.

    • Chavez may be a demagogue, but international observers have declared his election legitimate, twice (one more time than Bush, maybe).
      Maybe if the elites in Venezela had been responsible for serving all Venezuelans, and not just themselves over the years, someone like Chavez would not have manifested in your country.
      Furthermore, his oppositions’ lame and tired and antidemocratic attempts to cut short his legitimate term by referendum/recall or coup give them no moral authority to whine about democracy because you lose a fair election.
      He does seem to have some strong authoritarian tendencies, which bare watching, but he is delivering the goods to the poor, and he is not corrupt- another welcome change for Venezuela- I say "Viva Chavez!"
      lavrentii

    • Is this true? Are the press and individuals Venezuela really not allowed to "make fun of" the president? How can Dr. Chavez, who so passionately decried the U.S. injustices, be making such hurtful changes in his own country, to his own beloved people. I read online that he gives money and help to the poor. Does that not prove that he is FOR the people and against the bad rich people who only want what’s best for them? I think your letter is unjust because Chavez is a good dictator not a bad democratic leader.

    • So what’s your point? That because past governments and elites ruined the country and did not take care of the poor that it is correct to let Chavez do it now ? Do you not see that this HATE is exactly what holds him in power ? The social resentment for past mistakes now take precedence over the actual CAPABILITIES of a government!

      Visiting the poor everyday, talking about the poor on TV every Sunday and giving out money and food does not equate to HELPING the poor in the long run. That’s exactly what the past political parties did ! Chavez just does MORE of it because the current situation with oil prices allows him to. Chavez’s party the MVR dopes EXACTLY what COPEI and AD did in the past. Populism...but no real, tangible, effective help. No planning, no management, no budgeting, etc. If Chavez were really interested in helping the poor would he be practically giving out oil to all the Caribbean under conditions that are NOT favorable to his own country ? It’s OK to want to help your neighbors...but not when people are dying in Caracas hospitals because they RAN OUT OF OXYGEN one night !!

      As for the international observers declaring legitimate elections: did you not see that they were not allowed access to the systems that were used to totalize the results ? They could only comment on what they were allowed to SEE...many Venezuelans think the numbers were massaged and modified thanks to the ABSOLUTE control Chavez now has over the electoral and judicial powers. It is possible that Chavez won the referendum "fair and square"....but why not dispel any lingering doubts by allowing a full audit of the results ? If Chavez did win, then why not simply allow the audit and let the world now that he was the winner ?

      Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Chavez has been in power for 7 years now...but only in absolute power for close to 2. He has dreams of grandure and recognition for himself and for his so called "revolution". As for Chavez not being corrupt (not obtaining personal gain) this does not mean his ministers, judges, military chiefs are not. It is impossible not to be corrupt under these conditions. There is no control, no counterbalance, no system to check "rights and wrongs". The lack of this simple system of "checks and balances" makes it obvious that there is an urgent need for more plurality...more DEMOCRACY.

      DEMOCRACY is slow, it is imperfect, it takes time to learn and live by it...but in the end it has been shown that it prevails. Revolutions on the other hand...

    • Viva Chavez ?!?!?

      Here’s another example of what a demagogue with no interest in his own country does. This is a short excerpt from a Venezuelan newspaper (TalCual) of something that happened just this morning:

      "Various zones of the western region of Venezuela suffered a blackout today. This includes the major cities of Maracaibo and Barquisimeto...."

      "...blackouts of this kind are common in Venezuela because the power comes from electrical lines from the Caroní river which supplies 70% of the country’s power."

      "Meanwhile Chavez is offering to clean the waters of the Hudson river in New York."

      He wants to use money from CITGO to finance a study to clean up a river in the U.S. ??

      Come on people!! The poor IN VENEZUELA have no services, health care, police protection, schools, etc. The Guaire river in Caracas needs serious attention as it is a source of contamination and also causes seasonal severe flooding in parts of the city which mostly affect the poor and their humble homes.

      After 7 years of "rule" there’s not even a PLAN that covers the BASICS.

    • So now we have two "crazy" Venezuelans in this space who dislike Bush AND Chavez.

      Note that 200.**.208.*** has written essentially the same things that I have about Chavez. (See “Correction: Venezuela’s Chavez Fuels Class War” and replies.) -And we certainly do not know one another.

      I welcome all accurate, well-versed writers who can focus on the issue.

      The issue is NOT about Chavez’ relations with the Bush. The issue IS about Chavez’ relations with his own people.

    • So let’s go back to ignoring the poor and how they are kept that way???? Duh.

    • Hey asshole....blackouts are common in the U.S. too, or are you just a shill?

    • No...this is precisely what Chavez wants many people to think. That not supporting him means GOING BACK to the way it was before.

      I truly believe this will never happen again. It is clear that the mistakes of the past have brought us to this ultimate mistake called Chavez. The pendulum has swung all the way to one extreme now: a military minded pseudo-democracry that is ineffective and populist. The pendulum should now start to swing in the opposite direction but we must never allow it to reach the opposite EXTREME.

      We as Venezuelans must realize that there is no new "Simon Bolívar" coming to solve all our problems for us. We must all pitch in and work together in a democratic (yes, imperfect) system that allows for ALL to have a say and where the social inequalities that are prevalent today are dealt with in an efficient methodic manner with constant vigilance from the people and a political system with proper checks and balances.

      This would be a TRUE revolution! Chavez is just more of the same...Chavez is what many Venezuelans hope represents the very last representative of the inept, corrupt, populist governments we have had so far.

    • Try to keep up: The point I was trying to make was not the blackouts per se....they occur everywhere in the world.

      What I tried to point out was the concept this pseudo-president has about dealing with domestic matters that should be at the forefront of his concerns. Instead he is making promises about solving someone elses problems in another country!

  • This was a fabulously humorous article. But then I realized that you are serious...that you actually believe what you are writing. I honestly thought it was a parody of a Chavez-style rant. Do you truly believe the United States will invade Venezuela or is this sort of rhetoric just to make a point? I’m asking in all honesty.

  • If the US wanted to invade Venezuela, it would... and succeed...easily. Bottom line, when you are the most powerful nation, everybody wants to bring you down. They act as friends to your face and then stabb you in the back. I agree with you on one point, the US should leave the UN and take all of our money with us. We should pull out of every international base, every country, and deal only with national issues. I’m tired of sending aid to countries who don’t give a care ,and turn around and attack us. I would like to see the world deal with their own issues without us. If they say we are the dominants, then we should dominate. We should take what we want. I’m tired of dealing with these "ants" acting like they are elephants.

    • Question: What country attacked us that you are so tired of?

    • We’re waiting....WHAT COUNTRY ATTACKED US THAT YOU ARE SO TIRED OF??? Or are you just a moron? I thought so.

    • The Bush/Cheney/ Rumsfeld/Rice/ Clinton/Democratic/Republican/Israeli/ Zionist/Rockefeller/CFR etc.etc. Crime family is making War onThe world. Every gas and oil purchase supports this War Of Terrorism. The blood of our children and relatives is pouring from the pumps.Just wait untill the idiots that cheered the voter FRAUD that put Bush in the white house finds it also will be used to put nwo stooge Hillary in there too. Problem,reaction, solution, over and over and over, and still The Sheeple never never learn.................