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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 8/7/09

Will Venezuelan Destabilization Follow the Honduran Coup?

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With Fourth Fleet strength including aircraft carriers, submarines, other sophisticated attack ships, and nuclear weapons, indeed it may, and that has regional leaders worried, given the increased US military presence in Colombia.


The move sparked regional outrage with Chavez saying "They are surrounding Venezuela with military bases" and may "soon start sending thousands of North American soldiers to Colombia....These are contract soldiers who are nothing more than paramilitary mercenaries and assassins. Airplanes, radar, sophisticated weapons, bombs - and, of course, they say it's to fight drug trafficking."


Ecuador's Minister of Internal and External Security, Dr. Gustavo Larrea, warned of "an increase in military tension" with more US forces in Colombia.


On the pretext of fighting drugs trafficking and hemispheric security, militarizing a close Washington ally is meant to intimidate Venezuela, Ecuador, and other center-left governments. They threaten Chavez and his allies and will replace the Manta, Ecuador base, now closing, after president Rafeal Correa declined to renew its lease last year. At the time, The New York Times called it "a critical platform in the fight against narcotics smuggling." In fact, it's part of America's global footprint with over 1000 bases on every continent and a key factor behind growing animosity against its intrusive presence.


Nonetheless, the Post cited the above GAO report about Venezuela's "permissive environment for FARC that had allowed the group to massively increase its cocaine smuggling across the border." According to the Post:Â


"This all sounds an awful lot like material support for terrorism -- which raises the question of whether the State Department will look again at whether Mr. Chavez's government or its top officials belong on its list of state sponsors of terrorism," an action even the Bush administration never took although talk surfaced that it might after earlier reckless charges were made. That's unfinished business for Post writers and Washington hard-liners who suggest that Obama should focus on "those in the hemisphere who have been caught trying to overturn a democratic government (meaning Colombia, not Honduras) by supplying terrorists with advanced weapons."


The New York Times' Simon Romero produces similar reports from his Caracas post. On July 20, it was about the "State Ruled by Crime and Chavez Family" in highlighting Barinas for being "the bastion of the family of President Hugo Chavez and as the setting for a terrifying surge in abductions." He called it "anarchy (where the Chavez family) accumulates wealth and power" while others fear for their lives.


Then on August 2, he jumped on the claim that "Venezuela Still Aids Colombia Rebels, New Material Shows" in saying they indicate "detailed collaborations between the guerrillas and high-ranking (Chavez government) military and intelligence officials as recently as several weeks ago" despite the above-cited proof that earlier "evidence" was fraudulent and baseless. Even so, Romero says it confirms that "the FARC operates easily in Venezuela....despite repeated denials by President Chavez."


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