Category Archives: International

General T&T, International, USA, Venezuela

Who’s to Blame for the Crisis in Venezuela? A Response to Gabriel Hetland

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Jorge Martin takes recent Gabriel Hetland articles to task, questioning the liberal left’s assessment of the current situation and the solutions proposed.

By Jorge Martin
March 17, 2019 – In Defence of Marxism

Venezuela's FlagThere is a certain trend of opinion amongst the liberal left, particularly in the US, which never felt very comfortable with the Bolivarian revolution. Now, in the midst of a serious and well-organised attempt by Washington to remove Maduro’s government, they insist on equally blaming both sides for the crisis, one which in their view can be resolved through “negotiations between the government and the opposition”. A chief representative of this point of view is Gabriel Hetland, who has written several articles on Venezuela for The Nation, Jacobin and other left-wing publications.
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England, European Union, General T&T, International

From Beautillion Ball to Brexit Cauldrom

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
March 18, 2019

“Brexit has killed and saved her [Theresa May] at the same time….She knows as soon as Brexit’s done, she’s done.”

—Ayesha Hazarika, Former Labor Party Adviser

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeIt was one of those all-consuming weeks. I did a book-signing at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, on Wednesday March 6 before flying to Dallas, Texas, the following Friday to attend my eldest grandson’s Beautillion, one of those black coming-of-age functions that has its origin in the southern part of the United States. Another grandson called it “a cotillion for dudes,” it being comparable to the cotillion ceremony that is held annually for young black women.

It was one of those proud moments in a black man’s life when he participates in a function that emphasizes his responsibility to his people, his roots, and his family as he crosses the threshold from adolescence to manhood. They call it “a rite of passage.” It is an important stage in a young man’s life.
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Afghanistan, General T&T, International, USA

Pompeo Imposes Visa Ban on ICC Staff Probing US War Crimes

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“It reeks of the very totalitarian practices that are characteristic of the worst human rights abusers.”

By Jessica Corbett
March 15, 2019 – Common Dreams

“This is an unprecedented attempt to skirt international accountability for well-documented war crimes that haunt our clients to this day.”

—Jamil Dakwar, ACLU

USAThe move, Pompeo confirmed to reporters Friday morning, is a direct response to ongoing efforts by the ICC to probe allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to the seemingly endless war in Afghanistan.

Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program, was among those who spoke out against the decision. The ACLU currently represents Khaled El Masri, Suleiman Salim, and Mohamed Ben Soud, who were all detained and tortured in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2008.
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General T&T, International, Palestine, USA, Venezuela

Presstitutes Turn Blind Eye to UN Report on Venezuela

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Washington and the Convict Appointed to Overthrow Venezuela Continue the Lies

By Paul Craig Roberts
March 11, 2019 – paulcraigroberts.org

Venezuela's FlagDon’t you think something is fishy when the presstitutes orchestrate a fake news “humanitarian crisis” in Venezuela, but totally ignore the real humanitarian crises in Yemen and Gaza?

Don’t you think something is really very rotten when the expert, Alfred Maurice de Zayas, sent by the UN to Venezuela to evaluate the situation finds no interest by any Western media or any Western government in his report?
Continue reading Presstitutes Turn Blind Eye to UN Report on Venezuela →

General T&T, International, USA

The Morality of Politics

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By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
March 09, 2019

“The lesson that Kim Jong-Un has learned [is this]: If you give up your weapons, American will kill you.”

—Daryl Kimball, Executive Director, Arms Control Association.

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeBasdeo Panday once said famously: “Politics has a morality of its own.” As one looks at the unfolding of the political atmosphere in the United States, one can’t help but reflect on Panday’s prescience. Panday’s insights were not original, but he uttered a truth that is being played out in the U.S. today.

On Wednesday, as President Donald Trump was meeting with Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, about the prospect of taking steps toward nuclear disarmament in North Korea and other measures to ease tensions in the Korean peninsula, Michael D. Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, was pouring his guts out about the president’s amoral actions before and after he attained the presidency.
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General T&T, International, PNM, Politics, UNC, USA, Venezuela

Kamla’s Position on Venezuela Ascended the High Moral Ground

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By Stephen Kangal
March 09, 2019

Stephen KangalIn the face of rapidly unfolding political and diplomatic events globally and the current isolation of T&T for its ill-advised decision to recognize unwittingly and side with the internationally denounced illegal and illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro bilaterally while pursuing a contradictory neutrality/ non-interference position at the multilateral Caricom and UN levels, it appears to me that Kamla outwitted Prime Minister Rowley in her strategic support for Interim President Juan Guaido.
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Africa, Caribbean, General T&T, International, USA, Venezuela

The US Tried to Isolate Venezuela. It has Only Isolated Itself

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By Alan MacLeod
February 03, 2019 – venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuela's FlagIt is no secret that the United States has long been plotting regime change in Venezuela. For over 18 months President Trump has been publicly floating a military invasion of the country. At a speech in Florida President Trump recently announced “the days of socialism and communism are numbered in Venezuela” ominously stating “one day soon we are going to see what the people will do in Caracas.” Vice President Mike Pence declared President Nicolas Maduro a “dictator” and reiterated that self-declared president Juan Guaidó had the “unwavering support” of the American people. In an attempt to destroy the economy and force Maduro out of power, the US has leveled multiple rounds of punishing (and illegal) sanctions on the country, and encouraged and intimidated others to do the same in an effort to isolate Venezuela politically and economically.
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Canada, European Union, General T&T, International, USA, Venezuela

The War on Venezuela Is Built on Lies

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“A war has been declared on Venezuela, of which the truth is ‘too difficult’ to report” – John Pilger has his take on Venezuela.

By John Pilger
February 24, 2019 – johnpilger.com

Venezuela's FlagTravelling with Hugo Chavez, I soon understood the threat of Venezuela.  At a farming co-operative in Lara state, people waited patiently and with good humour in the heat. Jugs of water and melon juice were passed around. A guitar was played; a woman, Katarina, stood and sang with a husky contralto.

“What did her words say?” I asked.

“That we are proud,” was the reply.
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Caribbean, CARICOM, General T&T, PNM, Politics, Venezuela

Montevideo Mechanism Product of Corridor Diplomacy

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By Stephen Kangal
February 18, 2019

Stephen KangalThe Chairman of Caricom, St Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Harris described the Montevideo Mechanism as a blue print or framework to process and resolve all political conflicts. However Caricom’s immediate mandate was to deal exclusively with identifying specific proposals/measures/ the way forward for abating and resolving the worsening humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela via peaceful means.

This so -called peace-making Mechanism contains four theoretical modules that students develop in their conflict resolution classrooms. It is not self-executing and depends on the push and pull intervention by Mexico, Uruguay and Caricom for its fulfillment in Caracas. No word is forthcoming on progress being achieved this front.
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General T&T, International, USA, Venezuela

US Media Ignore – and Applaud – Economic War on Venezuela

Gregory Shupak examines the silences that organize the mainstream media’s coverage of the crisis in the Caribbean nation.

By Gregory Shupak – FAIR
February 19, 2019 – fair.org

Venezuela's Flag

The US media chorus supporting a US overthrow of the Venezuelan government has for years pointed to the country’s economic crisis as a justification for regime change, while whitewashing the ways in which the US has strangled the Venezuelan economy  (FAIR.org, 3/22/18).

A UN rapporteur declares that “sanctions kill” (Independent, 1/26/19)–but few in Western media are listening to his message.
Continue reading US Media Ignore – and Applaud – Economic War on Venezuela →