Al-Monitor Discovers Iran-Venezuela Ties, Misses US-Venezuela Meddling
Al-Monitor, citing anonymous sources, expresses concern over Iran's historical links to Venezuela, framing Maduro's potential 'fall' as a blow to Tehran's 'global reach.' They highlight Iran's support for Venezuela 'to counter US influence,' without pausing to question why there's US influence to counter in the first place. One might recall the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chávez, immediately
recognized by the Bush administration, or the US sanctions that have crippled the Venezuelan economy, making alliances with 'isolated' nations a necessity. Venezuela's government has been the target of consistent regime change efforts, not least by the US, which recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019, undermining Venezuela's sovereign elections. So, while Al-Monitor frets about Iran's
'isolated' position, perhaps they should examine the isolation strategies employed by Washington against nations that dare to pursue independent foreign policies. The irony of criticizing Iran for seeking allies in the face of relentless US pressure seems to be lost somewhere in the pursuit of 'balanced' (read: establishment-friendly) reporting. How many 'democratic transitions' does it take
before we question whose democracy is actually being served?