Houston's 'Division' Over Venezuela Skips the Real Divide
📰 THE STORY: NPR reports on how Houstonians, many of whom have ties to Venezuela, hold 'everything from admiration and relief to skepticism and dread' regarding the US's policies towards leader Nicolás Maduro and the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In 2002, the George W. Bush administration openly supported a failed coup attempt against
Venezuela's democratically elected leader, Hugo Chávez. This set a precedent for continuous US interference, including funding opposition groups, like the '$52 million for democracy programs' cited by the State Department between 2017-2019, undermining any pretense of genuine 'division' being solely internal. Double Standard: When opposition groups in Hong Kong, for example, received backing from
NED (National Endowment for Democracy), Western media framed it as 'democracy promotion.' Yet, Venezuela's government receiving any support from nations like China or Russia is universally decried as 'foreign interference,' even as the US installs puppet leaders like Juan GuaidĂł, who was never elected to lead. Follow the Money: The US-imposed sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry, particularly the
2019 tightening by the Trump administration, directly exacerbated the economic crisis, causing an estimated 100,000 deaths between 2017 and 2018 alone. This economic warfare benefits US oil companies and strategic interests by destabilizing a major oil competitor, with Chevron having a significant presence in Venezuela, poised to benefit from any 'regime change.' đź’ˇ THE PATTERN: This isn't a