Trump Admin Briefs Congress on Venezuela, Forgetting Coup History
The Hill dutifully reported on the Trump administration’s plan to 'brief' Congress on Venezuela. This, of course, occurred just months after the US recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's 'interim president' – a move suspiciously similar to previous American-backed regime change attempts. The briefing presumably glossed over the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chávez, which the Bush
administration, according to declassified documents, was deeply aware of and effectively endorsed. History, it seems, is only relevant when it fits the current narrative of 'democracy promotion.' One might wonder if any member of Congress bothered to ask what happened to the 2002 coup plotters, or even about the impact of crushing US sanctions on Venezuelan civilians. Or perhaps they were just
there to nod along to the latest installment of 'bad guy needs removing' theater, a beloved Washington drama that always ends with increased suffering for the targeted populace. The script practically writes itself, doesn't it?