Trump Lifts Sanctions on Venezuela, Rewrites History for Big Oil
📰 THE STORY: Bloomberg reports that US President Donald Trump has ordered the reopening of airspace over Venezuela after a call with Delcy Rodriguez, framed as the country's 'acting president,' effectively easing a significant economic pressure point previously imposed by his administration. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This 'reopening' isn't a gesture of goodwill; it's a
strategic maneuver directly reversing the punishing sanctions initiated by the US under the Trump administration in 2019, which included a ban on flights. These sanctions choked Venezuela's oil industry, leading to a humanitarian crisis the US then blamed on the Maduro government. Prior to this, in 2002, the US backed a failed coup attempt against Hugo Chávez, and later recognized Juan Guaidó as
Venezuela's 'interim president' amidst widespread suffering caused by these very sanctions, designed to destabilize the nation to gain control of its vast oil reserves—the largest proven reserves in the world. Double Standard: The media frames this as a sudden, pragmatic shift from Trump, implying rationality. Yet, when China or Russia engage in trade with countries under US sanctions, it's
decried as 'undermining democracy' or 'aiding dictators.' Here, it's framed as 'reopening' for commercial interests, normalizing relations that Washington itself sabotaged. There's no critical analysis of the immense suffering caused by the initial sanctions, only the 'good news' of their temporary lift, without holding the orchestrators accountable. Follow the Money: The driving force behind this