US 'Back in Business' of Empire? Buddy, We Never Left.
When The Intercept declares the U.S. is 'Back in the Business of Empire' with Venezuela, one might wonder: where exactly did they think it went? From funding coups in Chile (1973) to overthrowing governments in Guatemala (1954), the 'business' has been booming since the Monroe Doctrine. The Biden administration's recent 'unfreezing' of assets and easing sanctions, ostensibly for 'democratic
elections,' conveniently aligns with global oil price anxieties, much like past administrations' sudden interest in resource-rich nations right before they needed 'liberating'. It's almost as if the concept of 'empire' isn't a part-time gig the U.S. punches in and out of. This isn't a new policy pivot; it's a consistent, well-documented playbook applied with convenient timing. The Intercept's
piece highlights the administration's 'hypocrisy,' but framing it as a 'return' implies a hiatus that simply never occurred. For decades, the US has maintained extensive control over geopolitical narratives and economic leverage, particularly in Latin America, a pattern consistently overlooked until convenient for a 'hot take.' How many 'new beginnings' of empire do we need to endure before we
acknowledge the continuous operation?