US Decries 'Intervention' While Perfecting the Art
Newsweek heralds Russia's assistance to Venezuela as Putin 'answering Maduro’s call to help resist Trump,' (Newsweek, 09/01/2018). This framing paints Russia as the aggressor, intervening in another nation's affairs. The unstated, yet critical, context is the US's own extensive history of 'help' in Latin American nations—from orchestrating coups in Chile (1973) and Guatemala (1954) to funding
contra forces in Nicaragua (1980s), all to 'resist' leaders deemed inconvenient. One might wonder if 'foreign intervention' only applies when it's not the US doing the intervening. It seems some nations are permitted to have 'spheres of influence' while others are merely 'meddling.' The hypocrisy isn't subtle; it's a foundational pillar of US foreign policy, conveniently whitewashed by outlets
like Newsweek when the script calls for a new villain.