US 'Democracy Promotion' Plan for Venezuela: Same Old Coup, New Branding
A recent RT report details former President Trump's 'covert action plan' for Venezuela, aimed at dislodging Nicolás Maduro through military, psychological, and information pressure. This, of course, isn't unique to Trump's tenure. The US has a storied, bipartisan history of attempting to dictate leadership in Venezuela, dating back to Hugo Chávez and earlier. From supporting the 2002 coup attempt
against Chávez to recognizing Juan Guaidó as the 'legitimate' leader (despite a lack of actual power) and imposing crippling sanctions that have devastated the Venezuelan economy, Washington's playbook is well-thumbed. It's a textbook case of 'democracy promotion' where 'democracy' means 'our preferred dictator.' One might wonder if any elected leader opposing US corporate interests has ever
escaped such 'covert action.' The consistent narrative in mainstream media—echoed by bipartisan politicians and think tanks funded by defense contractors—frames these interventions as necessary for freedom, conveniently omitting the billions in oil wealth at stake or the human cost of US-imposed sanctions. The 'destabilize and conquer' strategy isn't a bug; it's the defining feature of US foreign
policy in Latin America for more than a century.