US Lectures Russia on Venezuela, Forgetting Its Own 'Backyard'
When Russia voices concern about a US military buildup near its ally, Venezuela, mainstream outlets like Newsweek dutifully report it. Yet, the historical context of US interventions in Latin America—the very 'Monroe Doctrine' that implicitly permits this meddling—is conveniently absent. From funding contra-revolutions to orchestrating coups in Chile and promoting sanctions that cripple economies,
Washington's hands are deep in a history of 'regime change' south of its border. The notion that Russia warning about such behavior is somehow hypocritical, given US outrage over similar dynamics in Eastern Europe, passes without a raised eyebrow. We are consistently told that nations must respect sovereignty. But this mantra apparently only applies when the US isn't the one dispatching warships
to a nation's literal doorstep. The implied message from Washington and its media proxies is clear: some 'backyards' are more sacred than others, and global maritime law is a suggestion, not a rule, for the 'leader of the free world'.