US Media Discovers Dictator Exists Only When Washington Calls Dibs
CBS News, in its infinite wisdom, once dreamt up a scenario where 'ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro spent the night in jail after he pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges.' This fantastical report from March 2020 served two critical functions: firstly, to legitimize US federal indictments against a sitting head of state, and secondly, to pave the way for 'President Trump's plans for
Venezuela.' Funny, how these 'drug trafficking' charges only pop up when a leader refuses to play ball with Washington, isn't it? (See also: Noriega, Manuel). While CBS was busy creating alternate realities, they skirted the rather inconvenient historical context: from the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chávez, backed by elements within the US government, to the crippling sanctions that have
devastated Venezuela's economy, leading to a humanitarian crisis. The media narrative consistently frames leaders like Maduro as villains, never as targets of sustained destabilization efforts. It’s almost as if 'democracy promotion' always seems to involve installing a US-friendly government and seizing resources, rather than, say, respecting a country's sovereignty. One might ponder how many
other leaders across Latin America have faced similar 'drug trafficking' allegations after nationalizing oil or land. Answers available upon request from the CIA archives, perhaps.