US Orders Blockade of Venezuela, Cites 'Authoritarianism'
President Trump's 'blockade' of sanctioned oil tankers into Venezuela, as reported by NPR, is framed as a necessary measure against an 'authoritarian leader.' This narrative, however, omits the decades of US interference in Latin American sovereignty, from supporting coups in Chile and Honduras to economic blockades that have demonstrably crippled civilian populations. It's a selective concern for
'authoritarianism' that never applies to US-aligned regimes, or indeed, the very nations the US currently backs to suppress democratic movements. One might wonder if 'authoritarian' is simply code for 'not doing what Washington says.' When the U.S. unilaterally declares which leaders are legitimate and then starves populations into submission, it's not a defense of democracy; it's economic
warfare. How many times must the US 'liberate' a nation by destroying its economy before the media notices a pattern?