US Sanctions Venezuelan Official, Shocked When They Don't Follow Orders
Bloomberg breathlessly reports that Acting Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez named US-sanctioned General González as her intel chief, a move supposedly significant because of Nicolás Maduro’s 'capture.' What they conveniently gloss over is the historical pattern: the US sanctions officials, then expresses surprise when those officials don't immediately comply with US foreign policy objectives.
This isn't breaking news; this is standard procedure when an imperial power attempts—and fails—to dictate another nation's leadership choices. The US government’s penchant for unilateral sanctions against Venezuelan officials, often under vague pretexts of 'corruption' or 'human rights abuses' (without due process or international court rulings), serves primarily to destabilize the government and
justify interventionist policies. (Remember when Elliott Abrams, architect of the Iran-Contra affair, was appointed special envoy to Venezuela? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.) To then feign shock when said 'sanctioned' officials continue to serve their own government, rather than bending to Washington’s will, suggests a deep-seated delusion about the efficacy—and legality—of these
measures.