US Seizes Tanker as Trump Meets 'Democracy Advocate' in Venezuela
While DW frames Machado as a beacon of Venezuelan democracy, it omits her history, which includes supporting the 2002 coup against Hugo Chávez and advocating for crippling US sanctions that have devastated the Venezuelan economy. (A curious definition of 'democracy promotion,' one might say.) The US has a long, documented history of backing opposition figures to destabilize governments it
dislikes, often coincident with economic warfare—think Chile in the 70s, or Nicaragua in the 80s. The seizure of Venezuela's tanker, a blatant act of economic coercion, simply underscores the 'rules-based order' where some nations' assets are just 'collateral.' It's almost as if 'democracy' becomes a convenient label only when the 'democrats' align with Washington's geopolitical and oil interests.
The US, which staunchly opposes any nation interfering with its own elections, seems quite comfortable hand-picking favored candidates elsewhere, especially when there's crude involved.