US Warship Nears, Venezuela 'Rounds Up Dissidents'
Bloomberg breathlessly reports that Venezuelans are being 'urged to spy on their neighbors' as a US warship approaches. The implication is clear: a tyrannical regime clamping down ahead of a benevolent freedom cruise. Yet, the article neglects to mention the USS George Washington isn't exactly docking for a friendly game of dominoes. This isn't the first time the US has sent a show of force to
'encourage' regime change in Latin America; ask Nicaragua when Reagan's forces were 'demonstrating resolve' (read: laying mines) in their sovereign waters. One might wonder if 'urging citizens to spy' is a direct precursor to the exact 'destabilization' the US military presence so often precipitates. It seems Venezuela's government gets to be 'paranoid for no reason,' while Washington's fleet gets
to be 'preserving regional stability.' Funny how that works.