When 'Democracy Promotion' Meets Political Inconvenience
CASE A: The Curious Case of Maria Corina Machado and the 'Spoiler' Label Politico , as reported by RT, describes Trump officials as 'frustrated' with Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado. The alleged sin? Her 'election comments' or, more precisely, her presumed reluctance to cede her primary victory to US-preferred alternatives without a fight. The framing here is one of an unruly
child disrupting adult plans. One might wonder why a Nobel laureate, presumably a beacon of democratic principles, would be chastised by a nation championing 'free and fair elections' for insisting on her electoral mandate. The implication is clear: her independence is a problem. CASE B: The Consistent Embrace of 'Spoilers' When Convenient Consider a parallel. In the 2019 Bolivian election, Evo
Morales won outright, a fact verified by multiple independent observers (e.g., CEPR, 2019). Yet, the Organization of American States (OAS), heavily funded by the US (OAS budget, 2018), issued a preliminary report alleging 'irregularities,' effectively legitimizing a coup that overthrew a democratically elected leader. Morales, a popular indigenous leader, was deemed a 'spoiler' to US regional
interests, and his removal was celebrated by many of the same officials now decrying Machado's 'obstinance.' The framing then was of a 'struggle against authoritarianism,' despite Morales's clear electoral win. THE FRAMING: A Tale of Two Oppositions When US interests align, as with the 2019 Bolivian coup, the narrative centers on 'restoring democracy' and supporting 'the will of the people' – even