US Regime Change Laboratory Created Venezuela's Coup Leader
Juan Guaido is the product of a decade-long project overseen by Washington's elite regime change trainers. While posing as a champion of democracy, he has spent years at the forefront of a violent campaign of destabilization.
by Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal
Before the fateful date of Jan. 22, fewer than 1-in-5 Venezuelans had heard of Juan
Guaido. Only a few months ago, the 35-year-old was an obscure character in a politically
marginal far-right group closely associated with gruesome acts of street violence. Even
in his own party, Guaido had been a mid-level figure in the opposition-dominated
National Assembly, which is now held under contempt according to Venezuela's
constitution.
But after a single phone call from from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Guaido
proclaimed himself as president of Venezuela. Anointed as the leader of his country by
Washington, a previously unknown political bottom dweller was vaulted onto the
international stage as the U.S.-selected leader of the nation with the world's largest
oil reserves.
Echoing the Washington consensus, The New York Times editorial board hailed Guaido as a
"credible rival" to President Nicolas Maduro with a "refreshing style and vision of
taking the country forward." The Bloomberg News editorial board applauded him for
seeking "restoration of democracy" and The Wall Street Journal declared him "a new
democratic leader." Meanwhile, Canada, numerous European nations, Israel, and the bloc
of right-wing Latin American governments known as the Lima Group recognized Guaido as
the legitimate leader of Venezuela. . . .
[Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves of any Opec country outside the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia has proven reserves of 260bn barrels.--"Venezuela oil 'may double
Saudi Arabia'," BBC News, January 23, 2010]
[One poll even suggests that as recently as a week ago, more than 80 percent of
Venezuelans had no idea who Guaido even was.--George Ciccariello-Maher, "Venezuela:
Call It What It Is - a Coup," thenation.com, January 25, 2019]
[According to the National Assembly, these acts are completely legal. However, the
decision was not recognised by Maduro or by the Constituent Assembly - a parallel body
to the National Assembly led by Maduro's partisans - or the official justice system,
which resulted in a clash between the different powers in the country. (euronews.com
does not disclose its management)--Camille Bello, Is it legal for Juan Guaido to be proclaimed Venezuela's
interim president?," euronews.com, January 27, 2019]
George Galloway, "The History Boys: Venezuela, Maduro and Latin America,"
YouTube, January 27, 2019
"Venezuela's foreign minister on 'failed' coup and the new Non-Aligned Movement," The Grayzone, February 18, 2019
"An Ocean of Lies on Venezuela: Abby Martin & UN Rapporteur Expose Coup," YouTube, February 22, 2019
[For almost two hours he read into the microphone from the stack of books beside him:
Orwell, Dickens, Tolstoy, Zola, Hemingway, Chomsky, Neruda: a page here, a line or two
there. People clapped and whistled as he moved from author to author. . . .
In eight years, Chavez won eight elections and referendums: a world record. He was
electorally the most popular head of state in the Western Hemisphere, probably in the
world.--John Pilger, "The
War on Venezuela is Built on Lies," counterpunch.org, February 22, 2019]
"Where are the 'empty shelves'? Max Blumenthal tours Caracas supermarket," YouTube, February 23, 2019
"Why US insists Guaido is 'interim president' of Venezuela," YouTube, March 6, 2019
[Source? six million Colombian citizens have moved to Venezuela, attracted by its social
achievements--Israel Shamir, "Where Is That Vaunted
White IQ?," unz.com, March 7, 2019]
[It was authored by Srdja Popovic of the Center for Applied Non-Violent Action and
Strategies (CANVAS), a Belgrade-based "democracy promotion" organization funded by the
U.S. that has trained thousands of U.S.-aligned youth activists in countries where the
West seeks regime change.--Max Blumenthal, "US Regime Change Blueprint
Proposed Venezuelan Electricity Blackouts as 'Watershed Event',"
consortiumnews.com, March 12, 2019
"Humanitarian crisis in Venezuela: Propaganda vs. reality," UN Human Rights Council, March 19, 2019
"Guaido's team seizes Venezuelan diplomatic offices," RT America, March 19, 2019
"Venezuela with reporter Ben Norton," On Contact, April 27, 2019