Truth Unmasked – Part 2
TimeWatch Editorial
May 03, 2017
In part one of this editorial, we were discussing the situation in Venezuela. We were looking at a book authored by John Perkins, entitled “The Secret of American Empire.” We made the point that quite often we arrive at conclusions about nation states, based upon incomplete or manipulated information. One such situation would be the reason why things are believed to be the way they are in Venezuela today. We first looked at the corrupt leadership of President Carlos Andres Perez, against whom Hugo Chavez let a failed coup in February 1992. Perez had demonstrated his willingness to sell his country to the World Bank, the IMF, and foreign corporations. We looked at the fact that Chavez was ultimately elected as President in 1998 with a 56 percent margin. Chavez kept his commitments to the poor, and because if this was seen as a as a grave threat to the corporatocracy. So the corporatocracy did what they do best.
“Using tactics perfected in Iran, Chile, and Colombia, jackals sent thousands of people into the streets of Caracas on April 11, 2002, marching toward the headquarters of Venezuela's state owned oil company and on to Miraflores, the presidential palace. There they met pro-Chavez demonstrators who accused their organizers of being pawns of the U.S. CIA. Then suddenly and unexpectedly, the armed forces announced that Chavez had resigned as president and was being held at a military base. Washington celebrated, but the jubilation was short-lived. Soldiers loyal to Chavez called for a massive countercoup. Poor people poured into the streets, and on April 13, Chavez resumed his presidency.” John Perkins, “The Secret History of American Empire,” Page 111
There was a subsequent investigation that revealed the source of the coup. This was reasonably easy because the entire methodology followed a pattern that had occurred many times before.
“Official Venezuelan investigations concluded that the coup was sponsored by the U.S. government. The White House practically admitted to culpability; the Los Angeles Times reported: "Bush Administration officials acknowledged Tuesday that they had discussed the removal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for months with military and civilian leaders from Venezuela." John Perkins, “The Secret History of American Empire,” Page 111
The return of Chavez to his office caused the United States to back off for a while. There were a number of other issues that had arisen globally, and of course Venezuela was an important oil trader. Besides, many other countries were closely observing what the Bush Administration might do.
“The rest of Latin America watched closely to see how the Bush administration would deal with Chavez after the failed coup attempt against him. What they witnessed was a cowed U.S. president. The White House realized that it had to tread carefully. Venezuela was our second-largest supplier of petroleum and petroleum products (fourth-largest supplier of crude). Its oil fields were much closer than those of the Middle East. Through its ownership of CITGO, Venezuela impacted many American workers, drivers, and a multitude of corporations that sell to or buy from CITGO. In addition, Caracas had been our ally in breaking the OPEC oil embargos of the 1970s. The Bush administration's options for military intervention were limited by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian debacle, the growing unpopularity of the royal family in Saudi Arabia, political problems in Kuwait, and a militarized Iran.” John Perkins, “The Secret History of American Empire,” Page 112
Subsequent discussions that took place regarding Chavez seldom included the original intrusions of the IMF and the World Bank in the political and economic life of the Venezuelan people. He was portrayed only as a socialist, which he was, but those descriptions did not explain the reactionary motivation of his political agenda. Soon Chavez began to have an impact on other countries in South America.
“Luiz Inacio "Lula" Da Silva's 2002 landslide victory in Brazil further bolstered nationalistic movements. A founder of the progressive Workers' Party in 1980, Lula was a politician with a long history of advocating social reform, demanding that Brazil dedicate its natural resources to helping the poor, and insisting on audits for Brazilian debts to the IMF that he claimed were illegal. In winning the election with more than 60 percent of the vote, Lula joined Chavez as one of the continent's new wave of living legends. Word spread to the most remote villages at the top of the Andes and deep into the rainforests that those previously considered as disenfranchised were coming into power.” John Perkins, “The Secret History of American Empire,” Page 112
John Perkins says that the success achieved by Chavez and Da Silva had a further impact on other countries in the region, and as he put it “Latin Americans took heart. For the first time in recent history, they saw the opportunity to slip out from under the U.S. yoke of domination.” Perkins again mentions in this book, what he had discussed in “Confessions of an Economic Hitman.”
“In Confessions of an Economic Hit Man I described my relationship with Jaime Roldos Aguilera, the university professor and attorney who in 1979 became Ecuador's first democratically elected president after a long line of corporatocracy-supported dictators. As soon as he took office, Roldos set about honoring his campaign promises to rein in the oil companies and apply his country's natural resources to benefit its poor people. At that time I feared that if he did not comply with the wishes of the EHMs, he would be targeted by the jackals. My fears materialized. On May 24, 1981, Jaime Roldos died in an airplane crash. Latin newspapers plastered their front pages with stories under headlines like CIA ASSASSINATION!” John Perkins, “The Secret History of American Empire,” Page 113
The profile of control that is here described has by no means ceased. The methodology might vary based upon differing circumstances, but if you are able to recognize the rather convenient transformation from Democratic forms of government today to authoritarian forms, you will see who is manipulating the decision making. The plans really have not changed. The countries that are now experiencing the transformation are somewhat surprising, but the objectives are the same. The corporatocracy is alive and well and growing more muscles every day. The sound of the voice of the dragon is loud and clear.
Cameron A. Bowen
