Venezuela – Ripe for US Intervention?

1 ‘Venezuela: Spanish colonial life’ (1990),http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID=ve0013)

2 John Lynch , The Spanish American Revolutions, 1808–1826( New York, W.W. Norton , 1973), p. 190.

3 Ibid.

4 John Bannon , History of the Americas ( New York, McGraw-Hill , 1963), pp. 330–348

Juan Vincente Gomez , ‘Venezuela: a century of Caudillismo’ (1990), <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ve0015)>.

5 Daniel Yergin , The Prize ( London, Simon & Schuster , 1991), p. 435.

6 Andy McInerney , ‘ Venezuela election: political setback for IMF austerity ’, Workers World (17 December 1998).

7 ‘ Unplayable, illegitimate, odious and immoral debt ’, Third World Resurgence (July 1999), pp. 15–18

Latin America Weekly Report (3 November 1988), p. 511

‘ Venezuela won’t halt foreign debt payment, finance minister says’, Associated Press (27 March 2003), <http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20030327-0759-venezuela-foreigndebt.html>.

8 Gregory Wilpert , ‘ Collision in Venezuela ’, New Left Review (May/June 2003)

‘ More than skin deep ’, Latinamerica Press (9 April 2003), p. 10 .

9 McInerney, op. cit.

10 ‘Chavez: black mixed with Indian, that’s me’, Reuters (9 June 2003), http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/rad-green/2003-June/009238.html

11 Latinamerica Press, op cit.

12 ‘Venezuela’ (May 2003), http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/caba/venez.html

13 Wilpert, op. cit.

14 Latinamerica Press, op. cit.

15 Gregory Palast , ‘ A tale of two coups ’, New Internationalist (July 2002), pp. 11–13 .

16 Hans Dieterich , ‘Why are coup plotters so impatient?’ (11 December 2002), <http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/rad-green/2000-December/005615.html>

Justin Podur , ‘Venezuela’s national strike: Fabrica Carreda-Fabrica Tomado’ (11 December 2002), <http://lists.utah.edu/pipermail/rad-green/2002-December/00561.html>.

17 ‘Venezuela: top to bottom reorganization’, Latinamerica Press (23 April 2003), pp. 4–5.

18 Leonel Vivas , ‘Venezuela: a struggle for our America’s future’ (26 August 2003), <http://www.venezuelananalysis.com/com/articles.php?artno=1011>; Wilpert, op. cit.

19 William Blum , ‘The CIA and the Venezuelan coup’ (14 April 2002), <http://www.zmag.org/content?LatinAmerica/blum_coup.cmf>.

20 David Coleman , ‘Medical doctors college president: Venezuelan medics imbued with ‘‘pure egoism and meanness’’ ’ (15 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9569>.

21 Sartre , ‘The petro-dollar and the euro’ (4 April 2003), <http://etherzone.com/2003/sart040403.shtml>.

22 The leader of OPEC and the largest oil producer is Saudi Arabia which has the largest known oil reserves. It is the only member of the OPEC cartel that does not have an allotted production quota and is the ‘swing producer’ (i.e. it can increase or decrease oil production to bring about conditions of either shortage or glut in the world market). This gives it a crucial position in determining prices. Following the US occupation of Iraq in March 2003, it is becoming clear that the US does not want the Saudis to hold this ace card and will encourage Iraq to quit OPEC so that the oil cartel’s power is reduced. See Dale Allen Pfeiffer , ‘The end of the oil age’ (30 July 2003), <http://globalresearch.ca/articles/PFE307A.html>

Khalid Hasan , ‘ US may encourage Iraq to quit OPEC ’, Daily Times (12 July 2003), <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_12-7-2003_pg7_52>.

23 ‘ South Asians mull central clearinghouse ’, Daily Star (18 June 2003), <http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/06/18/d30618050344.htm>.

Unlike the US, the Eurozone does not run a huge trade deficit, nor is it heavily indebted to the rest of the world. The Euro-zone has a larger share of the world’s trade than does the US and is the Middle East’s main trading partner. See W. Clark , ‘The real reason for the upcoming war with Iraq’ (9 July 2003), <http://www.ratical.com/ratville/CAH/RRiraqWar.html>.

24 Colin Nunan , ‘Oil, currency and the war on Iraq’ (14 March 2003), <http://www.feasta.org/documents/papers/oill.htm>

Sartre, op. cit. Roy Carson , ‘Venezuela move to replace US$ with the Euro upsetting Washington more than Saddam’s Euro conversion’ (18 June 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/printer_news.asp?id=8613>.

25 The proposals were made at the World Social Forum, Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2003. See ‘ Latin dimension: another axis of evil ’, New Internationalist (May 2003)

David Coleman , ‘Venezuela and Ecuador inaugurate PetroAmerica Foundation to ward off USA dominating’ (15 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9571>.

26 Wilpert, op. cit.

27 Wilpert, op. cit.

28 Christano Kerrilla , ‘ Venezuela: class struggle on the rise ’, Green Left Weekly (21 May 2003), <http://www.Greenleft.org.au/current/538p20.htm>.

29 James Petras , ‘ US offensive in Latin America: coups, retreats, and radicalization ’, Monthly Review (May 2002), <http://www.monthlyreview.org/0502petras.htm>

M. Arvelaiz and T. P. Ponceleon , ‘ US pushing for a coup d’etat: Venezuela, target of opportunity ’, Covert Action Quarterly (Spring 2003), pp. 12–16 .

30 Petras, op. cit.

31 A. Selsky , ‘Venezuela without working government’ (14 April 2002), <http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/2000414/ap_on_re_laam>

John Pilger , ‘ The new Chile ’, New Statesman (11 March 2002)

‘ Media involvement in the Venezuelan coup ’, Le Monde Diplomatique (14 August 2002), <Leninist-international-admin@lists.econ.utah.edu>.

32 ‘ Concern over possible AFL-CIO involvement in Venezuela coup led to February picket ’, Labor Notes (May 2002), p. 5 ; Latinamerica Press (26 February 2003).

33 ‘Venezuela: interest groups and major political actors’ (1990), <http://leweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ve0076>.

34 ‘ US bankrolling is under scrutiny for ties to Chavez ouster ’, New York Times (25 April 2002), p. A8 .

35 Latinamerica Press, op. cit. February 2003.

36 ‘ Venezuela: coup fails, Chavez returns ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (14 April 2002).

37 ‘ Venezuela: new coup threatened ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (6 October 2002), p. 2 .

38 ‘ Venezuela: US ready to deal ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (12 January 2003).

39 ‘ Venezuela protest ends in violence ’, Sacramento Bee (14 June 2003), p. A16

‘ Venezuela: US ready to deal ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (12 January 2003).

40 Latinamerica Press, op. cit. April 2003.

41 Dieterich, op. cit.

42 ‘ Venezuela: one killed in opposition demo ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (25 May 2003).

43 ‘ Venezuela: cops attack pro-Chavez protest ’, Weekly News Update on the Americas (15 June 2003), pp. 4–5 .

44 ‘Andean strategy: strong economic recovery’, VHeadline.comReporters, http://www.vheadline.com?readnews.asp?id=9149

‘ No referendum on ousting Chavez ’, Sacramento Bee (13 September 2003), p. A20 .

45 Dozthor Zurlent , ‘Reader asks: where are the people? where? where are the Venezuelan people?’ (24 August 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=1059>

Dwan Gable , ‘Chavez is stronger than ever, despite what the corporate media would have you believe’ (24 August 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=10548>

Eva Golinger-Moncada , ‘Article 72: referendum in Venezuela... an explanatory note!’ (5 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9205>.

46 Petras, op. cit.

47 Chris Kerr , ‘The next battle Venezuela begins’ (27 July 2003), <http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cmf?itemID=3965&sectionID=20>

Mark Weisbrot , ‘ Bush’s vendetta with Venezuela ’, Progressive Populist (1 September 2003), pp. 10– 11 .

‘ Protests focus on ousting Chavez ’, Sacramento Bee (21 August 2003), p. A11 .

48 ‘Venezuela/Colombia: border conflict’, Latinamerica Press (13 August 2003).

49 David Coleman , ‘Venezuela sends 2,700 troops to reinforce 1,367 miles border with Colombia’ (2 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9138>

David Coleman , ‘C-i-C of the Venezuelan army says no revocatory referendum this year’ (20 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9642>.

50 Justin Podur , ‘What is Colombian army doing attacking Venezuela?’ (3 April 2003), <http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID+45&ItemID=3389>.

51 Chris Herz , ‘USA will commit extra $147million to provocation on Venezuela’s border with Colombia’ (4 July 2003), <http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=9201>.