Maduro is the problem, not America. That is clear to most Venezuelans.
Not to disagree, but this makes me wonder about a few things.
I certainly cannot talk for "most Venezuelans" admittedly, since Venezuela is neither my home nor do I have any unique information to share about the majority of its people, but I do know my country pretty well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States%E2%80%93Venezuela_relationsUnited StatesDespite the continually strained ties between the two governments,
82% of Venezuelans viewed the U.S. positively in 2002, though
this view declined down to 62% in 2014 (per the Pew Research Global Attitudes Project).[83] The Gallup Global Leadership Report indicates that as of 2013, 35% of Venezuelans approve of United States' global leadership, and 35% disapprove.[84]
The Spring 2017 Global Attitudes Survey by Pew Research Center found that 35% of the Venezuelan population views the United States unfavorable and
47% view it favorably - Trust in America has fallen for the most part like a Tom Petty song. And the more recent upsurge is due to their policies working and the deteriorating condition in Venezuela versus any commitment of serious trust for US policies at home or abroad. This is what happens in desperate times.
A second point that needs to be made is how foreign policy directives changed under G W Bush -- after Chavez came to power in 1999.
Vargas Tragedy 2000
Chavez becomes critical of GW Bush's Foreign Policy 2002
Failed Coup in 2002
Pat Robertson calling for Chavez Assassination in 2005
Expelling 2 US military attaches by Maduro conspiring to overthrow existing gov't (like Chile) 2014
Even more important, there have been plans in the works to remove both of the Venezuelan leaders for some time.
"Despite allegedly waning of Hugo Chavez's aggressive foreign policy due to the sharp drop in oil in the last quarter of 2008, hostility with America continued. "American Corners," (AC) a partnership between the Public Affairs sections of U.S. Embassies worldwide and their host institutions, was said to be an interference in Venezuela. In their book,
Imperial Spiderweb: Encyclopedia of Interference and Subversion, Eva Golinger and Frenchman, Riman Mingus, warned that it was one of Washington's secret forms of propaganda, Golinger denouncing AC to the Venezuelan National Assembly as virtual consulates, which are not formally sponsored by the US government, but by an organization, association, school, library or local institution. Additionally, they have not only functioned as a launch pad for a psychological war, but also sought to subvert and violate diplomatic rules. The AC's were alleged to be closely supervised by the State Department"
But obviously, there are many here who only want one conclusion ------> that's fine. But we cannot ignore US history in these and other matters, especially when the biggest douchbag on the planet is saying this:
"
On August 11, 2017, President Trump said that he is “not going to rule out a military option” to confront the autocratic government of Nicolás Maduro and the deepening crisis in Venezuela.[80] Venezuela’s Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, immediately criticized Trump for his statement, calling it “an act of supreme extremism” and “an act of madness”. The Venezuelan Communications Minister, Ernesto Villegas, said Trump’s words amounted to “an unprecedented threat to national sovereignty”
Even today, we have Trump's strategy on how to deal with dissent -
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-i-%E2%80%98destroy-careers-of-republicans-who-say-bad-things-about-me/ar-BBLuIzF?li=BBnb7KzMaduro is not the answer here by any means, but to forget how we have managed central and south America over the last 100 years is a big piece to miss with what is happening on the ground to decent and vulnerable people.
We have to be honest. The US does not give a shit about the people of Venezuela, in as much as they are a pawn to change the narrative from something that causes criticism to them (has since 1999) to a state with oil reserves who could come under their influence.
