{"article":{"id":267682,"heading":"Model Venezuelan Democracy v. US Imperial Lawlessness","author":"Stephen Lendman","created":"2015-03-20 16:17:43","modified":"2015-03-20 16:17:43","last_modified":"Fri, 20 Mar 2015 23:17:43","article":"<p>Model Venezuelan Democracy v. US Imperial Lawlessness <br><br> by Stephen Lendman <br><br> Venezuelan democracy is real. It's the hemisphere's best. It shames America's sham system. <br><br> It threatens no other country. It doesn't bully, harass, invade or terror-bomb them. It fosters good relations with all nations. <br><br> Its Constitution mandates governance of, by and for everyone equitably. Its policies are polar opposite US imperial lawlessness. <br><br> On Wednesday, President Nicholas Maduro initiated an international campaign challenging Obama outrageously calling Venezuela a threat to US national security. <br><br> It deserves universal support. He wrote an open letter to Americans affirming Venezuela threatens no one. <br><br> \"(O)ur people believe in peace and respect for all nations,\" he said. \"In two centuries of independence,\" Venezuela never attacked another country. <br><br> It threatens none now. \"We are a peaceful people,\" Maduro stressed. <br><br> \"Our people live in a region of peace, free of weapons of mass destruction, and in freedom to practice all religions.\"  <br><br> \"We uphold respect for international law and the sovereignty of all people of the world.\" <br><br> Obama outrageously declaring Venezuela a threat to US national security flies in the face of fundamental \"principles of sovereignty and self-determination under international law,\" said Maduro. <br><br> All 33 Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) oppose his action. <br><br> So do all 12 Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). Free people everywhere reject US imperial lawlessness. <br><br> \"President Obama, without any authority to interfere in our internal affairs, unilaterally issued a set of sanctions against Venezuelan officials with potentially far-reaching implications, interfering in our constitutional order and our justice system,\" said Maduro. <br><br> \"We believe that our world must be based on the rules of international law, without interference in the internal affairs of other countries.\"  <br><br> \"We are convinced that the relationship of respect between all the nations is the only path for strengthening peace and coexistence, as well as for ensuring a more just world.\" <br><br> Throughout his tenure, Obama did what his supporters thought impossible. He exceeded the worst of his predecessors. <br><br> He wages out-of-control war on humanity at home and abroad. He threatens nuclear war on Russia. <br><br> \"Never before (did a US president try) to govern Venezuelans by decree,\" said Maduro. <br><br> \"It is a tyrannical and imperial order, and it pushes us back into the darkest days of the relationship between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean.\" <br><br> Millions of Venezuelans won't tolerate him interfering in their lives. Nor should free people anywhere. <br><br> Cease \"hostile actions against Venezuelan people and democracy,\" Maduro demanded. <br><br> Rescind executive order authority outrageously declaring Venezuela a US national security threat. <br><br> Retract \"libelous and defamatory statements and actions against the honorable Venezuelan officials who have just obeyed our laws and our constitution,\" Maduro added. <br><br> He quoted Simon Bolivar saying \"(t)he freedom of the New World is the hope of the universe.\" <br><br> \"(O)ur freedom is a right we shall never give up because the future of humanity lies in our country,\" Maduro stressed. <br><br> Venezuela represents \"hope. Independence or nothing.\" <br><br> On Thursday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez addressed an Organization of American States (OAS) extraordinary session. <br><br> She blasted Obama's imperial arrogance. She noted his outrageous executive order and lawless sanctions. <br><br> \"History has shown that (these type actions) tend to precede military interventions,\" she said. <br><br> She repeated her earlier warning of a possible Cuba-style economic blockade. <br><br> \"I emphasize that we are talking about historic facts,\" she said. \"We aren&rsquo;t imagining this, and we're saying that history has repeatedly shown this, and this is a real threat.\" <br><br> \"It's not just about (sanctioning) certain officials\" or issuing dictatorial diktats. <br><br> Venezuelan officials are targeted for defending national sovereignty and democratic rights, she explained. <br><br> \"Our task is to preserve our sovereignty,\" she stressed. How can Venezuela be considered a threat to the world's most powerful county,\" she asked? <br><br> \"(O)ur army has never left our borders to conquer other territories. Our diplomacy has always been peaceful.\" <br><br> Deputy US OAS representative Michael J. Fitzpatrick lied claiming Obama's diktat was taken out of context. <br><br> America isn't \"preparing military action against Venezuela&hellip;(It's) not look(ing) to overthrown (its) government&hellip;nor affect (its) economy,\" he claimed. <br><br> Facts contradict him. Bush and Obama went all-out to destabilize Venezuela politically and economically. <br><br> Two coup plots failed. Disruptive efforts continue. Washington supports Venezuelan fascists. <br><br> It want tyranny replacing model hemispheric democracy. It wants Bolivarian social justice ended.  <br><br> It wants Venezuela recolonized. It wants it returned to US client state status.  <br><br> It wants its vast oil reserves plundered for profit. It wants its people ruthlessly exploited. &nbsp;It wants all rights Venezuelans enjoy ended. <br><br> It wants what they won't tolerate. America is humanity's greatest threat.  <br><br> Anti-imperial activists of the world unite. Challenging US ruthlessness is more important than ever. Survival depends on it. <br><br> A Final Comment <br><br> On Thursday, Venezuelan National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello warned about fascist elements desperate to regain parliamentary control. <br><br> US-manipulated disruptive efforts to oust Maduro could follow, he said. Much like what happened in Honduras in June 2009 and Paraguay in June 2012. <br><br> Cabello urged Venezuelans to unite against dark forces threatening them - to defend against anti-democratic internal elements and US imperial intentions. <br><br> Preserving Bolivarianism requires nationwide solidarity against what Bolivar called the imperial curse \"plagu(ing) Latin America with misery in the name of liberty.\" <br><br> Maduro continues what Chavez began. Bolivarian social justice is too precious to lose.  <br><br> It's hardwired and institutionalized. Venezuelans won't tolerate returning to their ugly past. Nor should they! <br><br> Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"nofollow\">lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net<\/a>.  <br><br> His new book as editor and contributor is titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/a> <br><br> Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.  <br><br> Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. <br><br> It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. <\/p>\n","contact":"lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net","link":"sjlendman.blogspot.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Venezuela","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2015\/03\/267682.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}