21

Abby Martin Meets the Venezuelan Opposition

Empire Files, July 30, 2017

Abby Martin goes on the deadly front lines of the anti government protests in Venezuela and follows the evolution of a typical guarimba—or opposition barricade.
She explains what the targets from the opposition reveal about the nature of the movement and breaks down the reality of the death toll that has rocked the nation since the unrest began, and how a lynch mob campaign came after her and the Empire Files team for reporting these facts.
Hearing from peaceful opposition marchers, to Chavistas to violent protesters at the guarimbas, this must-watch episode exposes the dark reality on-the-ground that is completely obscured from Western media.


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mohandeer
mohandeer
Aug 4, 2017 5:53 PM

Reblogged this on Worldtruth.

flybow
flybow
Aug 4, 2017 10:21 AM

Before Allende was ousted, there were mass protests. All orchestrated by the rich landowners. Overseen by the US. Similar situation.

Dead World Walking
Dead World Walking
Aug 4, 2017 9:34 AM

Dissent will be observed, noted and dealt with.
SEVERELY.

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 7:43 AM

As far as the report goes, main point i got is its a complex situation with some fair and decent people on both sides, and violent anti and pro (police) government forces. Its really hard to gauge much more beyond the discrepancy in causes of deaths as its so subjective – one chavista revealed he was given a car which had excrement thrown at it…..that asks more questions about pro government tactics of funding (bribing?) supporters than what abby martin was trying to steer us towards (bias pro resistance reporting).
The question of who is funding the pro resistance is even more muddied as abby martin revelas that majority of violent protestors are from wealthier backgrounds – so they fund themselves?
I obviously do get that balance is key, and its good that some reporters are trying to provide it. But perhaps they can also delve into other key issues.

BigB
BigB
Aug 4, 2017 12:07 PM
Reply to  Russell

Russell: If by pro-resistance you mean the opposition: one of the first lines of dialogue reveals that they have been funded by the US to the tune of $50m; with another $20m to come. Basically, opposition leaders such as Leopoldo Lopez and Maria Corina Machado; are quisling collaborationistas of the US State Dept. The money is funnelled from the likes of George Soros, the CIA, and the European Commission (EU): through various front fake Foundations and NGOs: such as USAID, NED, NDI, IRI, and the Open Society Foundation. That is why Human Rights Watch produce a biased report: they are another Soros front.
Interestingly, you could argue the the Maduro government itself is also funded by the US: through the purchase of oil. I think that is what is called being caught on both horns of a dilemma.
If you are worried about bias: I have a question for you. Given the Jimmy Carter Foundation has declared the Venezuelan voting system the “best in the world”: and Noam Chomsky has said that Venezuela is in fact the only functioning democracy on the planet – why are the opposition staging violent protests on the street calling for US intervention at all??? The situation could be solve democratically? Unless, of course, you were being paid???

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 11:30 PM
Reply to  BigB

BigB:
~I was commenting specifically on the message of the report – it being that: western MSM only report ‘pro opposition’ stuff, and thought that in parts it actually sent a contrary view to what Abby tried to project.
~I am fully aware of US et al involvements in other nations, no worries though for (incorrectly) thinking it was relevant to my comments.
~”Interestingly, you could argue the the Maduro government itself is also funded by the US…..”
…i guess I could do if again this had any relevance to my comment. Fwiw the US are not far from being net exporters, but i don’t want to play along with your hypotheticals.
~”If you are worried about bias” – isnt everyone? I am only concerned with the truth, i am neither left or right wing – i have no agenda.
~”Given the Jimmy Carter Foundation has declared the Venezuelan voting system the “best in the world”: and Noam Chomsky has said that Venezuela is in fact the only functioning democracy on the planet – why are the opposition staging violent protests on the street calling for US intervention at all???”
~not sure where to start here….VZ is very poor- it was before Chavez & is moreso now, the people will have/had conflicts amongst different stratas of society,& even if there was no foreign intervention there will still be bloodshed, in-fighting, wars, revolutions – all because they are resource rich with huge wealth inequality….this is human nature & basic common sense to comprehend. To imply that US/external intervention is the only reason for troubles today is myopic at best, and at worst, ignorant of all previous history of mankind.
~my main issue is that when undertaking research one needs to use a decent sample size (maths defines this not me or chomsky) – i learnt this in junior school, but commonly its overlooked especially with short docus like this one. To add, the interviews with the chavistas were pretty weak, but why? There should be hundreds of better ones to choose from, ffs.
What i find most fascinating from this exchange between us is that i commented, and expressed my opinion solely about the video, yet you ‘refute’ (word used in the loosest terms) with references, quotes & hypotheticals which have very little connection to anything in the video or what i discussed. Slow hand clap for you.
Thanks though for engaging, its been amusing.

BigB
BigB
Aug 5, 2017 1:12 PM
Reply to  Russell

Russell: was that a put down? 🙂
At the risk of going circular: you posed the rhetorical question “so they fund themselves?” – which the video had already answered. Did you miss that bit? You may have missed the relevance of the links I posted: the actual sum was $40-50m per year. That’s one helluva incitement to riot. So I didn’t refute anything; merely amplified a point already made, for the hard of hearing.
The main customer for VZ oil is the US – paid in $$$: there is nothing hypothetical about that – or even controversial. For the record, I do think Chavez mismanaged the economy by not diversifying earlier (and as it turned out: using too much oil revenue on social programmes – if you can call that ‘mismanagement’?) What is coming to a head now is that diversification means bringing in China (VZ’s second biggest customer) and Russia: simply not acceptable to the US. As evidenced by Mnuchin officially labelling Maduro a ‘Dictator’; and the CIA Director Pompeo calling for regime change. There already was a US-backed coup in 2002: added to the money they are pouring into the opposition – what more evidence do you need of US Imperial intervention? Do you really think the riots are spontaneous? Or a US funded and orchestrated incitement to civil war? Cui bono??? And how do you ‘balance’ that, ffs???
[BTW: the Chavista who had excrement smeared on his car made perfectly clear that it was given to his mother – a member of the Communal Council – i.e. a Government official. Hardly a “bribe” and raising no questions. Next time, watch the video if you want to avoid confusion.]

mohandeer
mohandeer
Aug 4, 2017 2:42 PM
Reply to  Russell

The US and various EU countries have been funding and supplying vicious activists to the opposition – the so-called pro-resistance. Resistance implies resisting not pro-actively murdering people and violence against life and limb, property etc.
Also beear in mind that the opposition have stated that they intend to throw democracy out of the window, so the question must be “Which of the two – government and opposition – is acting in the interests of the people?

rehmat1
rehmat1
Aug 4, 2017 4:10 AM

Could it be a warning to anti-Israel Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro that he too is going to contract cancer like the other six Latin American leaders who resisted American domination?
https://rehmat1.com/2017/07/29/judea-intensify-war-on-venezuelan-president/

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 7:00 AM
Reply to  rehmat1

All of my immediate family have died in older age as a result of cancer.
As far as i know none of them were overtly anti israel.

writerroddis
writerroddis
Aug 4, 2017 2:31 PM
Reply to  Russell

Regardless of how we perceive the situation in Caracus I’m at a loss to see why a harmless and perfectly valid comment like Russell’s gets (at time of writing) three thumbs-downs. There are plenty of well informed and highly intelligent BTL commentators on this site but this kind of behaviour smacks of knee jerk tribalism.

klarity
klarity
Aug 4, 2017 5:56 PM
Reply to  writerroddis

Because his comment is an attempt to deflect from the probability of the CIA involvement in the cancer deaths of the socialist leaders. It is neither harmless or relvant. Lots of people do die from cancer, and we all know that.

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 11:56 PM
Reply to  klarity

lack of klarity – no it isnt, i posted a fact, you are posting merely an opinion. Castro died at 90.
Clear enough?

rehmat1
rehmat1
Aug 6, 2017 12:24 AM
Reply to  Russell

@Russell
Raul Castro, the president of Cuba is still alive and is under Donald Trump’s gun. Let’s how he dies.
https://rehmat1.com/2017/06/17/trump-threatens-cuba-with-regime-change/

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 11:51 PM
Reply to  writerroddis

thanks.
See the response to my earlier comment if you find this odd.
I never thought of the off-guardian as being a hard left media source – more just balanced reporting. But what with the recent headlines, & commenters, i am deeply worried they will move towards the same binary BS narrative of every other media source – them and us, left v right, neo liberal v conservative……please, are we not better than this?
You guys can post a video from a left leaning journalist, AND critically analyse it (& dare i say it, suggest improvements), YET still be overall in favour of the message it conveys.
Genius.

rehmat1
rehmat1
Aug 4, 2017 2:37 PM
Reply to  Russell

I wish you could tell that to Hugo Chavez who was advised by Cuban leader Fidel Castro to watch what he eats during his foreign trip as CIA is notorious for poisoning leaders who cross American RED LINE.
https://rehmat1.com/2013/05/02/chavez-haunts-zionist-leaders-from-his-grave/

mohandeer
mohandeer
Aug 4, 2017 2:44 PM
Reply to  Russell

Were they all Latin American leaders?

Russell
Russell
Aug 4, 2017 11:38 PM
Reply to  mohandeer

you dont do stats very well? 2/3rds of old age people (at least in my country) die of cancer, 100% have done in my immediate family.
filling comments pages on reputable websites (who are trying to question and provide balance to MSM junk) with inferences that people have been murdered cos they died of quite common causes compromises the integrity of a media site trying to stand above most others.
thanks though.

Vaska
Vaska
Aug 4, 2017 8:31 PM
Reply to  Russell

I don’t think the 9 Latin American leaders in question came from the same family….

Norman Pilon
Norman Pilon
Aug 5, 2017 7:23 PM
Reply to  Vaska

That depends on how you define “family.” 😉

xenonman
xenonman
Aug 4, 2017 2:47 AM

Looks more like a Halloween party!