Remarks delivered by Thea Paneth for Mass. Peace Action at “Say NO to US Backed Coup in Venezuela” Rally, January 25, Copley Square
The U.S. instant recognition of a phony “interim President” in Venezuela to try to oust a genuinely elected President is another link in a long chain of disastrous foreign policy moves by our political class that cause all kinds of destruction in other countries.
Here is a list of countries where the US has overthrown elected governments during our lifetime:
This is by decade (and somewhat abbreviated):
1950s: Iran, Guatemala, Laos, Indonesia, Lebanon, Iraq
1960s: The Congo, Laos, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil, Iraq, Vietnam, Indonesia, Greece
1970s: Bolivia, Iraq, Chile, Afghanistan
1980s: Poland, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Grenada, Panama
1990s: Kuwait, Haiti, Iraq, Indonesia, Somalia
2000s: Yugoslavia, Iran, Palestine, Syria
2010s: Libya, Egypt,, Ukraine, Honduras, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela
The U.S. backs violent military regimes over elected governments that want to do something for the people – with predictable consequences: violence and misery for people just like us! In many cases hundreds of thousands or even millions of people die depending on the severity of the ensuing conflicts.
The immediate recognition of the military regime that ousted elected President Zelayas of Honduras by former President Obama and former Secretary of State Clinton has led to Honduran refugees fleeing deadly violence and many of these refugees are asylum seekers at our border.
This is in large part, the border dispute that has shut down our government in the insane fight over a wall!
In short, U.S. policies across the planet are an abomination.
Our country is an out-of-control, lawless, war-culture nation.
It’s remarkable that despite our government being shut down for anything good like protecting public health, there is plenty of government ability to interfere in the domestic politics of another country by recognizing an unelected interim President of Venezuela when there is a genuine elected one in office.
I am here today, because I’ve seen events like this before, I’ve seen it my whole life and it is appalling, horrifying! This must be opposed and protested.
So once again, I say, despite this crisis on top of all the other crises we’ve been protesting these many decades, that it is a joy of my life to stand with you all, most beloved peace pals calling for an end to insane, destructive policies and an end to all the wars. Thea Paneth, Arlington United for Justice with Peace