January 29, 2019
consortiumnews.com

US Regime Change Laboratory Created Venezuela's Coup Leader

Juan Guaido is the product of a decade-long project overseen by Washington's elite regime change trainers. While posing as a champion of democracy, he has spent years at the forefront of a violent campaign of destabilization.

by Dan Cohen and Max Blumenthal

Before the fateful date of Jan. 22, fewer than 1-in-5 Venezuelans had heard of Juan Guaido. Only a few months ago, the 35-year-old was an obscure character in a politically marginal far-right group closely associated with gruesome acts of street violence. Even in his own party, Guaido had been a mid-level figure in the opposition-dominated National Assembly, which is now held under contempt according to Venezuela's constitution.

But after a single phone call from from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Guaido proclaimed himself as president of Venezuela. Anointed as the leader of his country by Washington, a previously unknown political bottom dweller was vaulted onto the international stage as the U.S.-selected leader of the nation with the world's largest oil reserves.

Echoing the Washington consensus, The New York Times editorial board hailed Guaido as a "credible rival" to President Nicolas Maduro with a "refreshing style and vision of taking the country forward." The Bloomberg News editorial board applauded him for seeking "restoration of democracy" and The Wall Street Journal declared him "a new democratic leader." Meanwhile, Canada, numerous European nations, Israel, and the bloc of right-wing Latin American governments known as the Lima Group recognized Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. . . .

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Enver Masud, "Regime Change American Style: Millions Spent Subverting 'Enemies', Stifling Dissent," The Wisdom Fund, February 15, 2001

[Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves of any Opec country outside the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has proven reserves of 260bn barrels.--"Venezuela oil 'may double Saudi Arabia'," BBC News, January 23, 2010]

Eva Golinger, "The Dirty Hand of the National Endowment for Democracy in Venezuela," counterpunch.org, April 25, 2014

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Adam H. Johnson, "So-Called 'Trump Resistance' Mostly Silent as US President Openly Foments Coup d'Etat in Venezuela," commondreams.org, January 24, 2019

[One poll even suggests that as recently as a week ago, more than 80 percent of Venezuelans had no idea who Guaido even was.--George Ciccariello-Maher, "Venezuela: Call It What It Is - a Coup," thenation.com, January 25, 2019]

[According to the National Assembly, these acts are completely legal. However, the decision was not recognised by Maduro or by the Constituent Assembly - a parallel body to the National Assembly led by Maduro's partisans - or the official justice system, which resulted in a clash between the different powers in the country. (euronews.com does not disclose its management)--Camille Bello, Is it legal for Juan Guaido to be proclaimed Venezuela's interim president?," euronews.com, January 27, 2019]

George Galloway, "The History Boys: Venezuela, Maduro and Latin America," YouTube, January 27, 2019

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["Article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution is inapplicable and cannot be twisted into legitimizing Guaido's self-proclamation as interim President. A coup is a coup."--Roger Harris, "Juan Guaido: The Man Who Would Be President of Venezuela Doesn't Have a Constitutional Leg to Stand On," counterpunch.org, February 8, 2019

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[For almost two hours he read into the microphone from the stack of books beside him: Orwell, Dickens, Tolstoy, Zola, Hemingway, Chomsky, Neruda: a page here, a line or two there. People clapped and whistled as he moved from author to author. . . .

In eight years, Chavez won eight elections and referendums: a world record. He was electorally the most popular head of state in the Western Hemisphere, probably in the world.--John Pilger, "The War on Venezuela is Built on Lies," counterpunch.org, February 22, 2019]

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[Source? six million Colombian citizens have moved to Venezuela, attracted by its social achievements--Israel Shamir, "Where Is That Vaunted White IQ?," unz.com, March 7, 2019]

Glen Greenwald, "NYT's Expose on the Lies About Burning Aid Trucks in Venezuela Shows How U.S. Government and Media Spread Pro-War Propaganda," theintercept.com, March 10, 2019

[It was authored by Srdja Popovic of the Center for Applied Non-Violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS), a Belgrade-based "democracy promotion" organization funded by the U.S. that has trained thousands of U.S.-aligned youth activists in countries where the West seeks regime change.--Max Blumenthal, "US Regime Change Blueprint Proposed Venezuelan Electricity Blackouts as 'Watershed Event'," consortiumnews.com, March 12, 2019

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