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Related: About this forumNew WikiLeaks Cable Reveals US Embassy Strategy to Destabilize Chavez Government
New WikiLeaks Cable Reveals US Embassy Strategy to Destabilize Chavez Government
In a secret US cable published online by WikiLeaks, former ambassador to Venezuela, William Brownfield, outlines a comprehensive plan to infiltrate and destabilize former President Hugo Chavez' government.
Dispatched in November of 2006 by Brownfield -- now an Assistant Secretary of State -- the document outlined his embassys five core objectives in Venezuela since 2004, which included: penetrating Chavez political base, dividing Chavismo, protecting vital US business and isolating Chavez internationally.
The memo, which appears to be totally un-redacted, is plain in its language of involvement in these core objectives by the US embassy, as well as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), two of the most prestigious agencies working abroad on behalf of the US.
According to Brownfield, who prepared the cable specifically for US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the majority of both USAID and OTI activities in Venezuela were concerned with assisting the embassy in accomplishing its core objectives of infiltrating and subduing Chavez political party:
This strategic objective represents the majority of USAID/OTI work in Venezuela. Organized civil society is an increasingly important pillar of democracy, one where President Chavez has not yet been able to assert full control.
In total, USAID spent some one million dollars in organizing 3,000 forums that sought to essentially reconcile Chavez supporters and the political opposition, in the hopes of slowly weaning them away from the Bolivarian side.
Brownfield at one point boasted of an OTI civic education program named Democracy Among Us, which sought to work through NGOs in low income regions, and had allegedly reached over 600,000 Venezuelans.
In total, between 2004 and 2006, USAID donated some 15 million dollars to over 300 organizations, and offered technical support via OTI in achieving US objectives which it categorized as seeking to reinforce democratic institutions.
Much of the memo details efforts to highlight instances of human rights violations, and sponsoring activists and members of the political opposition to attend meetings abroad and voice their concerns against the Chavez administration:
So far, OTI has sent Venezuelan NGO leaders to Turkey, Scotland, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Chile, Uruguay, Washington and Argentina (twice) to talk about the law. Upcoming visits are planned to Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.
In his closing comments, Brownfield remarked that, should President Chavez win re-election during the December 2006 elections, OTI expected the atmosphere for our work in Venezuela to become more complicated.
Ultimately, it seems that the former ambassadors memo wisely predicted a change in conditions. Following his re-election, President Chavez threatened to eject the US ambassador from Venezuela in 2007, amid accusations of interfering in internal state affairs.
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http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/8538
bvar22
(39,909 posts)...that pays so much Lip Service to "Freedom" and "Democracy"
would be more supportive of the REAL Democracies emerging in Latin America
with popular Presidents and governments elected By-the-People in transparent elections.
But no.
These True Democracies are demonized by the leadership of BOTH Political Parties.
Hillary and John Kerry (!!!) have both been outspoken against these democracies,
and undaunted in their support for the few remaining Right Wing Police States like Colombia.
Something STINKS.
The popular, bloodless, Ballot Box revolutions in Latin America give me "hope" for The World. They have given us the Blue Print for reclaiming OUR governments from the bloody hands of OUR Oligarchs.
VIVA Democracy!!!
I "hope" we get some here soon.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)having the unmitigated gall to go after a country that improved the lot of its citizens.
Something stinks alright.
Judi Lynn
(160,476 posts)on the part of this country toward smaller, weaker countries it feels a need to punish, or exploit more excessively.