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Venezuela: US subversion continues

Federico Fuentes

17 January 2009

Fresh evidence of ongoing US subversion in Venezuela came to light following a January 8 secret meeting held in Puerto Rico between right-wing political leaders, a media baron and representatives from the US embassy in Venezuela.

Called to discuss their ongoing campaign against the revolutionary process led by President Hugo Chavez, the meeting focused on the upcoming referendum to amend the constitution and allow all elected officials to stand for indefinite re-election.

If the amendment was defeated, Chavez would not be able to stand in the 2012 presidential elections.

A leaked email detailed discussions on a “campaign strategy” designed by “mayor league US advisors” for the referendum campaign.

The email came from the inbox of Alberto Federico Ravell, the general director of the rabidly anti-Chavez TV channel Globovision, and was sent to leaders of three of the most important opposition parties in Venezuela.

The email mentioned that “our friend from the embassy will fly out a day before”, in reference to John Patrick Caulfield, the US charge d’affaires in Caracas.

State TV channel VTV broadcasted footage of Caulfield flying out of Caracas to Puerto Rico on January 7, the day before the Venezuelan opposition leaders left.

Chavez stated that if an investigation confirmed Caulfield’s involvement in the meeting, he would be expelled from Venezuela.

Caulfield is the highest ranking US diplomat in Venezuela following Chavez’s decision to expel the US ambassador in September in solidarity with Bolivia’s decision to do the same following clear evidence of conspiracy between the US embassy and the right-wing opposition to depose President Evo Morales.

The US government has continuously sought to get rid of Chavez, who has consistently spoken out against US imperialism while leading a mass movement that is fighting to overthrow capitalism and replace it with “21st century socialism”.

In 2002, a US-backed coup attempt against Chavez temporarily removed him from power, before mass mobilisations and a military rebellion forced his return. In December that year, the US also backed a two month bosses-lockout that aimed to bring down Chavez by strangling the economy.

Since then, the US has waged a continuous international propaganda war against Chavez, claiming that he is a “dictator”, “linked to terrorism” and other slanders — while continuing to fund the opposition.