Stuart Munckton
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on September 30 that his government had sold its foreign currency holdings, held in US treasury bonds, and deposited them in banks in Europe. According to an October 1 Venezuelanalysis.com report, Chavez claimed this was in response to threats against Venezuela from the US. Other government representatives claimed the move was to prevent the US from being able to freeze Venezuelan assets.
The US government has consistently harassed Venezuela's revolutionary government over the past year, including frequent media attacks and a campaign to get other Latin American nations to isolate Venezuela. The Venezuelan government has repeatedly claimed that it has evidence of an assassination plot against Chavez, which it accuses Washington of masterminding. During his trip to the US for the UN summit in September, Chavez was interviewed by Ted Koppel on ABC TV's Nightline program on September 16. He told Koppel, "Venezuela has been subjected to permanent aggression against us and against me personally". Chavez said, "My death was ordered [by Washington]. And it was ordered recently."
Chavez said the US government had made his trip to the US as difficult as possible, pointing out that while he had been granted a visa, many of his staff were denied entry. This occurred in the immediate aftermath of televised comments from powerful Republican and televangelist Pat Robertson that the US government should assassinate Chavez. The US government refused to condemn the comments or take any action against Robertson.
Chavez's interview followed an announcement the previous day by the US State Department that the US government would decertify Venezuelan cooperation with the US to combat drug trafficking. This would enable the US to target Venezuela as part of the "war on drugs", as a nation that did not cooperate with US anti-drug efforts.
Earlier this year, Venezuela announced it would cease all cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Agency, accusing DEA agents in Venezuela of violating Venezuelan sovereignty and of spying. Venezuelanalysis.com reported on October 3 that the Venezuelan government had made a proposal to the US to resume cooperation in tackling drug trafficking on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of both nations.
From Green Left Weekly, October 12, 2005.
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