From Leonardo Flores’s article appearing at CommonDreams.org:
“Information about the attack continues to trickle out, yet there is overwhelming evidence of Guaidó’s involvement. According to multiple sources, Guaidó signed a $212 million contract with Jordan Goudreau, an ex-Green Beret, for Goudreau’s private security firm to overthrow President Maduro, although payments were never made. This corroborates an accusation made in late March by Clíver Alcalá, an opposition-aligned, retired Venezuelan general who surrendered to U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency custody after being indicted for drug trafficking. Copies of a general services agreement with the signatures of Guaidó and Goudreau have been leaked online, and the Washington Post reported news of a video call in which Guaidó says he is ‘about to sign’ the contract. Furthermore, several of the Venezuelans who took part in the raid have links to Guaidó, including at least two who participated in the April 30, 2019 coup attempt.”
Trump’s 2019 coup attempt which sought to anoint Guiado as the (unelected) leader of Venezuela failed miserably. Then the assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Maduro failed. Now this half-baked operation, reminiscent of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, has utterly, spectacularly failed.
What will Trump and his Republican and Democratic allies attempt next in their quest to install right-wing dictators across the South American continent? Going back to the Obama administration, their program has succeeded in Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia (nations where the COVID-19 pandemic has run amok) — but Venezuela (which has largely contained the virus, thanks to massive testing and universal healthcare) continues to elude them.
Venezuela represents the biggest South American prize, with the greatest proven OIL reserves on the planet. Meanwhile, the Chinese, Russian, and Iranian governments continue delivering food and medicine to Venezuela and buying their exports, in defiance of U.S. sanctions.
What’s an imperialist to do?