I actually spent a month in Venezuela many, many years ago, during the Chavez period. I fell in love with the country.
My friends make fun of me, maintaining that Chavez bewitched me with his songs. (He was a wonderful singer.)
What is certain is that when I stayed there, I was only a tourist. I did not have the academic or technical tools to assess social progress in the country since Chavez’ election. (Yes, he was fairly and squarely elected.) So I won’t write about “my Venezuela”. Instead I recommend a 2007 documentary film by John Pilger: The War on Democracy
When Maduro followed Chavez – and I haven’t heard Maduro sing – I was in doubt. What now? The mainstream press was describing Venezuela as a grizzly dictatorship where political opponents are routinely tortured. Venezuela has defenders, but they are not given press. The horror stories about Venezuela were such that a woman who praises Netanyahu and actually begged the USA to invade her own country was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. That’s how bad the mainstream press is!
My point is this: Thanks to the mainstream press, we know little about Venezuela. Correction: We know nothing.
Now Maduro and his wife have been kidnapped. They are being kept in a prison somewhere in NY state, under charges that are universally understood to be absurd. I heard today that they are incommunicado. Strictly speaking, we cannot even be sure they are alive. The dismal state of US justice and of US embarrassment is now such that I would not even be surprised if they get sent to Guantanamo.
Long before I started writing this piece, I knew I was so angry that I should “keep my mouth shut”.
I shall now shut it and leave the floor to somebody who is blissfully objective and sensible and wise, and who has actually spent a couple of weeks in Caracas. In fact, he is still there. Hear what he says:
Craig Murrey. (If the video doesn’t open, try the link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9z6rra)