Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. - Lord Acton
In the early hours of May 3 and again on May 4, groups of heavily armed mercenaries arrived in speedboats from Colombia and attempted to enter Venezuela. Its members were confronted by the country's armed forces, militia, police and local fishermen. In the subsequent shooting, eight died and the others were apprehended. The detainees included two former green berets from the United States. At the time of writing these lines, the capture of isolated groups of deserters from the army continues.
From Canadian Dimension magazine to Trudeau: Coups and sanctions against Venezuela no
One of the ringleaders of the failed coup is Jordan Goudreau, a former Canadian-born US Marine who runs a Florida-based private security firm called Silvercorps USA. Although he did not participate directly in the raid, he left a video recorded in Colombia in which he and his Venezuelan military partner claim the coup attempt. The other two captured Americans also claimed to have participated in the defeated attempt. Their confessions exposed the ramifications of a maze of corruption and shady deals involving from opposition leader Juan Guaidó and even amounting to Donald Trump.
The conspirators' objective was the capture and arrest of President Nicolás Maduro. A contract signed by Goudreau, Guaidó and their advisers with the inclusion of Sergio Vergara and Juan José Rendón confirms in black and white the plan to topple the Venezuelan government. Maduro blames Trump and the Colombian government for the chaos, but the U.S. government has so far denied any involvement.
Do you not share the opinion of the collaboration of the United States? Here is the deciding factor. On April 29, just days before the May 3 verdict, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bragged: “I am pleased to report that the multilateral effort to restore democracy continues to generate an enabling dynamic. I have asked my team to update our plans to reopen the United States Embassy in Caracas so that we are ready to work. As soon as Maduro gives up his post, I am sure that we will raise "that flag again in Caracas."
Trudeau's government was certainly aware of Pompeo's bold statement. In addition, on the morning of May 3, the television antenna of Canada's national public broadcaster, CBC, broadcast the news of the fiasco. Furthermore, we know that already on the night of May 3 and again the next day, some Canadians appealed online to Prime Minister Trudeau and to Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne to oppose sponsored paramilitary operations. for the United States.
Canada was not aware?
Still, a day and a half after the debacle, Champagne tweeted tagging Guaidó:
Writing his message around the Covid-19 pandemic suggests that the global health emergency served as a pretext for Champagne to assess the coup attempt. In its apparent haste to call and tweet, among the elements that Canada did not take into account is the name of countries that are facing internal disasters due to their right-wing policies (Peru, Colombia and Brazil). His approach stands in stark contrast to the fact that, compared to several Latin American countries, Venezuela stands out for its task of containing the spread of the new coronavirus.
Also, without explicitly referring to it, the tweet indicates that the Canadian government still strongly agrees with the US narrative on Venezuela, regardless of the failed military incursion. This is also reflected in another tweet, published after new captures of mercenaries and the publication of additional evidence regarding the international nature of the plot as it unfolded. On May 8, Champagne tweeted:
“Excellent call with the interim President @jguaido of Venezuela. Canada will always be with the people of Venezuela in their desire to restore democracy and human rights in their country. "
Days later, on May 11, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke directly with President Iván Duque. In a note from the Canadian government, the following was communicated: “Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, in order to discuss the evolution of the situation regarding Covid-19 in each of its countries, as well as around the world ... The two leaders also examined the crisis in Venezuela and its humanitarian impact in the region, which is increased by the pandemic. They underlined the need for close and continuous collaboration and a concerted international effort in order to remedy the difficult situation. ”
One would have to be naive to believe that Champagne's two successive tweets and Trudeau's intervention were not concerted to reiterate the Canadian government's support for Guaidó, in his capacity as self-proclaimed interim president, as well as his tacit agreement with the Duque and Trump to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
Trudeau should publicly oppose U.S. intervention and sanctions
On May 6, after referring to the mercenaries as "victims" who were fighting against the "human rights violations" committed by the Maduro government, Pompeo, in a gesture of rhetorical prestidigitation, promised to "use all means to his readiness ”to secure the release of“ two former combatants of the US armed forces ”.
Judging by the Champagne tweets and the note on Trudeau's call to Duke, it is clear that Canada supports the coup attempt, without thereby putting its hands in the murky waters of corruption and the political world of the hired killers. After all, if you want to live up to your self-proclaimed humanitarian role in world politics, Canada must retain its image as a peacemaker.
If you recount past crisis contexts, the Trudeau government is likely waiting patiently for events to occur. However, his continued complicity in the imperialist initiatives in Venezuela and the silence he observes in order not to express his opposition against flagrant violations of international law in Latin America says it all.
On May 8, again denying his involvement in the attempted coup, Trump specified that he had acted differently, representing himself thus: "He would enter and they would do nothing about it ... they would fold their hands. I would not send an insignificant small group. No no no. He would send what is called an army. What is called an invasion. "
Canadians must demand that the Trudeau government publicly repudiate all forms of military intervention against Venezuela, including the May 3 paramilitary raid and reckless threats of Trump's invasion. Regardless of the opinions held on Maduro, Venezuela has the right to self-determination and national sovereignty.
Likewise, one can have no illusions about Canada's policy towards Venezuela under the liberal government, so it is also necessary to seek another long-term orientation in foreign policy.
Canada's complicity in the United States-led war against the constitutional government of Venezuela
Others may have forgotten that Canada was involved in attempts to force regime change after Hugo Chávez took office as president-elect in January 1999. Ottawa's animosity was primarily directed at the privatization of Canadian gold mines by Chávez and his aversion to large-scale foreign investment. The Bank of Nova Scotia, the Canadian financial institution with the largest international presence, also intervened in investment activities in the mining sector, thus joining the pressure exerted by a regime change.
More recently, in 2017, Canada contributed to the establishment of the Lima Group, a multilateral body made up of 13 far-right governments that include Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Santa Lucy. The objective of the Lima Group, as it has stated, is to support the “peaceful process of democratic transition” to favor the change of leadership in Venezuela. That body was founded because the United States and Canada were unable to obtain unanimous support from the Organization of American States (the "OAS") for regime change against Maduro. So the Lima Group is, as Nino Pagliccia describes it, "totally illegitimate in its claim to be an international body." The United States is not even a member state.
One would have to be naive to believe that Champagne's two successive tweets and Trudeau's intervention were not concerted to reiterate the Canadian government's support for Guaidó, in his capacity as self-proclaimed interim president, as well as his tacit agreement with the Duque and Trump to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
Trudeau should publicly oppose U.S. intervention and sanctions
On May 6, after referring to the mercenaries as "victims" who were fighting against the "human rights violations" committed by the Maduro government, Pompeo, in a gesture of rhetorical prestidigitation, promised to "use all means to his readiness ”to secure the release of“ two former combatants of the US armed forces ”.
Judging by the Champagne tweets and the note on Trudeau's call to Duke, it is clear that Canada supports the coup attempt, without thereby putting its hands in the murky waters of corruption and the political world of the hired killers. After all, if you want to live up to your self-proclaimed humanitarian role in world politics, Canada must retain its image as a peacemaker.
If you recount past crisis contexts, the Trudeau government is likely waiting patiently for events to occur. However, his continued complicity in the imperialist initiatives in Venezuela and the silence he observes in order not to express his opposition against flagrant violations of international law in Latin America says it all.
On May 8, again denying his involvement in the attempted coup, Trump specified that he had acted differently, representing himself thus: "He would enter and they would do nothing about it ... they would fold their hands. I would not send an insignificant small group. No no no. He would send what is called an army. What is called an invasion. "
Canadians must demand that the Trudeau government publicly repudiate all forms of military intervention against Venezuela, including the May 3 paramilitary raid and reckless threats of Trump's invasion. Regardless of the opinions held on Maduro, Venezuela has the right to self-determination and national sovereignty.
Likewise, one can have no illusions about Canada's policy towards Venezuela under the liberal government, so it is also necessary to seek another long-term orientation in foreign policy.
Canada's complicity in the United States-led war against the constitutional government of Venezuela
Others may have forgotten that Canada was involved in attempts to force regime change after Hugo Chávez took office as president-elect in January 1999. Ottawa's animosity was primarily directed at the privatization of Canadian gold mines by Chávez and his aversion to large-scale foreign investment. The Bank of Nova Scotia, the Canadian financial institution with the largest international presence, also intervened in investment activities in the mining sector, thus joining the pressure exerted by a regime change.
More recently, in 2017, Canada contributed to the establishment of the Lima Group, a multilateral body made up of 13 far-right governments that include Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Santa Lucy. The objective of the Lima Group, as it has stated, is to support the “peaceful process of democratic transition” to favor the change of leadership in Venezuela. That body was founded because the United States and Canada were unable to obtain unanimous support from the Organization of American States (the "OAS") for regime change against Maduro. So the Lima Group is, as Nino Pagliccia describes it, "totally illegitimate in its claim to be an international body." The United States is not even a member state.
Trudeau and his foreign minister have played an essential role in the Lima Group, as well as they have favored dialogue with European nations to put them in the fold. Without Canada's leadership, the Lima Group would certainly have collapsed or become almost irrelevant. The body enjoys wide approval, at least in elite circles, precisely because of the perception that Canada's foreign policy is dedicated to "peacekeeping" and "humanitarianism."
The website of the Ministry of World Affairs of Canada (in English, Global Affairs Canada) contains about 100 statements from the Lima Group, the Government of Canada and international organizations that have been published since 2017 regarding the role of Canada towards Venezuela. All of these entries, without exception, cover the period of the numerous US-backed coup attempts. In none of them is there the slightest criticism of Washington's aggressive and gratuitous actions that increase the suffering of the Venezuelan people to achieve their imperial goals in the hemisphere.
Sanctions kill and Canada is involved in it
In addition, Washington applies crippling economic sanctions against Venezuela.
According to economists Mark Weisbrot and Jeffrey Sachs of the American Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR):
We find that sanctions have inflicted, and progressively inflict, very serious damage to human life and health, including more than 40,000 deaths between 2017 and 2018; and that these sanctions would fit the definition of collective punishment of the civilian population, as described in the international conventions of Geneva and The Hague, of which the United States is a signatory. These sanctions are also illegal under international law and the treaties that the United States has signed, and it appears that they also violate US law.
One might expect the Trudeau government, which is said to be progressive, to oppose these violent economic sanctions, since they are illegal and constitute a war crime. However, Canada does apply sanctions against Venezuela. This policy has been applauded by the Trump administration.
In press releases jointly prepared in the framework of Vice President Mike Pence's official visit that Trudeau received in Ottawa in May 2019, Pence stated: “Canada has imposed sanctions on 113 of the dictator's accomplices. You have promoted the cause of freedom and liberation of Venezuela within the Lima Group and the OAS. And the two of us have joined our voices to express that Nicolás Maduro is a dictator without a legitimate right to power, so Nicolás Maduro must leave. ”
The Venezuelan policy carried out by the Trudeau government is a disgrace to all Canadians, a peace-loving people who support the right to self-determination.
Regardless of our particular political views, we must unite in support of the Venezuelan people against illegal and risky attempts to enact regime change. Is it too much to ask Canadian parliamentarians to work towards establishing a common body, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, to demand that Canada rescind its sanctions against Venezuela and refute the Trump regime for its support for the recent coup attempt?
Arnold August, a Montreal resident, is a journalist and author of three books on Cuba, Latin America, and the United States, whose articles are published in English, Spanish, and French in North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. He is also a lecturer and currently focuses his interest in Trudeau's foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean.
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