Repeating the East European experience in Venezuela The new imperial strategy includes something called "American Corners." These "corners" are small offices set up by Washington throughout the target country that basically serve as mini-embassies. It is not completely clear what exactly these "corners" do, but inside you will find an array of information about the United States, including study abroad opportunities, English classes, and pro-U.S. propaganda. On top of this, the mini-embassies also organize events, trainings, and lectures for young students.
Interestingly, they seem to be very abundant in countries that Washington seeks to destabilize. The former Yugoslavian countries have a total of 22 American Corners, including 7 in Serbia. The Ukraine has 24, Belarus 11, Russia 30, even Iraq, with 11. By far the highest concentration of the "corners" is in Eastern Europe, where Washington has focused its destabilization efforts in recent years. [17] There are at least 4 "American Corners" in Venezuela, the most for any Latin American country, and the U.S. also finances literally hundreds of organizations throughout the country to the tune of more than $5 million a year. [18] Together, these U.S.-funded organizations are working to implant the Eastern European experience in Venezuela. As reported by Reuters, the Venezuelan opposition is already learning the Serbian tactics to overthrow a regime from a retired U.S. army colonel named Robert Helvey. Setting the Stage for Turmoil in Caracas Washington's New Imperial Strategy In Venezuela by Chris Carlson, Venezuelanalysis.com www.zmag.org, May 15, 2007 In full: http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Venezuela_page/SettingStageTurmoilCaracas.html On 6/9/07, michael a. lebowitz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
At 13:07 09/06/2007, Louis wrote: >http://www.counterpunch.com/maher06092007.html Definitely an excellent piece! It should answer many questions that people have about what's happening. Here's an especially interesting part in George Ciccariello-Maher's account of the students at the National Assembly: 'As the opposition students were making defiant press declarations before being hustled out the Assembly's back door to avoid the masses of pro-Chavista students gathered out front (who were, at the time, shouting "Cowards! Cowards!" and "Victory, victory, victory of the people!") they failed to notice that they had forgotten something. Speeches by the scheduled Chavista students continued, with each laying out substantive arguments about the nature the Bolivarian Revolution and its relationship to traditional notions of press freedom. When it came to be his turn to speak, Chavista student leader Héctor Rodríguez of the UCV stepped up to the podium with a sheet of paper that he promptly held up in front of the gathered deputies. It was the last page of the opposition's scripted performance in the Assembly, which laid-out the text of the speech and the exact moment at which Barrios was to remove his red shirt. And the script was signed by ARS Publicity, a company owned by none other than the Globovisión media empire. Together with Globovisión (as well as all other private media outlets), ARS was directly implicated in the planning and execution of the 2002 media coup against the constitutional order. Let's go over this again, slowly: the students' withdrawal from the National Assembly was scripted. This isn't all that surprising. But that it was scripted by an organization owned by the opposition press is quite revealing. It makes transparent not merely the political nature of the opposition students and the fact that they don't represent the totality of Venezuelan students, but more importantly it reveals the fact that the opposition media has played an active role in planning and structuring this wave of student protests that they themselves have painted as a "spontaneous" rebellion.' Michael A. Lebowitz Professor Emeritus Economics Department Simon Fraser University Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6 Director, Programme in 'Transformative Practice and Human Development' Centro Internacional Miranda, P.H. Residencias Anauco Suites, Parque Central, final Av. Bolivar Caracas, Venezuela fax: 0212 5768274/0212 5777231 http//:centrointernacionalmiranda.gob.ve [EMAIL PROTECTED]
