Green Party: Greens, Citing Revealed Memo, Urge Bush to Cancel CIA Plans to Interfere in Venezuelan Referendum and Destabilize the Chavez Government
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 30, 2007
2:48 PM
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CONTACT: Green Party
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene@gp.org
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Greens, Citing Revealed Memo, Urge Bush to Cancel CIA Plans to Interfere in Venezuelan Referendum and Destabilize the Chavez Government
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WASHINGTON, DC - November 30 - Green Party leaders called on President Bush to cancel an order directing the CIA to interfere with a December 2 voters' referendum in Venezuela and to cease actions intended to stabilize the Chavez government.
"President Chavez and the people of Venezuela are not America's enemy. We demand that the White House respect the sovereignty of other countries and the democratic will of the Venezuelan people, who have repeatedly affirmed their support for President Chavez and his policies," said Jill Bussiere, Wisconsin representative to the Green Party's International Committee.
"The memo describes secret US-supported actions against the Chavez government that constitute acts of war against a nation at peace with the US. These operations are consistent with other US acts of aggression against Venezuela, including the failed 2002 coup attempt, to which the Bush Administration lent active support," Ms. Bussiere added.
The Venezuelan government uncovered an alleged confidential memo on November 26 from US embassy official Michael Middleton Steere to the CIA director Michael Hayden which reveals clandestine operations to influence the referendum and to coordinate a military overthrow of the elected Chavez government. The referendum will measure public approval for constitutional amendments proposed by Chavez and the National Assembly; polls show 60% support for the amendments.
Greens note that the Bush Administration has targeted President Chavez for numerous reasons: his nationalization of several industries, especially oil, which has angered US corporate interests; provision of financial security, jobs, and health care for Venezuela's severely impoverished multiracial majority; and expansion of democracy in a nation formerly ruled by a small white elite.
"President Chavez has refused to take Washington's orders to make his country a source of cheap oil and other resources for US corporate profits," said Clifford W, Thornton, Jr., co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "That's why the CIA's 'Operation Tenaza' [Operation Pincers] has been authorized -- to reopen markets for the benefit of corporations, and to teach Venezuela and all of Latin America a lesson."
"The US media blackout on the uncovered memo recalls the blackout by most media on the revelation of Republican operations to manipulate the US election in Ohio and other states in 2004," said Mr. Thornton.
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