2020-01-24: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-24). Lee Camp straightens out 'sewage' NYT article that claims Russian bots 'sowed confusion' in South America (VIDEO). rt.com American comedian Lee Camp issued a scathing retort to a New York Times piece alleging that Russian bots stoked tensions in South America, jokingly noting that it would take several years to fully dissect the baseless report. | The host of Redacted Tonight marveled at how the piece, titled "As Protests in South America Surged, So Did Russian Trolls on Twitter, US Finds," was based on data provided by not-very-objective State Department 'analysts'. For Camp, this raised a number of obvious red flags. | He argued that, contrary to the US government-sourced piece, Washington and its cheerleaders in the media are…

Ben Norton (2020-01-24). While Trump cuts food stamps, USAID bankrolls Venezuela regime change with half a billion in tax dollars. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration has spent $654 million in "aid" to try to overthrow Venezuela's government, including $435 million through USAID…

Steve Sweeney (2020-01-24). Venezuela's "Guaido Threat": Safeguarding Telesur Is Our Obligation, Academics and Intellectuals. globalresearch.ca Attacks on Venezuelan TV station Telesur are an example of the "arrogance of the powerful" trying to stop people from hearing the truth, campaigners warned today. | Intellectuals and academics from across Latin America penned an open letter in support of …

Nino Pagliccia (2020-01-24). Venezuela Must Remain Vigilant and on Guard Against US Hybrid Warfare. counterpunch.org A meme circulating on social media shows the distraught gaze of Venezuela's opposition member Juan Guaidó with a caption that says in part, "he is not a head of State, he has no army, he has no ministers, he never participated in presidential elections, he was a 'guarimbero' [violent rioter] and he is called interim

Staff (2020-01-23). "The New Colossus": In New Play, Tim Robbins Tackles Immigration & Xenophobia. democracynow.org President Trump said Wednesday that he would expand his highly controversial travel ban, which already bars citizens from seven countries, most of which have Muslim-majority populations — Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela — from entering the United States. Politico reports that the expanded ban could implement immigration restrictions on seven more countries: Belarus, Burma, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania, according to two sources. We speak with acclaimed actor, director and activist Tim Robbins, whose recent work has focused on immigration to the United S…

Lauren Smith (2020-01-23). An Epic Act of Resistance and Trial of Our Times. "The Venezuela Embassy Protectors Collective" globalresearch.ca On February 11th, four American peace activists, known as the

teleSUR (2020-01-23). Maduro: Venezuelan Opposition Has Only Created Threats to Peace. telesurenglish.net The president of Venezuela, RELATED: | During the anti-imperialist march to commemorate 62 years of the Popular Rebellion against the military dictatorship of Marcos…

teleSUR (2020-01-23). Colombia's Indigenous Demand Justice After 20 Leaders Killed. telesurenglish.net Colombia's Indigenous people are outraged at the death of more than 20 social leaders inside South American country, the counselor of the Indigenous Youth of Colombia , Eliel Castillo, said this week. | RELATED: | Castillo, who participates in the World Encounter Against Imperialism, remarked that there is a systematic massacre occurring in his country. A massacre which has largely been ignored by the Colombian gover…

teleSUR (2020-01-23). Guaido Has Links With Money Launderer Defended by Rudy Giuliani. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Communication Minister Jorge Rodriguez Thursday informed that international media have disclosed data on the links between RELATED: | In August 2019, Reut…

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-22). How Western Left Media Helped Legitimate US Regime Change in Venezuela. fair.org In Jacobin ( It's been a year since Juan Guaidó began his US-anointed mandate as "interim president" of Venezuela. | Following the opposition leader's

teleSUR (2020-01-22). Cuba Ratifies Solidarity With Venezuela. telesurenglish.net The member of the secretariat of the Communist Party of Cuba, Victor Gaute, today ratified the firm and unchanging solidarity of the island with the Bolivarian Revolution and President Nicolás Maduro. | RELATED: | During the inauguration of the World Anti-Imperialist Meeting held in Caracas, Gaute expressed that the Caribbean nation brings to this event a message of unity, cooperation and solidarity with Venezuela and all…

Fight Back (2020-01-22). Syrian ambassador to Venezuela with FRSO delegation. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation Sarah Martin and Jim Byrne, with Syrian Ambassador to Venezuela Khalil Bitar, attending World Anti-Imperialist Congress in Caracas.

Fight Back (2020-01-22). Opening plenary kicks off World Anti-Imperialist Congress. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – On January 22, hundreds of international delegates from 52 countries heard from leaders from Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and Brazil to kick off the World Anti-Imperialist Congress. | Starting with a professor from Syria who remarked that U.S. imperialism assassinated Iranian General Qassem Soleimani because the U.S. fears it is losing its grip on the Middle East, the crowd shouted "Viva Soleimani!" He added that, with the help requested by Syria from Russia, Iran and others, the Syrians have bravely declared "No pasarán!" | After the Syrian professor, an official from the Cuban Communist Party sha…

Fight Back (2020-01-22). Delegates arrive in Venezuela on eve of World Anti-Imperialist Congress. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – Hundreds of delegates arrived in Caracas from around the world, January 21, the eve of the World Anti-Imperialist Congress. The Congress is being held January 22-24 in Caracas and is hosted by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Venezuela's governing party, which has been under sharp attack by U.S. imperialism. | The congress is bringing together a broad range of anti-imperialist organizations, movements and governments from around 100 countries. At the congress they will exchange views and experiences and will strategize about strengthening the struggle against U.S. imperia…

Fight Back (2020-01-21). FRSO Delegation Visits Bolivarian University of Venezuela. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela—A Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation visited the Bolivarian University of Venezuela on January 20, speaking to political science classes. | "Students asked about the movements for change in our country. They definitely had the impression people are protesting Trump, and movements are growing stronger. They are excited that socialist ideas are becoming popular in the U.S.," said Brad Sigal, a delegation member from Minneapolis. | Sigal continued, "Many of the students are attending the university because of the Bolivarian Revolution and the opportunities it opens up fo…

Fight Back (2020-01-20). Embassy Protectors speak out in Fort Lauderdale. fightbacknews.org Fort Lauderdale, FL — Over 60 people from South Florida's tri-county area gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church of Fort Lauderdale to hear a panel and question-and-answer session featuring anti-war activists Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Zeese and Flowers are two of the four Embassy Protector activists who spent 37 days protecting international law and peace within the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They are currently facing bogus federal charges brought by the Trump administration that, if convicted, would mean up to one year in prison and $100,000 fines each. | Also on th…

Orlenys Ortiz (2020-01-20). Cómo Juan Guaidó perdió el control de la Asamblea Nacional en Venezuela. thegrayzone.com øNo entiendes lo sucedido el 5 de enero en la Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela? Echemos un vistazo cronológico al fracaso…

Ben Norton (2020-01-17). Brazil's far-right government backed terror plot against Venezuela, top newspaper reveals. thegrayzone.com Brazil's extreme Bolsonaro government backed an attack on Venezuela in a plot to overthrow its elected president. The shocking terror…

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-20). Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day. zcomm.org In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-16). Francisco Rodriguez answers some questions I asked about Venezuela. zcomm.org Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodriguez, formerly of Torino Economics, answered a few questions of mine about his country. He was the economic adviser to Henri Falcon, the second place finisher in the May 2018 presidential election. His updated estimate for 2019 is that Venezuela's real GDP will contract by 25% . That's horrific, but less severe