Readers' blog: Maduro was fairly elected in Venezuela
As I write the US is organising the groundwork for a coup in Venezuela. Things are progressing along a tried and tested plan which was used in Chile in 1973 and recently in Ukraine.
Unlike Chile in 1973, so far the Venezuelan military has remained loyal to the government and state and has not conspired with the US. As a result the US has pimped a US educated puppet to the position of “Interim” president, a position that does not exist in Venezuela.
Attempts have been made to challenge the legitimacy of President Maduro. Maduro won 68% of the vote against two right-wing candidates. Sixteen right-wing parties participated. The election was boycotted by the ultra-right. Former US president Jimmy Carter, hardly a political radical, has congratulated Venezuela on having one of the fairest and most transparent electoral systems in the world. Two hundred international observers testified to its fairness at the time.
Questions regarding the legitimacy of the election only arose as the US and the right wing in Venezuela looked for a pretext to overthrow the government. Maduro has more claim to be the legitimate president of Venezuela than Trump has to be president of the US. Maduro was elected by a majority of those who voted. Trump, as we know, polled about 3m votes less than Clinton, yet his legitimacy is not challenged. Why? Because he was elected according to the US constitution. Maduro was elected according to the Venezuelan constitution.
Venezuela is a divided country, the wealthy have never reconciled themselves to the left wing government and have tried to violently overthrow the government in the past. In this they have been supported by successive US administrations which for the past 20 years have tried to destabilise Venezuela with economic warfare and a financial blockade as they attempt to reassert their control over the country and its oil and gold deposits.
Not to be outdone the EU has joined the US as it attempts to overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela. The EU “parliament”, which was elected on a smaller turnout than that which elected Maduro, has shown itself to be a bastion of reaction by recognising the US puppet.
Unfortunately the Irish Government has sided with the US and the EU in backing the attempted coup. Their actions are an insult to Irish democracy. One hundred years ago, when Irish democracy established a sovereign republic, the powerful Imperial powers, Britain, France and the US refused to allow Ireland entry to the Versailles negotiations.
Now Ireland has thrown in its lot with these same powers who have not changed their ways. They still believe they can intervene anywhere in the world on the slightest pretext. Iraq, Libya and Syria show what happens when their imperial ambitions become reality.
The ongoing interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela is contrary to Article 2.4 of the UN Charter which states: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
The Irish government hopes to be elected to the Security Council of the UN yet are prepared to support the US and the EU as they ride roughshod over its Charter. Why would any country that believes in the rule of law in international relations support a country that is a catspaw for US and EU interests?
Gurranabraher
Cork
