NEWS: Chavez: U.S. Planning to Invade Venezuela

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, announced on ABC's "Nightline" that the United States is planning to invade Venezuela, and he has documentary evidence proving his allegation. According to Chavez, the plan is code-named "Balboa" and would involve aircraft carriers and planes.



I find this claim hard to believe. I think it's very likely the US military has planned, and is planning, for contingencies in Venezuela, much as they plan for contingencies in any part of the world. But, I cannot see the benefit that would come from invading Venezuela to the U.S. at this time. However, that said, given the antagonism between Chavez' administration and the Bush administration, and the US's relatively recent invasion of Iraq (for which I also did not see the benefit for America), if there were ever a time when this would seem likely, it's now. I hope the purported evidence is handed over to ABC and made public.

Some background from Globalsecurity.org's news archives:

The U.S. State Department has expressed its concern that Venezuela is using its wealth gained from oil production to destabilize the country's democratic neighbors in the Americas by funding anti-democratic groups in Bolivia, Ecuador, and elsewhere.

In a July 27 letter to U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican of Florida), State Department official Matthew Reynolds said the Bush administration is working to bolster democracy in the Western Hemisphere and to deter Venezuelan and Cuban "meddling in the internal affairs of regional democracies."

Reynolds, who is the State Department's acting assistant secretary for legislative affairs, said support for democracy in Venezuela, as elsewhere, is a "cornerstone" of President Bush's foreign policy. The Bush administration, said Reynolds, is "gravely concerned" about increasing threats to democracy in Venezuela. These threats, added Reynolds, include what he described as the "concentration of power in the executive, a politicized judiciary, a flawed and distrusted electoral authority, and the deterioration of basic civil rights."

Source: U.S. Concerned About Venezuela Destabilizing its Neighbours

I was wrong. I predicted Brazil - but it's Venezuela. Who'da thunk it?

QUOTE

I say the Bush-brokered Corporate Continental Takeover will pull Canada, Mexico and the US under one corporate-run umbrella without military involvement, and secure the terms under international law without a fight.

The deal will be finalized when the flu epidemic hits and everyone is panicked. Then, Bush will reaffirm the need to keep the US in a state of National Emergency, keep his power intact without checks or balances, use the Select Service System to conscript - and rapidly build the military.

He will attack when the world is still reeling from the flu epidemic and before anyone has a chance to regroup. ...I think the corporate alliance actually has its eye on South America - if not the whole continent, then Brazil. Iran may prove to be a feint, or just the first thrust...

Bush will justify military action by claiming the flu's predicted secondary effects result from bio-terrorist attacks. ...No one knows the real situation so he will get away with it.


posted on 29-11-2004 at 07:35 AM Post Number: 990442 (post id: 1012335)


END QUOTE

Well, as usual I get a bunch of unexplained "NO" votes. Sure would be nice to know what exactly is wrong so I could actually do something about it.

-koji K.

Little Castro is on a anti-US campaign again. If anything comes of this, Chavez will likely pull the plug on US oil exports. Perhaps he's just shoring up support before he does just that. Then we may see some naval fireworks.

Venezuela threatens to cut off oil exports to US

OPEC chief warned Chavez about coup



[edit on 16-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

Despite the obvious paranoia from Hugo 'Castro-minime' Chavez and his assertions of a Balboa master US invasion plan, I must say that the proofs and evidences being presented within this topic thus far to back Chavez's assertion are not convincing, at all....






seekerof

[edit on 16-9-2005 by Seekerof]

To clarify my earlier opinion:

Chavez has spoken of "Balboa" before. I have no doubt that the U.S. trains daily to invade nations, but doubt that it has any specific intent of invading Venezuela in the near future. Chavez has a history of apparant paranoia towards the U.S., having claimed that the U.S. was behind a recent coup behind him and that the CIA wants to assasinate him, among other things. It's hard to see how he can be blamed, given the United States' history in the region, but logic seems to suggest against an invasion. This is most likely posturing to justify a reduction of oil supplies to the U.S., in favor of *ahem* more competetive oil buyers. Unless Chavez can change the status quo regarding the US, his hands are tied by the business interests already in his country who enjoy U.S. relations.

-koji K.

[edit on 16-9-2005 by koji_K]

[edit on 16-9-2005 by koji_K]

The US plans to invade other nations all the time we call them War games. Heck as late as the 1930s, the United States studied plans to invade Canada in ''War Plan Red''.

Not like it was every going to happen. War games can often be purely academic exercises.

Venezuela Discovers More Oil - Bush Plans Invasion
In a development sure to impact oil markets, Venezuela has announced it now has more known oil reserves than any other country in the world. Clif Ross reports from Venezuela on the announcement and the Bush administration's continuing intervention in Venezuelan politics, including plans for a possible U.S. invasion.

China to keep Venezuela oil deals low-key

Bloomberg: Venezuela expects oil exports to China to soar five-fold by 2012

China should send the equivalent amount in C4 explosives to Venezuela

I suppose when Robertson called for Hugo's assasination, he has become even more adamant that idea that Bushco is out to get him. That and the Shrub Inc. doctrine is if ya can't drill it, kill it.

So, Chavez is working his butt off to screw up the rest of the region, and at the same time trying to make the U.S. look like the villian if it tries to stop him. This is also a possibility, you think?

Originally posted by Regenmacher
Little Castro is on a anti-US campaign again. If anything comes of this, Chavez will likely pull the plug on US oil exports. Perhaps he's just shoring up support before he does just that. Then we may see some naval fireworks.

You aren't suggested that Chavez is on a so called 'anti US campaign' because he doesn't have the USA's best interests ahead of his own country do you? Believe it or not, it is not every country in the world's responsiblity that the US should get what it wants all the time. That is seriously naive considering the media slant against Chavez. He is the leader of Venezuela - that usually means he is more concerned about ensuring his own people are taken care of first, rather than ensuring the US gets non-stop oil at the right prices.

Chavez is currently partnering up with every South American and Caribbean country that will take his oil offers. Good for him. Have you read about why he is reluctant to sell his supply to the US?

Secondly, if I were Chavez I too would be visibly paranoid. He has the CIA keeping tabs on him, Robertson making threats at him and the shining example of Iraq gleaming in the distance.

Oh yeah - did I mention... they are 5th in the world in oil Production - 4th largest exporter to the US, or was that the 3rd?

And you need a bigger reason to be paranoid?

Follow this up with the very visible jabs that Chavez makes at Bush and at the government. He is not a shy wimpy man by any means. Just recently he has made remarks about the UN needing to move out of New York and has accused the US of terrorism. He is also vocal about the failure of the government to help in Katrina, which would tie in with his past claims that the US does not care about its people.

Need more reasons?

Please tell me you aren't buying this whole 'US spreads democracy to the world' nonsense again are you? Read into Chavez' history. Find out what he's doing and what he is done. The man is no saint, but he is a saavy politician and a leader who cares about his people. His politically platform (when he was elected) was the poor - Guess what, it still is. You and I may disagree with his politics but there is no doubting he has done much for social initiatives, health care and reading programs in areas of vast impoverishment in Venezuela.

Thomas Crowne - you mentioned Chavez is trying to screw up the rest of the region. Well what would you call supplying arms, making the poor manufacture drugs and funding the many coups the US government has undertaken in Latin America and Central America for its own political and economic gain. Yes, past presidents of many nations have rolled over with its belly in the air for the US. This guy isn't. Surprise, surpise he is called 'ANti- US or Castro's little cabin boy'.

I hear far too many politically sophisticated people on ATS make these claims without having a clue about Chavez' policies or history.

Why the rich in Venezuela don't like Chavez is pretty obvious. If the US had a leader who all of a sudden cared about the lower classes and the poor, then started imposing land reforms and projects to give those people a chance there would be a bloody uprising. In the US and sadly in much of the world the poor are Bad and there always has to be a good and right guy in capitalism right? Here is some news for you...The US stopped being the good guy a long time ago.

It is great if you have a critical objective and politically astute observation, but ripping off Fox or CNN's badly digisted propoganda is no excuse for not doing the research yourself and finding out who has what to gain by a smear campaign.

Finally, Chavez is an ELECTED official - Democratically elected. By the people of Venezuela... Twice. Sort of like Bush. South America is infamous for overthrowing their leaders. This one was elected with a high percentage. The US should STAY OUT of foreign policy when its gain is pretty obvious. There is a visible conflict of interest.

Inform yourselves. Come up with great discussions like why Chavez' policies are over idealistic and/or impossible or how his newest trade agreements will benefit other nations also needing oil. Don't just agree with with the biased US media which loves to state ANTI US as anything critical, opposing or different than what the government wants.

My (real) final point... don't help make Venezuela another Iraq.


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Originally posted by soficrow
I was wrong. I predicted Brazil - but it's Venezuela. Who'da thunk it?
........

Wait a second...so everytime that Chavez decides to blurt his concocted self dellusions, Chavez is saying the truth and everyone should believe him?.....

Humm, let me think about it....who is Chavez's mentor and best friend?....oh yeah....fidel castro.........


[edit on 17-9-2005 by Muaddib]

I can not beleive what I have just read.

load of rubbish..
THe US will not invade anybody..
Even Iran is off the list of proposed invasions now..

I agree.. he's just blowing smoke.

But it has shown a side of the war that as obvious as it was... never really stood out

Maybe the US isnt in IRAQ to control the oil...
there just ensuring that it keeps coming in.

We saw how bad oil and us moral got when katrina caused oil to stop coming in..
maybe chavez realises to hurt the US is to squeeze oil..

If u want something that someone isnt willing to give u squeeze them.

Give me this..
NO
then i will limit and slowdown the supply of MY recource to YOUR Country
.. what do you want?

Originally posted by pfcret
I can not beleive what I have just read.

Really? why not?....

Chavez has said time and time again that castro is his friend and mentor. Chavez has even followed castro's footsteps in the actions he has taken to make sure his power is absolute in Venezuela, just like castro did in Cuba, and Chavez is following castro's footsteps also at always bashing at the US, and claiming the US is going to try to invade Venezuela or kill him....

Castro has said the same thing for years....and no invasion has come...

It seems Chavez has learned one new trick from castro.

[edit on 17-9-2005 by Muaddib]

Source
The Bay of Pigs Invasion (also known in Cuba as La Playa Girón after a beach in the Bay of Pigs where the landing took place) was a United States-planned and funded landing by armed Cuban exiles in Central Cuba in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban communist government of Fidel Castro in 1961. US-Cuban tensions had grown since Castro had overthrown the US-backed regime of General Fulgencio Batista on New Year's Day, 1959. The Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations had made the judgment that Castro's shift toward the Soviet Union could not be tolerated, and moved to overthrow him. However, the invasion failed miserably and proved to be a major international embarrassment for the Kennedy administration. The resulting fiasco of the invasion attempt has been studied as an ideal case of 'groupthink' and poor decision making.

Source
After Kennedy's election, the President's close advisers set up their own covert structure to eliminate Castro. Launched in November 1961, it was code named Operation Mongoose.

According to James Bamford in Body of Secrets:

Operation Northwoods, which had the written approval of the Chairman and every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for innocent people to be shot on American streets; for boats carrying refugees fleeing Cuba to be sunk on the high seas; for a wave of violent terrorism to be launched in Washington, D.C., Miami, and elsewhere. People would be framed for bombings they did not commit; planes would be hijacked. Using phony evidence, all of it would be blamed on Castro, thus giving Lemnitzer and his cabal the excuse, as well as the public and international backing, they needed to launch their war.

In 2000, four Cuban exiles with ties to the Cuban-American National Foundation were convicted in a Panamanian court of plotting to assassinate Castro during a regional summit. The four were pardoned in 2004 and all but Luis Posada Carriles entered the United States. Posada appeared in the U.S in May 2005, but was arrested and faces extradition to Venezuela. All four men have been accused of working for the CIA at one time or another.

Well they did with Castro...a fair few times in fact.

Source
The recall vote was held on August 15, 2004. Record numbers of voters turned out, and polling hours were extended by at least eight hours. 59.25% of the vote was against the recall, for Chávez remaining in office. Election observers Jimmy Carter of the Carter Center and Organization of American States Secretary General César Gaviria endorsed the results of Venezuela's recall referendum. In the following weeks, opposition supporters made numerous claims regarding irregularities. Among the many irregularities and maneuvers they allege were carried out by the Chávez government to sabotage the referendum the decisive moves were to increase the electoral roll by two million newly minted citizens and to manipulate the Smartmatic automated voting system ensuring that regardless of a massive turnout of voters against Chávez the totals would favor a continuation of his presidency.

I don't see anywhere, where Hugo Chavez has actually said he thinks "Castro" is all-that. I've seen him say it about the Cuban people...but then I guess this'll just be like the people who claim he said Saddam is "like a brother" to him, not the fact he called OPEC Members the Oil Exporting Nation's Arabic Brothers...

Originally posted by nikelbee
Please tell me you aren't buying this whole 'US spreads democracy to the world' nonsense again are you?

I think you don't know me too well, and implying "again" is pure horse puckey.

For the sake of your argument I don't support McWorld Bush PNAC Inc. nor do I support Mao-Stalin commie marxist utopia. I poke at everything when sitting in the middle of a this planet gone insane. The world is not just black and white, even if it makes it easy for organic bilateral brains to process that way.

To put it blunty. I think most leaders are f'ing nuts who are mainly sycophants to transnationals and conglomerates. Chavez is a puppet as are most leaders and the real battles are drawn up in the board rooms.

"They seized boxes of records to build a case that San Ramon, California-based Chevron and 21 other energy companies owe Venezuela $3 billion in back taxes. The raid is part of President Hugo Chavez's push to squeeze more money out of foreign companies that want to pump oil from the world's fifth-largest petroleum exporter." source

It's all about survival, ethics and morals be damned when it comes down to who has to eat and who must die. New Rome does not fall on its sword, and Chavez's puppet dictator dream days are numbered. That's the cold hard reality of it all.

[edit on 17-9-2005 by Regenmacher]

geeeeeeeeze. Chevez is starting to sound as
whacked as his 'buddy', Pat Robertson.

One problem, the CIA is after him! It's not like he is a paranoid schizo, he actually has the US/CIA after him for being a government elected official! WHo put Saddam in power? US. WHo put the Dictators in power in SA/Carribean except for Castro? US. Same with the Middle East, most dictators there were put in power by the US during the Reagan Bush Sr. years.

But you get someone elected by the people and the republicans want them killed. Good job spreading democracy when you have put more dictatorships into power then you have democracies.