Venezuela: MEPs Back Regime Change In Caracas

by James Tweedie

Morning Star | April 28, 2017

EURO-MPs backed regime change riots in Venezuela yesterday, a day after Caracas quit the “interventionist” Organisation of American States (OAS).

The European Parliament passed a resolution that “strongly condemns the brutal repression exercised by the Venezuelan security forces, as well as irregular armed groups, against the peaceful protests.”

That came as the death toll in violent anti-government protests since the start of the month hit 29, with only four known to be caused by security forces and those responsible arrested.

At least five have been confirmed killed by supporters of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition, five by unknown assailants and nine as a result of their own actions.

In Detail: The Deaths So Far

VENEZUELANALYSIS | April 27, 2017

(Agencias)

Since April 4, 2017, violent anti-government protests have rocked Venezuela. Characterised by deadly clashes between state security forces and opposition demonstrators, vandalism and destruction of public institutions, and the assassination of Chavista supporters, the unrest has left 31 people dead to date. Hundreds more have been injured.

Despite the heavy press coverage, there is significant confusion over how these deaths occurred and at the hands of whom. In a bid for clarity, Venezuelanalysis provides readers with an in-depth and a complete account of the deaths so far below.

‘This Fight Is Ours’: Venezuela Women March Against Imperialism

teleSUR | April 27, 2017

Hundreds of Venezuelan women on Thursday marched against imperialist attempts to destabilize Venezuela, demanding respect for their country’s sovereignty.

Full Transcript of teleSUR’s Exclusive Interview with Syrian President Assad

teleSUR’s Rolando Segura sat down with the Syrian president in Damascus.

teleSUR | April 27, 2017

teleSUR sat down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad April 25, 2017- | Photo: teleSUR

teleSUR (TS): Mr. President, thank you for receiving us.

President Bashar al-Assad (BA): I welcome you and teleSUR TV in Syria. You are welcome.

TS: Let’s start directly with the latest developments. Russia has warned that there might be other alleged chemical attacks. What are the precautionary measures that Syria has taken in order to prevent that?

BA: First of all, terrorists have used chemical materials more than once in the past several years and in more than one region throughout Syria. We have asked the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to send specialized missions to investigate what happened. And every time, the United States obstructed these investigations or prevented sending such missions in order to carry out such investigations. This is what happened last week when we called for investigations over the alleged use of chemical weapons in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. The United States and its allies prevented OPCW from taking that decision. As far as we are concerned, we still insist on an investigation, and we and our Russian and Iranian allies are trying to persuade OPCW to send a team to investigate what happened, because if it doesn’t, the United States might repeat the same charade by fabricating the use of false chemical weapons in another place in Syria in order to justify military intervention in support of the terrorists. On the other hand, we continue to fight the terrorists, because we know that the objective of all these American and Western allegations concerning chemical weapons is to support terrorists in Syria. That’s why we will continue to fight these terrorists.

Strike Against Temer’s Neoliberal Reforms Brings Brazil to a Halt

teleSUR | April 27, 2017

As daylight broke in Brazil on Friday, scores of labor unions and grassroots organizations began what is expected to be one of the biggest general strikes in the country’s history against President Michel Temer’s neoliberal reforms, bringing the country to a standstill.

In Brazil’s biggest city and economic hub, Sao Paulo, only one metro line was operating, 70 major routes were blocked off as was access to the city’s major airport. Before daylight, a number of protesters clashed with police while trying to occupy a vacant building. Further south in Santos, police reportedly used tear gas in an attempt to clear roads leading to the city’s port.

Other cities across Latin America’s largest country are expected to have a similar fate. People are setting up road blockades, burning tires in the streets, and protesting the unelected government and its neoliberal labor reforms and austerity programs, with many holding signs of “Fora Temer!” (Temer Out!).

Big Money and Lemons Cement Friendship Between Macri and Trump

teleSUR | April 27, 2017

Argentine President Mauricio Macri met with U.S. President Donal Trump at the White House Thursday to discuss business ties, after decades of knowing each other through business deals as real estate moguls in their respective countries.

Thursday’s talks marked the first meeting between the two presidents and the second time a Latin American head of state met Trump, after Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski did so two months ago.

“My good friend, for many, many years,” said Trump of Macri. “Long time, 25 years.” Macri jumped in and corrected Trump: “More, unfortunately, more, I was only 24,” said the Argentine president, who is now 58 years old.

Some aspects of imperialist influences on the contemporary African crisis

by Abayomi Azikiwe

Pambazuka News | April 27, 2017

[Author’s Note: This address was delivered at the Detroit branch of Workers World Party public forum held on Saturday, 22 April 2017.  The event examined various anti-imperialist struggles taking place around the world from the Middle East and Africa to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Venezuela. Other speakers included the event chairperson Kayla Pauli of Workers World Party, Randi Nord of Workers World Party and Joe Mchahwar of WWP youth section. Tom Michalak of WWP read a paper prepared by Jim Carey of Geo-politics Alert and WWP. Others were Yvonne Jones of the Detroit Active and Retired Employees Association (DAREA), and Martha Grevatt of the UAW Local 869, who is also a contributing editor for Workers World newspaper.]

Any reasonable observer of the United States ruling class discourse during April 2017 realizes that the imperialist war drive is still a dominant theme.

Many people were quite skeptical, if not disbelieving, of the campaign rhetoric of current President Donald J. Trump when he hinted at lessening tensions with the Russian Federation over the wars in Syria and eastern Ukraine. The decision to embark upon a militarist approach to foreign policy is well entrenched in history.