Venezuela: Sky News vs Reality
Venezuela: Sky News vs Reality
Below is an small attempt to challenge the ideologically screened, subjective western media narrative on Venezuela. What is happening in Venezuela is an illegal, illegitimate and US-led coup against the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela is proving that another world is possible, when the wealth of a nation is invested in all its people, rather than concentrated in the pockets of a few. The successes of the Bolivarian Revolution undermine the deeply unequal capitalist system that the western world is built on, this is why they are so intent on removing Maduro and destroying Venezuela. Solidarity to the unbreakable people of Venezuela, and long live the Bolivarian Revolution!
Below are examples from a short excerpt of one Sky News report;
Sky News: “Worn down by crippling inflation and a lack of food.”
Reality: The Venezuelan Government have seized countless warehouses full of food and medical supplies, hoarded by wealthy opponents of Maduro in order to sabotage the economy and increase their own profits.
(https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-economy/venezuela-seizes-warehouses-packed-with-medical-goods-food-idUSKCN0ID00A20141024)
Sky News: “A migration crisis that has seen millions flee.”
Reality: Food & medical shortages due to wealthy opponents of the government hoarding, violence on the streets by anti-government thugs & an economy crippled collusion between the US & Saudis to drive down oil prices and hurt the Venezuelan economy would force anyone to leave.
Sky News: “The people of Venezuela are rising up.”
Reality: They got this one right. The people of Venezuela are rising up. They are rising up in defence of their president, their democracy, their national sovereignty & their revolution.
(https://twitter.com/NicolasMaduro/status/1088216191569670144)
Sky News: “Scenes of violence on the streets of the capital Caracas.”
Reality: Another one they got right. Though they failed to provide crucial context. The violence was and is being instigated by right-wing government opponents, who know they can’t win an election so they are resorting to violence, intimidation and thuggery.
Sky News: “The opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself president, Donald Trump swiftly endorsed the move.”
Reality: People tend to be opposition leaders when they do not win an election. Juan Guaido has no more right declaring himself the President of Venezuela than I do declaring myself President of Ireland. Trump on the other hand, has been openly supportive of regime change which of course is illegal under international law, and has threatened the use of military force to promote this goal.
(https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/trump-piles-pressure-regime-change-venezuela)
Sky News: “Venezuela should be a rich nation. Its one of the world’s largest oil producers.”
Reality: Venezuela is a rich nation. Chavez expropriated the multinational oil corporations who were robbing the Venezuela people of their natural resources. He returned this oil wealth to its rightful owners, the people of Venezuela by investing heavily in schools, hospitals and housing.
Sky News: “The economy started to falter when oil prices fell 5 years ago.”
Reality: Under the Obama administration, the US colluded with Saudi Arabia in order to drive down global oil prices. This was beneficial for the Saudis as it hurt the economy of Iran, their main competitor for hegemony in the middle east, and for the US as it hurt not only the Russian economy, but crippled the Venezuelan economy in an attempt to force Maduro from office.
(https://www.mintpressnews.com/us-led-economic-war-not-socialism-tearing-venezuela-apart/218335/)
Sky News: “For many Venezuelans, the biggest problem is hyperinflation.”
Reality: I’m no economist, but I’m sure you don’t need a degree to work out that hyperinflation happens when food hoarding is happening and things become scarce.
Sky News: “The increasingly autocratic government led by President Nicolas Maduro.”
Reality: This false claim is based on the suspension of a recall referendum on the Maduro presidency in 2016. Venezuela’s independent National Electoral Council (CNE) suspended the vote amidst widespread irregularities, including; 30% dubious signatures, children signatories, and 10,000+ deceased signatories.
(https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/no-venezuela-not-actually-dictatorship)
Sky News: “He has the common touch.”
Reality: Maduro was literally a bus driver in Caracas. He is of the people.