Latin America

Judi Lynn

(160,613 posts) Wed Apr 1, 2015, 05:53 PM Apr 2015

Venezuela's anti-Obama signature drive passes six million

Politics | Wed Apr 1, 2015 9:06am EDT

Venezuela's anti-Obama signature drive passes six million

(Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro decreed a new annual "anti-imperialist" day on Tuesday and said a signature drive demanding the repeal of U.S. measures against Venezuela had passed 6 million.

In the ideological enemies' worst spat of Maduro's two-year rule, President Barack Obama's government this month declared the OPEC nation a "security threat" and sanctioned seven officials accused of rights abuses and corruption.

Maduro, the 52-year-old socialist successor to Hugo Chavez, said the March 9 measures would from 2016 be commemorated in Venezuela with a new "Day of Bolivarian Anti-Imperialism," a reference to independence hero Simon Bolivar.

"History will remember you, President Obama, as the one who sought to intimidate a people, but instead arose their nationalist, patriotic and Bolivarian spirit," Maduro said in a weekly TV program, from the western city of Coro.

Buoyed by plenty of international support, especially from Latin American neighbors, Maduro is leading a "house-by-house" campaign to obtain 10 million signatures against the measures to take to the upcoming Summit of the Americas in Panama.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/01/us-venezuela-usa-idUSKBN0MS2YO20150401?rpc=401

5 replies

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Venezuela's anti-Obama signature drive passes six million (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2015 OP

Or so Maduro claims Marksman_91 Apr 2015 #1

Ya gotta wonder what Venezuela did to become a "national security" threat... Peace Patriot Apr 2015 #2

don't forget the $20/month minimum wage PP Bacchus4.0 Apr 2015 #3

There's a ton of reasons why they could be considered a threat besides the human rights violators Marksman_91 Apr 2015 #4

Any one of the progressive, pro-people actions could have done it! Judi Lynn Apr 2015 #5

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)

1. Or so Maduro claims

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 12:28 AM

Apr 2015

And of course, we obviously must believe him since he's never lied before, right?

Peace Patriot

(24,010 posts)

2. Ya gotta wonder what Venezuela did to become a "national security" threat...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 01:16 AM

Apr 2015

...to the USA.

Provided universal free health care?

Provided universal free education through college?

Favors labor unions and good wages and working conditions for all?

Led the historic leftist democracy movement that spread to nearly all of South America and into Central America over the last decade and a half?

Holds honest elections?

These are reason enough to be deemed a "national security threat" to the USA, I suppose--given that the USA has become a police state in the service of transglobal corporations and billionaires. But I think it also has to do with...

...won't play ball with the Pentagon's 'Southern Command'...

...won't be toppled by the CIA...

...told Exxon Mobil to go jump off a cliff.

Bacchus4.0

(6,837 posts)

3. don't forget the $20/month minimum wage PP

Reply to Peace Patriot (Reply #2)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 10:00 AM

Apr 2015

the crime rate, the inflation rate. However, my understanding is that the security threat designation is a formality in order to impose the sanctions against the individuals. But it has given Maduro a distraction for a bit while the country crumbles around him.

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)

4. There's a ton of reasons why they could be considered a threat besides the human rights violators

Reply to Bacchus4.0 (Reply #3)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 11:53 AM

Apr 2015

There was also that former security guard of Chavez who was very close to Cabello that defected a few months back and has denounced Diosdado as being the head of a major drug cartel. And let's not forget the support that those FARC assholes have received from Venezuela, at least in the spiritual sense. There's no telling just how deep the Venezuelan military might be involved in all kinds of drug trafficking, among other activities.

Judi Lynn

(160,613 posts)

5. Any one of the progressive, pro-people actions could have done it!

Reply to Peace Patriot (Reply #2)

Thu Apr 2, 2015, 06:20 PM

Apr 2015

Having come this far, they are NOT going to want to go back, regardless of whether or not the facists can manage another takeover.

The whole world knows what kind of government the people of Venezuela have chosen repeatedly from Hugo Chavez' first day in office in February, 1999.

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