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Maduro isn’t starving his people, that’s US sanctions. Putin is a social democrat that brought back the healthcare system after the shock therapy enforced by th

by lucian1900 6y ago

Maduro isn’t starving his people, that’s US sanctions. Putin is a social democrat that brought back the healthcare system after the shock therapy enforced by the US. I’m not excusing crimes, I’m explaining you are being consistently lied to. Media in imperialist countries has a vested interest in perpetuating an incorrect but monstrous image of anyone opposed. Were the missing WMDs in Iraq and the Nayirah testimony not enough to make you sceptical? Do you remember Galizia getting murdered over the Panama papers? Or Black Panthers getting murdered by police over feeding the poor? Or even just Assange being pursued and tortured over reporting on NATO crimes?

alkonaut 6y ago
You point to various wrongs committed elsewhere in the world when the discussion was about whether there is Authoritarian rule in Venezuela. I interpret the deflection as a silent acknowledgement. You aren’t even attempting to convey any sense of non-authoritarian rule (freedom of press, independent judiciary, no demonizing of opposition, use of law by the executive, clear separation between executive and military etc). All you are doing is saying “yes but what about X”. Is there or is there not a reasonable independent media in Venezuela? It’s as a simple as that! If there is (including for foreign “imperialist” interests of course!) then I’d say the country is under authoritarian rule. Perhaps the world is being lied to and the smelly imperialist orgs like RSF make up these lies about disappearing journalists and suppressed opposition media? I think the key thing here is: non-authoritarianism would mean (for example) free press and of course opposition. That in turn obviously includes media and opposition pushing what can be seen as foreign interests (what you’d call imperialist). Taken together that means: Venezuela has two options: either thriving pro-US media and political organizations OR authoritarian and undemocratic rule. Which one is it?
- lucian1900 6y ago
  I'm trying to describe to you a pattern of behaviour where US enemies get attacked under the guise of supposed human rights, democracy and freedom. Based on past cases, surely you can see how regardless of the reality, concerns about "authoritarianism" can be used to serve the extraction of super-profits from the working class of the global south?

alkonaut 6y ago

You point to various wrongs committed elsewhere in the world when the discussion was about whether there is Authoritarian rule in Venezuela. I interpret the deflection as a silent acknowledgement. You aren’t even attempting to convey any sense of non-authoritarian rule (freedom of press, independent judiciary, no demonizing of opposition, use of law by the executive, clear separation between executive and military etc). All you are doing is saying “yes but what about X”. Is there or is there not a reasonable independent media in Venezuela? It’s as a simple as that! If there is (including for foreign “imperialist” interests of course!) then I’d say the country is under authoritarian rule. Perhaps the world is being lied to and the smelly imperialist orgs like RSF make up these lies about disappearing journalists and suppressed opposition media? I think the key thing here is: non-authoritarianism would mean (for example) free press and of course opposition. That in turn obviously includes media and opposition pushing what can be seen as foreign interests (what you’d call imperialist). Taken together that means: Venezuela has two options: either thriving pro-US media and political organizations OR authoritarian and undemocratic rule. Which one is it?

lucian1900 6y ago
I'm trying to describe to you a pattern of behaviour where US enemies get attacked under the guise of supposed human rights, democracy and freedom. Based on past cases, surely you can see how regardless of the reality, concerns about "authoritarianism" can be used to serve the extraction of super-profits from the working class of the global south?