Environmentalists Against War

Plot to Kill Hugo Chavez Discovered / China Sends Troops

July 4th, 2005 - by admin

Green Left Weekly / What It Means.com – 2005-07-04 00:21:31

http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/631/631p19c.htm

Plot to Kill Hugo Chavez Discovered
Stuart Munckton & Roberto Jorquera / Green Left Weekly

(June 29, 2005) — On June 21, Venezuelan interior minister Jesse Chacon announced that Venezuelan security had uncovered a plot to assassinate President Hugo Chavez. He said the plot was linked to those who organised an unsuccessful 2002 coup against Chavez.

Earlier this year, Chavez accused Washington, which supported to coup, of plotting to assassinate him and threatened to cut off oil sales to the US in case of an attempt on his life.

Although opposition-aligned private media has been speculating that there are divisions within the Venezuelan Armed Forces (FAN), the government has insisted that the plot is not linked in anyway to the FAN.

Claiming that “concerns for Chavez’s life are at an all time high”, a June 14 Venezuela Analysis article reported that Venezuela’s annual June 24 independence day parade by the FAN had been cancelled, because evidence had been uncovered of a plot to assassinate Chavez during the parade.

This is only the second time in Venezuelan history that the parade, which celebrates the liberation of Venezuela from Spanish rule in 1821, has been cancelled. The pro-Chavez newspaper Diario Vea reported on June 15 that snipers of Colombian origin had been discovered by local residents in a building that overlooked the stage Chavez was due to speak on.

The June 21 Diaro Vea reported that local residents also uncovered the presence of Colombian paramilitary groups in the states of Lara and Portuguesa attempting to pass themselves off as peasants.

In response to the threats, Chavez has announced that he will be cutting down his public appearances. Chavez is renown for his willingness to speak directly to the Venezuelan people and averages 40 hours of televised appearances a week, many at public events.

Chacon claimed that with polls putting support for Chavez at around 70% — thanks to government social programs that have increased the living standards of the poor by one third, according to a May 31 Venezuela Analysis study — the plot is a sign of his opponents’ desperation.

China Sends Special Forces to Venezuela
Sorcha Faal / What Does It Mean.com

(June 27, 2005) — Russian Intelligence Analysts are reporting today that the Military Leaders of the United States have become alarmed over the transporting of Chinese Special Forces Troops to the South American Country of Venezuela.

The contingent of Chinese Special Forces, reported to number around 350, contain both Special Reconnaissance (SR) and Counter-Terrorism (CT) troops arrived in Venezuela during the early morning hours of June 24th in an apparent response to Venezuela’s President request to prevent his assassination by American backed agents, and as we can read as reported by the Reuters News Service in their article titled “Venezuela parade switched over assassination fears” and which says;

“Venezuela’s armed forces have changed the venue of a military parade marking a famous 1821 battle because of fears of an assassination attempt against President Hugo Chavez, the defense minister said on Monday. Gen. Jorge Garcia Carneiro said a planned June 24 military ceremony that was to have been led by Chavez on the site of the battle of Carabobo, west of Caracas, had been canceled.”

Investigations being conducted by Venezuela Security Forces are increasingly showing that this latest South American assassination plot is being organized by the United States, and as we can read as reported by the Latin American News Agency in their article titled “Assassination Clues in Venezuela Point to Colombia” and which says;

“Clues on opposition groups attempting to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez increasingly point to Colombia, although without the participation of the country‚s authorities, VEA newspaper reported Wednesday. According to the daily, Venezuelan authorities discovered for recruiting terrorists and hired assassins in Bogota and Cucuta an organized network, which is sponsored by Miami and groups linked to US intelligence services.”

Of the United States targeting by assassination South American Leaders not to their liking there is no doubt, and as we can read as reported by the United States Central Intelligence Agency’s report titled “Subject: CIA Activities in Chile” and which states, “On 15 September President Nixon informed the DCI that an Allende regime in Chile would not be acceptable to the United States.

“He instructed the CIA to prevent Allende from coming to power or unseat him and authorized $10 million for this purpose. The President specifically directed that this action be carried out by the CIA without advising the Departments of State or Defense or the US Ambassador in Chile.”

But according to a report from the Forbes News Service, Venezuela’s President is continuing his defiance of these latest American threats to his life, and as he has been quoted as saying, “Venezuela will never again be anyone’s colony,” said Chavez, a harsh critic of the US government, which he says has exacerbated poverty through “imperialist” policies.”

The difference though between the actions of the Americans against Chile in the 1970’s, and now against Venezuela during this new century lies with China, who has the second greatest power in the world today is actively challenging the United States for world hegemony, and specifically at the very doorstep of the United States, and as we can read from the testimony before the United States Congress by Peter T.R. Brookes, Senior Fellow for National Security Affairs and Director, Asian Studies Center, wherein he states;

“Petroleum leads the list of resources South American states have to offer China. Venezuela is the world’s fifth largest producer of petroleum that produces 2.5 million barrels per day, providing the United States with 13-15 percent of its oil imports.

China has invested over $1 billion in petroleum projects in Venezuela and is positioning itself to invest nearly $350 million to extract oil from eastern Venezuelan oil fields, as well as an additional $60 million in natural gas wells.

China Practicing ‘Military Diplomacy’ around the Globe
China is also on a military diplomacy offensive across the globe. China has formed military diplomatic ties with 146 countries and sent military attaches to 103 countries. China uses these exchanges to gather information on the host country, as well as other countries if possible, for military doctrine development as well as military intelligence purposes.

In 2004, more than 100 military exchange programs took place, involving Chinese military leaders visiting more than 60 countries and senior officers from about 50 countries visiting China. Some exchange programs featured joint military exercises, security sessions involving military officers from multiple countries, combined seminars on defense and security, and field trips.

China has military and security interests in Latin America as well. China’s presence at Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) facilities in Cuba directed at the United States is long-standing and well known, but China is establishing military ties in Latin America as well.

For example, in 2004, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan paid a visit to Brazil. In April 2004, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xu Caihou visited Cuba and called on Cuban military units and training centers. Since the late 1990s, at least one high-level visit has taken place every year to Venezuela.

In addition, Chinese intelligence services are, undoubtedly, active in Latin America and the Caribbean, using Chinese front companies, students, visitors and intelligence officers to steal and exploit technology and commercial secrets of interest to enhance their military prowess and economic competitiveness.”

Of the determination of China to protect its vital interests in Venezuela, or anywhere else in the world, the American peoples are not being made aware of, even to China‚s determination to use military force, and as we can read as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle News Service in their article titled “China on global hunt to quench its thirst for oil” and which says;

“China’s takeover bid for Unocal Corp. makes clear to sticker-shocked Americans that the 1.3 billion Chinese people are demanding an ever-larger supply of the world’s energy to fuel their booming economy and are willing to get it wherever necessary. From Central Asia to Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and even Canada, Chinese firms are pumping oil and natural gas in many areas that the United States was counting on to meet its own record-high demand.

China’s Thirst for Oil
China’s thirst for energy has been a major factor driving up the international price of oil. Light, sweet crude closed at $59.84 a barrel Friday, the fourth record-high day in a row and a sign that American motorists will feel increasing pain at the pump in coming months. US officials have been increasingly uneasy as China has signed major deals with Iran, Sudan, Burma and Venezuela, all countries that have strained relations with the United States.

Even in Canada, the top US oil supplier, Chinese firms have signed three deals this year to tap Alberta’s vast oil-sands reserves and to join a pipeline venture to bring crude to the Pacific coast, where it can be shipped to China. Throughout East Asia, even close allies of Beijing show nervousness about its energy appetites.

China has been wrangling with Japan over natural gas reserves in the East China Sea, and with Vietnam over suspected oil deposits near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, setting off worries that such conflicts could turn violent.

“Throughout all of East Asia, there is a rising new concern about energy security,” said Chin Kin Wah, deputy director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, a government-backed think tank in Singapore. “From Russia to China down to Indonesia, there is a new generation of possible conflicts.”

Of the growing world concern for energy resources leading to violent conflicts we can also see yet another example in the growing crisis between Taiwan and Japan, and as we can read as reported by the New Zealand Herald News Service in their article titled “Taiwan sends warship to islands claimed by Japan” and which says;

“Tokyo’s worsening relations with its Asian neighbours suffered a further blow yesterday when Taiwan sent a warship to claim jurisdiction over a group of islands claimed by Japan as well as China.

Tokyo’s defence minister Yoshinori Ohno appealed for ‘calm’ after his Taiwanese counterpart Lee Jye boarded a warship with fifteen senior politicians and sailed for the resource-rich Tiaoyutai Islands in a symbolic show of support for Taiwan’s fishermen, who have repeatedly clashed with the Japanese Coast Guard.”

Perhaps most tragic about all of these escalating events are that the Western peoples of the United States are virtually unaware of the gathering forces of Global War positioning themselves around them, much like the Allied Forces Against Germany during World War II.

And also like the Germans of last century, the World is preparing the basis for the War Crime Trials to be held against the American Military Leaders, and their citizens, and as we can read as reported by the Associated Press News Service in their article titled “UN cites reliable accounts of US torture” and which says;

“UN human rights experts said Thursday they have reliable accounts of detainees being tortured at the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The experts also said Washington had not responded to their latest request to check on the conditions of terror suspects at the facility in eastern Cuba. That request was made in April.”

But as we have seen so many times from these strange peoples of the United States, they listen to no warnings, and even worse continually ridicule all who seek to inform them of the violent storm gathering on their horizon.

• For the complete version of the story with the news links embedded in the original report, click here.