Gordon Robinson | It’s all about the money!

So, USA foreign policy results in an invasion of Venezuela to capture an alleged drug trafficker/“narco-terrorist” who also happens to be President.

Why? How come this is how you “arrest” Nicolas Maduro on a USA indictment but not Christopher Coke? What’s so special about Maduro outside of his being Venezuela’s President with control over 17-20 per cent of the world’s oil reserves?

American apologists publicly defended the invasion because Maduro is “an indicted drug trafficker”. So was Dudus. Those sanctimonious sycophants conveniently forget their own President is a CONVICTED felon.

So this has nothing to do with drugs being trafficked to USA especially as less than one per cent of drugs entering America originates in Venezuela.

Also there’s no evidence Maduro led or is associated with any known terrorist organization. So, this also has nothing to do with terrorism.

It can’t be about democracy since Trump has dismissed Nobel Peace Prize Winner and widely acknowledged winner of Venezuela’s last election Maria Machado as having “no respect in the country”. Translation: “She won the Peace Prize. She should’ve refused it and said it was mine.” Maria, I warned you on Twitter weeks ago that the same knife stick sheep, stick goat. Now she’s offering to “share” the Prize with Trump.

Gag!

So what IS it about?

Most independent thinkers opine it’s all about control of Venezuelan oil reserves. Yes, the return of American oil companies to Venezuelan oil extraction might be a bonus. But that oil has always been there and USA’s dislike of Maduro (and Chavez) is decades old. Also Venezuelan oil is “heavy crude” thus difficult to refine. I’m not sure exactly why someone would go to such extremes for that especially as Guyanese oil is now fully contracted to American Oil companies. I’m not saying the oil companies don’t want Venezuelan oil. I’m saying the high price paid for military redeployment; geo-political pushback; and political instability inside Venezuela can’t be attractive to oil companies. Is it worth the effort? Can that be truly it?

So what could’ve prompted this renewed urgency to control Venezuelan oil reserves? The theory that resonates with me is this apparently reckless act is actually deliberate defense of global attacks on USA’s economic foundation.

Remember nothing in this world is as it appears.

The barbarians at the gate threatening America’s way of life are global movement away from dependence on the US$ and international traction recently gained by a growing coalition of emerging countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE (BRICS) who have been developing new payment methods and a new international currency.

The petrodollar system created and maintained USA as a dominant economic power since 1974 despite the absence of productive underpinning. Venezuela, with the world’s largest oil reserves, has been selling its oil in Chinese Yuan. Announcing, in 2018, it would “free itself from the dollar” Venezuela started accepting Yuan, Euros, Rubles, anything but US$, for oil.

Venezuela planned to join BRICS; was building direct payment channels with China that bypass SWIFT; and has enough oil to continue ad infinitum.

America’s entire financial system is built on the petrodollar NOT on American production. In 1974, USA and Saudi Arabia agreed that all oil sold globally must be priced in US$ in exchange for USA military protection. This is why, in 1990, USA defended Saudi Arabia’s Coalition partner Kuwait from Iraqi attack. The sweetheart deal came back to bite America in the rear when Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi, became incensed that USA didn’t leave once the invader was repelled.

That petrodollar deal is what has driven currency devaluations everywhere, including Jamaica, as countries must buy US$ to pay for oil regardless of GDP. This is how USA Treasury can print money without corresponding production. There’s a guaranteed market of modern day slaves working to buy it.

In 2000 Saddam Hussein announced Iraq would sell oil in Euros not US$. That was the Weapon of Mass Destruction that galvanized USA to invade Iraq and lynch Saddam. Iraq’s oil immediately returned to US$. In 2009 Gaddafi proposed a gold-backed African currency called “gold dinar” for oil trade. Hillary Clinton’s leaked emails confirm this was the primary reason for American intervention. In 2011 NATO bombed Libya; Gaddafi was murdered; the gold dinar died with him.

Now it’s Maduro’s turn. Venezuela, with more oil than Iraq and Libya together, is actively partnering with China, Russia, and Iran who are leading global decolonization from the US$. So USA “arrests” Maduro; claims Venezuelan oil belongs to it; and plans to “run” Venezuela. There’s no need to “run” Venezuela for American Oil billionaires to get oil extraction contracts. Just install a friendly Venezuelan leader who promises to give you her Peace Prize and oil extraction deals galore. But, to ensure oil is sold in US$, you gotta be in charge.

So will Trump’s gunboat diplomacy work? Will Maduro survive to trial or be Epsteined? Regardless, I don’t see the global war against US$ slowing down. Russia and China have played Trump like a fiddle so he can’t protest their activities in Ukraine or Taiwan. Also, China, Russia and Iran have enough military and economic muscle to retaliate if Trump tries to stop de-dollarization there using his Venezuela tactic. BRICS tankers are already reportedly bypassing USA blockades to load Venezuelan oil. De-dollarization is likely to accelerate.

America hasn’t thought this through.

Why have we heard nothing in English from Jamaica’s Government? Are we hiding behind that empty CARICOM Statement that it’s “monitoring” the situation? Mia waffles. Kamla says Trinidad didn’t participate. Jamaica is silent. Did Jamaica participate in any way? Was Piarco or Norman Manley International Airports used if only as refueling stops?

Speaking of thoughts, here are some from America’s right and left as posted on Twitter. MAGA spokesperson Marjorie Taylor Greene:

“I’ve served on Homeland Security Committee for the past three years. I’m 100% for strong safe secure borders and stopping narco-terrorists and cartels from trafficking deadly drugs and human trafficking into America. Fentanyl is responsible for over 70% of U.S. drug overdose deaths.

Fentanyl comes from Mexican cartels made with chemical precursors from China and trafficked across the U.S/Mexico border. Mexican cartels are primarily and overwhelmingly responsible for killing Americans with deadly drugs. If U.S. military action and regime change in Venezuela was really about saving American lives from deadly drugs then why hasn’t the Trump admin taken action against Mexican cartels?

And if prosecuting narco-terrorists is a high priority then why did President Trump pardon the former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez who was convicted and sentenced for 45 years for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into America?

The next obvious observation is that by removing Maduro this is a clear move for control over Venezuelan oil supplies that will ensure stability for the next obvious regime change war in Iran. Why is it ok for America to militarily invade, bomb, and arrest a foreign leader but Russia is evil for invading Ukraine and China is bad for aggression against Taiwan?

Is it only ok if we do it?

….Americans disgust with our own government’s never ending military aggression and support of foreign wars is justified because we are forced to pay for it….. This is what many in MAGA thought they voted to end.

Boy, were we wrong.”

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (Democrat):

“What the hell is going on?

“Trump has supposedly abducted President Maduro and brought [him] to the United States for trial, supposedly for drug trafficking and bringing drugs to U.S. It was just a few weeks ago when Trump pardoned one of the biggest drug traffickers in the world, Juan Orlando Hernández, former President of Honduras…..

“What is this? Is this about regime change? Is this about oil? Or is this a power play to continue to send a message around the world that Trump is all-powerful and headed towards dictatorship in our country?”

Popular Right wing podcaster, Tucker Carlson:

“Maduro, whatever his many faults, and I wouldn’t hire him as an economist, he has the most socially conservative country probably in the hemisphere … Venezuela has banned pornography, banned abortion, banned gay marriage, banned sex changes, and banned usury.”

Never forget Goodman’s Law. Don’t ask if it’s about the money. It’s ALWAYS about the money.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com