truthout--2020-05-06--Native American Clinic Receives Body Bags Instead of COVID-19 Testing Kits

A Seattle-area Native American health center in April received body bags instead of requested equipment to handle the coronavirus in what tribal officials described as a “ metaphor ” for how the Indigenous population is being treated by local , state , and federal governments around the country as the pandemic continues to rage .
“ My question is : Are we going to keep getting body bags or are we going to get what we actually need ?
” Seattle Indian Health Board chief research officer Abigail Echo-Hawk told NBC News .
NBC News reported on Tuesday that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a request for testing equipment : “ My team turned ghost white , ” said Esther Lucero , chief executive officer of the Seattle Indian Health Board .
“ We asked for tests , and they sent us a box of body bags.
” The health board ’ s center—serving about 6,000 people a year in Seattle and King County—still has the package , which is filled with zippered white bags and beige tags that read “ attach to toe.
” According to Echo-Hawk , the delivery of the body bags—though a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health Department distributor—was indicative of the treatment of Native Americans in Seattle and around the country as the communities grapple with Covid-19 and a government that appears disinterested in helping .
“ The Navajo Nation is in a crisis with cases , and there are tribes and other Indian organizations across the country that are in similar crises and can use medical supplies and help instead of watching people die , ” Echo-Hawk said .
“ This is a metaphor for what ’ s happening.
” Native American attorney Brett Chapman agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the result of years of inaction on the part of the government .
“ Native vulnerability to coronavirus did not occur out of left field , ” said Chapman .
“ It came about due to decades of neglect by leaders of both parties to move Native nations forward.
” “ Native American health care providers have always been woefully underfunded and undersupplied , ” Chapman added .
‘ This is nothing new.
” President Donald Trump ’ s administration held up $ 8 billion in aid set aside in relief legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Indianz reported Tuesday .
Only $ 4.8 billion , or 60 percent of the fund , is going out at this time .
It will be based on “ population data used in the distribution of the Indian Housing Block Grant ” funds .
Notably , such data was not required of tribes when they submitted their certification forms to the Trump administration in April 2020 .
“ Indian Country is tired of waiting for the administration to follow the law by delivering pandemic aid to our communities and our people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan Newland said .
“ Quit telling us to wait , ” he added .
While the Trump administration ’ s reaction to the crisis has been denounced as grossly inadequate , residents of Ireland have stepped up to help out , donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to a GoFundMe for the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation that has raised a total of over $ 1.8 million so far .
The Irish people have cited a $ 170 gift from over 170 years ago from the Choctaw tribe during the Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chapman told Common Dreams that U.S. lawmakers need to start prioritizing the country ’ s first people .
“ If ‘ America First ’ means anything , the billions allocated for needless projects like , say , the border wall , should be rerouted to immediately honoring America ’ s commitment to Native Americans at a time when many Native nations and communities are suffering disproportionately from this scourge , ” said Chapman .

“Are we going to keep getting body bags or are we going to get what we actually need?”
A Seattle-area Native American health center in April received body bags instead of requested equipment to handle the coronavirus in what tribal officials described as a “metaphor” for how the Indigenous population is being treated by local, state, and federal governments around the country as the pandemic continues to rage.
“My question is: Are we going to keep getting body bags or are we going to get what we actually need?” Seattle Indian Health Board chief research officer Abigail Echo-Hawk told NBC News.
Wow. The Seattle Indian Health Board asked for testing supplies. Instead they were sent body bags. https://t.co/wLtCGb6EVr — Rebecca Nagle (@rebeccanagle) May 6, 2020
NBC News reported on Tuesday that the experience of the Seattle-area health center came after a request for testing equipment:
“My team turned ghost white,” said Esther Lucero, chief executive officer of the Seattle Indian Health Board. “We asked for tests, and they sent us a box of body bags.” The health board’s center—serving about 6,000 people a year in Seattle and King County—still has the package, which is filled with zippered white bags and beige tags that read “attach to toe.”
According to Echo-Hawk, the delivery of the body bags—though a mistake by a King County’s Public Health Department distributor—was indicative of the treatment of Native Americans in Seattle and around the country as the communities grapple with Covid-19 and a government that appears disinterested in helping.
“The Navajo Nation is in a crisis with cases, and there are tribes and other Indian organizations across the country that are in similar crises and can use medical supplies and help instead of watching people die,” Echo-Hawk said. “This is a metaphor for what’s happening.”
Native American attorney Brett Chapman agreed, telling Common Dreams that the crisis is the result of years of inaction on the part of the government.
“Native vulnerability to coronavirus did not occur out of left field,” said Chapman. “It came about due to decades of neglect by leaders of both parties to move Native nations forward.”
“Native American health care providers have always been woefully underfunded and undersupplied,” Chapman added. ‘This is nothing new.”
President Donald Trump’s administration held up $8 billion in aid set aside in relief legislation for Native American communities until this week, as Indianz reported Tuesday.
‘A slap in the face”: Under fire in Indian Country, Congress and the courts, President Trump is finally releasing $8 billion in #COVID19 relief promised to tribes over a month ago. But it’s not the full amount owed and new hurdles are emerging too. https://t.co/oYQAlFviQt — indianz.com (@indianz) May 6, 2020
According to Indianz:
Only $4.8 billion, or 60 percent of the fund, is going out at this time. It will be based on “population data used in the distribution of the Indian Housing Block Grant” funds. Notably, such data was not required of tribes when they submitted their certification forms to the Trump administration in April 2020.
“Indian Country is tired of waiting for the administration to follow the law by delivering pandemic aid to our communities and our people,” Bay Mills Indian Community President Bryan Newland said.
“Quit telling us to wait,” he added.
While the Trump administration’s reaction to the crisis has been denounced as grossly inadequate, residents of Ireland have stepped up to help out, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to a GoFundMe for the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation that has raised a total of over $1.8 million so far. The Irish people have cited a $170 gift from over 170 years ago from the Choctaw tribe during the Irish Famine as a motivator for the donations.
Less than 10 years after the Trail of Tears, the Choctaw Nation read about the Irish suffering from famine and sent humanitarian aid money. Ireland never forgot. Now they are paying it forward to the Navajo Nation suffering from coronavirus. Great story!https://t.co/gLAaV2XNOL — Brett Chapman (@brettachapman) May 4, 2020
Chapman told Common Dreams that U.S. lawmakers need to start prioritizing the country’s first people.
“If ‘America First’ means anything, the billions allocated for needless projects like, say, the border wall, should be rerouted to immediately honoring America’s commitment to Native Americans at a time when many Native nations and communities are suffering disproportionately from this scourge,” said Chapman.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
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truthout--2020-05-06--Mitch McConnell Pours Dark Money Into Maine Sen. Susan Collins’s Reelection

A dark-money group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , is dropping more than half a million dollars on an advertisement shielding Sen. Susan Collins of Maine , an embattled Republican incumbent , from criticism of her response to the coronavirus outbreak .
The group , One Nation , is a political nonprofit that doesn ’ t have to disclose its donors .
It also shares offices and staff with the Senate Leadership Fund , a McConnell super PAC .
The 30-second ad will run across Maine on radio , TV and the web .
The ad responds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” that criticizes Collins for neglecting to secure enough protective gear and other equipment for the state ’ s beleaguered frontline health care workers .
“ Susan Collins defends the president , ” the narrator of that ad says , over a graphic that quotes Collins claiming , “ The president did a lot that was right in the beginning.
” That ad was paid for by a competing Democratic dark-money organization , Majority Forward , linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ’ s Senate Majority super PAC , which sees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The One Nation ad comes to Collins ’ defense , claiming she has been “ working to get that help , but dark money groups are spreading false information about those efforts.
” The 2020 race between Collins and Democrat Sara Gideon , current speaker of the Maine House of Representatives , is one of a handful of Senate races that will determine whether the GOP , which currently holds a 53-47 majority , will maintain control of the upper chamber , and keep McConnell in the majority leader ’ s office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have raised a combined $ 190 million to protect the most vulnerable Republican seats : Those held by Martha McSally in Arizona , Cory Gardner in Colorado , Thom Tillis in North Carolina , Joni Ernst in Iowa and David Perdue in Georgia .
One Nation is also affiliated with Karl Rove , top political strategist to former President George W. Bush , and financially backs organizations that promote conservative positions on abortion and gun rights .
One Nation dropped more than $ 58 million on Republican Senate candidates in the 2018 midterms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 1 million to boost Collins this year , including a $ 400,000 ad that ran in early January and touted her work to knock down the cost of insulin .
Collins voted against the Affordable Care Act , as well as legislation to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap .
“ Our investors understand the Senate is the ultimate firewall against socialism , and we are gearing up for a massive fight next year , ” said Steven Law , a McConnell associate who chairs the group , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court , Green New Deal , Medicare for None — it ’ s all going to be on the line , ” he added .
It was Collins ’ pivotal vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — combined with her ACA votes and her transparently cynical waffling on Trump — that earned her a challenge from Gideon , one of the state ’ s most prominent elected Democrats .
Last summer Collins drew sardonic criticism when her campaign posted several minutes of B-roll of the senator meeting with Mainers in factories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so on .
The video was mocked as a transparent gift of content for outside groups to pull from .
FEC rules bar candidates from coordinating with outside groups .
The B-roll trick , however , has proven to be a popular end-around .
Last September a Republican super PAC ran an ad that used a lengthy clip from that B-roll , leading the Maine Democratic Party to complain to the FEC that it was an illegal in-kind contribution , “ almost entirely comprised of footage that the campaign created.
” Though Maine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Donald Trump won one of its four electoral votes in 2016 ) it has drifted toward Democrats in recent years .
Collins , a nominally pro-choice , middle-of-the-road Republican was a good fit for Maine for decades , but now appears increasingly vulnerable .
In January she nabbed the title of “ most unpopular senator ” — previously held , of course , by Mitch McConnell .
Watch the full ad from One Nation below via YouTube :

A dark-money group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is dropping more than half a million dollars on an advertisement shielding Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, an embattled Republican incumbent, from criticism of her response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The group, One Nation, is a political nonprofit that doesn’t have to disclose its donors. It also shares offices and staff with the Senate Leadership Fund, a McConnell super PAC. The 30-second ad will run across Maine on radio, TV and the web.
The ad responds to another recent ad, called “Scrounging,” that criticizes Collins for neglecting to secure enough protective gear and other equipment for the state’s beleaguered frontline health care workers.
“Susan Collins defends the president,” the narrator of that ad says, over a graphic that quotes Collins claiming, “The president did a lot that was right in the beginning.”
That ad was paid for by a competing Democratic dark-money organization, Majority Forward, linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Senate Majority super PAC, which sees Collins as particularly vulnerable in 2020.
The One Nation ad comes to Collins’ defense, claiming she has been “working to get that help, but dark money groups are spreading false information about those efforts.”
The 2020 race between Collins and Democrat Sara Gideon, current speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, is one of a handful of Senate races that will determine whether the GOP, which currently holds a 53-47 majority, will maintain control of the upper chamber, and keep McConnell in the majority leader’s office.
One Nation and the Senate Leadership Fund have raised a combined $190 million to protect the most vulnerable Republican seats: Those held by Martha McSally in Arizona, Cory Gardner in Colorado, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Joni Ernst in Iowa and David Perdue in Georgia.
One Nation is also affiliated with Karl Rove, top political strategist to former President George W. Bush, and financially backs organizations that promote conservative positions on abortion and gun rights.
One Nation dropped more than $58 million on Republican Senate candidates in the 2018 midterms, and the group has already spent more than $1 million to boost Collins this year, including a $400,000 ad that ran in early January and touted her work to knock down the cost of insulin.
Collins voted against the Affordable Care Act, as well as legislation to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap.
“Our investors understand the Senate is the ultimate firewall against socialism, and we are gearing up for a massive fight next year,” said Steven Law, a McConnell associate who chairs the group, in a 2019 statement.
“The Supreme Court, Green New Deal, Medicare for None — it’s all going to be on the line,” he added.
It was Collins’ pivotal vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — combined with her ACA votes and her transparently cynical waffling on Trump — that earned her a challenge from Gideon, one of the state’s most prominent elected Democrats.
Last summer Collins drew sardonic criticism when her campaign posted several minutes of B-roll of the senator meeting with Mainers in factories, a classroom, a kitchen and so on. The video was mocked as a transparent gift of content for outside groups to pull from.
FEC rules bar candidates from coordinating with outside groups. The B-roll trick, however, has proven to be a popular end-around.
Last September a Republican super PAC ran an ad that used a lengthy clip from that B-roll, leading the Maine Democratic Party to complain to the FEC that it was an illegal in-kind contribution, “almost entirely comprised of footage that the campaign created.”
Though Maine’s politics can be peculiar (and Donald Trump won one of its four electoral votes in 2016) it has drifted toward Democrats in recent years. Collins, a nominally pro-choice, middle-of-the-road Republican was a good fit for Maine for decades, but now appears increasingly vulnerable. In January she nabbed the title of “most unpopular senator” — previously held, of course, by Mitch McConnell.
Watch the full ad from One Nation below via YouTube:
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-05-06--Whistleblower Says He Was Pushed to Give Drug Contracts to Trump-Friendly Firms

A federal scientist filed a formal whistleblower complaint Tuesday , weeks after being reassigned from his position at the Health and Human Services Department following a clash with Trump administration officials over untested Covid-19 treatments that the president was promoting .
Dr. Rick Bright , an immunology expert and until last month the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( BARDA ) , said in addition to retaliation for objecting to President Donald Trump ’ s public insistence that hydroxychloroquine was effective at treating Covid-19 , he faced sustained pressure from HHS officials since the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars in contracts to the client of lobbyist John Clerici .
Clerici has a “ longstanding connection ” to Dr. Robert Kadlec , assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS , according to the complaint .
Multiple times beginning in 2017 , when Trump took office , Bright was pressured to extend a government contract to Aeolus Pharmaceuticals , a client of Clerici ’ s .
In addition to being Clerici ’ s client , Aeolus ’ s CEO was a friend of Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract , leading to discord between him and his superiors at the department .
The tension steadily grew as Kadlec and other officials urged Bright to transfer $ 40 million from BARDA to the Strategic National Stockpile in 2018 to purchase a drug made by manufacturer Alvogen , another of Clerici ’ s clients , among other disagreements .
According to the complaint , “ Dr .
Kadlec ’ s frustration with and animus towards Dr .
Bright reached its breaking point when , after the emergence of Covid-19 , Dr .
Bright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration ’ s directive to promote the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and to award lucrative contracts for these and other drugs even though they lacked scientific merit and had not received prior scientific vetting.
” Bright also wrote in the 89-page complaint that he encountered pushback in January when he called on HHS to begin developing resources in preparation for treatment and vaccine research as the Covid-19 pandemic reached the United States .
“ It was clear to Dr .
Bright almost immediately that the virus was highly contagious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high mortality rate , ” the complaint reads .
“ Dr .
Bright and his staff recognized the urgent need to obtain genetic sequencing information about the virus and to acquire viruses and clinical specimens from people infected with the virus to share with laboratories and companies… Dr .
Bright initially encountered indifference which then developed into hostility from HHS leadership , including Secretary Azar , as Dr .
Bright and his staff raised concerns about the virus and the urgent need to act.
” The department leadership grew increasingly hostile toward Bright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the press , and some White House officials — including trade advisor Peter Navarro — about the need to act urgently to confront the pandemic .
As CNN reports , Bright is now scheduled to testify to Congress as early as next week on the charges included in his complaint : Bright filed the whistleblower complaint with the Office of Special Counsel about two weeks after being reassigned to the National Institutes of Health .
According to the complaint , after removing Bright from his post at BARDA , HHS officials “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leveling demonstrably false allegations about his performance in an attempt to justify what was clearly a retaliatory demotion.
” The complaint calls for a reversal of Bright ’ s reassignment as well as a full investigation into his charges of cronyism at the department .

Vaccine expert Rick Bright was ousted from his HHS position last month in what he called a “retaliatory demotion.”
A federal scientist filed a formal whistleblower complaint Tuesday, weeks after being reassigned from his position at the Health and Human Services Department following a clash with Trump administration officials over untested Covid-19 treatments that the president was promoting.
Dr. Rick Bright, an immunology expert and until last month the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), said in addition to retaliation for objecting to President Donald Trump’s public insistence that hydroxychloroquine was effective at treating Covid-19, he faced sustained pressure from HHS officials since the beginning of the Trump administration to steer millions of dollars in contracts to the client of lobbyist John Clerici.
Clerici has a “longstanding connection” to Dr. Robert Kadlec, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, according to the complaint.
Multiple times beginning in 2017, when Trump took office, Bright was pressured to extend a government contract to Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, a client of Clerici’s. In addition to being Clerici’s client, Aeolus’s CEO was a friend of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor.
Bright refused to extend the contract, leading to discord between him and his superiors at the department. The tension steadily grew as Kadlec and other officials urged Bright to transfer $40 million from BARDA to the Strategic National Stockpile in 2018 to purchase a drug made by manufacturer Alvogen, another of Clerici’s clients, among other disagreements.
According to the complaint, “Dr. Kadlec’s frustration with and animus towards Dr. Bright reached its breaking point when, after the emergence of Covid-19, Dr. Bright resisted efforts to fall into line with the administration’s directive to promote the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and to award lucrative contracts for these and other drugs even though they lacked scientific merit and had not received prior scientific vetting.”
Bright also wrote in the 89-page complaint that he encountered pushback in January when he called on HHS to begin developing resources in preparation for treatment and vaccine research as the Covid-19 pandemic reached the United States.
“It was clear to Dr. Bright almost immediately that the virus was highly contagious, spreading rapidly, and could have a high mortality rate,” the complaint reads. “Dr. Bright and his staff recognized the urgent need to obtain genetic sequencing information about the virus and to acquire viruses and clinical specimens from people infected with the virus to share with laboratories and companies… Dr. Bright initially encountered indifference which then developed into hostility from HHS leadership, including Secretary Azar, as Dr. Bright and his staff raised concerns about the virus and the urgent need to act.”
The department leadership grew increasingly hostile toward Bright after he communicated with members of Congress, the press, and some White House officials — including trade advisor Peter Navarro — about the need to act urgently to confront the pandemic.
As CNN reports, Bright is now scheduled to testify to Congress as early as next week on the charges included in his complaint:
Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted director of the office involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine who formally filed an extensive whistleblower complaint, is scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill next week, CNN’s @JDiamond1 reports. https://t.co/pSd4kyEHWf pic.twitter.com/ZvfCWOCe8G — CNN (@CNN) May 5, 2020
Bright filed the whistleblower complaint with the Office of Special Counsel about two weeks after being reassigned to the National Institutes of Health. According to the complaint, after removing Bright from his post at BARDA, HHS officials “unleashed a baseless smear campaign against him, leveling demonstrably false allegations about his performance in an attempt to justify what was clearly a retaliatory demotion.”
The complaint calls for a reversal of Bright’s reassignment as well as a full investigation into his charges of cronyism at the department.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-05-06--US Mercenaries Captured in Venezuela After Failed Coup Attempt

We look at an incredible story unfolding in Venezuela of a failed coup attempt .
Did a former Green Beret mastermind it ?
Two Americans have been arrested in Venezuela .
President Nicolás Maduro claims the U.S. was behind the plot .
“ It looks like a bad Rambo movie , or a really bad telenovela , ” says Miguel Tinker Salas , author of The Enduring Legacy : Oil , Culture , and Society in Venezuela .
He notes that “ the U.S. is seeking regime change … and the consequences for Venezuela could be very dire going forward.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
We ’ re in the epicenter of the pandemic , as we turn now to , though , an incredible story unfolding in Venezuela , where President Nicolás Maduro announced Monday the government had detained two former U.S. Special Forces soldiers who took part in a failed coup attempt against him , after 10 armed men landed in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities killed eight of the men , whom they described as “ mercenary terrorists.
” Two men were captured .
Speaking from his presidential palace , President Maduro showed U.S. passports for the two men , identified as Airan Berry and Luke Denman .
A former Green Beret named Jordan Goudreau has acknowledged the men were working with him , and says they attempted to detain Maduro .
Maduro accused the U.S. of being behind the plot .
AMY GOODMAN : The former Green Beret , Jordan Goudreau , runs a Florida-based private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Associated Press two Special Forces veterans he fought with in Iraq and Afghanistan were involved in the operation .
Goudreau posted a video on Twitter Sunday in which he called the attack “ Operation Gideon.
” AMY GOODMAN : Goudreau told the Associated Press the last time he communicated with the two Americans who were detained was when they were still offshore , running low on fuel .
Goudreau ’ s plan to oust Maduro reportedly began when he provided security at a concert organized by British billionaire Richard Branson in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Associated Press reports Goudreau had a connection to Trump ’ s longtime bodyguard , Keith Schiller , and Goudreau reportedly accompanied Schiller to a meeting with Guaidó ’ s representatives last May in Miami .
President Trump has denied any involvement , any U.S. involvement .
For more , we ’ re going to Miguel Tinker Salas , professor at Pomona College in Claremont , California , author of The Enduring Legacy : Oil , Culture , and Society in Venezuela , as well as Venezuela : What Everyone Needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
, Professor .
Can you explain what you understand took place ?
Was this an attempted coup against Venezuela ?
And at who exactly ’ s direction ?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : It all appears to be an attempted coup .
Again , events are unfolding in Venezuela .
At the same time , it looks like a real bad Rambo movie or a really bad Venezuelan telenovela .
The reality is that this involved disgruntled Venezuelan military , former police , deserters , political opponents of the Maduro government , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought that by landing two boats — one in Macuto , right next to the major airport and port , and the other one in Chuao in the state of Aragua — that they would somehow manage to get to Caracas and capture Maduro and install a new government .
It is almost fictional .
Unfortunately , it ’ s operating in a very charged environment , one in which the U.S. is seeking regime change and one in which the opposition has adopted , in fact , support for military action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for a coup against Maduro .
So , it ’ s operating in very troubled waters , and the consequences for Venezuela could be very dire , going forward .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Miguel Tinker Salas , there was a report out of Venezuela that there was a contract that surfaced , a $ 200 million contract , that supposedly the opposition leader , Juan Guaidó , signed with Mr. Goudreau in late October .
Could you talk about that ?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : Sure .
Goudreau actually presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition broadcaster in Florida .
And she posted it and reported it on her website , and invited Guaidó and J.J. Rendón , the person in charge of Maduro ’ s publicity and campaign , and other individuals to come forward and deny it .
None have come forward to deny it .
So this plot could long-term implicate not only the U.S. government , also the opposition in Venezuela , Guiadó , and others .
It also allows them plausible deniability .
I mean , what they want from this is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would take credit for it.
” They would be part of this transition government .
“ And if it failed , well , we were not a part of it .
We have plausible deniability ” — the same way that Trump has plausible deniability , or at least tries to claim plausible deniability .
But I insist it ’ s the context in which Pompeo , Elliott Abrams and the Trump White House have created , during the pandemic , seeking regime change , imposing further sanctions , tightening those sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Caribbean and others , that sets the context and the landscape for which this event happens .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And you mentioned Elliott Abrams .
Is it conceivable that President Trump ’ s special envoy to Venezuela had no knowledge of what was going on here ?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : It ’ s difficult to imagine that given they were training on the Colombian border , an area that is highly surveilled , an area where the Colombian military is very active , that somehow they would not have picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when he tweeted , included @ realDonaldTrump in his tweets about the activities happening in Venezuela .
So , again , what the U.S. would like is possible deniability .
We may find out later on that , yes , they knew about it , turned a blind eye to it , see if it would actually be successful , and eventually then take advantage of it if it did .
But again , I insist it ’ s the context in which it operates that is the most fundamental , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent , unconstitutional regime change in Venezuela , when in fact what Venezuela needs in this time period is negotiations between the different political forces , where funds can be released , where they can fight the coronavirus , where they can try to find common ground as opposed to continued conflict we ’ ve seen before .
AMY GOODMAN : So , what more do you know about Silvercorp , this Florida security firm , which provided security for President Trump two years ago at one of his political rallies in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earpiece at a Trump rally in Charlotte , North Carolina , at a coliseum .
And echoes of what is this , Miguel Tinker Salas , especially for young people who don ’ t know the U.S. involvement in the ’ 80s in Latin America ?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : It has echoes of a Bay of Pigs .
It has echoes of psychological operations and psych operations and black op operations that were done in Latin America during the entire 1970s , ’ 80s and ’ 90s .
It even harkens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miranda attempted an invasion of Venezuela through La Vela de Coro in the Península Paraguaná and did not have any support from the Afro population in the region .
In fact , they rebelled against him .
So there are shades on many things here , which is all very troubling to Venezuela , because , again , Goudreau appears delusional .
He seems to be an Erik Prince Blackwater wannabe .
He provided security for a concert that was held on February 23rd by Branson on the Cúcuta border with Venezuela .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition politics , into what was happening with Guaidó at the border .
So , again , it ’ s a very , very dangerous figure .
Although he may have this delusional sense of himself and grandeur , he can play in that role because of U.S. policy .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Miguel , we just have about less than a minute left , about 30 seconds .
But the ability of the Maduro administration to continue to persevere in the face of a U.S. embargo , in the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government of Maduro himself ?
Could you talk about the ability of this administration to survive ?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : Well , I think the key thing is that , again , most U.S. policymakers continue to look at Venezuela as Maduro teetering , because , again , their main informants are Guaidó and the opposition , rather than open up space , rather than engage in conversation , in negotiations .
Maduro actually still has military support .
We saw that once again on Sunday when the so-called invasion happened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Miguel .
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS : So I think it ’ s fundamental to understand Venezuela needs negotiations and conversation , not invasions .
AMY GOODMAN : Miguel Tinker Salas is a professor at Pomona College in Claremont , California , author of The Enduring Legacy : Oil , Culture , and Society in Venezuela .
That does it for our show .
Democracy Now !
is working with as few people on site as possible .
The majority of our amazing team is working from home .
I ’ m Amy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe .

We look at an incredible story unfolding in Venezuela of a failed coup attempt. Did a former Green Beret mastermind it? Two Americans have been arrested in Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro claims the U.S. was behind the plot. “It looks like a bad Rambo movie, or a really bad telenovela,” says Miguel Tinker Salas, author of The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela. He notes that “the U.S. is seeking regime change … and the consequences for Venezuela could be very dire going forward.”
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. We’re in the epicenter of the pandemic, as we turn now to, though, an incredible story unfolding in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro announced Monday the government had detained two former U.S. Special Forces soldiers who took part in a failed coup attempt against him, after 10 armed men landed in a boat near Caracas on Sunday. Venezuelan authorities killed eight of the men, whom they described as “mercenary terrorists.” Two men were captured. Speaking from his presidential palace, President Maduro showed U.S. passports for the two men, identified as Airan Berry and Luke Denman. A former Green Beret named Jordan Goudreau has acknowledged the men were working with him, and says they attempted to detain Maduro. Maduro accused the U.S. of being behind the plot.
PRESIDENT NICOLÁS MADURO: [translated] Mike Pompeo was betting on this attack and believed that this attack would end the revolution, end the constitution, overthrow the government and kill me. God save us and protect us.
AMY GOODMAN: The former Green Beret, Jordan Goudreau, runs a Florida-based private security firm called Silvercorp USA. He told the Associated Press two Special Forces veterans he fought with in Iraq and Afghanistan were involved in the operation. Goudreau posted a video on Twitter Sunday in which he called the attack “Operation Gideon.”
JORDAN GOUDREAU: At 1700 hours, a daring amphibious raid was launched from the border of Colombia deep into the heart of Caracas. Our men are continuing to fight right now. Our units have been activated in the south, west and east of Venezuela. Commander Nieto is with me, is co-located, and Commander Sequea is on the ground now fighting. Related Story News Analysis | Human Rights Intensifying Sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, Trump Is Weaponizing Coronavirus Trump’s intensification of sanctions against Venezuela and Iran during a pandemic constitutes a crime against humanity. Truthout
AMY GOODMAN: Goudreau told the Associated Press the last time he communicated with the two Americans who were detained was when they were still offshore, running low on fuel.
Goudreau’s plan to oust Maduro reportedly began when he provided security at a concert organized by British billionaire Richard Branson in support of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó. The Associated Press reports Goudreau had a connection to Trump’s longtime bodyguard, Keith Schiller, and Goudreau reportedly accompanied Schiller to a meeting with Guaidó’s representatives last May in Miami. President Trump has denied any involvement, any U.S. involvement.
For more, we’re going to Miguel Tinker Salas, professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California, author of The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela, as well as Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know.
Welcome back to Democracy Now!, Professor. Can you explain what you understand took place? Was this an attempted coup against Venezuela? And at who exactly’s direction?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: It all appears to be an attempted coup. Again, events are unfolding in Venezuela. At the same time, it looks like a real bad Rambo movie or a really bad Venezuelan telenovela.
The reality is that this involved disgruntled Venezuelan military, former police, deserters, political opponents of the Maduro government, and was training in Colombia, and somehow thought that by landing two boats — one in Macuto, right next to the major airport and port, and the other one in Chuao in the state of Aragua — that they would somehow manage to get to Caracas and capture Maduro and install a new government. It is almost fictional.
Unfortunately, it’s operating in a very charged environment, one in which the U.S. is seeking regime change and one in which the opposition has adopted, in fact, support for military action, as it did in 2019 with its support for a coup against Maduro. So, it’s operating in very troubled waters, and the consequences for Venezuela could be very dire, going forward.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Miguel Tinker Salas, there was a report out of Venezuela that there was a contract that surfaced, a $200 million contract, that supposedly the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, signed with Mr. Goudreau in late October. Could you talk about that?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: Sure. Goudreau actually presented the contract to Patricia Poleo, an opposition broadcaster in Florida. And she posted it and reported it on her website, and invited Guaidó and J.J. Rendón, the person in charge of Maduro’s publicity and campaign, and other individuals to come forward and deny it. None have come forward to deny it. So this plot could long-term implicate not only the U.S. government, also the opposition in Venezuela, Guiadó, and others. It also allows them plausible deniability.
I mean, what they want from this is to say, “If it succeeded, we would take credit for it.” They would be part of this transition government. “And if it failed, well, we were not a part of it. We have plausible deniability” — the same way that Trump has plausible deniability, or at least tries to claim plausible deniability.
But I insist it’s the context in which Pompeo, Elliott Abrams and the Trump White House have created, during the pandemic, seeking regime change, imposing further sanctions, tightening those sanctions and authorizing movement of U.S. military to the Caribbean and others, that sets the context and the landscape for which this event happens.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And you mentioned Elliott Abrams. Is it conceivable that President Trump’s special envoy to Venezuela had no knowledge of what was going on here?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: It’s difficult to imagine that given they were training on the Colombian border, an area that is highly surveilled, an area where the Colombian military is very active, that somehow they would not have picked up any information. Plus, Goudreau, when he tweeted, included @realDonaldTrump in his tweets about the activities happening in Venezuela. So, again, what the U.S. would like is possible deniability. We may find out later on that, yes, they knew about it, turned a blind eye to it, see if it would actually be successful, and eventually then take advantage of it if it did.
But again, I insist it’s the context in which it operates that is the most fundamental, because it creates the conditions for a attempted violent, unconstitutional regime change in Venezuela, when in fact what Venezuela needs in this time period is negotiations between the different political forces, where funds can be released, where they can fight the coronavirus, where they can try to find common ground as opposed to continued conflict we’ve seen before.
AMY GOODMAN: So, what more do you know about Silvercorp, this Florida security firm, which provided security for President Trump two years ago at one of his political rallies in North Carolina? A photo shows Goudreau wearing an earpiece at a Trump rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, at a coliseum. And echoes of what is this, Miguel Tinker Salas, especially for young people who don’t know the U.S. involvement in the ’80s in Latin America?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: It has echoes of a Bay of Pigs. It has echoes of psychological operations and psych operations and black op operations that were done in Latin America during the entire 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. It even harkens to Venezuela. In 1806, Francisco Miranda attempted an invasion of Venezuela through La Vela de Coro in the Península Paraguaná and did not have any support from the Afro population in the region. In fact, they rebelled against him.
So there are shades on many things here, which is all very troubling to Venezuela, because, again, Goudreau appears delusional. He seems to be an Erik Prince Blackwater wannabe. He provided security for a concert that was held on February 23rd by Branson on the Cúcuta border with Venezuela. So, he has injected himself into opposition politics, into what was happening with Guaidó at the border. So, again, it’s a very, very dangerous figure. Although he may have this delusional sense of himself and grandeur, he can play in that role because of U.S. policy.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Miguel, we just have about less than a minute left, about 30 seconds. But the ability of the Maduro administration to continue to persevere in the face of a U.S. embargo, in the face now of an indictment by the U.S. government of Maduro himself? Could you talk about the ability of this administration to survive?
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: Well, I think the key thing is that, again, most U.S. policymakers continue to look at Venezuela as Maduro teetering, because, again, their main informants are Guaidó and the opposition, rather than open up space, rather than engage in conversation, in negotiations. Maduro actually still has military support. We saw that once again on Sunday when the so-called invasion happened.
AMY GOODMAN: We have five seconds, Miguel.
MIGUEL TINKER SALAS: So I think it’s fundamental to understand Venezuela needs negotiations and conversation, not invasions.
AMY GOODMAN: Miguel Tinker Salas is a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California, author of The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela.
That does it for our show. Democracy Now! is working with as few people on site as possible. The majority of our amazing team is working from home. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Stay safe.