The drums of war are beating again, and the tune is eerily familiar. This time, the target is Venezuela—a nation rich in oil but crippled by U.S. sanctions, political turmoil, and escalating intervention. Alarmingly, the architects of this push for regime change are the same figures who sold the catastrophic Iraq War, built on lies and imperial hubris.
The Iraq Playbook Repeats in Venezuela
Two decades ago, the U.S. justified invading Iraq with fabricated claims of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), led by Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz. The result? Over a million dead and regional chaos. Now, the same script is being recycled for Venezuela.
Leading the charge are hawks like John Bolton and Elliott Abrams—yes, the Iran-Contra convict rebranded as a “democracy promoter.” Their narrative is identical: Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, is a “dictator” who must be ousted for “freedom.” Never mind that U.S. sanctions have deliberately exacerbated Venezuela’s crisis, creating the suffering now used to justify intervention.
How Sanctions Strangle Venezuela’s Economy
Since 2017, U.S. sanctions have targeted Venezuela’s oil sector—its economic lifeline. The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) estimates $30 billion in lost revenue, causing hyperinflation, mass migration, and shortages of food and medicine.
Instead of easing sanctions, the U.S. doubled down. In 2019, the Trump administration recognized opposition figure Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s “interim president”—a move championed by Bolton and Abrams. When Guaidó’s coup failed, pressure intensified. Now, under Biden, the rhetoric has softened, but regime change remains the goal.
Media Complicity: Echoes of Iraq’s WMD Lies
Just as the media parroted Bush’s WMD claims, outlets today amplify unverified allegations of Maduro’s “brutality” while ignoring sanctions’ role. Remember Judith Miller’s discredited Iraq reporting? Today, similar credulous coverage paints Guaidó as a savior and downplays U.S. economic warfare.
Even the International Criminal Court (ICC) found many allegations against Venezuela unsubstantiated. Yet the narrative persists, serving a geopolitical agenda: control over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest globally.
Who Profits From Venezuela’s Collapse?
The beneficiaries are clear:
– Big Oil, eager to reclaim nationalized resources.
– Defense contractors, hungry for another “forever war.”
For Venezuelans, the cost would be catastrophic. Iraq, Libya, and Syria show the horrors of “humanitarian” wars. The toll would dwarf Venezuela’s current crisis.
The Alternative: Diplomacy Over Destruction
Venezuela’s issues—corruption, polarization, mismanagement—are real. But foreign intervention isn’t the solution. Countries like Mexico and Norway have pushed for negotiations, but the U.S. rejects diplomacy, insisting on regime change.
History proves wars sold as “liberation” bring unimaginable suffering. The Iraq War liars are now targeting Venezuela. Will we stop them this time?
The stakes are global. This isn’t just about Venezuela—it’s about whether we’ve learned from past failures.
Stay skeptical. Challenge the narrative. Or the next war will be on our hands.
— NextMinuteNews
