We should be concerned with sa国际传媒鈥檚 alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump in Venezuela. If you 鈥渇ollow the money,鈥� Venezuela is a low-cost oil producer with the largest oil reserves in the world. It is competitive with Saudi Arabia and U.S. 鈥渇racking鈥� exports.
Venezuela has developed a vertically integrated oil industry like that of 鈥渟ocialist鈥� Norway. It owns the processing, exploration, drilling and sale to its customers. It knows profits in Norway have provided universal health care, free college education, with trillions of dollars in reserve.
Corporations wanting to profit from oil reserves in Venezuela have been shut out. Trump says that sa国际传媒 should join him in bringing 鈥渇reedom鈥� to the people. Notwithstanding, the poor and lower class benefited during the high oil price years and, with the military, still support their chosen government.
In the last election, Trump鈥檚 choice, Juan Guaido, refused to run, telling his followers not to vote and ensuring a victory for the socialist Nicolas Maduro. Trump says this was not a democratic process and wants to 鈥渁ppoint鈥� the unelected political alternative, Guaido.
Perhaps the next Venezuelan election will provide the leader Trump wants. If not 鈥� and if we believe in 鈥渄emocracy鈥� 鈥� shouldn鈥檛 their choice be respected as the will of the people of Venezuela?
sa国际传媒 should not get into double harness with an unprincipled Trump; we have already been thrown under his bus.
To quote an old Scottish saying: 鈥淵ou need a long spoon to sup with the devil.鈥�
Harry Atkinson
Sidney
