Speaking at a press
conference on February 1, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters that
the U.S. government has
“serious concerns” about the situation in Venezuela.McClellan said the U.S. has also spoken to
other Latin American leaders on the subject.“We have made our concerns known when it comes to President Chavez.We have talked about our concerns with other
leaders in the Americas.And we have
made our views known in terms of the way he has treated the opposition in his
country and the way he has treated the media in his country as well, and we
will continue to do so.”
Venezuela’s Foreign Relations
Minister Ali Rodriguez, in response to McClellan’s comments, pointed out that there
is reason to be concerned when the U.S. starts expressing
concerns.“Many countries in the world
have come to know the consequences of the ‘serious concerns’ of the Americans”,
Rodriguez said.The “concern” over Latin
American governments shown by previous U.S. administrations has resulted in
armed invasion and support for brutal dictatorships in order to overthrow
governments that in any way posed a challenge to U.S. imperialist interests, he
said.He highlighted several examples,
including the overthrow of the Arbenz government in Guatemala, the coup against
Salvador Allende in Chile and the invasion of Panama in 1989.Most recently, the U.S. was behind an
unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Chavez government and has openly provided
support to Venezuelan ‘opposition’ leaders who are determined to overthrow
Chavez despite the strong electoral mandate he has received repeatedly from the
Venezuelan people.“The people of
Venezuela have defeated the opposition through nine electoral processes and
have given President Chavez firm and growing support,” Rodriguez said.
McClellan’s comments echo
those made earlier by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who described
President Chavez as a “negative force in the region.”In response to those comments, Chavez told the
World Social Forum that “the most negative force in the world today is the
government of the United States.”