9 August 2020 — MRonline
by Vijay Prashad and Érika Ortega Sanoja
This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
On August 4, 2020, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Venezuela. Appearing before the committee was U.S. State Department Special Representative Elliott Abrams. Abrams, who has had a long—and controversial—career in the formation of U.S. foreign policy, was assaulted by almost all the members of the Senate committee. The senators, almost without exception, suggested that Abrams had been—since 2019—responsible for a failed U.S. attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Iranian oil tanker Clavel crossing the Gibraltar stretch heading for Venezuela, May 20, 2020
Iranian tankers were 2200 km from the US coast when the Iranian-flagged “Fortune”, followed by “Forest”, entered Venezuelan waters, challenging the US embargo and the US’s threats. The Islamic Republic was broadcasting loud and clear a strong message.
Constitutional President Nicolas Maduro shows the passports of the two U.S. Silvercorp mercenaries captured in Venezuela after the failed raid on Macuto. Photo: AFP
A fisherman from Chuao quietly called out to the mercenaries. Photo: Twitter