2020-05-08: News Headlines

RT (2020-05-08). When silence speaks volumes: US cut off ALL communication channels with Caracas after botched mercenary raid, says Maduro. rt.com Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that evidence will soon reveal the US leader himself was behind the failed incursion attempt, noting that Washington severed all remaining ties with Caracas thereafter. | In an interview with Uruguayan reporter Jorge Gestoso on Thursday evening, Maduro said the freshly-appointed Ambassador James Story — the first formal US envoy to the country in some 10 years — and other senior American officials were to blame for last weekend's attempted raid, in which two US security contractors were arrested and eight local fighters killed. | "James Story has his feet,…

Steve Ellner (2020-05-08). On The Latest Failed Attempt To Topple Nicolas Maduro. zcomm.org To understand the workings of this latest botched Venezuelan regime-change scheme by a 60-man sea-borne assault group from Colombia, it's necessary to take into account the fragmentation among Venezuelan opposition extremists…

RT (2020-05-08). 'It'd be called an invasion': Trump says he'd use ARMY to raid Venezuela as he doubles down on denial of ordering botched plot. rt.com US President Donald Trump has dismissed claims the foiled plot to kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had government backing, insisting he'd have done it differently — as a proper "invasion" with an "army." | Trump called in to Fox & Friends on Friday to pour cold water on the idea that the mercenaries arrested earlier this week attempting to land at the northern tip of Venezuela were on official business from Washington. | If we ever did anything with Venezuela, it wouldn't be that way. It'd be slightly different. It'd be called an invasion. | Trump denies involvement in a failed operation to ove…

Scott Ritter (2020-05-08). US policy on Venezuela lacks meaningful direction — American mercenaries' involvement in failed coup against Maduro is more proof. thealtworld.com An abortive coup attempt with US ties exposes a lack of leadership and direction as the Trump …

W. T. Whitney (2020-05-08). Venezuela Confronts Intimidation, Myth-making, and Dirty War. counterpunch.org Venezuela's story currently is of vulnerability and precariousness amidst signs of rising U.S. aggression. The imperialist U.S. government wants the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro removed and insists that Venezuela's massive oil reserves and the entire continent remain within the fold of international capitalism. Crucial to these U.S. designs is junior partner Colombia with

Anya Parampil (2020-05-08). Silvercorp co-founder speaks with The Grayzone: What did State Department know about failed Venezuela invasion? thegrayzone.com The Grayzone speaks to Drew White — a close friend and business partner of Silvercorp mercenary firm founder and failed…

Dave Lindorff (2020-05-08). US Wants Release of Two Special Forces Veterans Who Led Failed Coup Invasion of Venezuela. counterpunch.org Imperial overreach was on full display this week as the US government demanded that a pair of US citizens — former Special Forces soldiers leading a 60-man invasion of Venezuela with the goal of fomenting a coup and/or capturing or killing that country's elected president — be released from arrest and returned to the US.

Steve Sweeney (2020-05-08). Guaido Accused of Hiring Mercenaries Behind Foiled Coup Attempt in Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Washington-backed Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaido has been accused of hiring mercenaries responsible for two foiled terror attacks, as more details of the plot begin to emerge. | Venezuelan communications minister Jorge Rodriguez confirmed that the former president of the National …

(2020-05-08). Mercenaries launch attack on Venezuelan coast, driven back. workers.org Workers World received this statement May 4 that originated from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry about the May 3 attack on that country's shores, made even more ominous by the presence of U.S. Navy warships in the waters off Venezuela. Since that day the Venezuelans report that they stopped another similar . . . |

adapted from Peter T. Young (2020-05-08). Hawaiians helped establish Sutter's Fort in Alta California, Republic of Mexico. indybay.org The essential Hawaiian connection with the City of Sacramento remains an open secret. California State Parks could share an inclusive and honest story of early California and the California Gold Rush. Asian Pacific Islanders, Pan Africans and Native Indigenous populations have a story to share…

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (2020-05-08). Venezuela: A Failed US Invasion in the Midst of a Pandemic. globalresearch.ca In the midst of a massive global pandemic that has killed tens of thousands of people and wrecked economies all over the world leaving millions jobless, some terrorists and mercenaries allegedly backed by certain governments had on 3rd May …

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-07). 'Duque ordered to facilitate botched mercenary invasion in Venezuela': Maduro. colombiareports.com Colombia's President Ivan Duque ordered to support American and Venezuelan "mercenaries" to overthrow Venezuela's government, its president Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday. The two former members of the United States' Special…

Telesur (2020-05-07). Mercenary Confesses Failed Plot Was to Bring President Maduro to US. globalresearch.ca Former United States ex-green beret Luke Denman, that was captured Monday by Venezuela's Armed Forces, confessed Wednesday that his group aimed at kidnapping President Nicolas Maduro as part of 'Operation Gedeon'. | "I was expecting anywhere between US$50,000 to US$100,000," …

Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner (2020-05-07). US Investigating Ex-Green Beret, Denies 'Direct' Involvement in Failed Venezuela Coup. venezuelanalysis.com New documents confirm that the Venezuelan opposition signed a contract with Miami-based Silvercorp to kidnap President Nicolas Maduro.

Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner (2020-05-07). US Investigating Ex-Green Beret, Denies 'Direct' Involvement in Failed Venezuela Coup. venezuelanalysis.com New documents confirm that the Venezuelan opposition signed a contract with Florida-based Silvercorp to kidnap President Nicolas Maduro.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-07). Venezuela foils yet another coup attempt. peoplesdispatch.org We look at Operation Gideon, mounted by the Venezuelan opposition with the involvement of US mercenaries, with the aim of overthrowing the legitimate Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro.

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-07). Guardian Blames Trump's Murderous US Exceptionalism on Hugo Chávez. fair.org What better time to vilify the popular former leader of a country under deadly US siege than a deadly pandemic? Such was clearly the reasoning of Guardian journalist Rory Carroll when he penned an op-ed headlined, "Blunder, Distraction, Denial: Trump Follows Chávez's Successful Template" (4/19/20). Seemingly immune to irony, Carroll compares Venezuela's late socialist …

A. Majumdar (2020-05-07). PDF download of May 7 issue. workers.org Click to download entire 12-page PDF May Day coverage. Also: COVID‚Äë19 North Carolina protest; Genocide on Detroit; Cuban medical team; Trump and China; Pennies vs. billions; Tear down the walls A world without prisons; Mumia: On prison guards; Louisiana death camps; ‚ÄÇEditorial Fascists = bosses' tools; World Palestine Britain Venezuela . . . |

Staff (2020-05-07). Headlines for May 7, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 73,400 as 41 States Begin Reopening | , White House Shelves Guidelines on Reopening, as Experts Warn U.S. Failing to Stem COVID-19 Deaths, Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. Children Going Hungry as Unemployment Surges to Great Depression Levels, State Budget Cuts Loom as Trump Rails Against "Blue State Bailouts" | , United Nations Seeks $6.7 Billion for Coronavirus Aid to Poor Countries | , EU Warns Pandemic Economic Recession Will Be Worst in History | , Closing Ceremony of Spanish Coronavirus Field Hospital Marred by Tightly Packed Crowds, Venezuelan TV Airs Video of Arrested U.S. Mercenary Co…

ACLU (2020-05-07). Our Vision for Equitable Marijuana Reform. aclu.org