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Monroe by Proxy

Submitted January 22, 2005 - 2:16 pm by Ron Smith
I think, in terms of Global hegemonic practices by the US, we have 2 different types of intervention programs operating simultaneously. In the Middle East: Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran or Syria next, (who's up for a macabre betting pool?), these are the typical empire-building direct interventions, a la Phillipines, Cuba, and Hawai'i. Then you have empire-building in the Américas, which has, certainly since the 1970's, taken the form of empire by proxy. Haiti is the prime example, as a paramilitary force is trained and supplied, then takes over, with a surprisingly high amount of assistance from the US, perhaps the US didn't have much faith in the FRAPH, they aren't all white after all. In Killing Hope,William Blum does an excellent job of listing the empire-by-proxy adventures of the US, the Nicaraguan contras are a prime example.

In the case of Venezuela, you have a perfect proxy state to the West, the narcostate. The Granda kidnapping illustrates perfectly Uribe's will to violate Venezuelan sovereignty. As diplomatic ties between Venezuela and Colombia steadily erode, the claims from Colombia are that Venezuela harbors terrorists, the usual pre-invasion propaganda. Colombia, then, provides the proxy and the plausible denial. Additionally, we have a case of "who's calling the shots." Uribe has his own agenda, and could very well be an architect of US policy in the Andes. How long did we really think an oligarchal administration, based on drugs, violence, and paramilitary activity, could tolerate a social revolution across its border?

Also of concern are the Venezuelan military participants in the kidnapping. The final piece of the puzzle is Venezuela's neighbor to the South, who with his targeting of Aristide supporters during the Brazilian leadership of the Haiti occupation, has shown himself more than willing to further the imperial agenda. With the Bush administration solidifying its foreign policy through the electoral win and recent inauguration, the window of opportunity is way open. That's what scares the living crap out of me.

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