Venezuelan Lawmakers Say Video is Evidence CIA is Plotting to Overthrow

[Say_What]

While the US embassy had no comment, Venezuela will turn this video over to US congress

<clips>

CARACAS, Venezuela - Lawmakers allied with President Hugo Chavez showed a videotape Wednesday which they claimed was evidence that the CIA was working with Venezuelan dissidents to overthrow the government.

The video, shown at a news conference at Congress, displayed three men speaking in Spanish about espionage, making contacts with an unspecified embassy, and avoiding detection. The identities of those on the tape were unknown.

Ruling party lawmaker Nicolas Maduro said the video showed U.S. secret agents training dissident military officers and municipal police in espionage and "terrorist" tactics. He said it was filmed in Venezuela in June.

In September, Chavez claimed that his government had a videotape showing a CIA officer training Venezuelan police and civilians in spying.


<http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=8&ArticleID=34504>

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[Judi Lynn]

1. That tape needs to be aired, and SOON.

I've heard it existed a couple of weeks ago. We need that tape to be formally introduced, and shown to the entire world. Whoever has it now won't be safe until it's publically revealed.

_Bush and company need to be outed as the coup plotters. We've known they did it from the first. Everyone knows.

[Say_What]

6. Oct 11 article: Chavez Accuses CIA as Bombings Rock Venezuela

From Truthout.org

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More US dirty trick attempts to destabilize the government of democratically elected Hugo Chavez--same thing happened with Allende in Chile.

Tensions mounted in Venezuela Monday after bombings rocked the capital and an ally of Presi-dent Hugo Chavez accused the CIA of backing opponents trying to oust the beleaguered leader.

Two fuel tankers exploded late Sunday at the capital's municipal airport, 36 hours after the presidential guard barracks and the national telecommunications offices were bombed.

Lawmaker Nicolas Maduro said he would lobby US legislators to open any CIA files on Venezuela.

"Let them declassify the secret documents on CIA involvement and their financing of undercover activities during 2002-2003 because we have hard evidence that the terrorist attacks were planned," he said. He did not mention which US lawmakers would be asked to help.

http://truthout.org/docs_03/101203I.shtml

[mediaman007]

9. Does this mean we have to go to war against our own terrorists?

It just seems like we are guilty of terrorism, if we are truly responsible for creating the chaos in Venezuala.

(Sarcasm) The World just doesn't understand all of the good we do (/Sarcasm)

[RandomKoolzip]

2. How dare these ignorant ethnic peasants elect their own leader?!

The nerve! Don't they understand that the USA corpoation of America selects the leaders of sovereign nations (who just happen to have rich oil reserves) for them, for their own good? They can't be trusted to make their own decisions, dammit!

Now, shut up and watch "Oprah."

[Say_What]

3. Background on US ambassador Shapiro

<clips>

...Shapiro is no stranger to CIA-sponsored subversion and killings. His diplomatic career in the 1980s was centered in El Salvador. He first served as the State Department’s Salvadoran desk officer from 1983 to 1985, and then as the political consular at the US Embassy in San Salvador from 1985 to 1988. That position has commonly been used as a cover for the CIA’s chief of station in a given country.

This period spanned the height of the Salvadoran civil war and the wholesale massacres and assassinations carried out by the military-backed death squads. It also was when the US used El Salvador as a base of operations for its illegal “contra” war against neighboring Nicaragua.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/oct2003/vene-o08.shtml

---

Vheadline.com had also reported about the video on October 16.

<clips>

...Shortly after the Wall Street Journal article came out, the Venezuelan government made information available to the US Embassy in Venezuela, specifically detailing the activities carried out by these two groups.

The Venezuelan government did not receive a response from the US embassy at that time. It was not until plans to assassinate President Chavez surfaced, during his planned visit to Harlem, New York last September, that the Venezuelan government went public denouncing the plot and the existence of terrorist groups, training freely in Florida, conspiring to overthrow the government. In addition, in a televised appearance before the international media, Chavez revealed that his government is in possession of a video, secretly recorded by his security forces, of a CIA officer giving a class to Venezuelans on surveillance.

* Even though President Chavez did not cite the Wall Street Journal article specifically, the international media picked up the report and have challenged the US government to come forward with an explanation for its double standard on terrorism.

The United States was slow in responding. September 30, a few days after Chavez' statements, US Ambassador to Venezuela, Charles S. Shapiro stated "it is not necessarily a crime ... but we are in the full process of collecting information and we must follow all legal procedures ... if there is anyone to blame, our government knows what to do."

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=11400

[AP]

4. That has got to be a federal crime.

I wonder if Mr Hersh can work this into his theory that the CIA is trying to sabotage Dick Cheney.

[La_Serpiente]

5. Wholly Shit?!?

This is HUGE. I wonder if Ollie North and Poindexter over the Office Homeland Security have anything to do with it. Iran / Contra anyone?????

This would blow open the Bushies Oil connections and everything.

Is it just me, or is it by conincidence that all the countries that are having problems this year are because of oil? Bolivia? Venezuela? Iraq? Syria? Afghanistan?

[Say_What]

7. DJ: Video Shows CIA Plot To Oust Venezuela Pres-Chavez Allies

Damn, I'll be away tomorrow and through the weekend. Someone PM me and let me know how this turns out and how the US spins it. Would I love to see that tape!!!

<clips>

... Maduro alleged that undercover U.S. agents were funding and helping opposition governors stockpile thousands of weapons in a plan to topple Chavez's government.

Elements of the video allowed lawmakers "to deduce" that U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro was involved, Maduro claimed.

"This is proof the CIA is acting here," said Maduro. "These people must be defeated with the nationalism of all Venezuelans."

The video was given to Chavez allies by a police officer who decided to abandon the alleged CIA training program, Maduro said. He said the tape would be turned over to the U.S. Congress.

Officials in Washington recently dismissed allegations that the CIA was helping opposition groups topple Venezuela's leftist president.

<http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2003102218260006&Take=1>

[Say_What]

8. US Embassy denies it --Surpise!!

They're saying that is was a private security company and that it's their policy to *support democracy*. Maybe it was like the security agents they're offering $5 million USD for in Colombia. From an updated DJ article:

<clips>

... The U.S. Embassy said in a statement that the video presented by pro-Chavez lawmakers showed an event held by a private security company, not CIA agents. It added that the U.S. government didn't participate in the event.

"Accusations that the Central Intelligence Agency is conspiring against the Venezuelan government don't have any foundation," read the statement. "The policy of the United States is to support democracy."

<http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2003102222350015&Take=1>

[9215]

11. Wakenhut? (sp)

That is a private security company that does alot of dirty things for the US government.

[9215]

10. Boy I hope Hugo can hold

onto power in Venezuela. This video and the positive news about Venezuela from Wall Street is renewing my hope.

Wouldn't it be something to see the thugs booted and Venezuela grow and prosper. Maybe it will become a model for other Latin American countries.

[Judi Lynn]

12. Did you see this article on Brazil's investment in Venezuelan oil?

It was posted yesterday by Say_What:

Petrobras to invest $1.3 bln in Venezuela oilfields
Wed Oct 22, 6:06 PM ET


MARACAIBO, Venezuela, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian (news - web sites) oil firm Petrobras (news - web sites)(PETR3.SA) plans to invest $1.3 billion over the next 10 to 12 years to increase crude production at its Venezuelan oil sites, a company official said Wednesday.



Petrobras Energia Venezuela president Miguel Bibbo told reporters at an oil conference that production of medium crude at the Oritupano Leona field was currently at 47,000 barrels per day (bpd) and could reach 80,000 bpd between 2007 to 2008.


He said output at the smaller La Concepcion site was expected to more than double over the next four years.


"La Concepcion is at around 14,500 bpd and will go to 40,000 bpd," Bibbo said referring to the light crude operation.


Petrobras foresees investing a total of about $1.3 billion to develop its four Venezuelan crude sites with most of the financing going into the Oritupano deposit, he said. Petrobras Energia Venezuela is also developing the Acema and Mata sites and natural gas projects in the world's No. 5 exporter. (snip/...)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031022/fin_enr/venezuela_petrobras_1

Things are happening DESPITE the machinations in _Bush's White House!

[9215]

13. More good news

thanks.

I can't wait to see that video and see how Congress handles it. Back in 2002 around the time of the first coup I remember a group of Congresspeople sent a letter to Bush in opposition to US involvement. Can't remember who it was. Whoever it was I'd like to give them a heads up about this video.

I'll root around in my files. :hi:

[9215]

14. boot

kick