The Venezuelan economy is being crippled by the sanctions that the US, Canada and European Union have imposed on it. A campaign of misinformation and threat, black propaganda, and physical and economic sabotage is underway as well.
The sanctions impose heavy burdens on ordinary Venezuelans who are just trying to live their lives. Unilateral sanctions are illegal under international law but the the United States has a long history of violating International law with impunity. Former President Obama's declaration that Venezuela is a special national security threat to the United States has frozen it out of the international finance system dominated by the U.S. Dollar. Ellner explains the impacts on life in Venezuela and its struggle to be independent of U.S. imperialism..
While Venezuela's large oil reserves certainly figure into the formation of U.S. neoliberal foreign policy, it's the threat of the good example that drives the viciousness of the U.S. ruling class effort to destroy the Bolivian Revolution and the gains made for the workers, women and the poor.
Steve Ellner, professor in Venezuela, author of many books and articles on Chavista Venezuela, will discuss the impact of these sanctions and the impact of other factors (such as the drop in the price of oil, the reliance on oil exports, economic sabotage by the right-wing, mismanagement) on the Venezuelan people's lives.
Evanston Public Library, Neighbors for Peace, Chicago ALBA Solidarity, Chicago Area Peace Action (CAPA)
Q&A starts about 1:02:36; questions were off mic
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