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COUNTDOWN TO 1st JUNE! PROTEST TO DEFEND INTERNATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER |
“If the public, particularly the American public, had access to this information, it could spark a debate on the military and our foreign policy in general as it applied to Iraq and Afghanistan, it might cause society to reconsider the need to engage in counter-terrorism while ignoring the human situation of the people we engaged with every day … I felt I accomplished something that would allow me to have a clear conscience.”
In Supporting Bradley
We Support Venezuela
As millions of us mourn the passing of Hugo Chávez, the extraordinary leader of the Bolivarian Revolution which changed Latin America and the world, Wikileaks highlighted a 2006 cable detailing how the US uses NGOs to attempt to destabilize the Venezuelan government. This cable is from the “Cablegate” documents that Bradley Manning released in 2010, one of almost 6,000 that mention President Chávez.
In the cable, the US Ambassador details a five-point program for USAID and the “Office of Transition Initiatives” to fund “human rights” NGOs, in order to “penetrate Chávez’ political base”, “divide Chavismo”, “protect vital US business”, and “isolate Chávez internationally”. He lists specific NGOs that they were funding, over 300 in total.
In a statement he read in court on 28 February 2013, gay US Army PFC Bradley Manning proudly admitted having leaked information to Wikileaks in order to inform the public of US war crimes and government skulduggery that was being kept from us.
He faces charges up to life in prison. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the third time in a row.
We owe a debt to Bradley Manning for leaking this information. In 2002, the US-backed opposition and media in Venezuela attempted a coup against President Chávez which was defeated by a huge popular mobilization, spearheaded by women and supported by soldiers loyal to Chávez. Since that time, the US has funnelled $100m to opposition NGOs, $40-$50m last year alone. Since Chávez’ death, the attempts to roll back the gains against poverty, for free health care, education and other services the revolution enabled, have increased.
Write the US government to demand it recognize the elected President Nicolas Maduro, halt its destabilization efforts, and stop funding violent opposition groups in Venezuela. We know what they have been doing. Bradley let us know. See Action Alert here
1st June: International Actions to Free Bradley Manning
