Corporate Coup: Venezuela and the End of US Empire

Corporate Coup looks at the attempted overthrow of the elected government of Venezuela, an intervention which, despite open backing by the United States, failed dismally. In January of 2019, the Trump Administration decided to recognize a previously little known opposition lawmaker named Juan Guaidó as President of Venezuela. The policy was unprecedented-- while Washington's history of coups in Latin America is well documented, never before had the United States taken the step of legally recognizing a new government before an actual change in leadership had taken place. Within months it became clear that the attempt at regime change had fallen flat: all Venezuelan territory, government ministries, and the country's military remained under the control of President Nicolás Maduro. While US officials, such as Trump Venezuela Envoy Elliott Abrams boasted that roughly 54 countries followed Washington's lead and recognized Guaidó's authority, the vast majority of United Nations member states rejected the coup policy and maintained relations with Maduro's government. Three years on from the coup attempt, Venezuela's government is firmly in place and Guaidó is virtually nowhere to be seen. So what did this ham-fisted regime change effort truly achieve? Parampil provides a narrative history of the Chavista revolution and offers character sketches of the figures who have come to lead it since Hugo Chávez's death in 2014. She shows how Guaidó's shadow regime consisted of individuals with deep connections to transnational corporations which sought to overturn the revolution and exploit Venezuela's resources, revealing their plot to steal Citgo Petroleum, the country's most valuable international asset.Corporate Coup exposes the hidden personalities and interests driving US policy on Venezuela, revealing that while the recognition of Guaidó failed at changing reality on the ground in Caracas, it succeeded in providing cover for the unprecedented looting of the country's internationally-stored wealth. It is based on the extensive investigation and on-the-ground reporting Anya Parampil has conducted since the US coup attempt began, during which she cultivated relationships with top Venezuelan government officials as well as members of the country's opposition who oppose Guaidó and US sanction policy. This gripping story from Venezuela encapsulates the tenor of a US foreign policy that is happy to trample on democratic norms and illustrates how a new, multipolar world is rising in order to resist it. Corporate Coup looks at the attempted overthrow of the elected government of Venezuela, an intervention which, despite open backing by the United States, failed dismally. In January of 2019, the Trump Administration decided to recognize a previously little known opposition lawmaker named Juan Guaid as President of Venezuela. The policy was unprecedented whileWashingtons history of coups in Latin America is well documented, never before had the United States taken the step of legally recognizing a new government before an actual change in leadership had taken place. Within months it became clear that the attempt at regime change had fallen all Venezuelan territory, government ministries, and the countrys military remained under the control of President Nicols Maduro. While US officials, such as Trump Venezuela Envoy Elliott Abrams boasted that roughly 54 countries followed Washingtons lead and recognized Guaids authority, the vast majority of United Nations member states rejected the coup policy and maintained relations with Maduros government. Three years on from the coup attempt, Venezuelas government is firmly in place and Guaid is virtually nowhere to be seen. So what did this ham-fisted regime change effort truly achieve? Parampil provides a narrative history of the Chavista revolution and offers character sketches of the figures who have come to lead it since Hugo Chvezs death in 2014. She shows how Guaids shadow regime consisted of individuals with deep connections to transnational corporations which sought to overturn the revolution and exploit Venezuelas resources, revealing their plot to steal Citgo Petroleum, the countrys most valuable international asset. Corporate Coup exposes the hidden personalities and interests driving US policy on Venezuela, revealing that while the recognition of Guaid failed at changing reality on the ground in Caracas, it succeeded in providing cover for the unprecedented looting of the countrys internationally-stored wealth. It is based on the extensive investigation and on-the-ground reporting Anya Parampil has conducted since the US coup attempt began, during which she cultivated relationships with top Venezuelan government officials as well as members of the countrys opposition who oppose Guaid and US sanction policy. This gripping story from Venezuela encapsulates the tenor of a US foreign policy that is happy to trample on democratic norms and illustrates how a new, multipolar world is rising in order to resist it. Corporate Coup looks at the attempted overthrow of the elected government of Venezuela, an intervention which, despite open backing by the United States, failed spectacularly. In January of 2019, the Trump Administration recognized a little-known opposition lawmaker named Juan Guaidó as President of Venezuela. While Washington’s history of coups in Latin America is well-documented, this step was unprecedented: Never before had the United States offered legal recognition to a new government before an actual change in leadership had taken place. Within months it became clear that the attempt at regime change had fallen flat: all Venezuelan territory, government ministries, and the country’s military remained under the control of President Nicolás Maduro. While US officials, notably Trump’s Venezuela Envoy Elliott Abrams, boasted that roughly 54 countries had followed Washington’s lead in recognizing Guaidó’s authority, the vast majority of United Nations member states rejected the attempted coup. Four years on, Venezuela’s government is firmly in place and Guaidó is nowhere to be seen. In this fast-paced story, investigative reporter Anya Parampil provides a narrative history of the Chavista revolution and offers character sketches of the figures who took over its leadership after Hugo Chávez’s death in 2014. She shows how Guaidó’s shadow regime consisted of individuals with deep connections to transnational corporations that sought to overturn the revolution and exploit Venezuela’s resources. In particular she uncovers their plot to steal Citgo Petroleum, the country’s most valuable international asset. Corporate Coup exposes the hidden personalities and interests driving US policy on Venezuela, revealing that while the recognition of Guaidó failed at changing reality on the ground in Caracas, it succeeded in facilitating the unprecedented looting of the country’s extensive foreign reserves. This gripping story from Venezuela shines light on the grim, shadowy character of a US foreign policy that tramples on democratic norms around the globe. And it points to a dramatic consequence of such policy: the rise of a new, multipolar world heralding the end of US empire. FOREWORD Jorge Arreaza PREFACE Why Venezuela? INTRODUCTION Project for the New American Century ONE The Medieval Siege TWO Alex Saab’s Story THREE The “Sexy Tricks” of Information War FOUR Juan Guaidó, Imperial Incubator Baby FIVE Bolton’s Blowback; Monroe’s Morose SIX Sex, Drugs, and Disorder on the Border SEVEN The Organization of American Satellite States EIGHT One Tough Cookie NINE Carlos Vecchio: From Exxon to Ambassador TEN The Good, the Bad, and Ricardo Hausmann ELEVEN Human Rights, Human Wrongs TWELVE The Beginning of History and the First Man THIRTEEN Swing for the Fences FOURTEEN The Citgo Conspiracy FIFTEEN Operation Gideon SIXTEEN Election Exceptionalism SEVENTEEN The Ecstasy of Gold AFTERWORD The Multidimensional Chessboard ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BIBLIOGRAPHY