International Press Gets Briefly Excited about Coup Prospects in Venezuela By Joe Emersberger Ever since the 2002 coup in Venezuela was defeated, the international corporate press has generally ignored it, downplayed its significance, or accused the government of using it as a “distraction” and as a way to smear opponents. However, the recent plunge in oil prices – and absurd predictions that Venezuela could be forced into defaulting on its foreign bonds - clearly had many foreign journalists excited about the prospects of a coup while President Nicolas Maduro was out of the country. The threat was no longer dismissed as Maduro’s paranoia or opportunism but as sober analysis to be encouraged – provided that harsh conclusions that logically follow about the opposition were completely evaded. For example, the AP quoted David Smilde as saying “it is not inconceivable that stakeholders, among which are the armed forces, would step in before Maduro drives the government into single digits of popularity….that would be unfortunate but is within the realm of possibilities. telesurtv.net/english/opinion/International-Press-Gets-Briefly-Excited-about-Coup-Prospects-in-Venezuela-20150126-0015.html
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:57:23 +0000
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