US should back off Venezuela already

We should all be ashamed at how our government adds to the suffering of Venezuelans. Most of their suffering is due to corrupt political leaders. Some is due to sinking oil prices affecting 95 percent of their exports. But a major factor are the crippling U.S. sanctions designed to rid the U.S. of a socialist regime. U.S. propaganda hides our mendacity and the truth about Venezuelan governance from the American people. Trump’s new round of sanctions in 2017 pulled $6 billion from its economy the first year. Former United Nations special rapporteur Alfred De Zayas studied the crisis that year, determining U.S. sanctions constituted “economic warfare,” and recommending the International Criminal Court investigate U.S. sanctions as “crimes against humanity.”

Most Venezuelans just want removal of cruel U.S. sanctions, access to international credit and an end to criminal threats of military intervention.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Socialists in the U.S. must be applauding the situation in Venezuela, which shows how corruption can destroy a nation.

Francis Elliott

Power leads to corruption, and Venezuela’s presidential system is broken. Venezuela should switch to a dual leader system; limit the president to a single five-year term. When the actions of the president are disastrous, people should be able to resist.

Carl M. Huang

“The Trump administration has declared Nicolas Maduro’s presidency illegitimate.” Breathtaking arrogance by U.S. empire.

Maybe all other countries should simply cancel any upcoming elections and wait for a Washington official to appoint their presidents or prime ministers?

Valera Goetz

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