BAR—The Trump administration’s threats against Venezuela are a reminder that U.S. aggression is thoroughly bipartisan. In 2019, Glen Ford provided this analysis of a Democratic Party presidential debate, in which even progressives were prepared to support Trump’s regime change plans.
VIJAY PRASHAD—We are marching in Gyeongju, a conservative city. The march is led by leaders from the broad left: the Justice Party, the Green Party, and the Labor Party, as well as from social movements (the trade unions and the International Strategy Center). We are moving through the streets. A shopkeeper begins an altercation with the marchers. It is a minor disturbance. She is bothered by the presence of the left in her city. At an intersection, there are a small group of people with flags that interest me, and at that point, Kwon Yeong-guk (leader of the Justice Party) leans over and says to me that they are from a fascist movement; Lee Baek-yoon of the Labor Party says that there is a strain of religious right-wing politics that has been growing. There is still support for the deposed president Yoon, and in that line, for the United States and for Israel.
ROGER BOYD—Larry Ellison founded Oracle decades ago, and through that became a multi-billionaire. The latest estimate puts his net worth at US$344 billion, after he ramped Oracle stock with an utterly unbelievable deal with OpenAI to get Oracle stock that “AI” premium. Like so many of the new oligarchs that are as much stock pumpers and rentier monopolists as providers of any real beneficial products these days. Everything to keep the discourse of endless growth alive; without which their stock prices would be far, far lower.
DANNY HAIPHONG—The discussion centers on recent military activity involving Russian aircraft arriving in Venezuela, the geopolitical implications of potential U.S. intervention in Venezuela, and the broader context of U.S. foreign and domestic policy under the Trump administration. Two Russian IL-76 military transport planes recently landed in Venezuela, possibly carrying military supplies or advisors, but experts agree this is not a sustainable or significant lifeline given U.S. naval power near Venezuela. The experts argue Russia’s logistical and strategic strengths lie closer to home, particularly in Ukraine, and that direct Russian involvement in Venezuela would be a “suicide mission.”
The conversation shifts to critique U.S. policy, emphasizing that the current administration, heavily influenced by figures like Marco Rubio, is pushing aggressively toward regime change in Venezuela.
LAITH MAROUF–Laith’s critique of Mamdani’s election underscores a critical insight into the limitations of Western electoral politics for revolutionary movements. While elections may provide visibility and symbolic victories, they often co-opt radical figures, leading to moderation or abandonment of transformative agendas. This dynamic is evidenced by the trajectories of Muslim and black politicians in Western democracies who, despite promising platforms, ultimately fail to dismantle systemic oppression. This insight stresses the importance of grassroots mobilization over reliance on electoral success for genuine liberation.
