GLOBAL NEOLIBERALISM

PEPE ESCOBAR—Charges that French intel has manipulated black blocs and inserted undercover agents and casseurs (persons vandalizing property, specifically during protests) to discredit and demonize the Yellow Vests are widespread. As I’ve witnessed in Paris first hand, the feared CRS have been absolutely ruthless in their RAND-conceptualized militarized operations in urban terrain – repression tactics – without excluding the odd beating up of elderly citizens. In contrast, mob rule in Hong Kong is excused as protest against “totalitarian” China.

We speak to political commentator Jimmy Dore on the Mueller report’s summary showing no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, he says the media has no credibility and is bought by the people they’re supposed to be investigating, says the failure of the American neoliberal system led to Donald Trump and gives his take on US regime change attempts in Venezuela.

JONATHAN NACK—The left of the electoral spectrum in Ecuador is occupied by parties which identify with some variant of socialist politics.  It should be noted, however, that the larger parties that identify themselves as socialist have not sought to nationalize industries nor pushed policies to transition from a capitalist economy to a socialist dominated economic system.  The Correistas did very little along those lines when they were in power.  Only smaller socialist and communist Ecuadorian parties advocate moving now to further nationalize industry.

MOA—The German government under Chancellor Angela Merkel is already accused of being too deep inside the U.S. rear.Her party supported the war on Iraq and now joined the illegal regime change attempt in Venezuela. The public is way less pro-American than German politicians. It will be quite difficult for Merkel and others to justify additional billions for U.S. troops in Germany. They are neither needed nor wanted. (The only sound reason to keep the 30,000 U.S. troops in Germany is to prevent them from moving to Poland from where they could threaten the country.)

MARIA PAEZ VICTOR—The USA, Canada, the European Union, the OEA and the so-called Lima group of lackey right wing governments of the region, are attacking the very elections that last year they had clamored to take place. The Venezuelan laws prescribe that the elections were to take place in December 2018 but they wanted the elections last year. The government negotiated with the opposition in the Dominican Republic and an April 2018 date was agreed upon. The opposition asked for more time; the government again agreed and they settled on the 20 May 2018 date.