What about US role in other nations, McIntyre?

McIntyre had penned an article criticising the current Venezuelan President for interfering in the democratic process by undermining the Venezuelan military, “increasing his reliance on them to control the economy, intimidating opponents and suppressing popular discontent.”

I wonder if McIntyre would be willing to tell us of the many times the Government of the US interfered in the democracy of other nations.

Would he be willing to tell us how the US Government subverted the elected government of Dr Cheddi Jagan in Guyana in the 1960s, and installed Forbes Burnham because he was more palatable to their tastes?

Is he aware that the US Government forgot its own history of Guyanese subversion and in 1992 when Jagan was again elected as president, nominated William C Doherty Jr, executive director of the American Institute for Free Labor Development, as US ambassador to Guyana?

Is he aware that Doherty was the man, courtesy of the CIA, allegedly responsible for subverting the Jagan government in the 1960s?

Would he be willing to tell us about the US modus operandi for overthrowing governments? Is it a three-pronged approach? Does it involve creating and strengthening opposition forces, violent street demonstrations, a coup d’etat?

Is this the model currently being used in Venezuela?

Does he remember that in April 2002, Chavez was briefly removed from power by a coup d’etat but was reinstalled two days later after a popular uprising?

Could he tell us whether an unelected president by the name of Pedro Carmona was installed with the courtesy of the US Government? Was he visited immediately after by the then US ambassador to Venezuela, Charles Shapiro? Did his presidency last only for one day?

It is so ironic that the country that touts itself as the bastion of democracy does so much to undermine that same process in other parts of the world.

Please allow me to tell my family and friends in the US that I would no longer be able to visit them.

LINUS F DIDIER Mt Hope up for the 2018 World Cup