Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Analysis of US Backed Propaganda on Colombia - Venezuela Border



Please watch these videos and read the analysis of the videos - where the person in the videos is portrayed as Venezuelan but in the second video - he makes clear that he is Colombian.

https://twitter.com/wradiocolombia/status/1099697454163918848?s=12&fbclid=IwAR26osfAhMlhLmsu_DEP933BBTnGoLWz4l9cvVNXq_U2MPYpTINRZ9TSP7o  

This video is from the radio station La W Radio that also use FB and twitter to comunícate the news,  

The reporter  is saying a group of Venezuelan citizens,  are trying to cross the border to Venezuela Illegally because the border is close at the moment by Venezuelan authorities.  The reporter starts asking questions to the guy with the pink mask and the already famous US Marines baseball cap.

Notice also the watch and the Oakley sun glasés the man is wearing and you know that this guy is not a poor Venezuelan.  He also has a very heavy Medellin accent.
She asks,  Mr., you will try to cross the border today?

He answers: “Yes we will pass under the bridge. Since we can walk on it.”

Just before she asks any questión he is speaking  Medellin slang.  He said, “This will get hotter! As soon it get hot we will cross don’t worry,” to all the  people he. Appears to be directing.

The reporter asks, “Are you not afraid “they will attack you, because in Colombia the official story is that the Venezuelan national guard attacked the truck with the “humanitarian aid.”

He answers, “That is why TV is here to guarantee that they refrained from attacking us.    They have lethal and conventional weapons, I  hope they don’t get used against us.”

The reporter then asks, Do you know what happened yesterday?”

He said, “Yes we are already 3 days in tho this conflict and there is no way back.”

This particular guy is in many videos,  After he takes the mask and the baseball cap off . . . see next video:

https://twitter.com/espacio_ar/status/1099713543467925504?s=12&fbclid=IwAR3dN8wwU_u8ykgUmrHj6RZBY2JXsYwZp5VkwZMBt0W9dApQkQspWzI9AQY

This is a large group of young people.  The guy with the hat talking to the camera, said “I’m feo Medellin,” and the other person said,  so what are you doing here? He said, “Fight for your country. I’m 1000% Colombian and 100’% Venezuelan, and will fight with all my heart!”

The young people of Medellin belong in general to the ghetto  “Call las comunas, har core sicarios.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ColombiaApoyaaGustavoPetro/permalink/2165518230233547  

This crazy Colombian Uribista is declaring war already in Venezuela.  They gather a few people and start to talk about how we progressives, are tha same as Maduro.  He specifically names Gustavo Petro, and says the Colombian and Venezuelans will have to fight and kill all the left ! He also said that USA says “all the options are on the table, who will chose now!”


Is a shame.  What they are doing is promoting war between brothers.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Colombians on Front Lines of Efforts for A Peaceful Solution

Submitted to NJ Anti War Agenda by Elizabeth Castenades, of Colombia

For you dear friends of peace, asking why a Colombian Human Rights activist, like me opposes the possible war on Venezuela: 

We want to share the sad reality of Colombia, the neighboring country who’s president want to teach Venezuelan government how to behave with the citizens and specially the opposition.

 So many people have been killed, because they promote human rights, because they oppose Meagan projects or because they belong to a civil movement.

 We keep asking how in the world @IvanDuque president of Colombia, who  can not guarantee the life of Colombian  people can promote a military intervention in Venezuela?
How. If his party Centro Democrático, try to shut down the opposition movement, by imposing illegal sanctions, and by using the most unethical methods.

 Ivan Duque has no moral authority to interfere with the movement in Venezuela.

 I am a believer in the civil movement and know that is the only way to achieve sustainable progress in a democracy, I hope for my Venezuela s brothers and sisters , a democratic way out of this crisis ! I hope that includes freedom of speech for both countries, a more green and clean economy, a free and good quality education, but by any means NO WAR ! 

 War will be a very negative thing for the whole hemisphere! 

 Please I ask you continue pushing for a peaceful solution to the ongoing situation! And educate yourselves about the Human Rights crisis in Colombia, so you will understand why this justification of “we will set them free” is a big fat lie! 

 Please American citizens that appreciate so much your own freedom and your own democracy, help all of the citizens of this hemisphere to achieve a democracy and not more paper democracies , where just a few have a said! For Real Peace and Democracy , people self determination!.

Elizabeth Castanedas, the author of this commentary is interested in working on panel discussions around NJ in Spanish on the situation in Venezuela and how it relates to Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico and other nations and peoples of Latin America.

You can reach her at: ElizabethCastanedas@icloud.com .

Video: 

Nos Están Matando / They're Killing Us

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Monday, February 18, 2019

Where is Booker Regarding Venezuela? NJ Media Challenge


Where is Booker Regarding Venezuela?  NJ Media Challenge

This is an open letter to all media outlets, reporters, social media, the NJ blogosphere – everyone sharing news and opinions in NJ around political matters.

On Friday, February 15, a $1000 a ticket 'happy hour' in Newark hosted by Cory Booker as part of his presidential bid launch was met by 3 dozen protesters who were demanding opposition from Booker to current attempts of the US to intervene and use what we consider extra legal means to change the government of Venezuela and to transfer ownership and control of the resources of Venezuela, including the world’s largest reserve of oil.

A description of the event is here.

A live stream from the event is here.
Facebook Livestream from event

Preceding the event, organizers of Hands Off Venezuela – NJ group sent press releases to over 300 media outlets and reporters.  Commendably, there was a single outlet, NJ Today, that did provide a decent advance article and there was a Spansih radio station Rebelde that live streamed the event to their website.

No other media showed up or covered it.

After the event, our press release of the event was sent to the same 300 plus outlets and reporters, including live stream link and so far we are not hearing back from any of them or seeing any media coverage.

We are possibly a few days away from what the US is promising will be a major challenge to the Venezuelan nation, an attempt to strong arm weaponized humanitarian aid into Venezuela.  The International Red Cross and the UN humanitarian agencies are refusing to provide cover for the hostile operation.  This could cause a provocation that leads to military intervention by the US and it’s regional allies, the militarized state of Colombia and the far right regime of Bolsonaro in Brazil.

Booker has been quiet on this issue in recent days – not making any strong opinion known.  That is a problem for his image as a progressive candidate.  For many, a progressive candidate should reflect opposition to regime change and militarism – a pro-peace position on issues.  Should Booker make it to the primaries, NJ voters have a right to know what he did and where he stood on the US operations against Venezuela  - especially if US is successful in imposing the disaster it currently threatens against Venezuela.

Most I believe would agree – including editors and reporters and media outlets – that a serious presidential candidate should be willing to stake out a clear position, especially before such a significant escalation as is planned for February 23.

I am hereby challenging NJ media – to help uncover where Booker stands on Venezuela.  I am also challenging you to turn some attention to the concerns of NJ residents who are in opposition
I challenge the editors, the bloggers, the reporters – to reach out to Booker for his position and if you can not track him down, go to his top aid Matt Klapper who could be more accessible.  He actually met with us when we were protesting – even brought coffee and a refill to one of the protesters.  I asked him to take pictures of our signs and banners to show Booker and to take copies of my paper NJ AntiWarAgenda to give to Booker and staff members.  So there is no doubt that our concerns were brought to Booker’s attention, if our 2 hours of speaking and chanting outside his fundraiser venue was not clear enough.

I am going to be encouraging colleagues to retweet this article to the media outlets of NJ – we are looking for NJ media to step up to the plate to find out where NJ’s presidential candidate stands on the Venezuela situation and also hopefully to provide some coverage of the important opinions of those of us who are calling for a pause of this sure to be major disaster of a policy that the US is propagating toward Venezuela.

When I originally learned about activism in the 70’s and 80’s – we would do a press release, fax it, do a follow up phone call, talk to actual reporters and usually there was interest in writing about out concerns or activities.  It is understood nowadays that there have been staff reductions and that there is an abundance of noise and competing interests trying to get media attention for one thing or another.  It is a much more challenging endeavor to try to convince media outlets and even individual reporters about the importance of what they are doing – so I am resorting to this public challenge.  Hopefully some reporters or media outlet will figure out a way to determine:

WHERE’S BOOKER – ON USE POLICY TOWARD VENEZUELA!

If US brings warfare to Latin America and Booker was silent on the eve of this disaster it will definitely blemish his credentials for President – and even for his reelection for US Senate in 2020 if he comes up short in the primaries.

If the NJ media fails to bring out Booker’s position – or even to bother at all asking what is Booker’s position – it too must share the blame from whatever resulting bloodshed and mayhem results.

Any of you that would like to discuss this further – call or write me at 908-881-5275

All readers are invited to RT the below and also to send similar tweets to your favorite reporters.

Please Retweet the following:

NJ DOT COM / Related

Asbury Park Press




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Sunday, February 17, 2019

Tweet Lobbying NJ Reps Against VZ Intervention

The following are tweets - all you have to do is RT.  It sends a link to our protest outside Booker's inaugural $1000 a plate fundraiser at PJ Ryans at the Rock in Newark this past Friday, February 15,  For 2 hours we pumped our protest into the event through a VERY LOUD sound system.

The article I tweeted to the entire NJ delegation, including the 1 republican Chris Smith includes a link to a live stream of a good portion of the event.

Please click, one, a few or all of the tweets - and just RT.  You can quickly lobby the entire delegation.

Sen Cory Booker

Sen. Bob Menendez
Bonnie Watson Coleman
 Mikie Sherrill
Donald Payne
Bill Pascrell
Albio Sires
Josh Gottheimer
Chris Smith
Andy Kim
Jeff Van Drew
Don Norcross
Frank Pallone
Tom Malinowski
You can also send an e-mail to your congress members at this link.
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Saturday, February 16, 2019

Booker on Blast: Hands Off Venezuela


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Bob Witanek 908-881-5275 bwitanek@igc.org Jay Arena (English and Spanish) jarenanynola@gmail.com 504-520-9521

Constituents of NJ Senator and now presidential candidate Cory Booker, quite literally, put him on blast on Friday, February 15.

Facebook Livestream from event

Frustrated by lack of opposition by Cory Booker to what they see as US threats of a coup and possible invasion of Venezuela, about 3 dozen anti-war and community activists joined forces to rain on Booker’s inaugural fundraising event for his 2020 Presidential campaign, Friday, February 15.

Using a powerful sound system, for about two hours from 5 - 7 pm, the protesters pumped loud chants and impassioned speeches, which were also loud, into PJ Ryans at the Rock where the Booker launch was hosting a $1000 per ticket fundraising event, first from across the narrow Edison Street, and later from the street, just feet away from the front of the restaurant.  The protesters were relentless in their attempts to get a message across against the moves toward a possible coup and invasion of Venezuela.  They also raised related issues of what they saw as Booker’s failures as mayor of Newark, reparations for descendants of the victims of the Transatlantic Enslavement Trade, school privatization, Newark’s water problems, ICE detention support provided by Essex County’s Democratic Party and the need to fund human needs instead of spreading US warfare.

Booker has been mostly silent since the coup moves by the United States and Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi has issued a statement strongly supportive of the Trump Administration and its moves against the nation and people of Venezuela.  Thus far, Tulsi Gabbard is the only Democratic Party announced candidate that has stated anything strongly critical of the Trump Administration’s attempt to foment a coup against the nation of Venezuela.  There are less than ten or so Democrats in congress and the US Senate who have stated any opposition, aside from vague tactical criticism, to the Trump Administration policy.

Several times during the event, one of the organizers of the event Bob Witanek of Hands Off Venezuela - NJ and NJ Anti War Agenda through the sound system invited Cory Booker to come out from the restaurant and bar establishment to declare opposition to the “coup plotting” that they state the US is pursuing toward Venezuela.  At the end of the rally, Witanek issued the “Cory Booker Challenge” - challenging Booker to within the next 3 days issue some sort of statement calling for a pause on US coup making toward Venezuela.

Among the speakers at the event:

Zulu Sharod  denounced the “imperialist” war policies on behalf of transnational corporations and denounced both the Democratic and Republican parties as “war parties”.

Lisa Davis, of Black is Back coalition made a passionate demand to fund Reparations for the victims of the transnational enslavement trade and not war and stated that no political leaders can come into the Black communities without addressing the issue of reparations.

Esteban Guevara, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation gave a historic background of the developments leading to the current situation, documenting a history of US attempts to thwart the direction of Venezuela in shifting the use of the national resources toward meeting the needs of the Venezuelan people - including the US imposed sanctions that have greatly contributed to the humanitarian crisis there according to Guevera and other protesters. 

 Jay Arena, of Jobs and Equal Rights for All Campaign highlighted connections between US foreign policy and its repressive immigration policies including Essex County's contract with ICE to house detained  immigrants in horrendous conditions of the Essex County Jail facilty.

Munirah Bonami, a Newark resident active in the Newark Water Coalition and around decarceration and justice issues highlighted what the protesters consider the failures of Booker when he was Mayor of Newark,

Elizabeth Castanedas from Colombia talked about the struggle within Colombia to oppose that nation’s complicity in the US coup plots and a possible future invasion.

John Lisowski of American Party of Labor detailed the war criminal background of Elliott Abrams who over saw the US support for death squads in Central American in the 80s and was convicted for criminal contempt of US Congress and is now coordinating the US operations against Venezuela.

For the complete presentations by these and other speakers, readers can watch the Facebook livestream video at this Facebook Livestream from event .

At one point the protesters were told to leave the sidewalk which is technically owned by the Prudential company so they moved into the street that had been blocked off by the police for the Booker event.  Later they were asked to move again to the edge of the sidewalk.  The protesters complied with the requests - but throughout the event, they continued to pump their amplified around into the Booker venue.

The protesters held signs and an 8 foot banner festooned with the colors of the eight star Venezuelan Bolivarian flag that states: "New Jersey Says Hands off Venezuela! Rescind Guaido! Lift Sanctions! No US War in Latin America!", including the website NJAntiWarAgende.org and phone number 908-881-5275 for anyone wanting more information or to get involved.

Another banner states: Money for Water, Not War, Not A Wall!  Newark Says No War!  That banner is a reference to the failure of Newark’s water system the majority of which is contaminated with excessive levels of lead.

Among the chants pumped into the Booker event were:
“Corey Booker Hands Off Venezuela” and “Hey Booker, We Demand Peace! From Venezuela to the Middle East!”

Another chant put forward an ominous warning of future protests of Booker:“Wherever you go, whatever you do, we’re going to let you know, we are against the coup.”

A half a dozen livestreams were broadcast on Facebook from the event with over 1000 views totalled.

The Hands Off Venezuela - NJ Coalition is dedicated to continuing opposition to the coup plans with support for the March on Wall Street in NYC on February 23, a send off rally near the Path Station in Newark at 10:30 am on February 23 for those going in to the NYC protest as well as those who will rally with them before they hop on the train,  a Camden rally that same day and another rally in Jersey City also that same day, a rally organized by Rutgers New Brunswick students on Tuesday, February 26,11:30 am on College Avenue in New Brunswick, a forum with Green Party Vice Presidential candidate and Black Alliance for Peace founder Ajamu Baraka on February 28, 7pm at Emanual Lutheran Church, on the corner of New and Kirkpatrick Streets in New Brunswick, NJ , organized by the Green Party of NJ and providing organized transportation to the National Hands \Off Venezuela March on the Whitehouse planned for March 16.

The group is also beginning plans for Spanish language panel discussions around New Jersey on the topic. 

 At the beginning of their protest, Booker aid Matt Klapper cordially approached the protesters and promised to show Senator Booker pictures of the banner and to share copies of a newspaper called #NJAntiWarAgenda with Sen. Booker and staff members. He was asked by the protesters to communicate any intentions by Booker to take a position against US coup plotting on Venezuela.

This was not the first NJ action against US coup maneuvers on Venezuela.


On February 2, Madelyn Hoffman, who was the Green Party 2018 challenger to Bob Menendez, and is a representative of NJ Peace Council and Jay Arena challenged US Senator Menendez who has been a primary motivator of US intervention in Venezuela, over his role - the challenge which was captured in this live stream.

Then on February 7 in New Brunswick, a couple of dozen New Brunswick area activists, in a protest organized by the Central Jersey Coalition Against Endless War rallied against US coup moves on Venezuela, livestream.

For more information about these efforts, readers are encouraged to call or text 908-881-5275.

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Please help by retweeting to Cory Booker:

You can tweet lobby the entire NJ delegation in about 2 minutes at this link:

You can also send an e-mail to your congress members at this link.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Protest Friday 5pm Outside Booker Event Against VZ Coup Attempt


Event Link

Group Link

Cory Booker Handed Over Newark’s Public Schools to Wall Street…Now He Wants to Do the Same with Venezuela’s Oil

Hands Off Venezuela!

End the Sanctions and All Forms of US Intervention!

No to Coups, No to US, Brazilian or Colombian Military attacks on Venezuela!

February 13, 2019
For Immediate Release
Hands Off Venezuela/New Jersey
Jay Arena (English and Spanish) jarenanynola@gmail.com 504-520-9521

Demonstration:
Friday, February 15
5 -6:30 PM
35 Edison Pl., PJ Ryan’s at the Rock
Newark, NJ

Hands Off Venezuela/New Jersey, a coalition of immigrant, labor, socialist, peace and civil rights groups from across New Jersey, will gather outside Senator Cory Booker’s $1,000 a plate Presidential Fundraiser to demand an end to the US sanctions and all attempts to overthrow the democratically elected government of Venezuela. “We are part of a growing national and international movement to demand that Trump and his Democratic party collaborators, like Cory Booker, end the sanctions, which are really weapons of mass destruction, and other schemes to over throw the democratically elected Venezuelan government,” said Bob Witanek of Hands Off Venezuela/New Jersey.

Cory Booker’s slogan for his 2020 presidential campaign is “When we join together and work together — we will rise together.” But working together with the criminal Trump regime, and the long-time war monger, the senior Senator from New Jersey, Robert Menendez, will not result in the US and Venezuelan people “rising together”. And Booker, far from condemning the attacks of Trump and Menendez, is working with them to further the demonization of the Venezuelan government, paving the way for an invasion, as he smears the democratically elected government as “alarming on many levels. “What is alarming is that the US is now threatening another war, and carrying out murderous sanctions, that have wrought mass destruction and misery from Iraq and Afghanistan, to Nicaragua and Honduras,” said Newark activist Karl Schwartz.

The real concern of the Republicans and Democrats, and their corporate paymasters, is getting hold of Venezuela’s oil and other natural resources. “Cory Booker has a track record of working to hand over public resources, such as Newark’s Public Schools and the City’s water, to his hedge fund backers, and this is their agenda in Venezuela as well” pointed out long time Newark public school teacher and union activist, Avram Rips.

Hands Off Venezuela/New Jersey calls on Booker for an end to these attacks, and for a redirection of resources to rebuild our crumbling and disappearing public schools, housing, hospitals, mass transit, and fix our lead contaminated water-pipes, among other crises affecting working people in Newark and across the US and world.

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