VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes: Why are some National Endowment for Democracy (NED) bigwigs going to Venezuela to rationalize their actions?

Do I have to re-print the list of the anti-Chavez movements which did receive monies from the NED?

According to recent information

abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=227920 “The financing by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for Venezuelan pro-democracy groups provoked a diplomatic row earlier this year between Washington and populist Chavez, a fierce critic of President Bush's policies, NED President Carl Gershman and two other members of the group would visit Caracas Monday and Tuesday, an NED spokeswoman told Reuters.”

Pro-democracy groups? From memory, the following are some of the so-called pro-democracy Venezuelan groups which received financing from the NED: Sumate, Fedecamaras, the CTV and Agrupacion Procalidad de Vida … all of which are rabidly anti-Chavez .. and all of which were directly involved in the many attempts to undemocratically discredit and oust democratically-elected Chavez from power.

The report also states, “Washington has denied any interference in Venezuela, which is a leading supplier of oil to the United States. The NED, which describes itself as a private, non-profit organization created in 1983 to strengthen democracy around the world, denies seeking Chavez' removal.”

Denies seeking Chavez' removal?

Poppycock … there is plenty of evidence to the contrary!

I don't understand these people … what are they?

Psychopathic liars?

And… “The NED says it funds non-government groups in Venezuela and around the world promoting political rights, freedom of expression, professional journalism and conflict mediation.”

I think that there is something fundamentally warped with the NED's stance … and about who they really are and who they are really working for.

They do not promote democracy … they promote US-friendly criminal factions abroad. They do not promote political rights … they promote political movements which are US-friendly and which are willing to be co-conspirators in the US government's attempt at imposing their ways:

www.newamericancentury.org/ “free trade” and world economic and military domination — the PNAC. (Note the section “Statement of Principles” … and at the bottom of the page, notice who the “signees” are … you may be surprised!

The NED does not promote freedom of expression or professional journalism, unless what they mean by “professional journalism” is to publish whatever is pro-USA. Take one simple example: The NED financed the Haitians who illegally and undemocratically ousted Aristides earlier this year. Even though Aristides was forced out of power (kidnapped) by the US government and their Haitian counterparts, the “professional journalists” reported that Aristides had given his resignation.

Nice work guys! Nice pro-USA, pro-NED work!

Furthermore … Aristides was basically “shut up” and “shut off” … no freedom of expression whatsoever. Today, as per reports we receive in Quebec, Canada (which has a large Haitian population) … the Haitian people are worse off than ever before … and the US-installed government is assassinating innocent people left and right.

Nice work, NED! Very nice!

Congratulations on your promotion of democracy .. hummm.

The Reuters report goes on to say “The purpose of this trip is to seek a better understanding with the government about the Endowment itself as an organization, and about the objectives of our grants to civil society groups in Venezuela…”

Civil societies? What?

These are wealthy Venezuelans who are stuffing their pockets with US funds (a scam, first of all) and who are willing to sell Venezuela to anyone who is ready to give them some additional spending money for their lengthy vacations at Disney World. These so-called Venezuelan civil societies (a misnomer, just at the NED is a misnomer) openly called for the death of Chavez, openly incited civil unrest, they blocked streets and highways, they closed industry, they sabotaged PDVSA, they threw rocks and bottles at people, they were involved in the April 2002 coup against Chavez … and much more.

Civilized? Yeah, sure, … civilized!

Hummm… Very civilized!

Democratic? Yeah, sure, … democratic!

Now the NED hotshots want to talk with the Venezuelan government because they are worried that some of the people who received funds from the NED may face criminal trials.

What is this?

I certainly hope that the Venezuelan government will not fall for the lies, excuses and rationalizations offered by the NED. The NED is a criminal-sponsoring terrorist organization which promotes violence throughout the world.

How come the NED isn't on the US government's list of terrorist organizations?

Why would Venezuela even let these terrorists into Venezuela in the first place?

What for?

To let them secretly meet up with more anti-democratic Venezuelans who might need more financing for an upcoming plan to try to oust Chavez from power again?

…or maybe to assassinate him, as some anti-Chavez sectors have stated?

The visit by the NED to Venezuela would be the equivalent to the USA allowing Osama Bin Laden to freely enter the USA where he would meet with Washington officials to talk about his stance .. and where he would be allowed to present his rationalizations for all the “terrorist” threats and actions taken against the USA on US territory. During his “free” visit to the USA, Osama would also take the opportunity to meet with radical anti-USA terrorist factions within the USA itself.

Fortunately, I am sure that Chavez and most of his cabinet are well aware of the hypocrisy of the US government and of its institutions … institutions such as the NED and USAID (which also finances anti-democracy movements throughout the world).

Ah … it looks like I will have to re-publish the long list of NED recipients in Venezuela … that is, the list I was able to compile without having to resort to The “Freedom” of Information Act. The NED does not publish a “public” list of its grant recipients in a timely or current fashion … I wonder why?

www.venezuelafoia.info/ Some “real” and responsible journalists managed to get additional information about the NED's financing practices … but they had to use the Freedom of Information Act to squeeze the information out of the NED. Democracy?

I wouldn't believe a word coming from the mouth of the NED … How many times do we have to be lied to before we wake up to reality?

Does “political freedom” (which the NED proclaims to promote) include the act of openly calling for the death of a democratically-elected leader?

Oscar Heck
mailto:oscar@vheadline.com

www.vheadline.com/heck