THE GREEN'S FAIL TO CONDEMN US-BACKED ATTEMPTED COUP IN VENEZUELA

Golriz Ghahraman : Coup? What coup?

Unlike the United States Green Party, the New Zeaaland Green Party has failed to condemn the Trump administration's blatant attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro.

ITS DISAPPOINTING but not surprising that the Green Party has not felt compelled to condemn the blatant attempt by the Trump administration to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Nicolas Maduro. This gross violation of international law hasn't compelled former human rights lawyer Golriz Ghahraman to break her silence on Venezuela. The Green Party's spokesperson on foreign affairs is usually not short of a comment or two but her Twitter feed remains resolutely Venezuela-free.

Given that her home country, Iran, is also the target of unwelcome attention from the United States one might of thought Ghahraman would of been instinctively critical of the blatant US-backed attempt to destabilise and overthrow the Maduro government. Apparently not. Ghahraman's outrage, evident on other issues, is missing as far as Venezuela goes.

Similarly co-leader Marama Davidson, who prides herself on her' progressive' politics, has also had nothing to say about Venezuela. Perhaps she might like to consider that many of the nations siding with the Trump administration are former European colonial powers.

The New Zealand Green Party's silence stands in stark contrast to the United States Green Party. It has unequivocally denounced the Trump administration's blatant coup attempt as another in a long line of American interventions in Latin America.

Jill Stein, the Green Party's 2012 and 2016 presidential has commented “There’s a lot we don’t hear about Venezuela — like how the US government has been working for years to destabilise the country and create ‘regime change.’ This intervention includes economic sabotage, attempted coups to put right-wing plutocrats in power, and more. We demand an end to imperialism in all forms, and respect for the self-determination of the Venezuelan people!”

The New York branch of the Green's has said:

"The United States has now provoked a second coup in Venezuela in an attempt to install a friendly regime in a nation with some of the largest oil reserves on Earth. While Trump allies with fascists like Bolsonaro in Brazil and murderous monarchs like Mohammed Bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, his regime has continued US imperial policies by attempting to overthrow a left-wing government in Venezuela and institute neoliberal policies that would plunder the economy for the oligarchs and wealthy that lead the Venezuelan Opposition. The Green Party stands with the Venezuelan people against this blatant imperial attempt at regime change."

Jill Stein : "We demand an end to imperialism in all forms."

It would of been refreshing to have heard something similar from the New Zealand Green Party. Unfortunately it is demonstrating once again just what a docile political partner it has proven to be for the Labour-led government. 

When Jacinda says jump, the Green Party just wants to know how high. So it has simply decided to cravenly follow the lead of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

While her government has not recognised the self-proclaimed presidency of Juan Guaido neither has it condemned the Trump administration's campaign to overthrow Nicolas Maduro. Indeed Ardern's recent comment that the Venezuelan people 'are suffering under the current regime and that they deserve access to their democratic rights and freedoms.” strongly suggests that Ardern thinks that the blame for Venezuela's present predicament can be laid at the door of Maduro. That the Green Party are happy to go along with such a reactionary view is indicative of a political party that has traded away any semblance of political principle for a ministerial office or two.