Commentary: Biden administration pirates presidential plane, violates Venezuelan sovereignty

On Monday September 2, the U.S. government seized the official presidential plane of Venezuela, often used by President Nicolas Maduro. The Biden administration had Dominican authorities do their dirty work, stealing the plane while it was on the island for maintenance. It was then flown to Miami, where stolen goods and illegal shipments often enter the United States.

This theft is a pathetic attempt to wrestle some control over the independent nation that recently re-elected the former union bus driver as its president. It is a direct violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty, using U.S. economic sanctions as cover.

Similar to the kidnapping and imprisonment of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab in 2020, the U.S. government believes its sanctions on Venezuela put it above international law. Saab heroically brokered agreements for food, medicine and technical parts in exchange for oil and gold. His capture was clearly retribution for successfully defying the U.S. empire’s attempts to ruin life for everyday Venezuelans.

The international campaign to Free Alex Saab included a spirited rally and press conference outside Saab’s Miami court appearance, embarrassing the Biden administration. In December 2023, clever Venezuelan statecraft secured the freedom of Alex Saab as he left the clutches of U.S. detention and rejoined his family.

This time, it’s not a human who “thwarted” the sanctions regime of the dying U.S. empire, but a $13 million jet. The U.S. claims it was purchased in the U.S. by Venezuela despite U.S. sanctions.

For over 20 years, the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela has been a national democratic revolution that ushered in a radical transformation. Once a primarily oil export state, by nationalizing its oil to serve the needs of the people, Venezuela drastically reduced extreme poverty and achieved tremendous gains in health, housing and education.

Mutually beneficial international trade agreements have resulted in support for domestic industrial production and agriculture. Once mocked for leaving so much productive land unused, resulting in more than 80% of food imported, Venezuela can now feed itself. With this base, it has been able to buttress its people against the wicked sanctions apparatus started under President Obama, continued under Trump, and now by Biden.

From coup attempts, to lockouts, to sanctions and assassination attempts, the success of the Bolivarian Revolution has been to frustrate and overcome U.S. attacks, while strengthening self-reliance and advancing. The U.S. sanctions are like medieval siege warfare.

The timing of Biden’s pirate act is not lost on those who pay attention to the affairs of the Bolivarian Revolution. This same Monday, September 2 also saw the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office issue a warrant for the arrest of failed U.S.-backed presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez on charges of “crimes associated with terrorism.” The prosecutor’s office issued similar charges to another opposition leader, Marina Corina Machado, who lives in Florida. Machado could not run for office in Venezuela due to prior legal violations. Both Gonzalez and Machado represent the richest of the rich in Venezuela and Miami, wishing to roll back the gains of working class Venezuelans.

This July, Maduro won with 51% and Gonzalez, the handpicked candidate of Wall Street and the Biden administration, lost with 44%. Other candidates split the remainder. Of course, the U.S. government and all of its stenographers in the corporate media have been disputing the results and supporting the outrageous claim by the opposition that Gonzalez won in a landslide.

As in past incidents, the U.S. regime change operation kicked into gear after it was clear the U.S.-backed candidate lost the election. Like election fakers elsewhere, the rich people and their paid lackeys launched protests that turned into violent clashes, attempting to sow chaos and distrust. Like so many other times before, the Venezuelan masses took to the streets in far greater numbers to support President Maduro and once again defend their Bolivarian Revolution.

It is clear: this is an attack on President Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan state, and the Bolivarian Revolution. Much like the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s genocide against Palestine, the Democrats supporting the elite opposition of Venezuela is gross and a failure.

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