Africa Speaks Reasoning Forum

by Stephen Lendman
November 11, 2019

The late William Blum documented CIA coups since WW II.

They’re staged to advance Washington’s aim for unchallenged global dominance. It’s not a pretty picture.

Variations of the same script are used to topple foreign leaders not subservient enough to US interests.

CIA dirty hands orchestrate things — the undemocratic National Endowment for Democracy, USAID, and other US agencies also involved.

Foreign right-wing politicians and military officials are bought like toothpaste to go along with diabolical plots to topple sovereign independent governments, US dark forces wanting pro-Western puppet rule replacing them.

Blum explained how the plot works, saying “on behalf of American business, and often with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition,” adding:

“First it identifies right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a deal: “We’ll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for us.”

“The Agency then hires, trains and works with them to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy).”

“It uses every (dirty) trick in the book: propaganda, stuffed ballot boxes, purchased elections, extortion, blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents in the local media, infiltration and disruption of opposing political parties, kidnapping(s), beating(s), torture, intimidation, economic sabotage, death squads and even assassination(s).”

“These efforts culminate in a military (or civilian) coup, which installs a right-wing dictator.”

It can be military figures like Pinochet in Chile earlier and el-Sisi in Egypt now, or civilians installed in Brazil, Afghanistan, Iraq, and countless other countries — figures willing to subordinate their nations’ sovereign rights to US interests.

Citing Association for Responsible Dissent data through 1987, Blum explained that “6 million people had died as a result of CIA covert operations,” what he called an “American Holocaust” — the number no doubt infinitely higher over the past three decades, notably post-9/11.

US coups have nothing to do with eliminating threats to national security, nothing to do with humanitarian intervention, nothing to do with democracy building — the latter Blum called Washington’s “deadliest export.”

They have everything to do with transforming sovereign nations into US vassal states, controlling their resources and populations, along with gaining market control for corporate America, shutting out competition from Russia, China, Iran, and other nations on the US target list for regime change.

Bolivian President Evo Morales is the latest US imperial victim — even though the coup plot to depose him is an ongoing story, its final chapter unwritten.

On Sunday, he resigned under pressure from the country’s armed forces chief General Williams Kalima.

He, other military officials, and opposition politicians were likely bribed by CIA cash in offshore tax havens, or a similar scheme, to go along with orchestrated street violence and heavy pressure on Morales to call new elections and then resign.

On October 20, he was democratically elected, exceeding the 10% threshold necessary to avoid a runoff with lead challenger Carlos Mesa.

No evidence suggests fraud. Morales agreed to have election results audited. He tacticly erred by letting the US-controlled/Washington-based Organization of American States conduct it.

Results were predictable. Its preliminary report suggested irregularities — following the CIA script, a statement dubiously saying:

“The manipulations to the computer system are of such magnitude that they must be deeply investigated by the Bolivian state to get to the bottom of and assign responsibility in this serious case,” adding:

“The first round of the elections held on October 20 must be annulled and the electoral process must begin again, with the first round taking place as soon as there are new conditions that give new guarantees for it to take place, including a newly composed electoral body.”

US policymakers consider electoral results fraudulent when politicians they oppose win — notably Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro, model democrats they labeled “strongmen” or “dictators.”

Morales was democratically reelected to a fourth term as Bolivian president. The fate of the nation, himself, and vast majority of its people hang in the balance following post-October 20 events, culminating with dubious OAS accusations, Bolivia’s military abandoning Morales, and his Sunday resignation.

With attribution to baseball great Yogi Berra, the only possible bright spot is “(i)t ain’t over till it’s over.”

Most Bolivians support Morales. Will they rally en masse for him, resisting the US coup plot to replace him with pro-Western fascist rule?

Will they resist what’s going on like masses against social injustice, corruption, and other abuses of power in France, Chile, Brazil, Haiti, Lebanon, Iraq, and elsewhere.

Will they organize, mobilize, take to the streets, and challenge dark internal and foreign forces, wanting Bolivia transformed into a US vassal state — their rights and welfare eliminated if the plot succeeds!

In announcing his resignation on Sunday, Morales explained the following:

“I’m telling the whole world and the Bolivian people that one of the police officers publicly announced that he had been given instructions for my detention, according to the illegal warrant that he received,” adding:

“An aggressive group of people attacked his house.”

Earlier, hard-right opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho said: “It’s confirmed! A warrant has been issued for the detention of Morales! The police and the military are looking for him in Chapare.”

In announcing his resignation, Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera stepping down with him, Morales saying:

“We are resigning so that our brothers and sisters, civil servants, are not subjected to attacks and threats.”

Calling what’s happening a coup d’etat against Bolivian democracy, he added:

“Brothers and sisters, I want to tell you that our struggle is not ending. We will continue to fight for equality and peace. Now my duty as president is to find a way to calm the situation.”

According to Bolivia’s Constitution, the country’s line of succession if both president and vice president resign are the Senate’s chairperson (Adriana Salvatierra Arriaza) and Chamber of Deputies head (Victor Borda).

They both resigned, leaving a power vacuum, a situation its dark forces in cahoots with the CIA are going all-out to exploit.

While Bolivian law doesn’t indicate a line of succession beyond the above positions, second Senate second vice-speaker Janine Agnes announced her self-appointment as interim president — perhaps chosen by the CIA to replace Morales until new elections are held.

Conditions in the country remain in flux. What’s going on is a developing story, the outcome yet to unfold. More on the US plot to eliminate Bolivian democracy as events warrant.

Make no mistake. What’s happening in the country is an old-fashioned CIA-orchestrated coup plot to eliminate democratic governance, depose Morales, and replace him with fascist puppet rule subservient to US interests.

The jury is out on whether Langley’s plot will work as planned. Despite resigning on Sunday, Morales said: “The struggle continues.”

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http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html (http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html)

by Stephen Lendman

The self-styled newspaper of record never met a bona fide democrat it didn’t want forcibly toppled and replaced by a US-installed tyrant — subservient to its imperial interests, Wall Street, and other corporate America predators.

The Times cheerled Bolivian President Evo Morales’ Sunday resignation, ignoring the CIA-orchestrated coup plot to topple him and eliminate democratic rule in the country.

There was nothing “disputed” about his October 20 reelection, the claim invented to mobilize rent-a-thugs to rampage in the streets, set buildings ablaze, and commit other violent actions.

Planned and orchestrated by the CIA, its dirty hands are all over what’s been going on in Bolivia, the plot similar to countless others Langley staged throughout the post WW II era.

Democratic values and the rule of law are incompatible with its existence. As long as the agency exists, sovereign independent nations worldwide are threatened by US-installed fascist tyranny.

Governance of, by, and for everyone equitably at home and abroad is considered a threat to national security.

The Times deplores peace, equity and justice. It falsely said Morales resigned Sunday because “protest(ors) accused him of undermining democracy to extend his rule.”

Most Bolivians support him, why he was democratically elected and reelected four times, including on October 20.

A CIA-mobilized mob rampaged against him post-election, a plot well-planned in advance, how fascists running the agency operate.

The Times stressed “widespread concern about (electoral) fraud,” failing to explain claims were invented, not real, as part of the CIA plot to topple him.

The broadsheet quoted former hardline president/US favorite/lead Morales opponent Carlos Mesa, falsely calling Morales’ resignation “the end of tyranny” — what’ll replace him if the CIA coup plot works as planned.

The Times: “Mr. Morales’ increasing grip on the country had been worrying critics — and many supporters — for years (sic).”

Fact: He won four elections democratically. Bolivia’s process under his leadership mocks the US money-controlled system — a one-party state with two extremist right wings, politicians bought like toothpaste.

Bribing and otherwise co-opting Bolivian military and police officials facilitated the CIA’s coup plot, the scheme ignored by the Times — falsely calling Morales a “dictator” based on signs in La Paz put up by CIA-supported fascists calling him one.

The broadsheet reinvented reality, falsely claiming pro-Morales supporters “roughed up people protesting the government.”

Polar opposite happened. CIA-recruited thugs rampaged in La Paz and elsewhere in the country, their actions straight from Langley’s playbook.

Venezuela’s Maduro, Argentina’s President-Elect Fernandez, and former Brazilian President Lula da Silva condemned the anti-Morales coup plot, Lula saying:

“Latin America has a financial elite that does not know how to abide by democracy and the social inclusion of the poorest people.”

Maduro issued a statement saying: “We have to take care of our brother Evo Morales. We must declare a vigil in solidarity to protect him.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called for “(t)he world (to) be mobilized for the life and freedom of Evo.”

Argentina’s Fernandez said “the institutional breakdown in Bolivia is unacceptable.”

Morales stepped down to avoid CIA-orchestrated blood in the streets — the final chapter of this sordid episode yet to unfold.

Freedom or fascism in Bolivia depends on how things turn out.