Wikileaks: US Embassy Requests Funding for Anti-Chavez Groups

The latest Wikileaks releases include cables sent from the US Embassy in Caracas to the State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Council, and other US entities, indicating requests for additional US government funding for opposition groups in Venezuela. The cables corroborate documents previously obtained under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that evidence ongoing US funding to support anti-Chavez groups and political parties in Venezuela actively working to destabilize and overthrow the South American government.

One document dated March 2009, authored by Charge D’Affaires John Caulfield, reveals $10 million in funding via the US Embassy in Caracas to state and municipal opposition governments, as well as several NGOs, youth groups and political campaigns to counter the Chavez government. Curiously, in the confidential cable, Caulfield requests an additional $3 million (on top of an already-approved $7 million) due to a “change” in Venezuela’s “political map”.

Enought Is Enough: Haitian People Were Excluded from the 2010-2011 (S)elections

 By Wadner Pierre

"Why Haiti's prodigal son, Michel Martelly, may be its savior," is  the title of an editorial puff piece published  by the Christian Science Monitor (CSM) on June 20, 2001.  The piece argues that Haiti's current President Joseph Michel Martelly has the potential to save the country. Unsurprisingly the article ignores not only the background on President Martelly (and more here), but also the illegitimacy of the way in which he was elected, and the ongoing destruction of earthquake camps that his government is helping to facilitate.


During the recent November and April election I visited voting stations across Port-au-Prince, taking hundreds of photographs and speaking with dozens of groups of people.  It is because of this experience that I am shocked by the claims made by Metayer.  Most bold of his claims is that the recent elections in Haiti brought a "landslide election" victory for Martelly, with 67.6% of the vote. 


What Mr. Metayer fails to mention is that in fact Martelly received the support of only 16.7% of registered voters – what CEPR described as "far from a strong mandate – as early reports show Martelly with just 716,986 votes to Manigat’s 336,747."  Most of the country decided not to vote.

Summer Trip to Haiti: From July 7th to August 7th, 2010

Dear friends and supporters,

For the five years, you have generously supported my work for Haiti both within Haiti’s borders and outside of her borders with your prayers, words of support, and generous donations.  On behalf of Haiti and Haitian people, I hope to continue this work and more. I am requesting your support to travel to Haiti from July 7^th to August 7th, 2011.

Please note that without your encouragement, financial support, and advice, my work would not have reached such a wide audience, more importantly my people’s voice might not have been heard in different parts of the world.  I am so grateful for everything you have done to help me get this job done in a more perfect way. I thank you for your commitment in continuing to be part of Haiti’s endless struggle for social justice and equality.

NEW WIKILEAKED CABLES REVEAL: HOW WASHINGTON AND BIG OIL FOUGHT PETROCARIBE IN HAITI

by Kim Ives (Haiti Liberte)

René Préval, who passed Haiti’s presidential sash to Joseph Michel Martelly on May 14, was described by U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Janet Sanderson as “Haiti’s indispensable man” in a Jun. 1, 2009 Embassy cable released by WikiLeaks last December.
Sanderson judged him “still moderately popular, and likely the only politician capable of imposing his will on Haiti - if so inclined.” At the same time, “dealing with Préval is a challenge, occasionally frustrating and sometimes rewarding,” she continued. “He is wary of change and suspicious of outsiders, even those who seek his success.”
Préval’s suspicions about “outsiders” seeking his “success” turned out to be justified. In two rounds of presidential and legislative elections held in November and March, Washington aggressively intervened, pushing out of the presidential run-off Jude Célestin, the candidate of Préval’s party Inite (Unity), to replace him with Martelly, a neo-Duvalierist konpa singer who vocally supported the 1991 and 2004 coups d’état against former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.