An overview on the relationship of Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, terrorism and its international supporters. Part II
By Aleksander Boyd, Director of Pro Venezuela Organization
London 28.12.04 | Eva Golinger’s name appears as the registrar of a DOMESTIC NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION by the name of VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE IN NEW YORK INC. registered in the said city of New York. Golinger seems to be the acting director of said NGO [1].
Golinger is featured prominently in a website entitled VENEZUELAFOIA.INFO, which has been registered according to WHOIS by BIGWOOD, JEREMY E. [2]. In the said website one can read the following information:
This site is funded by the Venezuela Solidarity Committee/National Venezuela Solidarity Network ("VSC"), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing accurate information about social and political developments in Venezuela [2]. Bigwood goes on to make rather subjective interpretations of events in Venezuela that are clearly divorced from what the above paragraph states by affirming: About this site: VenezuelaFOIA.info is dedicated to investigating the depth and breadth of recent US meddling in Venezuela by examining information obtained through the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), news stories, and other material.
On April 11-12, 2002 there was a short-lived military coup against Hugo Chávez, the popularly-elected president of Venezuela. The Bush administration (which, unlike the Chávez government, was not popularly elected) openly supported the coup until it heard complaints from other elected presidents in the region - and when it became clear that the coup would not succeed. It is still unclear exactly how much US government involvement there was in the coup or when US government support for it started, and from exactly which USG entities that this support came. On this site we will examine the evidence, using similar historical events for comparison.
If we examine other US-sponsored coups in Latin America, such as that of Guatemala in 1954, and especially Chile before the fall of Allende, and US behavior during the Nicaraguan war of the 1980s, we invariably find a multi-tracked US policy combining donations of money to create and then support opposition groups, the upper classes and a pro-US press along with the military. US economic support usually takes a variety of forms and often the larger funds of its covert support are hidden behind small amounts of token "open support". Historically, the US has also sought to buy the support of key officers within the security and military forces. We are analyzing this issue because US meddling in countries that do not threaten its real national security is not only extremely destructive to democratic concepts of selfdetermination in those countries affected, but also sullies the reputation of the US, and the concept of democracy on a global level. – jb
In one section one can also read in the said website how the VSC urges American people to help Venezuela by engaging in the following activities [appendix 1]:
• Receive e-mail updates and Action Alerts
• Write an article, op-ed, or letter to the editor
• Write a letter to my U.S. Representative or Senator
• Organize a presentation or film screening in my community
• Become a member of the National Venezuela Solidarity Network ($25.00 donation is tax deductible, make a $50-100 donation and receive video documentary about the April 2002 coup)
• Join a delegation going to Venezuela
Lobbying members of the Senate in the USA is explicitly prohibited to individuals not registered with the FARA unit. The sentence “Write a letter to my US Representative or Senator” leaves no doubt upon the goals of the VSC to influence foreign policy vis-à-vis Venezuela. Moreover the following appeal to “organize a presentation or film screening in my community” of propaganda material provided for by the Venezuelan regime through the VSC, constitutes clear evidence of violations to legislation.
Section 22 U.S.C. 611, et seq. of the Foreign Agent Registration Act provides definitions for “Agents of Foreign governments” and activities which conform what is perceived as lobbying among other things [3].
Section 18 U.S.C.A. § 951, in contemplating the legal requirements that need be filed by agents of a foreign government with the Attorney General Office, emphasizes upon “…is an agent of Cuba or any other country that the President determines (and so reports to the Congress) poses a threat to the national security interest of the United States for purposes of this section…” [sic] [4].
Is it not true that Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, has become the closest ally of Fidel Castro? Further, would it be not correct to stress upon the fact that very many institutions of Venezuela may be controlled by Cuban G2 operatives –as part of the 25.000 human contingent that Castro has sent to Chavez for logistical purposes? [5]
On a separate note the Department of the Treasury of the Inland Revenue Service has strict regulations as to the lobbying and political activities that are permitted to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Please read the following excerpts in that respect [6]:
An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.
Whereas the aforementioned can be construed to relate to political and lobbying activities intrinsic to the internal politics of the US, it can be argued that urging the public to write Senators and Congressmen to put pressure on foreign policy making and disseminating official propaganda –such as the film “The Revolution will not be televised”- may not, under any circumstances, be perceived as normal activities of a non-profit organization created with the aim of “providing accurate information about the social and political developments in Venezuela” [sic], for the source of the said information is a government that has had no qualms in expressing repetitively its hate towards the US. On the issue of influencing the internal political dynamics of the US, Golinger published an open letter to Sen. John Kerry in Venezuelanalysis, which came accompanied by a petition online for Sen. Kerry to retract his statements about Hugo Chavez. Her signature is the second one in a list of more than 4.000. This letter was reposted in a number of leftist spin outlets, as seen in Google [7].
Golinger received payments in the second semester of 2.003 for legal work performed at the request of the Venezuela Information Office in Washington. At the time of the receipt of the payment –that amounted to less that $10.000 by her own admission- Golinger was not legally registered as an attorney in the BAR of her native New York, neither existed records of her in the BAR association of Washington DC. As a matter of fact she sat and passed the NY BAR exam on February 2.004. How could she had charged monies for legal work without being properly registered is something that needs to be investigated with the staff of the Venezuela Information Office (VIO) [8].
According to log activities filed by the VIO, Golinger makes part of an editorial "urgent action team", responsible for counteracting articles and editorials published in the US media that are unfavourable to the Chavez regime. Golinger is also a member of the editorial board of a officially funded news website, called Venezuelanalysis.com [9].
Nowadays Golinger seems to spend most of her time in Venezuela, where she has been interviewed ad nauseam in the state information outlets. The core issue of her interviews is the funding that the US government has given to NGOs and political parties of Venezuela via governmental entities, such as the National Endowment for Democracy. Golinger’s role has become to be the centrepiece of a smearing campaign against members of the opposition to Chavez, whom -needs be stressed- are being prosecuted on trumped up charges based on the allegations of Golinger [10].
As a matter of fact, current Venezuelan legislation contains not provisions or explicit prohibitions (unlike the US and other countries) for political parties and NGOs for the acceptance of foreign funding. Moreover, foreign funding to political parties or candidates running for office is permitted so long as the contributions are duly reported by the administrative entity with the appropriate authorities, which in this case is the National Electoral Council [11].
Precedent shows that former Interior Minister and Chavez’ mentor Luis Miquilena, failed to report – as head of Chavez’ presidential campaign finance department, roughly $1.5 million that the Spanish Bank BBVA donated to Chavez in 1.999. This issue, although illegal, was never investigated by the Attorney General’s Office, in spite of denouncements in that respect [12].
That Golinger devotes most of her time to provide biased information to the US public, which ultimately she and other governmental employees of the regime keep producing in Venezuela and the US, is certain. Whereas spin activities are no crime, measures should be taken in regards to the lobbying activities of purportedly non-profit organizations, that have been created solely with the purpose of influencing foreign policy towards Venezuela while hiding behind innocent guises [13]. What’s more, the alliance of Chavez and Castro is no secret. The mutual infatuation of the FARC and Chavez has also being demonstrated by lack of decisive actions from the Venezuelan regime in that respect. Intelligence reports have been disregarded by Hugo Chavez, who in more than one occasion has been briefed about it [14].
Golinger is one of the very few chosen foreigners who can call to Chavez live television rants and actually speak to the nation during his programmes. Her so called independent investigations of NED grants have gained her the sympathy of Chavez himself. Ergo the US administration should be well advised to examine carefully the endeavours of this person. In a time when terrorism is an ever growing menace, supporters, allies, so called ‘independent collaborators’ and employees of terrorist regimes ought to be under surveillance at all times.
To conclude a remark by Golinger that encapsulates rather neatly her ambitions and goals:
By using the Freedom of Information Act here in the U.S., which, I must add, is not as revealing as it may seem, I am exposing a foreign government’s intervention in internal matters in Venezuela, as well as participation in an ongoing campaign to prematurely remove a democratically-elected President from office…
One has to guess whether Golinger has ever read article 72 of the Venezuelan constitution… Further information [15]
Summarising:
1) Golinger has received payments from the Venezuelan regime in the past [email 1].
2) Golinger has received special protection from the Venezuelan regime in the past after purportedly having received death threats [email 2].
3) Golinger has a special relationship with the high spheres of power of the Venezuelan regime, to the point that she gets to call Chavez to his weekly televised rants and the neofascist leader actually lets her speak to the nation [email 3].
4) Golinger accusations of interventionism and imperialism are void and vitiated with nullity for she is hell bent in making up a case whereby Venezuelan politicians and members of NGOs are prosecuted for something that is not illegal in Venezuela but rather in the USA. That is to say, she wants for Sumate and others to be prosecuted for having accepted foreign monies, which again, is illegal in the USA but perfectly legal in Venezuela [16].
5) Golinger is interfering in the internal political affairs of Venezuela by way of promoting prosecution against political opponents of Chavez.
6) Golinger is spearheading an international smearing campaign against a civic NGO that has committed no crime under the laws of the land [17].
Footnotes
[1] http://appsext5.dos.state.ny.us/corp_public/display_entity?p_nameid=292075 5&p_corpid=2921626&p_name_type=A&p_search_type=CONTAINS&p_reques t=1&p_entity_name=VENEZUELA%20SOLIDARITY%20COMMITTEE%20IN% 20NEW%20YORK%20INC.&p_entity_name_input=VENEZUELA% 20SOLIDARITY%20COMMITTEE
[2] http://www.venezuelafoia.info | I do have a non-profit organization, established legally under the laws of New York State, but it has never received a penny from any government, including that of Venezuela. Any measly income the non-profit has earned has come from private donations of individuals, primarily US citizens, interested in supporting efforts to “accurately inform the US community about social and political developments related to Venezuela.” In this sense, funds from the non-profit were used to finance my webpage, www.venezuelafoia.info , and I can assure you, as an attorney, I keep clear records of all deposits, withdrawals and purchases made with funds from the non-profit. I have no interest in evading or violating regulations or hiding absolutely anything from anyone. In fact, I have nothing to hide.
[3] http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fara/FaraIndx.htm
[4] http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fara/18usc.htm
[5] http://www.google.com/search?q=castro+ally+chavez&hl=en&lr=&start=0&sa=N
[6] http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=120703,00.html
[7] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=golinger+kerry&btnG=Search
[8] http://caracaschronicles.blogspot.com/2004/05/eva-golinger-foreignmoneydouble. html
http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200406041251
[9] http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200406211040
[10] http://www.google.com/search?q=venpres+golinger&hl=en&lr=&start=0&sa=N
[11] http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200411140935
[12] http://www.proveo.org/bgarzon.pdf [pages 5 & 7]
[13] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22eva+golinger%22&btnG=Search
[14] http://venezuelatoday.net/raw-data.html
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=+castro+chavez&btnG=Search
[15] http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?search=Search&query_string=golinger&limi te=10&option=start
[16] http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200411161749
[17] As the attorney leading the investigation of the CIA and the US Government involvement in the coup and in the ongoing destabilization campaign in Venezuela, I will continue with the strength of Danilo in my investigations and my work. Eva Golinger’s dictum.
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_13738.shtml
http://www.google.com/search?q=golinger+ned&sourceid=firefox&start=0&st art=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
End of footnotes
Emails
Email 1
From: Eva Golinger
Sent: 15/07/2004 13:12
To: A. Boyd
Subject: Lying and falsifying yet again
I made it very clear that yes, I did some minor legal work for the VIO last year (2003), briefly, but the compensation was very minimal. As you can see, it was so minimal that a mere $380 appears in the files you have. My response previously to El Universal about the possible total amount received was merely to show the massive discrepency and difference between any compensation for legal work I may have received and that of Mr. William Pepper, who received above $100,000.
Email 2
From: Eva Golinger
Sent: 15/07/2004 14:29
To: A. Boyd
Subject: Re: Lying and falsifying yet again
I can tell you that if in the US, if a public figure from abroad visiting the US received death threats and reported them, s/he would most likely receive protective measures, courtesy of the US government and/or local police department. In an email received the same day at an earlier time (15/07/2004 13:12) in response to my question -why would the government take responsibility to safeguard you and your life when it has failed to do so with thousands of other people?- Golinger wrote:
I highly doubt that any right-minded thinking person would agree with your point of view that being put up in a hotel for 2 nights due to safety reasons is considered 'funding'.
Email 3
From: xx
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2004 1:33 PM
To: A. Boyd
Subject: Eva Golinger
Right now Eva Golinger is talking to chávez in Aló Presidente. She just called supposedly. She is saying the plan Consenso Pais was made in Washington, and she got the evidence under a law. She and Jeremy Birdwood got the papers, and is saying the papers showed the opposition was so incompetent that they needed to receive the platform from Washington,and the person chosen to lead are people like Rocío Guijarro, and Oscar García Mendoza, president of Liderazgo y Visión, who signed Carmona's decree.
Appendix 1
How YOU Can Help VENEZUELA
( ) Receive e-mail updates and Action Alerts
( ) Write an article, op-ed, or letter to the editor
( ) Write a letter to my U.S. Representative or Senator
( ) Organize a presentation or film screening in my community
( ) Become a member of the National Venezuela Solidarity Network ($25.00 donation is tax deductible, make a $50-100 donation and receive video documentary about the April 2002 coup)
( ) Join a delegation going to Venezuela
Name: ____________________________________________________
Organization: ______________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Email: ___________________________________________________
Telephone: ________________________________________________
For tax-deductible donations, make checks payable to Venezuela Solidarity Committee. Return this form to:
National Venezuela Solidarity Network
446B Myrtle Avenue, Ste 141
Brooklyn, New York, 11205
http://www.venezuelafoia.info/HowYouCanHelpVenezuela3.doc
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