Written by David Starr   

In the latest round of talks between the United States and Cuba to try and establish diplomatic relations, there was an air of secrecy surrounding it. This might have to do with conflicting views regarding Venezuela.

Cuba and Venezuela have been close allies. To think that this relationship could be severed is utterly unrealistic. But U.S. motives in its negotiations with Cuba would have both nations divided as part of an overall goal to reestablish its domination over the Latin American/Caribbean region.

For the past few years, the U.S. has become inceasingly isolated from the region. With left parties governing, the region has been drawn more toward unifying, i.e., the Bolivarian objective, which has been led by Venezuela. The region's unifying organizations such as the Bolvarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) has accused the U.S. of trying to topple the Venezuelan government of Nicholas Maduro, although U.S. officials deny that. But there are a history of denials implying noninterference from U.S. leaders when it comes to projecting imperial power. It has been a case of double-speak.

U.S. President Obama has claimed that Venezuela is a "threat" to U.S. national security. Quite the contrary, Venezuela is a threat to ultra-national security, i.e., imperialism. Cuba has also been a threat to it over the years. The intentions of countries like Cuba and Venezuela, along with Ecuador, Bolivia, etc., is to protect the sovereignty of the Latin American/Caribbean region. U.S. plans for the region have a familiar-sounding tone to them: fund "dissident" groups beholden to U.S. imperial interests such as the Latin American/Caribbean right, impose "democratic" programs by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and simultaneously enhance a military presence in various countries, e.g., Colombia.

Regarding the NED, sociologist Ken Scipes asserts the "the NED and its institutes are not active in Venezuela to help promote democracy, as they claim, but in fact, to act against popular democracy in an effort to restore the elite, top-down democracy." A democracy for the few, where some are more equal than others.

But U.S. leaders are living in the past. Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa asked, "Can't they [Washington] understand that Latin America has changed?" Unfortunately, the answer is no.

"El Bloqueo" (the blockade or economic embargo) against Cuba has been in place for about 54 years now, showing the outdated mentality of U.S. leaders. For the past 23 years, the United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted against the embargo. The only nations supporting it are the United States and Israel. And Obama, no doubt pressured by the right, wants to put further sanctions on Venezuela. But a Hinterlaces poll revealed that a majority of Venezuelans are opposed to sanctions. These aggressive actions can only enhance the solidarity between Cuba and Venezuela, and provoke negative responses worldwide.

While Cuba wants to have diplomacy, to be taken off the list of nations conducting state-sponsored terrorism and have the embargo lifted, Venezuela will remain a sticking point between it and the U.S.

Summing up the contradictory stand by the U.S. with the two countries, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriquez said, "I hope that the U.S. government understands that it can't handle Cuba with a carrot and Venezuela with a garrote."

David Starr writes on various issues, both national and international.
© 2015