ALBA-TCP presidents pose for a family photo with their fist high after a 2022 summit. File photo.
By Benjamin Norton – Feb 28, 2022
President Joe Bidenâs top Latin America advisor, Juan S. Gonzalez, admitted that US sanctions against Russia aim to hurt Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba as well. The three socialist governments condemned NATO aggression for creating the crisis in Ukraine.
President Joe Bidenâs top Latin America advisor has admitted that US sanctions against Russia over Ukraine intentionally seek to hurt Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba as well.
The United States imposed a series of harsh sanctions on Russia following Moscowâs recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk Peopleâs Republics in Ukraineâs eastern Donbas region on February 21, and its subsequent military intervention in Ukraine on February 24.
Juan S. GonzĂĄlez, Bidenâs special assistant for Latin America and the US National Security Councilâs senior director for the Western Hemisphere, made it clear that these coercive measures against Russia are also aimed at damaging the economies of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba.
Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba have socialist governments that Washington has long tried to overthrow. All three currently suffer under unilateral US sanctions, which are illegal according to international law.
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton, an architect of the Iraq War, referred to these three Latin American nations as the so-called âTroika of Tyranny.â
Bidenâs advisor GonzĂĄlez did an exclusive interview with Voz de AmĂŠrica, the Spanish-language arm of the US governmentâs propaganda outlet Voice of America, on February 25.
Voz de AmĂŠrica published his comments in a report titled âUS sanctions on Russia will impact Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, White House estimates.â
âThe sanctions against Russia are so robust that they will have an impact on those governments that have economic affiliations with Russia, and that is by design,â GonzĂĄlez explained.
âSo Venezuela is going to start feeling that pressure. Nicaragua is going to feel that pressure, along with Cuba,â he added.
Bidenâs Latin America advisor noted that Washington has imposed sanctions on 13 top financial institutions in Russia, including some of the largest in the country. He proudly said that these coercive measures will, âby design,â harm other countries that do a lot of trade with the Eurasian power.
GonzĂĄlez also used his interview with the US-funded Voz de AmĂŠrica to reiterate Washingtonâs call for regime change against these three socialist governments in Latin America.
His comments were reported by the independent Bolivia-based news website Kawsachun News.
Biden advisor: U.S. sanctions against Russia are 'designed' to impact Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. pic.twitter.com/Zbqg3mgB2N
— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) February 26, 2022
Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba stand with Russia against US and NATO
Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba have stood with Russia against NATO expansion and Western military encirclement.
President NicolĂĄs Maduro said that Venezuela âlaments the mockery and breaking of the Minsk agreements by NATO, promoted by the United States of America.â
Maduro stressed that Washington and NATO bear responsibility for the conflict, and âhave generated strong threats against the Russian Federation.â
Venezuela rechaza el agravamiento de la crisis en Ucrania producto del quebrantamiento de los acuerdos de Minsk por parte de la OTAN. Llamamos a la bĂşsqueda de soluciones pacĂficas para dirimir las diferencias entre las partes. El diĂĄlogo y la no injerencia, son garantĂas de Paz. pic.twitter.com/Y7N1lwZfpi
— NicolĂĄs Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) February 24, 2022
Cuba blamed Washington for the crisis as well. Its Foreign Ministry stated, âThe U.S. determination to continue NATOâs progressive expansion towards the Russian Federation borders has brought about a scenario with implications of unpredictable scope, which could have been avoided.â
Denouncing Western governments for sending weapons to Ukraine, Cuba declared, âHistory will hold the United States accountable for the consequences of an increasingly offensive military doctrine outside NATOâs borders, which threatens international peace, security and stability.â
The U.S. determination to continue NATOâs progressive expansion towards the Russian Federation borders has brought about a scenario with implications of unpredictable scope, which could have been avoided.
1/5Statement by the Revolutionary Government:
đhttps://t.co/3iBcPD9j8x pic.twitter.com/MRgwRCWSMV— Bruno RodrĂguez P (@BrunoRguezP) February 27, 2022
RELATED CONTENT: Venezuela Criticizes NATO Attitude towards Ukraine Situation (CommuniquĂŠ)
Nicaraguaâs President Daniel Ortega condemned Washington for sponsoring a 2014 coup in Ukraine, and joined Russia in recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk Peopleâs Republics.
The chairman of Russiaâs State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, traveled to Nicaraguato meet with top officials from the Sandinista government, and thanked them for their support against NATO expansion and US threats.
đłđŽđˇđş #Nicaragua recibiĂł a una delegaciĂłn de alto nivel de #Rusia, encabezada por el Presidente de la Duma Estatal de la CĂĄmara Baja, Vyacheslav VolodĂn. La visita tiene por objetivo fortalecer la cooperaciĂłn y la solidaridad bilateral. pic.twitter.com/BMY1AjnviF
— JP+ (@jpmasespanol) February 24, 2022
Featured image: Venezuelan President NicolĂĄs Maduro, Cuban President Miguel DĂaz-Canel, and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega at the ALBA summit in La Habana in December 2021 (Photo credit: Cuba’s presidential office)
Ben Norton
Benjamin Norton is the founder and editor of the independent news website Multipolarista, where he does original reporting in both English and Spanish. Benjamin has reported from numerous countries, including Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia, and more. His journalistic work has been published in dozens of media outlets, and he has done interviews on Sky News, Al Jazeera, Democracy Now, El Financiero Bloomberg, Al Mayadeen teleSUR, RT, TRT World, CGTN, Press TV, HispanTV, Sin Censura, and various TV channels in Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Benjamin writes a regular column for Al Mayadeen (in English and Spanish). He was formerly a reporter with the investigative journalism website The Grayzone, and previously produced the political podcast and video show Moderate Rebels. His personal website is BenNorton.com, and he tweets at @BenjaminNorton.
