Et tu, Bernie? Sanders shamed for joining US hawks in Venezuela regime change push

The self-described democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders is now getting grief from his supporters for apparently aligning himself with the Trump administration and its regime change efforts in Venezuela.
Having announced a 2020 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination this week, Sanders (I-Vermont) digressed from his twitter storm about healthcare, wage inequality and taxing the rich to endorse US “humanitarian aid” for Venezuela, which the Trump administration is using to bolster the self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido.

“The people of Venezuela are enduring a serious humanitarian crisis. The Maduro government must put the needs of its people first, allow humanitarian aid into the country, and refrain from violence against protesters,” Sanders tweeted on Saturday.

The people of Venezuela are enduring a serious humanitarian crisis. The Maduro government must put the needs of its people first, allow humanitarian aid into the country, and refrain from violence against protesters.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 23, 2019

While the tweet received praise from accounts favoring regime change, and drew some mockery from conservatives, there has been a veritable avalanche of disappointment from the Vermont senator’s sympathizers – as well as journalists and celebrities opposed to the regime change operation. “Bernie, are you f-ing kidding me!” tweeted Roger Waters, Pink Floyd co-founder and outspoken opponent of US intervention in Venezuela, telling Sanders that if he agrees with Trump, Bolton, Abrams and Rubio he “cannot be a credible candidate” for president.

Bernie, are you f-ing kidding me! if you buy the Trump, Bolton, Abrams, Rubio line, “humanitarian intervention” and collude in the destruction of Venezuela, you cannot be credible candidate for President of the USA. Or, maybe you can, maybe you’re the perfect stooge for the 1 %.
— Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) February 23, 2019

“Imagine being Bernie Sanders and thinking Mike Pence, John Bolton, and Elliott Abrams are innocently committed to alleviating the humanitarian plight of the Venezuelan people, and that the ‘food and medicine’ they’re sending has no ulterior motive,” wrote journalist Michael Tracey, asking Sanders “Have you lost your mind???”

Imagine being Bernie Sanders and thinking Mike Pence, John Bolton, and Elliott Abrams are innocently committed to alleviating the humanitarian plight of the Venezuelan people, and that the “food and medicine” they’re sending has no ulterior motive. Have you lost your mind???
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) February 23, 2019

Sanders should “know better than to endorse a stunt led by war criminals who have snuck weapons in aid shipments in the past. This stance will not make democrats like you more and will only lose you support from socialists,” wrote Abby Martin, who hosts the investigative web series The Empire Files.

you know better than to endorse a stunt led by war criminals who have snuck weapons in aid shipments in the past. This stance will not make democrats like you more and will only lose you support from socialists
— Abby Martin (@AbbyMartin) February 23, 2019

“A sad commentary on US politics that the country’s most prominent self-proclaimed socialist feels compelled to feed into an interventionist narrative crafted by the Trump administration,” commented journalist Max Blumenthal of Grayzone, currently in Venezuela covering the tensions.

A sad commentary on US politics that the country’s most prominent self-proclaimed socialist feels compelled to feed into an interventionist narrative crafted by the Trump administration.
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) February 23, 2019

The tweet was also poorly received by rank-and-file Sanders supporters, whose reactions ran the gamut from “Do better Bernie” and “This ain’t it chief” to unprintable expletives.

This is an incredibly disappointing response from you, Bernie. Don’t play into the hands of warmongers like Elliot Abrams and Donald Trump. You should know better than this.
— The Humanist Report? (@HumanistReport) February 23, 2019

Bad tweet, wrong position. 0/10
— Asa Winstanley (@AsaWinstanley) February 23, 2019

Do better Bernie. Also, do your homework. Venezuela has been accepting aid. In November they accepted $9 million in health and nutritional aid from the UN. What Trump is offering is “not humanitarian aid” according to the Red Cross. https://t.co/IDDVgZwuJb
— Naomi Schiller (@naomischiller) February 23, 2019

Senator, even NPR and the Wall Street Journal have said that this humanitarian aid mission is a front for the opposition. If the U.S. wants to aid the Venezuelan people, the best way to do that is to lift the sanctions.
— Brandon Jonely ? (@Aldowyn) February 23, 2019

Bernie, you lose supporters by the million every time you repeat the LIES of the MSM, #Trump & his three amigo’s. Plenty of aid IS getting into Venezuela via the Red Cross. Only USA’s invasion-disguised-as-aid is being refused entry. The only violence is due to USA’s illegal acts
— Interim Emperor of Venezuela (@Ian_Flaming) February 23, 2019

One podcaster even urged him to fire his foreign policy adviser, Matt Duss.