The Chavez Code: Cracking U.S. Intervention in Venezuela [Paperback]

Eva Golinger (Author), Saul Landau (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2006

Perhaps no world leader is better placed to challenge the global authority of the United States than Hugo Chavez, the populist leader of Venezuela. As the head of one of the world's largest oil-producing countries, Chavez has been instrumental in raising world oil prices, undermining the control and profits of the multinational oil companies, and introducing innovative plans to use the wealth from this natural resource to help the impoverished-rather than the already powerful-in his own country and around the world. As the popularly elected president of one of South America's largest democracies, his strong resistance to the Bush administration's Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) has severely set back, if not derailed entirely, the US's long-held hemispheric agenda.

When in 2005 Bush ally and Christian fundamentalist Pat Robertson called for Chavez's assassination ("It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war"), public outcry forced some questions: Was that, in fact, a CIA goal? Did the US have plans to invade Venezuela (as Chavez alluded to receiving intelligence about on Nightline in September 2005)? And exactly what was the extent of US knowledge of or involvement in the April 2002 coup against Chavez? (He was back in power within two days, after 250,000 took to the streets in Venezuela to protest.)

Venezuelan-American attorney Eva Golinger and journalist Jeremy Bigwood have used the US Freedom of Information Act to obtain government documents about US intervention in Venezuela. The Chavez Code contains this irrefutable evidence that, at the very least, the US knew about the plot to overthrow Chavez before it happened. The history of US interventions across Latin America, the suspicious blacked-out lines and pages, and the ongoing investigation suggest an even darker tale.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Well written, with the solid evidence, this the political survival guide to the land of the next oil war.' Greg Palast, author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Eva Golinger was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and the City University of New York Law School. Her investigation into US involvement in the coup against Chavez has been covered by major media throughout the US and in Venezuela. She divides her time between New York and Caracas. The Chavez Code is her first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Olive Branch Press; 1St Edition edition (May 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566566479
• ISBN-13: 978-1566566476
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > History > Americas > South America > Venezuela

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars US meddling November 11, 2007

By W. Hollman

Format:Paperback

The book is well researched and backed by official documents. The facts seem to irritate some people.

The US was a shining example in the 50's, it has since become like a big locust, it reaches around the world consuming natural resources at an alarming rate, destroying the environment as it does so. Relegating the peoples of their own countries to second class status. Deposing democratically elected leaders. All for the purpose of capitalism, not democracy.

This is not about the spread of Democracy or Socialism, particularly when the US is known to incite insurrection against a democratically elected leader and throw its support behind military dictators who commit human rights violations such as Marcos, Pinochet, Noriega, Franco, etc.

Greed.

This is all about control of world resources and the US companies are losing control around the globe. When they are not allowed to consume someone else's resources at will, the Govt. quickly moves to label that leader in an unfavorable manner, then tries to depose him or her. We would think in the year 2007 the US would have grown up to a point where it simply trades for goods instead of trying to control all goods.

In South America, Hugo just happens to be the most outspoken of the various Presidents. Another problem for the US is that Chavez and the Iranian Pres both want to change selling their oil from the petrodollar (US dollar) to the Euro. (Btw, Saddam made that same threat.) All of a sudden these two have become the biggest threats to democracy? More like a huge threat to US dollar which has been backed by oil since the changeover from the gold standard in the 70's.

I'd like to see your next book delve more into the oil situation and how its sale is tied to the US dollar. I think it would give people a better understanding of why the US meddles in other country's internal affairs, particularly OPEC member and resource rich countries.

29 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This country will be free or we will die trying to be free July 9, 2006

By Luc REYNAERT

Format:Paperback

This book proves clearly the involvement of the US government in the April 12, 2002 coup against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

As Saul Landau states in his excellent foreword: `the US government acted in a premeditated conspiracy with the wealthy classes of Venezuela to undo a democratic process in a country with free and fair elections and a functioning legislative and legal system.'

Before the coup, the US penetrated all sectors of the civil society, political parties and Armed Forces in Venezuela; the latter through control of those who had received training at the School of the Americas. During the PDVSA (Petroleos de Venezuela SA) strike against Hugo Chavez a US company with CIA ties intentionally sabotaged essential equipment.

Despite the fact that coups against democratic governments are illegal, the US financed the plotters, which included representatives of the Catholic Church.

During the failed coup (it lasted only 2 days), all of Venezuela's democratic institutions were dissolved. There were flagrant media manipulations (CNN) and the US press unanimously praised the Venezuelan president's undemocratic ouster.

This shameful saga tells also the story of an assassination (Danilo Anderson) and a kidnapping (Luisa Ortega Diaz).

Eva Golinger did magnificent research under the Freedom of Information Act. She points rightly her finger at the totally biased media monopolies (the Cisneros group controls 70 media outlets in 39 countries).

This book sketches a terrible story of a totally undemocratic intervention in a foreign country by another `democratic' state.

A must read for all those who are fighting for a real democracy.

I highly recommend the TV report made of this coup by Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Brien `The Revolution will not be televized'.

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All the tricks in the book, are shown in this book. August 25, 2006

By K. S. Macdonald Hall

Format:Paperback

This book correctly shows exactly how the US government has continuously tried to disrupt democracy in Venezuela for its own gains. A very interesting case study for anyone wishing to understand how the US conducts its foreign policy.

The methods shown in this book have been replicated all over Latin America notably in Nicaragua and Chile but also recently in Peru and Mexico.

If you have ever thought that your loony leftwing friends were paranoid ... read this.