Historically whenever progressive, populist parties win democratic elections in Latin America, land reform and improvements in labor rights, health care, and education have followed. Such movements toward social justice and democracy threaten domestic and global capitalist interests, which invariably launch campaigns of sabotage, disruption, propaganda, and violence.
The November coup in Bolivia, following the re-election of President Evo Morales and other Movement for Socialism candidates. is the most recent collaboration between domestic elites and the US government subverting democracy and indigenous rights. This talk summarizes the gains under Morales government. US media framing of events will then be fact-checked to highlight how the coup was organized and justified to the public. (program)
This analysis is a template to understand other events where the U.S. Government / media claim to support "democracy activists", as in Venezuela and Hong Kong, but are in opposition to a democratic shift to socialist programs that would benefit the majority; such was the stake in the recent Brexit election in Great Britian had Labor won. During the Q&A (parsed for time) an activist recounts the suppression techniques, witnessed in Ohio, organized by nuclear and coal power corporations, in collusion with the Republican Party, to suppress opposition to a public cash infusion for their unprofitable business by blocking a public referendum to stop it.
Lee Artz is Professor of Media Studies and the Director, Center for Global Studies at Purdue University Northwest.
Open University of the Left openuniversityoftheleft.com
Dr. Lee Artz - artz@purdue.edu
Handout - Full version with sources available from Dr. Artz by email request along with power point.
How To Stage A Coup 1 Recruit, fund opposition for "democracy" 2 Media propaganda, slander, disinformation 3 Organize disruption (students, middle class) 4 Buy, bribe allied support (e.g. OAS, Lima Group) 5 Misinform public w. fear, threat, values 6 Plan/ respond to crisis w. post Coup government
For examples of media framing in support of the 2012 Coup in Venezuela see: https://vimeo.com/40502430 Llaguno Bridge: Keys to a Massacre
Or in the US effort to destabilize China https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=108&v=Dl1xwIdQhDU&feature=emb_logo How the US is guiding protesters to attack China when lack of housing and rampant free market capitalist exploitation, the legacy of 100 years of British colonial control, is the origin of their crisis.
![<?php echo $config['site_title']; ?>](/static/images/rp-navimg.gif)
![Support the <?php echo $config['site_title']; ?>](/static/images/support.png)
