William Blum: Snowden Would Be Better Off in Cuba, Less Chance of a Coup D’état

with William Blum
Writer, Dandelion Salad
www.killinghope.org
June 26, 2013

Image by ubiquit23 via Flickr

Voice of Russia
June 24, 2013

Speaking about the latest Edward Snowden’s travel ‘plans’ and the confusion the world has been exposed to in the media on the subject of his whereabouts, Mr. William Blum, an American author, historian and a longstanding critic of US foreign policy claims that Cuba would be Snowden’s best bet, as it’s “the most guaranteed place not to buckle to any kind of American pressure” and “the chance of coup d’état is much less than elsewhere”.

Julian Assange seeks political asylum in Ecuador + Julian Assange Show: Rafael Correa

Dandelion Salad

Updated: June 20, 2012 added more video reports plus an Action Alert.

Julian Assange (Photo credit: acidpolly)

Jun 19, 2012 by RTAmerica

On Tuesday, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange sought political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, UK. At a press conference today in Quito, the foreign minister said to the media that the government is evaluating the request and looking into the rules of international law. Back in 2010 the country offered the whistleblower citizenship, but why is Assange seeking to depart to Ecuador now? RT America’s Web Producer Andrew Blake helps us answer some of these pressing questions.

Rafael Correa on WikiLeaks, the September Coup, U.S. Denial of Climate Funding, and Controversial Forest Scheme REDD

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

Democracy Now!
Dec. 9, 2010

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa on WikiLeaks, the September Coup, U.S. Denial of Climate Funding, and Controversial Forest Scheme REDD

Secret U.S. diplomatic cables recently published by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks revealed new details about how the U.S. manipulated last year’s U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen. Ecuador was one of the nations that lost funding after it refused to sign on to the U.S.-led Copenhagen Accord. Democracy Now! asks Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa about the latest WikiLeaks revelations on how the United States denied his country aid, the failed coup against him earlier this year, and his support for the controversial carbon market-based forest protection scheme known as REDD.

via Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa on WikiLeaks, the September Coup, U.S. Denial of Climate Funding, and Controversial Forest Scheme REDD

All the Colonel’s Men – Who was behind Ecuador’s coup?

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

http://therealnews.com transcript

TheRealNews

On September 30th Rafael Correa was held by a group of angry policemen for about 10 hours creating a political scar in this Andean republic that would not be easily healed. In the days that followed the idea that there could have been a mastermind coordinating the actions of those who took such radical measures takes shape. There are reported facts that cannot been ignored: all the Colonels men were very active that day, having secret meetings in hotels, speaking on TV and allegedly coordinating what was taking place in a number of scenarios. The Colonel himself was conveniently in Brazil; but it seems like fate has a weird way to put the Colonel’s name in the last 4 Coups in Ecuador, even when he is not there. Who is behind all of this? Was this Lucio’s coup? To best understand what toke place that day, let us review some historical context in Latin American’s revolts and regime changes. Oscar Leon reports for The Real News.

Rafael Correa: If I died that day, they’d call it suicide

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RussiaToday | October 21, 2010

Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa has given an exclusive interview to RT’s Spanish channel. During the conversation he spoke about some inside facts of the recent coup attempt in Quito. The violent drama left five people dead. Its details are still unclear. There’s no doubt it was an attempted coup, I will support my position with arguments a bit later,” said Rafael Correa. “In our country the opposition can say whatever they like. It is believed here that being in the opposition means denying obvious things, they are even ready to argue that a circle has right-angles, and if I had died that day, they would have said that I committed suicide.” “Presumably, a certain part of society — in this case, armed people, national police — expressed their discontent with the new law they haven’t even read to the end,” the president added. “The law is a good one, all this has happened because of misleading information.” Speaking on how the takeover was organized, he emphasized that the attempt was well-planned. “They were not acting on their own. Their actions were co-ordinated by political groups — that’s what I would like to stress. Those groups stayed in the shadow, waiting for the outcome of this attempted coup d’etat. But the attempt failed.”

South of the Border

Dandelion Salad

Replaced video Oct. 11, 2017

MrJacktemplar on Jul 14, 2014

Image via Wikipedia

There’s a revolution underway in South America, but most of the world doesn’t know it. Oliver Stone sets out on a road trip across five countries to explore the social and political movements as well as the mainstream media’s misperception of South America while interviewing seven of its elected presidents. In casual conversations with Presidents Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Lula da Silva (Brazil), Cristina Kirchner (Argentina), as well as her husband and ex-President Nestor Kirchner, Fernando Lugo (Paraguay), Rafael Correa (Ecuador), and Raul Castro (Cuba), Stone gains unprecedented access and sheds new light upon the exciting transformations in the region.

The Day the President Disappeared, Part 2

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TheRealNews | October 11, 2010

Ecuadorian filmmaker and journalist Oscar Leon gives account of the day President Correa was attacked and held by the police. Part two of Ecuador: Failed Coup or Institutional Crisis?

Eva Golinger: Coup in Ecuador and Election in Venezuela, interviewed by Cindy Sheehan

by Cindy Sheehan
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Blog
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox
October 10, 2010

Image by Presidencia de la República del Ecuador via Flickr

(SOAPBOX #76) – Cindy sez: “We will be hosting Venezuelan/American Attorney and author Eva Golinger to talk about some recent South American events.”  Ms. Golinger is the author of The Chavez Code, which illuminates (using US documentation) the US’s profound part in the attempted overthrow of President Hugo Chavez in 2002.  We chat about the importance and the implications of Venezuela’s recent parliamentary elections, and last week’s coup attempt in Ecuador.  We also try to answer the age old question of why does the Huffington Post hate Hugo Chavez and Venezuela so?  I doubt you will find an hour on radio or tv that is packed with more relevant info than on today’s Soapbox.

Ecuador: Failed Coup or Institutional Crisis?

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TheRealNews | October 07, 2010

Ecuadorian filmmaker Oscar León presents his take on his country’s history that led to the crisis that left the President teargassed and pitted the army against the police. Part one of two.

For more visit http://www.therealnews.com

Ecuador: What Really Happened by Eva Golinger

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

by Eva Golinger
Postcards from the Revolution
7 Oct., 2010

On the morning of Thursday, September 30, 2010, the city of Quito, capital of Ecuador, awoke in chaos. Groups of rebellious, armed police had taken over several areas of the city, disrupting transit, burning tires and violently protesting what they alleged was an unfair law set to cut their wages.

In an attempt to quell the situation, President Rafael Correa, immediately decided in-person dialogue would be the best way to explain to the insubordinate and rioting police officers that the law they opposed was actually going to improve their wages, benefits and overall job security.

Behind the Coup in Ecuador – The Attack on ALBA, by Eva Golinger

Dandelion Salad

By Eva Golinger
Translation: Machetera
Oct. 1, 2010

The latest coup attempt against one of the countries in the Bolivarian Alliance For The People of Our America (ALBA) is attempt to impede Latin American integration and the advance of revolutionary democratic processes.  The rightwing is on the attack in Latin America.  Its success in 2009 in Honduras against the government of Manuel Zelaya energized it and gave it the strength and confidence to strike again against the people and revolutionary governments in Latin America.

Greg Palast: Ecuador- The Presidential Interview (2008)

Note: the video was posted previously but without the transcript.

by Greg Palast
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.gregpalast.com
1 October, 2010

Ecuador news today

Ecuador’s president attacked by police.

Country’s leader trapped in hospital after assault, as government declares a one-week state of emergency.

In February 2008 Greg Palast met with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. They discussed the Lawsuit against Chevron, Eradicating Foreign Debt and Why He Says “Ecuador is No Longer for Sale”

Watch part of the interview. [See video below.]

GregPalastOffice

Ecuador President Defiant After Failed Coup + Ecuador troops rescue President Correa

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

www.therealnews.com

Wilpert: Right-wing forces use recession, President Correa’s faltering popularity to launch failed coup

Gregory Wilpert is a sociologist, freelance journalist, editor of Venezuelanalysis.com, and author of the recently published book, Changing Venezuela by Taking Power.

Kucinich Requests Support for Ecuadorian Democracy

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by Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Washington, Sep 30, 2010

After the President of Ecuador was injured in what he called an attempted Coup D’état, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today wrote to President Obama, urging him to make it clear that the United States will only recognize the democratically elected government of Ecuador led by President Rafael Correa.

The full text of the letter follows:

Obama Administration Should Oppose Any Attempted Coup in Ecuador: CEPR Co-Director + Eva Golinger: Coup D’état in Ecuador

Image by thejourney1972 via Flickr

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/

www.cepr.net
September 30, 2010

For Immediate Release: September 30, 2010
Contact: Dan Beeton, 202-239-1460

Washington, D.C. – There are currently reports of a possible attempted coup d’etat underway in Ecuador. There have been violent protests by police and some elements of the military, reports that President Correa has been injured, and reports that the air force has closed down a number of airports.

The Organization of American States will convene an emergency meeting at 2:30 Eastern Standard Time in Washington D.C., to consider the situation.