Excerpt: "There were numerous attempts on Chavez's life that were thwarted
by Venezuelan intelligence agencies."
Venezuelan-American lawyer and author Eva Golinger poses for a portrait
under a mural with a the phrase reading 'Oligarchs tremble.' (photo:
teleSUR)
Eva Golinger: I Believe Chavez Was Assassinated
By Mike Whitney and Eva Golinger, Venezuelanalysis.com
06 May 16
ugo Chavez defied the most powerful interests, and he refused to bow
down..I believe there is a very strong possibility that President Chavez was
assassinated."
- Eva Golinger
MW- Do you think that Hugo Chavez was murdered and, if so, who do you think
might have been involved?
Eva Golinger- I believe there is a very strong possibility that President
Chavez was assassinated. There were notorious and documented assassination
attempts against him throughout his presidency. Most notable was the April
11, 2002 coup d'etat, during which he was kidnapped and set to be
assassinated had it not been for the unprecedented uprising of the
Venezuelan people and loyal military forces that rescued him and returned
him to power within 48 hours. I was able to find irrefutable evidence using
the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), that the CIA and other US agencies
were behind that coup and supported, financially, militarily and
politically, those involved. Later on, there were other attempts against
Chavez and his government, such as in 2004 when dozens of Colombian
paramilitary forces were captured on a farm outside of Caracas that was
owned by an anti-Chavez activist, Robert Alonso, just days before they were
going to attack the presidential palace and kill Chavez.
There was another, lesser-known plot against Chavez discovered in New York
City during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly in September
2006. According to information provided by his security services, during
standard security reconnaissance of an event where Chavez would address the
US public at a local, renowned university, high levels of radiation were
detected in the chair where he would have sat. The radiation was discovered
by a Geiger detector, which is a handheld radiation detection device the
presidential security used to ensure the President wasn't in danger of
exposure to harmful rays. In this case, the chair was removed and subsequent
tests showed it was emanating unusual amounts of radiation that could have
resulted in significant harm to Chavez had it gone undiscovered. According
to accounts by the presidential security at the event, an individual from
the US who had been involved in the logistical support for the event and had
provided the chair was shown to be acting with US intelligent agents.
There were numerous other attempts on his life that were thwarted by the
Venezuelan intelligence agencies and particularly the counterintelligence
unit of the Presidential Guard that was charged with discovering and
impeding such threats. One other well known attempt was in July 2010 when
Francisco Chavez Abarca (no relation), a criminal working with Cuban-born
terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, responsible for bombing a Cuban airliner in
1976 and killing all 73 passengers on board, was detained entering Venezuela
and later confessed he had been sent to assassinate Chavez. Just five months
earlier, in February 2010, when President Chavez was at an event near the
Colombian border, his security forces discovered a sniper set up just over a
quarter of a mile away from his location, who was subsequently neutralized.
While these accounts may sound like fiction, they are amply documented and
very real. Hugo Chavez defied the most powerful interests, and he refused to
bow down. As head of state of the nation without the largest oil reserves on
the planet, and as someone who openly and directly challenged US and Western
domination, Chavez was considered an enemy of Washington and its allies.
So, who could have been involved in Chavez's assassination, if he was
assassinated? Certainly it's no far stretch to imagine the US government
involved in a political assassination of an enemy it clearly - and openly -
wanted out of the picture. In 2006, the US government formed a special
Mission Manager for Venezuela and Cuba under the Directorate of National
Intelligence. This elite intelligence unit was charged with expanding covert
operations against Chavez and led clandestine missions out of an
intelligence fusion center (CIA-DEA-DIA) in Colombia. Some of the pieces
that have been coming together include the discovery of several close aides
to Chavez who had private, unobstructed access to him over prolonged
periods, who fled the country after his death and are collaborating with the
US government. If he were assassinated by some kind of exposure to high
levels of radiation, or otherwise inoculated or infected by a cancer-causing
virus, it would have been done by someone with close access to him, whom he
trusted.
MW- Who is Leamsy Salazar and how is he connected to the US Intelligence
Agencies?
Eva Golinger- Leamsy Salazar was one of Chavez's closest aides for nearly
seven years. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Venezuelan Navy and became
known to Chavez after he waved the Venezuelan flag from the roof of the
presidential guard's barracks at the presidential palace during the 2002
coup, as the rescue of Chavez was underway. He became a symbol of the loyal
armed forces that helped defeat the coup and Chavez rewarded him by bringing
him on as one of his assistants. Salazar was both a bodyguard and an aide to
Chavez, who would bring him coffee and meals, stand by his side, travel with
him around the world and protect him during public events. I knew him and
interacted with him many times. He was one of the familiar faces protecting
Chavez for many years. He was a key member of Chavez's elite inner security
circle, with private access to Chavez and privileged and highly confidential
knowledge of Chavez's comings and goings, daily routine, schedule and
dealings.
After Chavez passed away in March 2013, because of his extended service and
loyalty, Leamsy was transferred to the security detail of Diosdado Cabello,
who was then president of Venezuela's National Assembly and considered one
of the most powerful political and military figures in the country. Cabello
was one of Chavez's closest allies. It should be noted that Leamsy remained
with Chavez throughout most of his illness up to his death and had
privileged access to him that few had, even from his security team.
Shockingly, in December 2014, news reports revealed that Leamsy had secretly
been flown to the US from Spain, where he was allegedly on vacation with his
family. The plane that flew him was said to be from the DEA. He was placed
in witness protection and news reports have stated he is providing
information to the US government about Venezuelan officials involved in a
high level ring of drug trafficking. Opposition-owned media in Venezuela
claim he gave details accusing Diosdado Cabello of being a drug-kingpin, but
none of that information has been independently verified, nor have any court
records or allegations been released, if they exist.
Another explanation for his going into the witness protection program in the
US could include his involvement in the assassination of Chavez, possibly
done as part of a CIA black op, or maybe even done under the auspices of CIA
but carried out by corrupt elements within the Venezuelan government. Before
the Panama Papers were released, I had accidentally discovered and was
investigating a dangerous corrupt, high level individual within the
government, who Chavez had previously dismissed, but who returned after his
death and was placed in an even more influential, powerful position. This
individual also appears to be collaborating with the US government. People
like that, who let greed obscure their conscience, and who are involved in
lucrative criminal activity, could have also played a role in his death.
For example, the Panama Papers exposed another former Chavez aide, Army
Captain Adrian Velasquez, who was in charge of security for Chavez's son
Hugo. Captain Velasquez's wife, a former Navy Officer, Claudia Patricia Diaz
Guillen, was Chavez's nurse for several years and had private, unsupervised
access to him. Furthermore, Claudia administered medicines, shots and other
health and food-related materials to Chavez over a period of years. Just one
month before his deadly illness was discovered in 2011, Chavez named Claudia
as Treasurer of Venezuela, placing her in charge of the country's money.
It's still unclear as to why she was named to this important position,
considering she had previously been his nurse and had no similar experience.
She was dismissed from the position right after Chavez passed away. Both
Captain Velasquez and Claudia appeared in the Panama Papers as owning a
shell company with millions of dollars. They also own property in an elite
area in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana, where properties cost in the
millions, and they have resided there since at least June 2015. The
documents show that right after Chavez passed away and Nicolas Maduro was
elected president in April 2013, Captain Velasquez opened an off-shore
company on April 18, 2013 through the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonesca,
called Bleckner Associates Limited. A Swiss financial investment firm, V3
Capital Partners LLC, affirmed they manage the funds of Captain Velasquez,
which number in the millions. It's impossible for an Army Captain to have
earned that amount of money through legitimate means. Neither him nor his
wife, Claudia, have returned to Venezuela since 2015.
Captain Velasquez was especially close with Leamsy Salazar.
MW- Can you explain the suspicious circumstances under which Salazar was
flown out of Spain to the safety of the United States on a plane belonging
to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)? Doesn't that strike you as a
bit strange? At the very least, this suggests that Salazar was acting as an
agent for a country that is openly hostile towards Venezuela? That makes him
either a collaborator or a traitor. Do you agree?
Eva Golinger- Of course it was highly suspicious that Salazar was flown out
of Spain, where he was allegedly on vacation with his family, and taken to
the United States on a DEA plane. There is no question that he was
collaborating with the US government and betrayed his country. What remains
to be seen is what his exact role was. Did he administer the murderous
poison to Chavez, or was it one of his partners, such as Captain Velasquez
or the nurse/treasurer Claudia?
While this all may sound very conspiracy theory-ish, these are facts that
can be verified independently. It is also true, according to declassified
secret US documents, that the US Army was developing an injectable radiation
weapon to use for political assassinations of select enemies as far back as
1948. The Church Commission hearings into the Kennedy Assassination also
uncovered the existence of an assassination weapon developed by CIA to
induce heart attacks and soft-tissue cancers. Chavez died of an aggressive
soft-tissue cancer. By the time it was detected it was too late. There is
other information out there documenting the development of a "cancer virus"
that was going to be weaponized and allegedly used to kill Fidel Castro in
the 1960s. I know most of that seems like science fiction, but do your
research and see what really exists. I don't believe everything I read
either. As a lawyer and investigative journalist, I need hard evidence, and
multiple, verifiable sources. Even if we just go on the official US Army
document from 1948, it's a fact that the US government was in the process of
a developing a radiation weapon for political assassinations. More than 60
years later we can only imagine what technological capacities exist.
MW- Can you explain why the DEA was involved in this operation and not the
CIA as many would expect?
Eva Golinger- I think CIA was involved. They work together on high-profile
political cases, and they were operating out of the Intelligence Fusion
Center in Colombia together. Why it was DEA and not CIA that brought Leamsy
Salazar to the US has not yet been revealed, but I don't think that means
the CIA wasn't involved in the whole operation.
MW- On a personal note, Hugo Chavez was a giant among men and a real hero.
Would you please tell us what his loss has meant to you personally and how
his death has impacted the people of Venezuela?
Eva Golinger- The loss of Hugo Chavez has been crushing. He was my friend
and I spent nearly ten years as his advisor. The void he has left is
impossible to replace. Despite his human flaws, he had a huge heart and
genuinely dedicated himself to build a better country for his people, and a
better world for humanity. He cared deeply about all people, but especially
the poor, neglected and marginalized.
There is a picture taken of Chavez by a bystander, when he had been at an
event in the center of Caracas and was walking through a large plaza that
had been cleared by security. All of a sudden, he saw a young man,
disheveled and seemingly on drugs, barely able to keep himself upright,
wearing ragged clothes. To the horror of his security guards, Chavez went
over to him and lovingly put his arm around him and offered him a cup of
coffee. He didn't judge the poor guy or reprimand him, or show disgust. He
treated him like a fellow human being who deserved to be seen with dignity.
He stayed there with him for a while, just telling stories and chatting like
old friends. When he had to go, he told one of his guards to offer the man
whatever help he needed.
There were no cameras there, no TV, no public. It wasn't a publicity stunt.
It was genuine, sincere care and concern for a fellow human in need. Despite
being president and a powerful head of state, Chavez always saw himself as
an equal to all people.
His unexpected death has had a tragic toll on Venezuela. Sadly, those he
left in charge have been unable to manage the country through this difficult
times. A combination of corruption and external sabotage by opposition
forces (with foreign support) has crippled the economy. Mismanagement has
been widespread and destructive. US agencies and their allies in Venezuela
have seized the opportunity to further destabilize and destroy all remaining
remnants of chavismo. Now they are trying to tarnish and erase Chavez's
legacy, but I believe this is an impossible task. Even if the current
government doesn't survive the vicious attacks against it, Chavez's memory
in the millions of people he impacted and improved the lives of, will
weather the storm. "Chavismo" has become an ideology founded on principles
of social justice and human dignity. But do people miss him terribly? Yes.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Venezuelan-American lawyer and author Eva Golinger poses for a portrait
under a mural with a the phrase reading 'Oligarchs tremble.' (photo:
teleSUR)
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11959http://venezuelanalysis.com/analys
is/11959
Eva Golinger: I Believe Chavez Was Assassinated
By Mike Whitney and Eva Golinger, Venezuelanalysis.com
06 May 16
ugo Chavez defied the most powerful interests, and he refused to bow
down..I believe there is a very strong possibility that President Chavez was
assassinated."
- Eva Golinger
MW- Do you think that Hugo Chavez was murdered and, if so, who do you think
might have been involved?
Eva Golinger- I believe there is a very strong possibility that President
Chavez was assassinated. There were notorious and documented assassination
attempts against him throughout his presidency. Most notable was the April
11, 2002 coup d'etat, during which he was kidnapped and set to be
assassinated had it not been for the unprecedented uprising of the
Venezuelan people and loyal military forces that rescued him and returned
him to power within 48 hours. I was able to find irrefutable evidence using
the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), that the CIA and other US agencies
were behind that coup and supported, financially, militarily and
politically, those involved. Later on, there were other attempts against
Chavez and his government, such as in 2004 when dozens of Colombian
paramilitary forces were captured on a farm outside of Caracas that was
owned by an anti-Chavez activist, Robert Alonso, just days before they were
going to attack the presidential palace and kill Chavez.
There was another, lesser-known plot against Chavez discovered in New York
City during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly in September
2006. According to information provided by his security services, during
standard security reconnaissance of an event where Chavez would address the
US public at a local, renowned university, high levels of radiation were
detected in the chair where he would have sat. The radiation was discovered
by a Geiger detector, which is a handheld radiation detection device the
presidential security used to ensure the President wasn't in danger of
exposure to harmful rays. In this case, the chair was removed and subsequent
tests showed it was emanating unusual amounts of radiation that could have
resulted in significant harm to Chavez had it gone undiscovered. According
to accounts by the presidential security at the event, an individual from
the US who had been involved in the logistical support for the event and had
provided the chair was shown to be acting with US intelligent agents.
There were numerous other attempts on his life that were thwarted by the
Venezuelan intelligence agencies and particularly the counterintelligence
unit of the Presidential Guard that was charged with discovering and
impeding such threats. One other well known attempt was in July 2010 when
Francisco Chavez Abarca (no relation), a criminal working with Cuban-born
terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, responsible for bombing a Cuban airliner in
1976 and killing all 73 passengers on board, was detained entering Venezuela
and later confessed he had been sent to assassinate Chavez. Just five months
earlier, in February 2010, when President Chavez was at an event near the
Colombian border, his security forces discovered a sniper set up just over a
quarter of a mile away from his location, who was subsequently neutralized.
While these accounts may sound like fiction, they are amply documented and
very real. Hugo Chavez defied the most powerful interests, and he refused to
bow down. As head of state of the nation without the largest oil reserves on
the planet, and as someone who openly and directly challenged US and Western
domination, Chavez was considered an enemy of Washington and its allies.
So, who could have been involved in Chavez's assassination, if he was
assassinated? Certainly it's no far stretch to imagine the US government
involved in a political assassination of an enemy it clearly - and openly -
wanted out of the picture. In 2006, the US government formed a special
Mission Manager for Venezuela and Cuba under the Directorate of National
Intelligence. This elite intelligence unit was charged with expanding covert
operations against Chavez and led clandestine missions out of an
intelligence fusion center (CIA-DEA-DIA) in Colombia. Some of the pieces
that have been coming together include the discovery of several close aides
to Chavez who had private, unobstructed access to him over prolonged
periods, who fled the country after his death and are collaborating with the
US government. If he were assassinated by some kind of exposure to high
levels of radiation, or otherwise inoculated or infected by a cancer-causing
virus, it would have been done by someone with close access to him, whom he
trusted.
MW- Who is Leamsy Salazar and how is he connected to the US Intelligence
Agencies?
Eva Golinger- Leamsy Salazar was one of Chavez's closest aides for nearly
seven years. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Venezuelan Navy and became
known to Chavez after he waved the Venezuelan flag from the roof of the
presidential guard's barracks at the presidential palace during the 2002
coup, as the rescue of Chavez was underway. He became a symbol of the loyal
armed forces that helped defeat the coup and Chavez rewarded him by bringing
him on as one of his assistants. Salazar was both a bodyguard and an aide to
Chavez, who would bring him coffee and meals, stand by his side, travel with
him around the world and protect him during public events. I knew him and
interacted with him many times. He was one of the familiar faces protecting
Chavez for many years. He was a key member of Chavez's elite inner security
circle, with private access to Chavez and privileged and highly confidential
knowledge of Chavez's comings and goings, daily routine, schedule and
dealings.
After Chavez passed away in March 2013, because of his extended service and
loyalty, Leamsy was transferred to the security detail of Diosdado Cabello,
who was then president of Venezuela's National Assembly and considered one
of the most powerful political and military figures in the country. Cabello
was one of Chavez's closest allies. It should be noted that Leamsy remained
with Chavez throughout most of his illness up to his death and had
privileged access to him that few had, even from his security team.
Shockingly, in December 2014, news reports revealed that Leamsy had secretly
been flown to the US from Spain, where he was allegedly on vacation with his
family. The plane that flew him was said to be from the DEA. He was placed
in witness protection and news reports have stated he is providing
information to the US government about Venezuelan officials involved in a
high level ring of drug trafficking. Opposition-owned media in Venezuela
claim he gave details accusing Diosdado Cabello of being a drug-kingpin, but
none of that information has been independently verified, nor have any court
records or allegations been released, if they exist.
Another explanation for his going into the witness protection program in the
US could include his involvement in the assassination of Chavez, possibly
done as part of a CIA black op, or maybe even done under the auspices of CIA
but carried out by corrupt elements within the Venezuelan government. Before
the Panama Papers were released, I had accidentally discovered and was
investigating a dangerous corrupt, high level individual within the
government, who Chavez had previously dismissed, but who returned after his
death and was placed in an even more influential, powerful position. This
individual also appears to be collaborating with the US government. People
like that, who let greed obscure their conscience, and who are involved in
lucrative criminal activity, could have also played a role in his death.
For example, the Panama Papers exposed another former Chavez aide, Army
Captain Adrian Velasquez, who was in charge of security for Chavez's son
Hugo. Captain Velasquez's wife, a former Navy Officer, Claudia Patricia Diaz
Guillen, was Chavez's nurse for several years and had private, unsupervised
access to him. Furthermore, Claudia administered medicines, shots and other
health and food-related materials to Chavez over a period of years. Just one
month before his deadly illness was discovered in 2011, Chavez named Claudia
as Treasurer of Venezuela, placing her in charge of the country's money.
It's still unclear as to why she was named to this important position,
considering she had previously been his nurse and had no similar experience.
She was dismissed from the position right after Chavez passed away. Both
Captain Velasquez and Claudia appeared in the Panama Papers as owning a
shell company with millions of dollars. They also own property in an elite
area in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana, where properties cost in the
millions, and they have resided there since at least June 2015. The
documents show that right after Chavez passed away and Nicolas Maduro was
elected president in April 2013, Captain Velasquez opened an off-shore
company on April 18, 2013 through the Panamanian firm Mossack Fonesca,
called Bleckner Associates Limited. A Swiss financial investment firm, V3
Capital Partners LLC, affirmed they manage the funds of Captain Velasquez,
which number in the millions. It's impossible for an Army Captain to have
earned that amount of money through legitimate means. Neither him nor his
wife, Claudia, have returned to Venezuela since 2015.
Captain Velasquez was especially close with Leamsy Salazar.
MW- Can you explain the suspicious circumstances under which Salazar was
flown out of Spain to the safety of the United States on a plane belonging
to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)? Doesn't that strike you as a
bit strange? At the very least, this suggests that Salazar was acting as an
agent for a country that is openly hostile towards Venezuela? That makes him
either a collaborator or a traitor. Do you agree?
Eva Golinger- Of course it was highly suspicious that Salazar was flown out
of Spain, where he was allegedly on vacation with his family, and taken to
the United States on a DEA plane. There is no question that he was
collaborating with the US government and betrayed his country. What remains
to be seen is what his exact role was. Did he administer the murderous
poison to Chavez, or was it one of his partners, such as Captain Velasquez
or the nurse/treasurer Claudia?
While this all may sound very conspiracy theory-ish, these are facts that
can be verified independently. It is also true, according to declassified
secret US documents, that the US Army was developing an injectable radiation
weapon to use for political assassinations of select enemies as far back as
1948. The Church Commission hearings into the Kennedy Assassination also
uncovered the existence of an assassination weapon developed by CIA to
induce heart attacks and soft-tissue cancers. Chavez died of an aggressive
soft-tissue cancer. By the time it was detected it was too late. There is
other information out there documenting the development of a "cancer virus"
that was going to be weaponized and allegedly used to kill Fidel Castro in
the 1960s. I know most of that seems like science fiction, but do your
research and see what really exists. I don't believe everything I read
either. As a lawyer and investigative journalist, I need hard evidence, and
multiple, verifiable sources. Even if we just go on the official US Army
document from 1948, it's a fact that the US government was in the process of
a developing a radiation weapon for political assassinations. More than 60
years later we can only imagine what technological capacities exist.
MW- Can you explain why the DEA was involved in this operation and not the
CIA as many would expect?
Eva Golinger- I think CIA was involved. They work together on high-profile
political cases, and they were operating out of the Intelligence Fusion
Center in Colombia together. Why it was DEA and not CIA that brought Leamsy
Salazar to the US has not yet been revealed, but I don't think that means
the CIA wasn't involved in the whole operation.
MW- On a personal note, Hugo Chavez was a giant among men and a real hero.
Would you please tell us what his loss has meant to you personally and how
his death has impacted the people of Venezuela?
Eva Golinger- The loss of Hugo Chavez has been crushing. He was my friend
and I spent nearly ten years as his advisor. The void he has left is
impossible to replace. Despite his human flaws, he had a huge heart and
genuinely dedicated himself to build a better country for his people, and a
better world for humanity. He cared deeply about all people, but especially
the poor, neglected and marginalized.
There is a picture taken of Chavez by a bystander, when he had been at an
event in the center of Caracas and was walking through a large plaza that
had been cleared by security. All of a sudden, he saw a young man,
disheveled and seemingly on drugs, barely able to keep himself upright,
wearing ragged clothes. To the horror of his security guards, Chavez went
over to him and lovingly put his arm around him and offered him a cup of
coffee. He didn't judge the poor guy or reprimand him, or show disgust. He
treated him like a fellow human being who deserved to be seen with dignity.
He stayed there with him for a while, just telling stories and chatting like
old friends. When he had to go, he told one of his guards to offer the man
whatever help he needed.
There were no cameras there, no TV, no public. It wasn't a publicity stunt.
It was genuine, sincere care and concern for a fellow human in need. Despite
being president and a powerful head of state, Chavez always saw himself as
an equal to all people.
His unexpected death has had a tragic toll on Venezuela. Sadly, those he
left in charge have been unable to manage the country through this difficult
times. A combination of corruption and external sabotage by opposition
forces (with foreign support) has crippled the economy. Mismanagement has
been widespread and destructive. US agencies and their allies in Venezuela
have seized the opportunity to further destabilize and destroy all remaining
remnants of chavismo. Now they are trying to tarnish and erase Chavez's
legacy, but I believe this is an impossible task. Even if the current
government doesn't survive the vicious attacks against it, Chavez's memory
in the millions of people he impacted and improved the lives of, will
weather the storm. "Chavismo" has become an ideology founded on principles
of social justice and human dignity. But do people miss him terribly? Yes.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
