Latin America in US crosshairs and Palestine - conversation with Venezuelan Ambassador in Damascus

With the global economic rise of China, the US is targeting its own "back yard" to prevent a pivot eastwards

HE Jose Gregorio Biomorgi - Venezuela’s Ambassador to Syria in the Embassy in Damascus.

Two days ago I had the privilege to have a conversation with the Venezuelan Ambassador at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the Syrian Arab Republic - Dr. Jose Gregorio Biomorgi.

You can watch a previous interview with Dr. Biomorgi that I did in 2019 when Venezuela was again facing US interference in their sovereign affairs.

Biomorgi was appointed Ambassador to Syria in 2018. He was then recalled to Venezuela to take the position of deputy-minister for Industrial Development before being appointed Venezuelan Minister of Industries and National Production from December 2021 until April 2022. He has since been re-appointed Ambassador to Syria.

During an interview in 2022, as Minister of Industries and National Production Biomorgi said:

Commander Chavez got us into this political wave that seeks to transform the State to build a fairer society with greater equality for the citizens. That is why we go from the stage of resistance to the stage of recovery. To live a stage of the rebirth of the economy that goes hand in hand with the recovery of the productive and industrial spaces.

Biomorgi is acutely aware of the detrimental effect of US sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry and has been instrumental in combatting these effects, adapting technology to compensate for the lack of spare parts for US-developed machinery:

..in our industries, there was a working-class that knew how to appropriate the productivity and the means of production, and that had proposals for years. From these ideas, the import substitution process was born, which does not only include substituting raw material, but also intervening in the productive process and adapting it according to our strengths and possibilities.

Biomorgi is a graduate in Chemistry from the Central University of Venezuela and a specialist in hydrocarbon sectors.

Since his return to Syria, Biomorgi has focused on the deepening of scientific and cultural collaboration. Originally from Aleppo, the second capital city of Syria, Biomorgi has a profound attachment and understanding of Syrian history, culture and struggle against the Imperialist Bloc that was reignited in 2011 with the ongoing regime change war to topple the Syrian government and Presidency of Bashar Al Assad.

As I wrote back in 2019 - “Dr Jose Gregorio Biomorgi Muzattiz was an immensely warm and welcoming host with tremendous intelligence, humour & geopolitical experience. Dr Biomorgi took the time to explain the history of what is happening now in Venezuela and to dismantle the propaganda that is surrounding events in his country.”

Belgian economist and philosopher, Marc Vandepitte wrote in August 2024 (after US interference in Venezuela’s elections):

All countries in the region that have followed such a leftist course in the past twenty years have been confronted with attempts at destabilization and regime change, ranging from military coups, lawfare, institutional coups to attempted color revolutions. For an overview of these, see the annex, below the article.

Vandepitte argues that Venezuela has been the most affected by the US hybrid war strategy in the region:

Venezuela is no exception to this rule, on the contrary. As a leader in the development of a multipolar world in which the West can no longer assert its superiority, Venezuela is the most targeted country in the region. Since Chávez was elected president in 1999, the empire has pulled out all the stops in efforts to sabotage this leftist experiment.

These efforts include two coups, an assassination attempt on the president, military provocation through development aid, murderous street blockades, a lockout by oil bosses, diplomatic isolation, hoarding of essential goods to create scarcity, heavy economic sanctions, freezing of foreign assets and making financial transactions impossible.

Maps showing the destabilisation campaigns waged against LATAM countries that have challenged imperialist influence. Cuba should also be included.

During my conversation with Biomorgi we focused on the rise of Chinese influence in Africa and Latin America which, according to Biomorgi, is leading to the increase in activity from Washington to derail LATAM/China collaboration in their “back yard”. We also covered the emergence of a multi-polar world and how this might influence the ongoing Zionist genocide in Palestine and Israel’s expanding aggression in the region.

Start of Interview - question one.

VB: We have discussed the multiple fronts faced by the Resistance states and factions and the convergence of US-led destabilisation campaigns on multiple fronts - Latin America, China, Iran, Russia, West Asia, Africa. Please explain what is happening in LATAM with regards to the US attempts to prevent the expansion of China’s influence in these regions.

JB: I think we need to start by understanding what is happening around the world. In 2023 most of the economies in Europe had a GDP growth between -2 and +2.1. The highest, if I remember correctly, was Spain with +2.1 but most of them had a negative GDP in 2023.

If you look at countries in Africa and in Asia in general, they had had positive GDP growth of around 4-5%. The same can be applied to LATAM countries in general. So, China has been increasing their influence in Africa, in Asia. At the same time the US and EU are losing influence in these countries.

In the end we can say that China is the real enemy of the US [because it threatens US unipolar supremacy]. The US is supporting their economic and global hegemony with the dollar. No other country threatens the US like China, not even Russia, not Iran. So, the US is desperate to block and prevent the expanding economic influence of China throughout the world.

China is South America’s top trading partner and a major source of both foreign direct investment and lending in energy and infrastructure, including through its massive Belt and Road Initiative. 

US-centric Council on Foreign Relations

I will not mention specifics but even extreme “right-wing” leaders in the regions increasing cooperation with China have said that negotiation with China does not include the conditions imposed by any alliance with the US. For this reason the US must act to halt the progress of China and to reduce the threat to US interests in these regions.

Right now we have seen that the EU is almost entirely controlled by the US and is heavily influenced by US policy to the detriment of their own interests - with the exception of some countries like Serbia, Belarus, Hungary. Now I believe the target is LATAM.

The US needs to increase control of all LATAM countries. In the last two years or more we have seen the Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Laura Richardson visit countries like Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador multiple times.

You can check the webpages of the US Embassy in those countries and it will reveal that all of them have signed an agreement to allow US military bases on their territory and to develop a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on military issues. The US is currently planning a military base in Ushuaia, Argentina.

The United States has long sought to extend its military influence in Argentina. But during the presidencies of Néstor Kirchner(2003- 2007) and Cristina Fernández (2007 – 2015), there was resistance.

The People’s World

[My Note: Mauricio Macri succeeded Cristina Fernández as Argentina’s president in December 2015. His regime pivoted towards “free trade and an explicit alignment with US economic and foreign policy interests.”]

What do these countries have in common? They have right-wing governments. All of them, Ecuador, Chile, Peru. Chile they claim to be left-wing but this is absolutely not true. Argentina is now definitely right-wing.

In Colombia, even if the President, Gustav Petro, is a very honest and decent one [and facing a potential coup attempt], Colombia’s historically right-wing governments have unfortunately opened its territories to an estimated 8 US military bases.

All or most of these countries are on the Pacific coast. I am speculating but I believe the US will attempt to control the entire Pacific Coast to block China.

Cargo ships in the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an area of interest for both countries. The water levels in the Canal have been dramatically decreasing which is slowing down the passage of ships and leading to blockages because the low water levels are causing severe problems.

China’s influence in the Panama Canal has only grown since 2017 when then-president Carlos Varela severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognized China, further opening the door to China’s expanded footprint in critical Canal infrastructure and laying the groundwork for alignment with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Center for Strategic and International Studies

There was a [initiated 2014, allegedly cancelled in May 2024] project to build a rival canal in Nicaragua originally sponsored by a Chinese businessman. As a result of Nicaragua’s independent policy and alignment with China, it has been consistently targeted by the US.

[ Article by journalist Rick Sterling - 170 years of US aggression against Nicaragua]

For sure, Venezuela is also under attack because it connects the north of South America to Central America. The policy of the US is without a doubt to block China or at least to increase influence in the countries of their “back yard”.

The wars we see are not individual wars. Everything is connected. The US was able to increase their control of Europe with the Ukraine (NATO) war against Russia. A war which is completely illogical for the EU to exclude itself from the supply of Russian gas. This is entirely a US project to cut all relations between the EU and Russia. Right now I don’t think Europe has the ability to take decisions without US approval with very few exceptions.

They are talking about Norway as a replacement for Russia but this is impossible. Russia has one of the largest gas reserves in the world. Not only the reserves because we in Venezuela have big gas reserves - Russia has the infrastructure in place to send gas to Europe and to all the world. This is very important. The infrastructure for oil is much cheaper than for gas.

We need to comprehend the scale of mistake Europe has made with regards to Russia and Russian gas. All because US policy takes precedence? What threat does Russia present to Europe? None.

The US is also supporting a war in West Asia [Middle East], they are supporting the genocide in Palestine and a war against Lebanon. Israel cannot survive longer than two weeks in these wars without US support.

The US is behind the provocations in Taiwan against China. Everything is linked to block the rise of a genuine new world order. The multipolar order. This is the greatest threat to the US alliance.

Question 2 - Palestine and Armed Resistance in the region

VB: What's your position on the operations of the armed resistance factions in the region and, of course, in particular in Lebanon and Palestine? Your position and that of Venezuela?

JB: My position is exactly the same as the position of the Venezuelan government for the last 25 years, from the moment Chavez came to power. We have been very clear and forceful with our support for Palestine. We believe in the self-determination of all countries.

Yesterday I made the decision to expel the ambassador of the state of Israel from Venezuela. What else can we do? What else can we do? We are filled with indignity before so much injustice and before a world that seems not to care.

President Chavez 2009

If I remember well, President Chavez expelled the Ambassador of Israel [ due to atrocities committed during the 2008/9 Zionist Operation Cast Lead in Gaza]. This was not only due to the Israeli crimes against Palestinians but also because they were interfering in our internal affairs. We have paid a very high price for this solidarity with Palestine - every day Mossad is working on the destabilisation of Venezuela, through coup d’etats or assassinations of our leaders.

For example, the extreme right [US-backed] ‘opposition’ leadership member María Corina Machado. It has been reported that Machado signed an agreement and requested Netanyahu’s help with regime change in Venezuela claiming to share the same ideology as Israel. What does this mean? What is the ideology of the Israeli regime? It is a Zionist, genocidal ideology. This is the ideology she shares?

We, on the other hand, completely support armed resistance which is entirely legitimate under international law. In the recent election when President Maduro voted he said “long live Palestine”.

As Maduro said - in Venezuela we have an economic crisis thanks to the US sanctions against us but despite that, our government sent humanitarian aid to Lebanon. It is a very small gesture but it is significant because very few countries in our position have taken a strong stand in solidarity with Palestine.

We saw at the BRICS summit - Maduro was the only President who spoke out very powerfully about Palestine and condemned the genocide and the UN for doing nothing to prevent the slaughter in Gaza. Maduro spoke about Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. Vanessa, when a country has a sovereign and independent policy it can speak honestly and with integrity. The policy of Venezuela is very clear, we are with the Palestinian cause and we reject the genocide carried out by Netanyahu and his allies. Venezuela will do all in its power to end the genocide.

Venezuela is one of few fully, revolutionary, anti-imperialist countries in the world & even in BRICS. Nicaragua & Cuba being others. While BRICS is trying to create a new world, it will not be allowed to ignore Israel's crimes by LATAM & Africa. The most vocal against genocide.

Journalist Fiorella Isabel

Watch Maduro’s speech at BRICS:

VB: Why do you think Maduro was alone in speaking out so strongly about Palestine at BRICS?

JB: I think, primarily, because some of the most important leaders in the world were present at this summit. In my opinion the G7 is no longer the main leadership in the world right now. For sure the US is still very powerful but the rest of the G7 have very little influence in the world right now.

Secondly I think it was because the General Secretary of the UN was there, Antonio Guterres and the President was addressing him directly and questioning his inaction. Maduro said very frankly - every missile dropped in Palestine has a negative consequence for the UN. It means the UN can do nothing to prevent genocide. How is this even possible?

The President’s speech was around 10 minutes. For 5 or 6 minutes he was talking about the necessity to take action, real action to stop the genocide. He spoke about many agencies affiliated to the UN that were supposedly created to keep the peace but they are doing nothing.

So, I think Maduro sent a very strong, clear message to these agencies and even to the leadership.

Sometimes the world needs this clarity and forceful discourse. I remember Chavez in 2000 was in Canada and everyone was talking about CO2 emission and the war against pollution. Chavez admonished them - what about poor countries? What about poverty? What about development in these poor countries? The problem is not to reduce CO2, the problem is to change the system.

I remember Fidel Castro sent a message to Chavez saying - I feel that now I am not the only crazy one in Latin America!

So, to reiterate - I think Maduro was doing the same thing. Speaking forcefully to appeal to the consciences of the leaders at BRICS to take action to stop the genocide and we must do it. For me, I hope they listen, I think they will.

US Sanctions have severely affected Venezuelan oil industry. How can BRICS help?

VB: We were talking the other day about Venezuela’s oil industry and how the sanctions have impacted the actual machinery itself which has caused a downturn in oil production. With the emergence of BRICS do you envisage it being easier to bypass the sanctions and get production back up to pre-sanction levels?

JB: Yes! In 2012 we were producing around 3 million barrels per day. In 2014 the “good guy” President Obama declared Venezuela an “extraordinary threat” to US national security. The sanctions began in 2015.

Then in 2016 under the Trump administration, the sanctions were increased exponentially against Venezuela [and Syria].

In April 2019 our production was only 300,000 barrels per day. 10% of our original production. Our economy was very badly affected. Our income fell dramatically and we were not even able to import medicines. Our economy was largely dependent upon the oil industry and of course the US knew this.

From this moment we began to alter our economic sectors to adapt to the new paradigm. We did increase our relationship with the BRICs countries and with countries that are not US-aligned like Iran, Russia, China. We made the necessary restructuring to our processes that enabled us to prevent any further decrease in oil production. Slowly the production increased after these measures were taken.

Now we are producing an estimated one million barrels per day, after five years. It was very difficult but we succeeded. We changed our technology. The bulk of our technology no longer comes from the US or the EU. We work with BRICS nations, countries that do not accept the US blackmail tactics.

In 2012 our income was 65 billion dollars. In 2019, the worst year for us, our income fell to around 700 million. From 60 billion to 700 million. Last year the oil sector brought in 5 or 6 billion dollars. We expect 2024 to achieve 10 or 12 billion dollars.

We are improving step by step but it takes time. You know, I am a chemist, so I will explain something that I used to explain many times. The entropy concept. Entropy is a disorder. For example, how long does it take to construct a building. The Chinese are very fast - it takes 3,4,5 months which is very fast. How much time does it take to destroy the building? One minute? One second? So, the entropy, the disorder, is spontaneous. It is difficult to build but very easy to destroy. In this way the US was able to destroy our economy and we are trying to rebuild that economy which is an arduous process but we will succeed.

VB: Would you say there is a defined unity among the non-aligned bloc? As you said, the ones that are not under the US umbrella. I presume that BRICS is helping to create this unity but how to improve its efficacy on the global stage? The UN is captured, the ICC is captured, the ICJ is captured. So does the “new, new world order” continue along the same road which is controlled by the US and UK?

JB: I don’t have any real hope in these captured institutions but we need to keep occupying these spaces in order to discuss, demand and to generate reforms. Unfortunately these institutions have shown they are not able to solve this problem because they are under the complete control of the US alliance. I don’t believe they can offer solutions.

To unify the criteria of the non-aligned movement is difficult. The advantage of BRICS is the respect for the sovereignty of member nations and for the model of each country, each culture.

BRICS does not impose models and I believe in this kind of organisation. I have big hopes for BRICS. I think the last meeting in Kazan gave us hope and demonstrated that we can find the way to a new world system, a more just system - even a scenario where you can discuss global issues and find a solution to benefit the people not the industrialists and ruling classes.

So, in my opinion I don’t believe in the old system but we should not abandon it. We have to work within the parameters that they are powerless but use them to send our message.

Sure, not all countries in the non-aligned block are let’s say “aligned”. There is a different internal situation in every country. We don’t pretend to have a uniform or universal policy. Sovereignty is the paramount principle we uphold. This is opposite to the US. We saw some countries were not present at BRICS. They were meeting with the US or the US alliance. That is a small example of how the US pressures any movement away from US control.

Big change is always a big challenge. History teaches us that big change can bring with it, significant turbulence. We hope we don’t reach this point. Unfortunately if you see what is happening globally, in Latin America, Ukraine, West Asia, Taiwan, China - who is behind this turmoil? The United States. So, they need to preserve the old system, we need to change to a new system.

From 2002, from the moment George Bush said “are you with me or are you against me” those international organisations lost their objectivity and their function. From this moment. So, for 22 years we have been living in a world devoid of any functioning system, without respect for international law from the US-led alliance.

That is why leaders like Putin, like Xi Jinping and let’s say even Erdogan or Iran have developed their military defence capability because the US does not respect International law, has no red lines. Even in Syria, for example.

What else can be done to stop the Zionist genocide of Palestinians

Gazans living in inhumane conditions after more than one year of genocide.

JB: We have to look at countries like Yemen who are causing severe damage to the Israeli economy. What is the difference between Israel and the countries they are attacking right now? It is simple. The people living in Israel are not from “Israel”. They are Europeans. They are used to living in luxury as they did or do in Europe.

At the moment the economic situation in Israel is catastrophic. Other countries need to boycott and block the Israeli economy even further. People are leaving Israel which will have a long term negative impact on the economy. If you look at people in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq - they are accustomed to these hardships and have survived war, occupation and sanctions for decades.

These people are originally from their country. This means they will not abandon their land. It is completely different to what is happening in Israel.

Yes, countries who say they do not support genocide can do more to pressure Israel. But I told you before there is huge coercion from the US to refrain from taking such measures. The US is still the most powerful economy in the world so they have a lot of influence. They can incentivize or coerce countries into doing nothing about the genocide through financial means, weapons etc. It is not easy to prevent this. There are countries in the region who could do so much more but the US is controlling them.

End of Interview on these topics.

I did also speak to the Ambassador about the Zionist plans for Greater Israel but will include this in a separate article.

“The aggression against Palestine and Lebanon is an aggression against us as well. It is an unjustified aggression. IT is a fascist aggression, much like Hitler…Israel is right in criticizing Hitler and the hostility against Jews, we do to, but they are doing the same thing that Hitler did to the Jews. They are killing innocent children, entire families. They destroyed the legitimate government of Palestine, they destroyed the multi-year effort of the road towards peace, looking for a Palestinian state, and now they are targeting Lebanon and have destroyed half of Lebanon…Behind the hostilities perpetrated by Israel is the hand of the U.S. The worse menace that has the future of humanity is the U.S. Empire and one of its instruments of aggression is in the State of Israel. This plan was prepared in detail a long time ago and it was planned in the Pentagon, only that Israel is the executor.”

President Hugo Chavez in 2006

Further reading - Corporate Coup: Venezuela and the End of Us Empire by Anya Parampil

Anya Parampil provides a narrative history of the Chavista revolution and offers character sketches of the figures who took over its leadership after Hugo Chavez's death in 2014. She shows how Guaido 's shadow regime consisted of individuals with deep connections to transnational corporations that sought to overturn the revolution and exploit Venezuela's resources. In particular she uncovers their plot to steal Citgo Petroleum, the country's most valuable international asset. Corporate Coup exposes the hidden personalities and interests driving US policy on Venezuela, revealing that while the recognition of Guaido failed at changing reality on the ground in Caracas, it succeeded in facilitating the unprecedented looting of the country's extensive foreign reserves.

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