US gov't supports drug traffickers in Latin America, while threatening Venezuela

US gov't supports drug traffickers in Latin America, while threatening Venezuela

Author: Ben Norton August 30, 2025 Duration: 26:49
The US government has a long history of supporting corrupt, drug-dealing, right-wing oligarchs in Latin America. The Donald Trump administration is threatening to attack Venezuela, accusing leftist President Nicolás Maduro, without any evidence, of leading a cartel, while Marco Rubio defends Colombia's drug-trafficking former leader Álvaro Uribe. Ben Norton documents Washington's imperial hypocrisy. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwCducQ8HHw Topics 0:00 Hypocritical US meddling in Latin America 1:41 Colombia's ex President Álvaro Uribe 4:52 (CLIP) CIA director: "We lie, cheat, steal" 5:09 Drug cartels linked to Colombian leader 6:49 Paramilitaries linked to Colombian leader 9:16 False positives scandal 11:36 Plan Colombia 12:37 Left-wing President Gustavo Petro 14:55 US interventions in Latin America 15:39 Honduran dictator Juan Orlando Hernández (JOH) 16:48 US-backed coup in Honduras in 2009 18:27 US support for dictators 19:41 Drug trafficking in Honduras 22:36 US foreign policy in Latin America 22:59 CIA-backed Nicaraguan Contras 24:09 Trump admin attacks Venezuela (again) 25:50 Outro

Trying to make sense of international headlines often feels like seeing only the ripples on the water's surface, without understanding the powerful currents moving beneath. Geopolitical Economy Report, hosted by journalist Ben Norton, dives into those deeper forces. This isn't just a recap of the day's events; it's a dedicated exploration of how economic systems, historical context, and raw power politics fundamentally shape global conflicts and alliances. Each episode builds on the work of the independent news outlet of the same name, translating its original journalism and analysis into a compelling audio format. You'll hear detailed discussions that connect financial policies to social movements, or trace the historical roots of a modern trade war, always with an eye toward understanding the larger, changing structure of the world. For anyone tired of superficial news cycles and seeking a more substantive, connected perspective on why nations and institutions act the way they do, this podcast offers a crucial and clarifying lens. Tune in for a regular dose of context that the mainstream frequently overlooks.
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