For the better part of 2018, Venezuela had remained out of the headlines. At least in the mainstream Western press, they were more focused on scary Russian agents, keeping American forces in Syria, and promoting a war with Iran.

But a few weeks ago, the South American country found itself on the front page after the American-backed "opposition" leader, Juan Guaido,' claimed that he was the legitimate President of Venezuela and was immediately recognized by the United States and a host of Central and South American neighbors.

The stories regarding Venezuela are now circulating the possibility of "regime change" and even outright war against the Maduro government on the part of the "opposition" as well as neighboring countries beholden to the United States and the Western financier oligarchy.

But while most Americans do not support foreign interventions, there is a stunning level of ignorance on the part of the general public as to why the United States is so eager to destroy Venezuela's government.

Supporters of the Venezuelan regime change

The most recent events to have taken place in Venezuela involve the declaration made by Juan Guaido, the American-backed opposition candidate, to be the legitimate president of the country.

Guaido's claim to the presidency was almost immediately recognized by the United States as well as Israel and a host of American influenced countries such as Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, and Panama. Western Europe also joined the chorus with the UK, France, Germany, and Spain announcing that they would recognize Guaido as President of Venezuela unless new elections were held.

French President Macron even laughably stated that Venezuelan President Maduro was illegitimate and that France "welcomes the courage of the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who march for their freedom." This, of course, was despite the fact that his own country is seeing a massive protest movement against its government with himself as the lightning rod and the head of the rather intense crackdown on those protesters.