‘Leave the Venezuelan people alone’: Roger Waters calls US actions ‘insanity’
Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters has lashed out at the US government for destroying “real democracy” in Venezuela, calling for an end to “Trump’s coup” in the Latin American country.
The legendary rock musician expressed his outrage at how the US is treating Venezuela on Twitter and Facebook, demanding that Washington leave the people there alone.
“They have a real democracy, stop trying to destroy it so that the 1% can plunder their oil,” the former Pink Floyd bassist and co-lead vocalist wrote on Sunday. He also posted a leaflet titled “Stop Trump’s coup in Venezuela,” which called for an “emergency demonstration” in front of the US Mission to the UN in New York.
A note from Roger:THIS IS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!STOP THIS LATEST USG INSANITY, LEAVE THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE ALONE. THEY HAVE A REAL DEMOCRACY, STOP TRYING TO DESTROY IT SO THE 1% CAN PLUNDER THEIR OIL.US HANDS OFF #VENEZUELA! #NICOLASMADURO#STOPTRUMPSCOUPINVENEZUELApic.twitter.com/AFi89IGcgV
— Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) February 3, 2019
Waters’ words prompted a wave of comments, most of which were quite unsympathetic towards the music icon. Some social media users condemned him for supporting a dictatorial regime, while others lamented that he “has no clue” what is happening in Venezuela.
I support you Roger, but you can’t have a democracy with a dictator in place who has the military in his pocket and large scale human suffering. When people get hungry, they get mad.
— Joseph Tirello (@jtirello3) February 3, 2019
the situation is. This is not a left vs. right issue. People are dying of hunger, we have the biggest inflation of the world, lack of medicines, the highest crime rates in Latin America. According to our constitution (article 223 and 333) Guaidó is the president in charge until
— Danna🐁 (@raticorns) February 4, 2019
One person posted a picture of Venezuelan people eating leftovers from a trash can, saying “Wish you were here to see this,” in reference to the Pink Floyd song ‘Wish You Were Here.’
Wish you were here to see this pic.twitter.com/ksOI6dCz5n
— vvcaricaturas (@vvcaricaturas) February 4, 2019
Waters was also accused of hypocrisy for being a “communist lover with… pockets full of money.”
The only 1% here is the 1% of intelligence you have. Stop your speech and see it yourself, go to Venezuela and see what’s happening there. It is easy to be a communist lover with the pockets full of money.
— Albi De Abreu (@AlbiDeAbreu) February 4, 2019
There was a smattering of support for the musician. One Twitter user replied by calling Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido the “White House’s dog.”
#HandsOffVenezuelapic.twitter.com/w9XpvoxkLr
— hz.- (@semicorchea) February 5, 2019
There were also calls to avoid aggression. “People have to understand war is not the solution to any problem,” one person wrote on Facebook.
Also on rt.com ‘Criminal’ Roger Waters blacklisted by Ukraine over Russian interviewsDonald Trump said on Tuesday that the US stands with Venezuela’s opposition in its “noble quest for freedom,” while the elected president Nicolas Maduro sees Washington’s actions as “insane” and “illegal.”
Roger Waters has been engaged in political activism for years. He is well known as a devout Palestinian human rights defender, and a critic of the US-backed Syrian opposition.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
