Nicolas Maduro: U.S. launching ‘imperialist attack’ on Latin American left

CARACAS, Venezuela, Aug. 29 (UPI) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has likened the killing of a Bolivian minister and the impeachment trial against Brazil’s president to an “imperialist attack” by the United States.

Maduro said the imperialist attack is a plan to destabilize the leftist governments of South America.

“It’s an imperialist attack against all,” Maduro said during a pro-government rally in Caracas. “From Venezuela we will fight the coup of the oligarchy.”

Maduro said the recent alleged destabilization efforts are similar to the Cold War’s Operation Condor, in which the U.S. government partly supported some right-wing dictatorships in South America in order to repress left-wing movements that were perceived as communist.

The Venezuelan head of state has often accused the United States of working against the socialist government left behind by late former President Hugo Chavez. Maduro accuses the United States of supporting the Venezuelan opposition and corporations as part of an “economic war” against his administration.

“Venezuela has lived hours of anguish and pain that we can’t afford to live again,” Maduro said. “In order to maintain and build our freedom and our independence, to not be slaves any more of the Yankee empire.”

Maduro’s comments follow the death of Bolivian deputy interior minister Rodolfo Illanes, who was killed by striking miners who kidnapped him, and amid the Brazilian impeachment trial against President Dilma Rousseff.