Was there a U.S.-backed economic war on Venezuela?

A number of Venezuelans have noted that basic goods have begun appearing on store shelves in the country following the December 6 victory of the right-wing opposition. Some goods appearing on shelves are months expired, suggesting that they have been in the country but have been with held from the market.

The US has long been known to exert covert control over South America, most notably the Chilean coup d’état of 1973 which included the sort of economic warfare suspected by Venezuelans. Wikileaks has also released a trove of diplomatic cables implicating the US in schemes against both Bolivia and Venezuela, whose only crimes seem to include failing to bend to the Washington DC’s will.

Tele Sur TV reports:

The social media users have indicated that the sudden reappearance of these goods and the fact that they have expired dates on them expose that there have been no issues with production, but rather with distribution, which many right-wing business people control.

​They also said the reappearance of certain products is evidence of the economic war the U.S. and the political opposition in Venezuela launched to destabilize the country and which was denounced on many occasions by the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The reactions on social media have included photos of the reappearance of previously “missing” products and demands to the government asking them to take the necessary legal measures against those responsible for hoarding and the economic war.

“What does this mean? Flour and mayonnaise expired five months ago. Is there or not an economic war?”

“Kraft-Heinz workers denounce the owner of participating in the economic war against the people of Venezuela.”

“Heinz in Venezuela paralyzed over a year due to the lack of raw materials and after the elections, MIRACLE, y begins producing again.”