In March 2015, President Obama declared a "national emergency" regarding Venezuela, claiming it posed an unusual threat to U.S. national security. This assertion has been reiterated annually by the U.S. administration. However, Joe Emersberger and Justin Podur argue that it is the U.S. regime change policy that represents the real threat to Venezuelans. The tightening of U.S. sanctions has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, depriving citizens of essential food, medicine, and fuel. Since 2002, Venezuela has faced numerous coup attempts backed by the U.S. In their book, Emersberger and Podur recount six of these attempts, challenging the myths surrounding the Venezuelan government's legitimacy, human rights record, and economic performance. They assert that the focus of U.S. aggression is not on alleged authoritarianism or corruption but on Chavismo—the potential for a form of twenty-first century socialism achieved through democratic means. This is the success that the U.S. empire seeks to prevent at all costs.
