The Trump administration has appointed a new U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliot Abrams. If that name rings a bell it’s because oh, about 30 years ago, Mr. Abrams was convicted of lying to Congress in order to hide the massacre of about 1,000 men, women, and children by U.S.-trained El Salvadorian forces. This is a man who, as President Ronald Reagan’s assistant secretary of state for human rights, helped perpetrate an immoral AND illegal triangulation of war crimes. If you don’t remember him for being that specific war criminal, you might remember how he was pardoned by Bush Sr. and subsequently became a pro-Iraq War, pro-Venezuela coup adviser to President George W. Bush.
The appointment was announced Friday by Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said “Elliott will be a true asset to our mission to help the Venezuelan people fully restore democracy and prosperity to their country.” He also remarked how Abrams hadn’t technically had a job in government for the past 30 years. I wonder why? Oh, right … war criminal.
This appointment comes shortly after Trump has turned up his attempts at distracting the world through nightmarish neoconservative foreign policy moves—specifically, his denial of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro as a legitimate head of state.
“This crisis in Venezuela is deep and difficult and dangerous, and I can’t wait to get to work on it,” Abrams said in brief remarks to reporters.
Elliot Abrams is a convicted war criminal. Repeat: This man is a convicted war criminal. It is hard to overstate this fact.