Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Tim Boultbee, Ken Stone May 28, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded May 28th, 2022

In early May, Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel returned the diplomatic favour, hosting his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Havana. The two signed various agreements tying the two nations closer, while AMLO used the opportunity to further criticize historical US foreign policy in the hemisphere, reminisce about Mexican support for Castro and the Cuban revolution, and to call for the lifting of the decades-long blockade against Mexico’s “sister nation.” None of this likely pleases the United States, but worse still for the Biden administration is Obrador’s hardly veiled threat to boycott next week’s Summit of the Americas confab in Los Angeles.

Tim Boultbee is a long-time activist for Latin American human and democratic rights. From Ronald Reagan’s Dirty Wars against the people of Nicaragua and El Salvador to the financial annexation of Mexico by means of the NAFTA agreement he has borne witness as an international observer at the front lines of the fight for justice. Tim is currently a member of CASC, the Victoria Central America Support Committee, assisted the Building Bridges Human Rights Project in Chiapas, and worked to raise funds for the Fray Bartolome Human Rights Center in San Cristobal.

Tim Boultbee in the first half.

And; just as Canada has supported US belligerence in Latin America, (earning for the trouble exclusion from CELAC, the organization likely to determine the cultural, political, and economic future of the hemisphere) the current administration too has gone along with its larger neighbour’s campaign to isolate China. The lengths Trudeau’s government is willing to go to please Uncle Sam was made painfully obvious in its two-plus years contralegal persecution of Huawei executive, Meng Wanzhou. Now, it has announced the exclusion of Huawei from this country’s 5G communications network development.

Ken Stone is a long-time antiwar activist whose served as an executive member of both the Syria Solidarity Movement and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War. Ken and the Coalition fought tooth and nail against the incarceration of Meng Wanzhou and extradition efforts by the United States, and they’ve opposed the odious AUKUS military pact threatening war with China in the Pacific. The danger AUKUS presents to World peace ramped up last fall with the deal to provide nuclear powered submarines to Australia, and more lately with the announced rapid development of hypersonic missile technology and expanded electronic warfare aimed at the People’s Republic.

Ken Stone on Huawei in Canada, and AUKUS going over the top in the Pacific in the second half.

But first, Tim Boultbee and Biden’s Summit of the Americas proving a low point in hemispheric interrelations.

Chris Cook has hosted Gorilla Radio since 1999. Check out the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com

https://www.patreon.com/posts/67050445

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Randy Caravaggio (Long form) December 10, 2020

The Trump administration’s hard line on Cuba undid the diplomatic and economic advances of the Obama years. There’s hope in the long-besieged Caribbean island nation the inauguration of the 44th president’s vice-president, Joe Biden will signal a return to political rapprochement and removal of trade restrictions imposed by the departing Republicans.

But, it’s no sure thing. Though the president-elect promised a return to Obama era policies while campaigning, specifics are uncertain, and media and Senate pressures are already being applied.

Randy Caravaggio is a social justice defender and organizer with the Victoria Goods for Cuba campaign, and co-ordinator with Victoria’s contribution to the Pastor’s for Peace Caravan to Cuba. He’s also been a constant champion of the revolutions in Venezuela and Bolivia, and long-time supporter of Palestinian sovereignty.

Today, Randy Caravaggio and cautiously watching the tides of change in Cuba and Latin America.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook and Kevin Zeese Presente! from Aug. 9, 2018

All who knew Kevin and who care about justice and human rights are deeply saddened to hear of his untimely death last night, taken suddenly at 64 years by a heart attack.

Tributes will follow from all quarters.

The peace enjoyed by the people of Nicaragua since the overthrow of dictator and tyrant Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza was hard-won, and not without reversals. In the last months, an attempt to unseat the elected government of leftist, Daniel Ortega however has seen what many fear could be the beginning of the end of that peace, and revival of the dark forces of fascism once buried, perhaps too shallowly, there.

Kevin Zeese is an American lawyer, political activist, essayist, and author. He’s also co-founder of the Drug Policy Foundation and current co-director of Popular Resistance.org, from where his and colleague, Dr. Margaret Flowers’ weekly podcast, Clearing The Fog emanates.

His frequent essays and articles on social justice issues in America and abroad appear at Popular Resistance, CounterPunch, and Gorilla Radio Blog among other places, and his book titles include: ‘Drug Law: Strategies and Tactics’, ‘Drug Prohibition an the Conscience of Nations’, and ‘The Great Issues of Drug Policy’.

Today, Kevin Zeese and the Lessons Learned from the Failed Violent Coup in Nicaragua.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca.  He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/