coup Archives - Gorilla Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris, Dan Kovalik December 10th, 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:59 — 21.3MB) | Embed

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded December 10th, 2022.

As the war in Ukraine grinds on one casualty of the conflict rarely discussed is that on the environment, both in the war zone and beyond it. War and the preparation for war is one of the most ecologically costly of all human endeavours – not only because of the vast amounts of nature laid waste in the production of tanks and planes, and bombs and bullets, but also for the diversion of the time and talents of legions of scientists, engineers, and others which would be better occupied working on solutions to the precarious moment humanity finds itself in.

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based activist, journalist, and lawyer. He very nearly became leader of the Green Party of Canada, finishing second in a tightly-contested race with the now-departed Annamie Paul. Dimitri’s interviews for TRNN are at TheRealNews.com, and his articles appear at his website, DimitriLascaris.org, where I found his recent piece, ‘As Ukraine War Escalates, the Climate Movement Goes AWOL‘.

Dimitri Lascaris in the first half.

And; the nature of the conflict in Ukraine has been mischaracterized from the start. How and why we find ourselves at the precipice of perhaps the final war cannot be gleaned reading, watching, or listening to a western press which has, by turns, acted as propagandist and cheerleader for World War III. And, understanding that has never been more vital than it is now.

Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. His book titles include: ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture,’ the “Plot to” series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and the World entirely. His latest is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’ Dan’s just back from a fact-finding mission to Russia and the Eastern Republics of Ukraine.

Dan Kovalik and life in World War time in the second half.

But first, Dimtri Lascaris and Canada’s Green movement, missing in action when needed most.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Kirsten Francescone, Dan Kovalik, Janine Bandcroft October 29, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:00 — 19.7MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded live-to-tape via Skype on this date, October 26th, 2020.

There is jubilation in Bolivia, as the people’s representatives are again in power following the removal by force of arms last year of president Evo Morales’ MAS party. The party’s new iteration, under the leadership of Luis Arces, won an even larger majority than last time, sweeping away the coup perpetrators. Canada was among the first countries in 2019 to confer legitimacy on the coup, and following its lead Canada-registered mining company Orvana Minerals used the opportunity the extreme-right political shift presented to undo labour agreements already signed and sack its unionized workers.

Kirsten Francescone is the Latin America Program Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada. Kirsten lived and worked in Bolivia for five years prior to commencing her PhD in Anthropology and Political Economy at Carleton University.

Kirsten Francescone in the first half.

And; while the landslide election victory of Evo Morales’ MAS party was and is cause for elation throughout Bolivia and the Americas for those long-suffering under the heel of El Norte, Luis Arces’ supporters can be forgiven if their celebrations are tempered with caution, considering what happened the last time it won elections there.

Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist and author. He’s also a recipient of the David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship from Stanford Law School, a frequent lecturer, oft sought television and radio political commentator, and his articles appear online at the Huffington Post and Counterpunch, among other places. His latest book is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests‘.

Dan Kovalik and Bolivia’s second chance in the second half.

And; CFUV Radio broadcaster and host of Plant Powered Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week.

But first, Kirsten Francescone and following the foreign corporate/government power nexus in Bolivia.

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, Dan Kovalik, Janine Bandcroft October 23, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:00 — 16.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded live-to-tape via Skype on this date, October 21st, 2020.

Sunday’s landslide election victory of Evo Morales’ MAS party was and is cause for elation throughout Bolivia and the Americas this week; at least for those long-suffering under the heel of El Norte. But Luis Arces’ supporters can be forgiven if their celebrations are tempered with caution, considering what happened the last time a leftist government won elections there.

Daniel Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist and author. A labor and human rights lawyer since graduating from Columbia Law School, Dan has represented plaintiffs in Alien Tort Statute cases arising from human rights abuses in Colombia. He’s also a recipient of the David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship from Stanford Law School, frequent lecturer, television and radio political commentator, and his articles appear online at the Huffington Post and Counterpunch, among other places.

His latest book is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian‘ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests’.

Today, Dan Kovalik and Bolivia’s second chance.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:34 — 17.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

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/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dimitri Lascaris, Yves Engler, Janine Bandcroft August 20th, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:00 — 16.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, August 11th, 2020.

The Old World Order is busted and Canada’s foreign policy is gonna need to adapt quick to a whole New Order of things. Or so Canada’s self-styled “national paper” the Globe and Mail informs. But what’s a middle nation to do? Caught between behemoths baring their teeth in a fight for what looks like the last piece of the pie, at whose feet shall we prostrate in waiting to snatch up first the best crumbs fallen from the planetary dinner table? It’s a stark choice in a darkening World, according to the Globe, who helpfully whittle down our options to a Manichean menu choice between China and our more familiar supper partner, America. But can we pick our own foreign policy plate, without starving in the choosing?

Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based lawyer, journalist, Real News Network correspondent, and political activist. He’s also one of nine aspirants spending their Summer campaigning for the leadership of the Green Party of Canada. Dimitri is on the stump in BC again this week, as the October leadership convention looms ever nearer.

Dimitri Lascaris in the first half.

And; Bolivians reacted to news their September 6th general election is off by taking to the streets and declaring a General Strike. It’s a dangerous move considering interim caretaker president, Janine Anez has shown little hesitation, or contrition, loosing the military and police to lethal effect on perceived enemies of her nine-month old coup regime. But then Anez can afford to be unrepentant because no-one is holding her accountable.
Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at Ricochet, The Palestine Chronicle, and at his site, YvesEngler.com among other places.

Yves Engler and ‘Canada’s Support for Bolivian Coup Deserves Closer Scrutiny’ in the second half.

And; CFUV broadcaster and host of Plant Powered Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good to do in and around our town in the coming week. But first, Dimitri Lascaris and finding finally a truly Canadian foreign policy.

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.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, Alan MacLeod, John Helmer, Janine Bandcroft June 18, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:52 — 23.7MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Welcome to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, April 25th, 2020.

The latest attempt by lamentable Keystone coupster, Juan Guaido to crown himself King of Caracas cracked up on the rocks of a Venezuelan beach, where his army, a motley collection of hapless foreign mercenaries and disgruntled Venezuelan nationals was taken into custody by a combination of police and local fishermen. The entire latter day Bay of Pigs fiasco would have been laughable but for the eight men killed, and the potential mayhem those men had hoped to unleash on the already crisis-stricken country. All that was made clear when the contract Guaido had taken out on elected president, Nicolas Maduro was made public by his accomplices at Silvercorp USA, the outfit hired and disgruntled by Juan’s failure to make good on payment promised.

Dr. Alan MacLeod is an educator, essayist, and author whose research interests include media theory, propaganda, social media and South American politics. He’s a staff writer at Mintpress News, a contributor to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, and author of the book, ‘Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting’. His recent article at the Grayzone is, ‘Guaidó’s mercenary hit contract on Venezuela’s Maduro mirrors official US bounty, authorizes death squad killings‘.

Alan MacLeod in the first half.

And; if I’m to follow to its logical conclusion the advice of the World Health Organization and, (quote) “limit [my] worry and agitation by lessening the time I spend watching or listening to media coverage I perceive as upsetting…” I’d be forced to in good conscience close shop too, putting an end to twenty-one years of Gorilla Radio’s dedication to (quote) “increasing agitation by presenting media designed to be upsetting”. And that I refuse to do; allowing the virus victory is not an option on my watch, as the grating saying goes.

So in this I take departure of the WHO, thank you. And, it appears I’m not alone in finding fault with they and their medical minions: The United States of America too is out of sorts with the UN agency, as is its ally, Australia the two leading a chorus of boos for the WHO’s failure to affix “proper” blame in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak. All proving that, even in a World where everything is changed, some songs remain the same.

John Helmer’s a journalist, author, broadcaster, former political advisor to governments, and principal behind the news website, Dances with Bears. He’s also one of the most widely read Russia specialists in the business world for his news-breaking stories on Russian base and precious metals, diamonds, mining, shipping, insurance, food trade, and business policy. Helmer’s book titles include: ‘The Deadly Simple Mechanics of Society’, ‘The Jackal’s Wedding – American Power, Arab Revolt’, (co-authored with Claudia Wright), the political memoir, ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia’, and his latest, the two-plus year chronicle of the bizarre and completely unprecedented case of a Russian father and daughter disappeared by the British state for “their own protection”, ‘Skripal in Prison’. His recent article, ‘SKRIPAL SHOWDOWN, NOVICHOK PAYDAY — LONDON LAWYER THREAT TO CALL SERGEI AND YULIA SKRIPAL TO TESTIFY IN OPEN COURT FOR THE FIRST TIME’ continues presenting the upsetting facts behind the official Skripal fiction.

John Helmer and no men being islands in the Covid-19 stream in the second half.

And; long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, Alan MacLeod and the latest sad chapter in the sorry life of Juan Guaido, Venezuela’s little coupster that couldn’t.

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, Patricio Zamorano, Janine Bandcroft June 11th, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:29 — 15.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Welcome back to GR, where we are NOT reporting live from the CFUV studios in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but instead are recording live to tape via Skype on this day, May 21st, 2020.

Canada’s prime minister has little to show for his time in office. Over six years, the Liberal party, that began it’s mandate with such sunny prospects, has both failed to fulfill its soaring rhetoric, and revealed itself as little more than a pale reflection of its opposition in the Parliament. Through everything though, Justin Trudeau has kept a vigilant eye on his personal legacy, and for him that glory lay on a larger stage than his parochial, peripheral Canadian homeland. No, Justin’s destiny is global, and the first step in that direction is conquering the World, in the body of the United Nations Security Council. But, Justin has a small problem. The people unhappy with the country’s human rights and foreign policy record are using Canada’s shameless lobbying and self-promotion to get on the council as opportunity to highlight all the reasons it should be considered unfit for the job.

Yves Engler is a Montréal-based activist, essayist, and author whose articles appear at The Palestine Chronicle, Pacific Free Press, and at his site, YvesEngler.ca among other places. Yves is also a key organizer with Disruption Network Canada, which has mobilized activists to challenge politicians through peaceful, direct action.The latest of Engler’s eleven books, ‘HOU$E of MIRRORS: Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy‘ questions the Liberals’ progressive pretense, while challenging the persistent national delusion that Canadians are “a benevolent force in the world” despite ample evidence to the contrary. Yves is also signatory to ForeignPolicy.ca’s international petition calling for refusal of Canada’s petition to join the UNSC.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; In the wee hours of May 3rd, a flotilla of lightly armed commandos raced across the Caribbean, headed for landings carefully chosen as beachheads for the invasion and liberation of Venezuela. Their mission though immediately foundered, with eight men being killed outright, and most of the rest captured immediately by local authorities aided by local citizens.

Patricio Zamorano is an academic, political scientist, journalist and television and radio commentator on U.S. foreign and domestic policy.He’s co-Director and Senior Editor at COHA, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, where I found his recent article, ‘Guaidó and the Failed Military Operation against Venezuela: A Story of Betrayal and Financial Corruption.'”

Patricio Zamorano and the men who would be behind Juan Guaido’s throne in the second half.

And; long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with this week’s Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things – both real and virtual – to ge gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, Yves Engler and counting the reasons Canada’s ambition at the UN should be thwarted.

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.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, Alan MacLeod May 15, 2020

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:44 — 15.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More

The latest attempt by lamentable Keystone coupster, Juan Guaido to crown himself King of Caracas cracked up on the rocks of a Venezuelan beach, where his army, a motley collection of hapless foreign mercenaries and disgruntled Venezuelan nationals was taken into custody by a combination of police and local fishermen. The entire latter day Bay of Pigs fiasco would have been laughable but for the eight men killed, and the potential mayhem those men had hoped to unleash on the already crisis-stricken country. All that was made clear when the contract Guaido had taken out on elected president, Nicolas Maduro was made public by his accomplices at Silvercorp USA, the outfit hired, disgruntled by Juan’s failure to make good on payment promised.

Alan MacLeod and the latest chapter in the sorry life of Juan Guaido, the little coupster that couldn’t.