Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Alan MacLeod, John Helmer, Janine Bandcroft June 18, 2020

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

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/