What’s going on in Venezuela?
Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have turned out to demonstrate against the Maduro government, and this appears to include may former Maduro supporters:
Even the poorest areas, the beating heart of the country’s socialist government set up by Hugo Chavez, emptied as people joined the demonstrations.
The Chavez dream of a utopian socialist society is a distant memory now. The country is broke, inflation over a million percent, the currency worthless and government supermarkets empty of food and almost everything else.
In one of the city’s main squares thousands upon thousands gathered to see their hero, the speaker of the national assembly, Juan Guaido. He did not disappointment them.
Why now? The country’s been a basket case for a long time. Some of the timing has to do with finding a charismatic champion in the 35-year-old Guaido.
The police and military are still with Maduro, however. That’s extremely important. All over the world, turning points come for dictators when—and usually only when—one or both of those institutions decides it will no longer defend and protect and do the bidding of said dictator.
I hadn’t followed the build-up to this, and am not familiar with Guaido, Trump has lent his verbal support to Guaido, as have the leaders of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Another factor in the timing is that Maduro (Chavez’s successor) was recently sworn in after “winning” another term under a very suspicious election widely considered fraudulent. And I mean widely:
Last May’s election was boycotted by the opposition and Mr Maduro’s strongest opponents were blocked from taking part.
The European Union and the US say the result was fraudulent.
And not just Trump and the EU (united at least on something), but also the OAS.
In retaliation, Maduro has told US personnel to leave the country, and:
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said the US will now conduct relations through Mr Guaido.
Mexico, Bolivia, Russia and Turkey have all sided with Mr Maduro.
It’s lonely at the top sometimes.
This is an attempted coup; it’s not a fair and free election. But Maduro was not elected fairly either, and he and his predecessor have ruined the country. It’s not hyperbole to say that Venezuelans are desperate and many are starving, an outrage in a country that used to be rich.
Guaido is promising free elections. But don’t they always? I hope he’s telling the truth, because he seems to be Venezuela’s only hope to free itself from the socialists who have been destroying it for much of the twenty-first century.
I don’t know much about Gauido either. He could hardly be worse than Chavez/Maduro, it seems to me. When a country is so thoroughly destroyed it can take a while for some kind of stability to take hold.
The upper classes are in Florida and the middle class is in Columbia. The fact that the poor, who were seduced by Chavez (whose daughter is now the richest woman in South America) are now turning on Maduro means it’s probably the end.
There was a National Guard mutiny last week and the military is probably deciding who the winner is likely to be. This is what “preference cascades” look like. Ceausescu found out what they are like.
Virtually anyone would be an improvement over Maduro, so I second Kate’s assessment.
Maduro, like Assad before him, has many powerful nation’s backing. Many of the same, in fact — Russia, Iran, Syria, Cuba, China — as well as others not so Assad friendly, like Turkey, Mexico, S. Africa. Will Maduro choose as Assad chose? Without the presence of limp wristed Barack Obama Maduro can’t assume to find Assad’s mode of success.
sdferr:
I wonder if this would ever have happened if Obama were still president. I certainly am not saying Trump caused it, but his presence at the helm of the US certainly isn’t discouraging the forces working against Maduro, whereas those forces would not have been able to count on Obama’s support.
Neo & sdferr…and let’s don’t even think what the 2016 losing candidate would be doing now re Maduro.
Any bets on how long before Guaido is assassinated?
Dictators are winning until suddenly they aren’t.
The problem is that no one (literally) can predict when or IF the cascade will start: the tipping point is totally unpredictable (although not always unexpected), and sometimes it never happens, and sometimes it just isn’t enough to move all of the people who have to shift their preferences to the same side.
And rrrright on cue….:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/the-gop-has-become-the-pro-russia-party/2019/01/21/9960f0d4-1dbf-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html?utm_term=.71bfd9da3af1&__twitter_impression=true
Can’t make this stuff up….
(Should one feel pity for the—poor. poor—author’s depths of delusion? Wonder at her absolute stupidity? Anger at the depravity of her “reasoning”? Or just have a good, hearty laugh…)
Interesting that Mexico sides with Maduro.
Huh?
Didn’t SecDef Mattis just resign because Trump is not “clear-eyed about malign actors” and does not treat allies with respect?
Didn’t we just see him telegraph his Syria withdrawal in a bizarre tweet? Didn’t we just see ISIS, emboldened by Trump’s statements according to Lindsay Graham, kill 4 Americans?
I could understand this comment if we were talking about Bush or Reagan. But Trump ran on a very different platform: America-first. This isn’t traditional anti-commuism and certainly isn’t Neo-conservatism.
sdferr & Neo,
Would it have happened if Obama AND Dilma Rousseff were in charge? Columbia had a solid rightward swing several years ago also that seems to have moderated somewhat. But I heard something about a recent popular uprising in Columbia against a slight gov. tolerance of the Marxist narco terrorist groups there.
Manju:
All of Trump’s remarks about Venezuela, however, have been very against the regime. He’s been extremely consistent on that (see, for example, this and this, and there’s plenty more where that came from).
Nor am I insinuating that Trump is going to send troops to Venezuela. “Support” is the word I used, and it can involve diplomatic, verbal, and economic support, in addition to plenty of other things. Trump has not been shy about that sort of thing, and Maduro knows it.
Contrast with Obama, who was responsible for this sort of thing:
Or this, or this, and this.
Obama was sometimes critical of Venezuela, but nothing on the order of what Trump has been.
500,000 Syrians are unavailable for comment on the relative strengths of Pres. Pseudonym vs. Pres. Trump, while some 7 million other displaced Syrians have been cast to the four winds, so we’ll not be hearing from them today either. Pres. Pseudonym, however, can certainly be judged a champion (and a gifted one at that) in the matter of standing by to tut-tut the slaughter of innocents, be they Iranian Green movement protesters or Syrian Sunnis. Pseudonym always has a better idea.
When the military inevitably turns against Maduro and leaves him no choice but to be exiled to the US like Marcos Bernie Sanders could invite Maduro to live with his family in his mansion built using money donated by useful idiots everywhere like Manju, and invite The Clintons and Obamas over for a super socialist style swinger party.
Capitalism is not perfect, but at least in here unless you are mentally ill even the poorest and the least productive people would have a place to live and food on table, unlike Venezuela even the riches starve, now that is the kind of equality Bernie Sanders and that crazy eye chick in cali want to achieve here.
“This isn’t traditional anti-commun
ism and certainly isn’t Neo-conservatism.”
Lordy, what could it possibly be? OMG, it’s, it’s undefinable!!
And if Donald is spewing uncharacteristically (or should that be “characteristically”—doesn’t matter really, does it?) sensible word salad (since it’s not possible, by definition—finally we have a definition—that he makes any sense at all), well, Vlad sure isn’t following the narrative’s script here either:
https://thehill.com/policy/international/426723-russia-us-military-intervention-in-venezuela-would-be-catastrophic
Wait a minute: maybe Vlad IS following it! (What we need right now is some expert punditry. Maybe a dose of AOC would do the trick!)
The important thing is that either way, the Donald and Vlad show will—MUST—go on!
(The Narrative won’t have it any other way….)
if even sitting on one of the biggest oil reserve in the world couldn’t make socialism work, what could?
Barry Meislin on January 24, 2019 at 3:59 pm at 3:59 pm says
” And rrrright on cue….: [link]
Yeah, Catherine Rampell is certainly giving it her tortuous, twisty, writhing best, isn’t she? Wow. Isn’t she clever?
The power we engaged in a cold war against, the Soviet Union, becomes “Soviet Russia”; terminology which a proper 70’s progressive would have mocked as a phrasing fit only for one of Senator Foghorn’s supposedly paranoiac knee-kerk socialist-bashing jeremiads.
But wait, in this particular instance it’s polemically important that it be “Soviet Russia” and not the “Soviet Union” or the “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”. Because only then do we have the clear verbal path we need to seamlessly segue to “Russia” per se, as that lineal designee, enemy in seizen of mankind. And the mere and technically correct if truncated “Soviet Union” being the nominal antagonist admitted as then seen on the world stage and in the United Nations, won’t quite get us there. So “Soviet Russia” it becomes.
Clever girl, Catherine. No one will notice it. Anyway, not if they are already foaming at the mouth too.
And then as an added bonus we get this wonderful tip of her hat to those Americans who make it all work.
So now we know. The middle class, and “workers” still do count for something; even if you dentists, subcontractors, and automotive engineers in flyover country don’t. The middle class, as we define it, is still cherished. It’s just that we define it differently than it used to be defined, and if you are not a government worker, then you don’t qualify.
And therefore if unemployment claims are reportedly the lowest they have been since 1969: So what?
As a socialist once explained to me after lengthy debate, socialism, “is an all society proposition”.
Ahhhh …
And by all society, he meant everyone everywhere. Doesn’t matter how many millions of people you have dragooned into your system, how many millions of resource rich, heavily populated, contiguous and isolated square miles, socialism has at its disposal. Unless it includes all of it everywhere, and everyone, it just cannot work.
Thus, it will only and magically begin to “work” one there is no human life remaining outside the socialist system of planning and regimentation. It doesn’t particularly matter if those humans outside have nothing whatsoever to do with the socialist world, never cross the socialist orbit, and touch on it not at all. The fact that these selfish serpents of potential temptation exist somewhere in the same universe, and are known to exist, is enough to frustrate the blossoming of a socialist Eden.
Why, socialism can no more exist on only half the planet, than the Democrat Party could provide health care to its mere 40 some million self-declared members!
That’s the magic of it. Socialism is MAGIC! Beautiful, beautiful (for some) MAGIC! All you need for it to be real, is to believe … or be dead if you don’t.
Then it will work.
I saw a Reuters report that Mexico supports Maduro “for the time being.”
DNW, yes indeed.
It’s all very simple(!), though.
Basically, all one need remember is that the MSM has been spewing agitprop practically non-stop for much of the past 10 years (and many would say way before that)—and they’re proud of it!
(Not that they would admit it as such—moral crusaders that they are…. Agitprop has such an unwholesome odor…. Has to be doctored. Perfumed.)
Alas there’s no end in site, especially since pixels are cheap and limitless (that is, unless/until they run out of money).
Yep, “All the agitprop that’s fit to spew”!!
Sounds about right.
Why now? The country’s been a basket case for a long time.
Because until January 23 2019, Maduro had been President of Venezuela as a result of the election held in 2013. Opposition parties nominated whom they wanted in that election. In the 2018 “election,” Maduro banned the leading opposition candidates from running, which led to the conclusion that it was not a valid election.
Until January 23,2019, Maduro was President as a result of a recognized election. From January 23, 2019, Maduro is “President” as a result of the May 2018 “election”- an election where Maduro and the Electoral Council banned the leading opposition candidates from running. Vetting of candidates- just as the Mullahs do in Iran.
(Tibisay Lucena, head of the Electoral Council, is a graduate of The New School, in New York. From a refuge for those fleeing Hitler, to granting degrees to corrupt dictatorial apparatchicks- so The New School has fallen.)
Some of the timing has to do with finding a charismatic champion in the 35-year-old Guaido. …I hadn’t followed the build-up to this, and am not familiar with Guaido…This is an attempted coup; it’s not a fair and free election.
Caracas Chronicles:The Interim President.
No, it is NOT a coup. It is an attempt to bring back Constitutional law to Venezuela.
But Maduro was not elected fairly either, and he and his predecessor have ruined the country.
In addition, Maduro and his predecessor have not followed the Constitution that Chavismo wrote.
Whats going on in Venezuela?
end game…
here, laugh at this to distract yourself
Gillette Parody Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=mj8VpuLSkHY
For those interested in finding out more information about Juan Guaidó .Advanced Google Search: Juan Guaidó @ Caracas Chronicles.
The timing-question – Why Now? – I assume reflects a decision to limit or impair the long-running involvement of Russia and China in Venezuela … both of whom are reacting strongly.
The U.S., and the OAS, can bring together a meaningful bloc in Latin America … and I’m curious see how Mexico’s contrarian role plays out.
But I suspect we’re cutting Russia & China off at the pass here, is what it is.
DNW,
Re: “Soviet Russia”
Perhaps it has something to do with this:
-Donald Trump
Could someone here explain to me why this, the highlighted portion in particular, is not a Red Flag for the party of Reagan?
Even if you dismiss the notion that Trump is a Russian asset, you’re left with a President spewing Communist propaganda that afaik even Noam Chomsky and Stephen F. Cohen do not spew.
What the hell is this crap?
I have to agree with Manju. What Donald Trump said about the Russians going into Afghanistan was total nonsense. They went into Afghanistan to get rid of an incompetent puppet and install another puppet.
From Neo’s very own blogroll, Daniel in Venezuela, has a nice summary of the major issues playing out: https://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2019/01/answers-Venezuela-2019.html
Perhaps? You know of a specific causal link or reference not mentioned in her rant?
And what, exactly has that to do with her polemical deployment of the “Soviet Russia” phraseology?
“Russian asset” LOL. If you are off looking for foreign assets in the US government, you could start with Soviet assets, and half a dozen members of the Democrat party who were concurrently members of the Roosevelt and Truman administrations. And you could include Progressive Icon Mr. Postwar Planned Economy Roosevelt himself [had his stroking out not spared us] as one of Stalin’s more prominent ass kissing apologists. You know, Stalin the psychopathic murderer of millions.
But anyway, when you say “spewing communist propaganda”, are you asserting that Trump is advocating the benefits of a subhuman collectivist ideology known as Marxism or communism?
No, of course you are not.
Funny though how progressives so loved the Soviet Union, yet so hate Russia now. Maybe they always did hate Russia. Maybe that is in part why they loved the Soviet Union so much … their hatred of Russia.
Russia is an antagonist, a political competitor, and often an adversary. But Russia can do me and my interests no greater harm than the Soviets and their soulless [ literally, on their own anthropological theory] Democrat party collaborators wished, and tried to do.
That is why there is nothing funnier than to listen to a panicked American progressive wave the flag and shout “We … ” . It’s like Howard Dean banging on your door at night and begging to be let in because some criminal is slashing him to ribbons. Shrug. If two rats fight, and one is going to win, then you have only one to deal with later.
Dear Progressives: That “We …” train left the station years ago amigos. Your citizenship leaves you with about as much solidarity capital to call on as the average man-eating space alien. Someone is killing you? I don’t care. One less socialst totalitarian asshole to deal with.
Yeah it was. Or close enough to it, according to the standard understanding of the pretext given. But, nonetheless, Trump has shown no evidence whatsoever of being a communist.
And the idea of American progressives, the fervid offspring of a previous era’s Stalin worshipers, screaming about foreign infiltration in the wake of Clinton’s Norinco waivers, Gore’s Chinese campaign money, et cetera, et cetera, ad infinitum ad nauseam, just … cracks … me … up.
manju doesn’t know when to STFU. Trump is standing up for American values and interests in a way Obama *never* did. And as for Russia despite any offhand remarks Trump made his policy towards Russia is objectively *much* tougher than President Flexible’s.
You leftists have been pimping out the Venezuelan commies for years now and YOU bear responsibility for the destitute state of that country. You are nothing but a slimy dishonest toad manju and you are beating that dead Russian horse because you are a loser through and through. That’s why you have to make a living trolling.
“…STFU….”
Um, well, actually, what makes America (and similar countries) GREAT is that people in those countries are allowed—yes!—to support destructive, murderous regimes like Venezuela. Or protest against those regime’s dissolution.
At least that’s part of what makes America great. Yes (for all those cringers, sighers, foot-shufflers, nay-sayers and but-sayers), GREAT.
Now, one might want to question the judgment—or indeed the sanity—of such fans of destruction and evil, but they are, in the end, allowed to hold these opinions (by a Constitution that so many of them, oddly, wish to get rid of!).
To be sure, the fact that such people would actually like to import such destructive and evil policies to America might raise some eyebrows. Or more.
Still…
Where was I? Oh yes. It seems to be that IF Trump is FOR ending of a destructive and evil regime, then the Democrats must be AGAINST that (i.e., against ending of a destructive and evil regime):
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/01/that_weird_silence_from_democrats_over_venezuelas_massive_rejection_of_socialism.html
But maybe it’s not exactly fair to lambaste the Democrats regarding Venezuela, specifically. Maybe it’s the general rule that is at the core of their convictions. That is, maybe it’s the principle.
So that it probably would be a lot fairer to say that if Trump is FOR something—anything—then the smart people, the wise people, the intelligent people, the sophisticated people, the nuanced people, the caring people, the sensitive and sensible people, the moral people, the TRUE patriots (NOT those MAGA fools, knaves and imposters)…must therefore be AGAINST that something—that whatever…because Trump is, by definition, the GREATER evil:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/01/dems-block-move-to-pay-federal-workers.php
By definition. On principle.
One must strive to be fair.
What’s going on? an attempt at a peaceful assertion of control against a fraudulently elected faux President. Not quite a coup, altho its success depends on the support of the military.
Why now? Only now is Maduro assuming power based on a fraud.
Plus (b) Brazil. The largest neighbor to Venezuela.
https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/brazil-reiterates-it-will-not-participate-in-possible-venezuela-intervention/
Too many illegal immigrants from Venezuela are causing problems on the Brazilian border — Brazil is ready to help Guaido, tho not with intervention.
(Not yet?)
Yes and you gotta love their application of principle.
Reminds me of that story I’ve told here before. So, my significant other and her two boys and I are vacationing at her parents’ lake place, and on leaving there, travel over the bigger one near by, (The one that runs down to Chicago) for a moderately upscale lunch in a frou-frou town her mother enjoys. Fancy burger joint basically. The black haired younger one is being uncooperative, and the red haired, slightly older one, unusually good. The younger will not eat the meal he orders (and he was not a toddler) and is acting up generally. I don’t care too much, we are outside on a second story terrace, but throwing away 20 bucks on a burger he wont eat and listening to his whining as he spills shit is getting to me.
As an added bonus the attitude persists for the next 200 miles plus drive south.
We get back to town, and are having dinner the next day. The older one finishes his food, and asks for a soda pop. It is granted to him as a reward. The younger one who had been trying to live off sweets and pop, and has not eaten his dinner, demands one too. Approximate Reconstruction follows: “No”. “Why not?” “Because your brother has eaten his proper meals today and yesterday, and so he can have a treat.”
“But he had one yesterday and another today, and that means he gets more than me and that’s not fair.”
So having exactly what he has is fair? “Yes”.
“Then since he ate all his vegetables, you should have to too; and that will then be “fair”?
“No.”
“No? Why not?”
“Because ‘fair’ is only for the things you want”.
Barry, it may be a fine point since I was pretty nasty to manju (who deserves it but that’s another story) but I wasn’t telling him to STFU merely recommending it. Because Dems aren’t going to look good in a thread about a hideous regime they have coddled for years no matter how much Russia shade they try to throw.