Foreign "aid" comes in various guises. A container or two squirrelled away for such a rainy day. The illusion is complete with the "made in China", flags, tee shirts and caps.
Foreign "aid" comes in various guises. A container or two squirrelled away for such a rainy day. The illusion is complete with the "made in China", flags, tee shirts and caps.
Luckily Pompeo - and 'arry as well - do not look over the ocean
May Day rallies descend into violent clashes with police in Paris as demonstrations are held around the world
https://www.foxnews.com/world/may-da...s-around-world
No need to cross any water.
A peaceful International Labour Day celebrations was held in Caracas yesterday.
Maduro announces 'Day of Dialogue' to rectify mistakes, addresses crowds on May Day
"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced a “day of dialogue” to be held over the weekend, in an effort to fix some of the mistakes his government has made “since the Revolution.”
Addressing a crowd in Caracas during the International Labor Day celebrations, the president accused the US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido of trying to trigger a civil war in Venezuela.
"The Venezuelan coup leaders not only deceived themselves, but also deceived US imperialists, saying that I was going to leave the country," Maduro said, referring to statements from Washington that he was about to flee to Cuba.
"What would have happened if we had confronted those coup plotters? A massacre among Venezuelans, we would have killed ourselves and in Washington they would have celebrated," he said.
If Guaido, the self-proclaimed "interim president," really wants to reach the Miraflores Palace, all he has to do is win an election, Maduro said.
He called on his supporters to make proposals to "rectify mistakes" that have been made by the government, and to address the US-imposed sanctions.
"We are going to a great day of change, of rectification, of revolutionary renewal. I am counting on you!" Maduro told the crowd.
The way to settle differences is "constitutionality and respect," Maduro argued. It was unclear whether his offer of dialogue extended to Guaido and the coup-plotters, however, as the president said he would "name the traitors" in the coming days.
During the speech, Maduro also appealed to the people of Venezuela not to allow the "fracturing" of the revolutionary ideology and the "just cause" he is defending.
"I will never betray the people of Venezuela, I will never surrender to imperialism," he said.
At the same time, Guaido announced there would be a strike by public sector employees beginning on Thursday as a continuation of what he calls “the final phase of the operation ‘Liberation.’” Glossing over his failure to convince the military to defect on Tuesday, Guaido tweeted,
“Public servants will join. We will support them in increasing strikes which will begin tomorrow and will continue until a general strike takes place.”
“You should have power in order to call a strike,” National Constituent Assembly leader Diosdado Cabello remarked.
Scattered demonstrations and clashes between opposition supporters and police continued around Caracas on Wednesday, but with far less intensity than Tuesday's abortive coup.
Guaido had urged the military to seize power and his supporters took to the streets to clash with police, but his "Operation Liberty" fizzled within a few hours, with Guaido's mentor Leopoldo Lopez requesting asylum in the embassy of Chile, and about two dozen members of the Venezuelan military that backed the opposition fleeing to the embassy of Brazil."
https://www.rt.com/news/458152-madur...ue-opposition/
I suspect "most people" would, "generally agree" the photo is of a reasonable and a peaceful crowd supporters of a democratically elected government and President.
Some might question of the lack of machine gun armed soldiers and bunches of bananas however.
They were able to listen to the President's speech and cheer at the correct time. Rather then duck at sound of heavy calibre shots hitting concrete/cinder block walls though.
The speech carried excellent ideas and shows a certain maturity unknown from a country in the Americas. He has obviously received a new speech wring team, from where one wonders. Not an exiled clan from a nondescript , Asian "gas station"?
An American country to the north's non democratically elected spokesman did announce more threats of invasion, but it's "generally accepted", nobody listens to any announcements from him accept with a knowing sorrowful or pitying smile or even a painful grimace.
Last edited by OhOh; 02-05-2019 at 06:19 PM.
A tray full of GOLD is not worth a moment in time.
A 'Day of fresh water, working electricity, affordable food and functional healthcare' would probably be a better idea.
Another murderous dictator being kept in power by Vlad (You shit-munching knob gobbler Putin - $750).
Cuba will fight to the last Venezuelan to keep their free oil flowing unless enough of the military defect then they will shit themselves
and their grand export of brutal security personal and dimwit socialist nirvana aka dictatorship ideals will have to piss off back
to their own paradise,
Venezuela was the 4th richest country in the world 60 years ago.
Good job it wasn't too hot, eh? More likely one of these reasons;
1. Still screwing sleepy señoritas?
2. Bad planning, their attacking forces placed to the west of the target,
3. Uncommitted cannon fodder, awaiting a higher up-front cash offer
4. Watching re-runs of the Helms Deep arrival by the Rohirrim Riders?
Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Saturday he would send delegates to Oslo next week for the first face-to-face meeting with representatives of President Nicolas Maduro's government as part of a Norway-led mediation effort.
They "will talk with both the Norwegian government and with representatives of the regime", Guaido said in a statement, after the two Venezuelan sides traveled separately to the Norwegian capital last week without meeting.
Guaido, recognized by the United States and dozens of other countries as Venezuela's interim president, said the opposition delegation will be headed by deputy parliament speaker Stalin Gonzalez and the ex-deputy Gerardo Blyde, both of whom were involved in the initial talks with the Norwegians.
Media reports said Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez and the governor of Miranda province Hector Rodriguez represented Maduro's government in the initial talks, but it was unclear if they would participate in next week's meeting.
Guaido has appeared cautious about talking with Maduro's representatives since the idea is unpopular with the opposition base that has spent months in the streets trying to push Maduro out.
Earlier on Saturday, Guaido told supporters in Carora, Lara state that "nobody is ever going to get us here confused about a false dialogue."
He said there had been no "negotiation" in the earlier meetings in Norway, and that any deal should include mediation leading to Maduro's departure and new elections being scheduled.
"We are going to insist," he said, "because today by combining all our strategies, using all the tools we have, we are going to get to that final step," Guaido said, referring to street protests and multiple levels of diplomacy.
The bid for talks comes after a months-long power struggle between National Assembly leader Guaido and the socialist president, with sometimes deadly street clashes.
Guaido's backers dismiss Maduro's presidency as "illegitimate" following his re-election last year in polls widely labeled as rigged.
Maduro has been shunned by much of the international community for presiding over the country's economic collapse, which has led to shortages of basic goods -- forcing millions to flee -- as well as brutally suppressing dissent.
He retains the backing of major creditors Russia, China and Cuba, as well as the powerful military.
Guaido tried to incite a military uprising against Maduro on April 30 but only about 30 members of the armed forces joined him.
The socialist regime has since ramped up pressure on Guaido's allies and supporters, charging 10 lawmakers with treason.
The pro-government Constituent Assembly recently stripped 14 opposition lawmakers of their legislative immunity over their support for the failed uprising.
https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/venezuelas-guaido-says-will-send-representatives-talks-govt-doc-1gx6401
Can't be arsed to read this but can we safely assume Harryturdburgler thinks Guaido is the rightly president and should be allowed to rule, that he is not a yank puppet, does not have a hard line right wing mass murdering back ground, and that John Bolton is as friendly and trust worthy as a cute puppy.
Carry on
Juan Guido, the American recognized president of Venezuela , had a nice greeting with a crowd at a political event
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand skiddy bumps another dead thread.
Wanker.
Bit like the Syrian thread then. The Afghani thread then. The Uyghur genocide thread then. Dead. I wonder who lost?
I'm glad you think Maduro got Venezuela back on track Harriet.
He'd bust my balls for starting a new thread. And he's still budging my balls for finding a topic thread.
The Los Angeles Times reports that “the audacious gamble by the U.S. government to…restore democracy” suffered a “spectacular failure” in Venezuela. What this State Department stenographer masquerading as a newspaper considers a “democratic” setback consisted of failing to impose unknown US security asset Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s president.
This man just got the boot from his own fractious opposition group, which voted 72-29 to disband his “interim government.” The Hill reports that the pretend president still claims the post and retains a “powerful network of support,” although not in his home country.
Guaidó’s support comes from outside of Venezuela consisting of the likes of Democratic US Senators Dick Durbin and Bob Menendez along with the Biden State Department plus fellow neo-cons on the other side of the aisle. Now that the former swing state of Florida has gone solidly Republican, Biden can no longer excuse US regime-change policy by claiming that the rightwing Sunshine State voters are forcing his hand. They wouldn’t vote for him either way.
Mr. Guaidó threatened: “We will stay on the street until Venezuela is liberated!” This venue is especially appropriate because Guaidó self-appointed himself president in January 2019 on a Caracas street corner. His “interim government” has never held any power nor served even basic state functions such as issuing visas.
Guaidó’s clique did enrich itself with stolen Venezuelan assets handed over to them by the US. As Richardo Vaz of Venezuelanalysis observes: “The ‘interim government’ offered the opposition a remarkable scenario: the opportunity for unfettered corruption without needing to take power.”
At the same time, the opposition cheered sanctions against their own people. These illegal unilateral coercive measures, mainly by the US, were intentionally designed to cripple the Venezuelan economy. The government lost 99% of its 2021-22 income. Predictably and deliberately, these measures caused harm such as over 100,000 deaths.
When is an election fraudulent?
According to the LA Times, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s 2018 election was “widely considered fraudulent,” which means in Washington-speak that the US didn’t accept the result while the rest of the world did. This judgement contrasts with former US President Jimmy Carter’s assessment: “The electoral system in Venezuela is the best in the world.”
However, the US adds the imperial caveat that to be considered “free and fair” an election must be won by the side favored by Washington. Accordingly, the US now recognizes the National Assembly as the only legitimate Venezuelan governmental body. But it is not the currently elected National Assembly. Rather it is the one that dates way back to 2015, the last time the opposition won a majority of the seats.
US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said with a straight face, “Mr. Guaidó remains a member of that 2015 National Assembly.” Apparently legal tenure limits don’t apply to pretenders such as Guaidó whose term has ended.
Now that Guaidó is voted out, the opposition paper parliament made Dinorah Figuera its head. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ms. Figuera resides in Spain where she has a job caring for the elderly. The AP characterized the body she supposedly presides over as a “symbolic shadow.”
President Maduro commented on the parallel government – really a Zoom meet-up cosplaying as a sovereign state – noting that the US remains “trapped in a senseless policy towards Venezuela by supporting non-existent institutions.” He offered renewing normalization of relations with Washington on January 1. And by the US government, he was referring to the current administration and not to the 18th century Continental Congress.
But Washington’s continued failure to recognize the democratically elected government of Nicolás Maduro, now that its pretend president Guaidó is no longer accepted even by his own opposition bloc, is a setback to normalization of bilateral relations.
This is in spite of signs of a thaw such as a high-level US official delegation meeting with Maduro last March, a prisoner exchange, and some small recent easing of oil sanctions which allows Chevron to make its first oil shipment from Venezuela in years.
Counter-balancing these openings and portending a chilly near-term was the unanimous passage by the US Senate of the BOLIVAR Act on December 16, precluding any relaxation of sanctions.
Advances in Venezuela, despite US efforts to the contrary
Regardless of US efforts to overthrow the government and cause the populace to turn against their elected officials in the face of punishing sanctions, President Maduro has endured and resisted.
Even the follow-the-flag Washington Post must acknowledge that “a recent poll from Andrés Bello Catholic University and pollster Delphos indicated that more respondents would vote for Maduro than Guaidó.” Of course, no one ever voted for Guaidó in the first place because the US-anointed “interim president” had never run for national office.
The opposition will hold primaries to try to find a unity candidate to oppose Maduro in 2024. Nevertheless, their prospects are not bullish according to Jesús Torrealba, who formerly headed the MUD opposition coalition. “What kind of confidence can you build,” he asked about his fellow opposition politicos, “when you have some actors accusing others of being thieves and others accused of being traitors.”
The Wall Street Journal observes that the opposition is in disarray and lacks popular support, while Maduro is enjoying his greatest popularity ever. Further, the current surge of so-called “pink tide” left-leaning governments in Latin America has buoyed Caracas’s boat with regional integration and independence from the northern hegemon on the agenda.
According to Últimas Noticias, Venezuela will continue to strengthen alliances with Iran, China, and countries in Africa, while prioritizing regional unity, particularly with Colombia and Brazil.
Economic turnaround under the US blockade
Meanwhile the abysmal state of the economy precipitated by the US blockade is showing signs of improvement, although conditions remain critical and still a considerable way to pre-sanctions recovery. Hyperinflation has been overcome and the contraction of the GDP has been reversed. According to the Venezuelan Central Bank, economic growth was 18% the first nine months of 2022.
Significantly for an historically oil rentier economy, “For the first time in more than 100 years, [this] is a growth of the non-oil economy that produces food, goods, services, and wealth, and that pays taxes,” according to President Maduro. From dependency on imported food, the Venezuelan president continued, “today we produce 94% of the food that goes to Venezuelan homes.”
Over 70% of the 2022 budget was allocated to social programs. The government built over three million houses between 2015 and 2022, which coincides with the period of maximum sanctions. This is double the amount built in the preceding 1999-2015 period in half the number of years.
If so much could be accomplished under such adverse conditions, one can only image what could be achieved if the knee of US imperialism were lifted from the neck of the Venezuelan people.
Roger Harris is on the board of the Task Force on the Americas, a 32-year-old anti-imperialist human rights organization.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/01/11/washingtons-democracy-promotion-fails-spectacularly-in-venezuela/
Whaddya know, one step closer to an outright Chavista dictatorship.
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