La Crisis Venezolana: The Crisis in Venezuela

[Farnhamia]

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/23/amer ... index.html

Just as it says on the tin:

The head of Venezuela's National Assembly had himself sworn in as interim president Wednesday as thousands of supporters took to the streets in a revitalized effort against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Meanwhile, Trump has immediately recognised the legitimacy of the new government in place of the Maduro government.

In my opinion, I hope this transfer of power can happen peacfully. I am happy to see a government with some democratic legitimacy take the place of an autocratic government, but even if Guaido wins power then the problems are far from over. I hope the US will not intervene militarily as that will only make things worse.

What do you think, oh barrels of bubbling crude that make up NSG?

[San Lumen]

This is a very big deal. I hope Maduro is out of office soon. He is a monster.

[Loben]

well i guess civil war is probably on the horizon

[The New California Republic]

His party seems to go for a much more moderate brand of socialism than the PSUV, and moderation is what Venezuela needs at the moment.

[Ifreann]

Is that how it works? Because if so I'd like to declare myself President of Venezuela.

[Altion]

Is that how it works? Because if so I'd like to declare myself President of Venezuela.

I call dibs on Vice-President.

[Trumptonium1]

In a day that was planned for months, 23 de enero protests were to be Venezuela's biggest against the ruling regime, and against the financial and social problems faced by the common man. No number has yet (or will be) released on the numbers of protesters across the country, however, the pictures show gridlocked streets across the country, and in some cases barricades and fights with the police force and unorganised auxilaries of the socialist party.

Today morning, the opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself to be the 'Interim President of Venezuela', in what appears to be an attempt at a media/non-military coup.

It also comes on the day that the United States officially recognises the opposition leader as the country's 'legitimate President' (as well as Canada and some EU countries) which means all diplomatic relations with the country's de facto government have been abandoned.

The opposition leader took on some kind of informal 'oath of allegiance' to the office of President on the streets of Caracas today afternoon, and the thousands of protesters are protecting him from the police and the military.



It comes almost a year after Venezuela's government disregarded the parliamentary election results, and created a parallel body of unelected legislators solely from Socialist Party lists (previously unicameral) that effectively assumed all legislative powers, rendering the other house useless. The other house, Venezuela's de jure 'parliament', has several times passed Acts that called for new elections and called the executive illegal, to no avail. It's also a week after Maduro declared himself President for another term, despite the 'official' parliament calling for his arrest.

Several outlets are covering the riots live:
https://edition.cnn.com/americas/live-n ... index.html
https://www.apnews.com/7d3d2ed7d5ae45dcad96baf0286cbfa6
https://nationalpost.com/news/world/pro ... h-u-s-rise
https://news.sky.com/story/venezuelan-o ... t-11615604

[Hammer Britannia]

Trump has recognized him, so if civil war is to break out I know which side the US is supporting

[Frievolk]

Hopefully Maduro's reign will end soon without much bloodshed (let's face it, a level of bloodshed is a given. Dictators seldom just leave office when told to) or necessity for international intervention.

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

I hope Trump isn't dumb enough to try and intervene.

[The New California Republic]

Is that how it works? Because if so I'd like to declare myself President of Venezuela.

[Orostan]

Your bias is obvious and also wrong. Maduro created the new constituent assembly with an election because the parliament was doing everything it could to sabotage him, much like what happened to Allende. Maduro also didn't declare himself anything - he was elected and I have yet to see a single shred of evidence that this election was rigged or tampered with in any way. The opposition has been calling for a military coup for a while now, and it should not be forgotten that these are the people who are burning food, hiding food, and doing everything they can do sabotage Venezuela. None of this would be happening if Maduro took control of the major food business and other firms and stopped them from choosing to sell on the black market instead of the real economy where they can't price gouge people.

[Trumptonium1]

Some pictures, dunno if they are legitimate but they look nice

This is the square where the 'interim President' is speaking since the afternoon and protected by the people

There are reports that some socialist party armed officials/auxiliaries/gestapo/officially unofficial gendarmerie have been killed.

[Arcturus Novus]

There's already a thread on this.

[Orostan]

Some pictures, dunno if they are legitimate but they look nice

(Image)(Image)(Image)(Image)

This is the square where the 'interim President' is speaking since the afternoon and protected by the people

(Image)

There are reports that some socialist party armed officials/auxiliaries/gestapo/officially unofficial gendarmerie have been killed.

I would like to see what the counter-protest looks like.

[Orostan]

Hopefully Maduro's reign will end soon without much bloodshed (let's face it, a level of bloodshed is a given. Dictators seldom just leave office when told to) or necessity for international intervention.

Maduro isn't a dictator, and never has been. He's won his elections fairly and not censored anything or attacked the opposition as much as he probably should.

[Hammer Britannia]

Hopefully Maduro's reign will end soon without much bloodshed (let's face it, a level of bloodshed is a given. Dictators seldom just leave office when told to) or necessity for international intervention.

Maduro isn't a dictator, and never has been. He's won his elections fairly and not censored anything or attacked the opposition as much as he probably should.

Oh sure, and Saddam wasn't a tin-pot dictator who was just mildly racist

[Frievolk]

Maduro isn't a dictator, and never has been. He's won his elections fairly and not censored anything or attacked the opposition as much as he probably should.

Oh sure, and Saddam wasn't a tin-pot dictator who was just mildly racist

"Mildly"
Didn't he literally commit genocide (or at least, try to) twice?

[Orostan]

Maduro isn't a dictator, and never has been. He's won his elections fairly and not censored anything or attacked the opposition as much as he probably should.

Oh sure, and Saddam wasn't a tin-pot dictator who was just mildly racist

Is this a criticism of Maduro or a criticism of my argument? Either way it is not a good one.

[Hammer Britannia]

Oh sure, and Saddam wasn't a tin-pot dictator who was just mildly racist

"Mildly"
Didn't he literally commit genocide (or at least, try to) twice?

I was being sarcastic.

[Frievolk]

Oh sure, and Saddam wasn't a tin-pot dictator who was just mildly racist

Is this a criticism of Maduro or a criticism of my argument? Either way it is not a good one.

You didn't provide an argument at all though. Just the usual socialist dictator apologism.

[Trumptonium1]

Your bias is obvious

Intentional.

Maduro created the new constituent assembly with an election because the parliament was doing everything it could to sabotage him,

An election among your own party to decide who should run the country when the legitimate election decided it shouldn't be you and is trying to oust you is not an election.

much like what happened to Allende.

A good thing.

Except Allende wasn't thrown out by a legitimate election, but instead by a popularly supported military coup, but that's beyond the point.

Maduro also didn't declare himself anything - he was elected and I have yet to see a single shred of evidence that this election was rigged or tampered with in any way.

Let's see who agrees

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ap.svg.png

The opposition has been calling for a military coup for a while now, and it should not be forgotten that these are the people who are burning food, hiding food, and doing everything they can do sabotage Venezuela.

As their moral duty is to do so.

None of this would be happening if Maduro took control of the major food business and other firms and stopped them from choosing to sell on the black market instead of the real economy where they can't price gouge people.

None of this would be happening if Maduro didn't have a parallel parliament running the country.



What a democratic-looking parliament. 503 Government supporters and 42 vacant seats. Smells like legitimacy to me.

[Zurkerx]

Something, something tells me that Civil War is coming. And I wonder if the Russians and Iranians would help Venezuela quell this "insurgency" as they would dub it.

[Hammer Britannia]

Something, something tells me that Civil War is coming. And I wonder if the Russians and Iranians would help Venezuela quell this "insurgency" as they would dub it.

Probably not, as trump has proclaimed support of the opposition.

Most nations don't want another Vietnam...

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

All jokes aside, if Maduro really were to be an unlawful president, it would be the constitutional duty of the President of the Assembly to take his place:

Article 233: When an elected President becomes permanently unavailable to serve prior to his inauguration, a new election by universal suffrage and direct ballot shall be held within 30 consecutive days. Pending election and inauguration of the new President, the President of the National Assembly shall take charge of the Presidency of the Republic.