Canada, the Bad Neighbor

Posted by: ReductiMat

Posted by: tungsten

Posted by: chupacabra

The Maduro government has waged a violent crackdown on Venezuelan civil society, violated the constitution by dissolving the National Assembly and was re-elected last year in an election many observers said was fraudulent. The economy is a disaster and millions are migrating. ~ Bernie Sanders

And then they went on to totally win a super cool super legit election. ~ Tungsten

Bernie's full of shit. He only agitates domestically, never does he subtantively challenge empire.

He's the one who hatched the bizarre idea that the "west" give the Saudis funds and liscense to police the middle east.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/04/14/bernie-sanders-the-company-man/print/

https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/hi453time.htm

Who should the US elect?

Gino Odjick. Or RuPaul.

Posted by: chupacabra

The Maduro government has waged a violent crackdown on Venezuelan civil society, violated the constitution by dissolving the National Assembly and was re-elected last year in an election many observers said was fraudulent. The economy is a disaster and millions are migrating. ~ Bernie Sanders

And then they went on to totally win a super cool super legit election. ~ Tungsten

To wit....racism

In fact, the 2018 Venezuelan elections were watched over and endorsed as free by over 150 international observers, although media uniformly ignored those bothersome facts (FAIR.org, 5/23/18). It should also be noted that “civil society” is not a neutral, but a highly loaded term (FAIR.org, 1/31/19). In a study of over 500 articles across a 20-year period, I found that the term was used exclusively to refer to the light-skinned US-backed Venezuelan elite, and never once to the largely black, largely working-class groups who support the government.

https://fair.org/home/venezuela-baiting-how-media-keep-anti-imperialist-dissent-in-check/?awt_l=KEkPG&awt_m=iLAC1mD812R._TQ

Address the mass exodus out of Venezuela or GTFO. You can try and ignore the mass hunger, but there is plenty of footage of the people leaving the country and I can't think of this ever happening in a country that is doing great.

150 international observers? Who are they? I have already spent more time than I have to spare looking into Venezuela but that delegation is suspect. I have not seen any evidence that they know what they are doing or even who they are. Canada sent a bunch of union people and as far as I can tell they just literally observed the election, where a proper delegation would have full access and look at everything, including the actions of the incumbent before the election, such as jailing opposition or vote buying.  it seems like these people just went on a tour with government officials.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-factbox/factbox-venezuelas-jailed-exiled-or-barred-opposition-politicians-idUSKCN1G31WU

The observers were all invited by the government, and pro Maduro.  No major country organizations (EU, OAS, etc.) were present.

Big scam.

Posted by: chupacabra

Address the mass exodus out of Venezuela or GTFO.

Mind your manners, imperialist swine.

As a result of armed conflict in Colombia, hundreds of thousands of people have endured intimidation, threats, torture, and kidnappings by their government as well as by guerrilla groups and paramilitaries. More than 400,000 have fled to other countries, seeking international protection.

Colombia’s six decade-long armed conflict continue to force hundreds of thousands to flee.

Although the country reached a milestone with the 2016 peace agreement between the government and the armed group FARC-EP1, the conflict has intensified in some areas since the group laid down its arms. Violence continues in former FARC-EP controlled areas and armed groups fight for control of natural resources and drug traffic routes. 9 out of 10 people displaced by Colombia's civil war have not received the promised compensation for crimes committed against them.

Colombia has the second largest displaced population in the world after Syria, and more than five million people depend on humanitarian aid. Over 190,000 Colombians have fled to neighbouring Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela.

Cuts both ways. You prefer paramilitary death squads as opposed to Chavista neighbourhood councils. [shrug]

Why no love for millions fleeing violence/poverty in central American countries chup? Because their "leaders" are facist thugs as oppossed to oppressed socialists?

http://dcs.megaphone.fm/PPY8514481013.mp3?key=d10600b30a68051ea7b11f4ae6ce6356&listener=91997676-7cad-42e2-9e3b-b8d27b4ac0a9

Columbians flowed into Venezuela, it is true... back in the Chavez days when they were welcomed with open arms (and the expectation of a vote for Chavez) and before the economy tanked.  Your socialist boy scout Maduro had a bit of a different approach when things got... let's just say leaner.

From Wiki:

On 20 August after the state of emergency was declared by President Maduro, Venezuelan authorities combed through designated areas on the border, checking the documents of residents. When Colombian families and many of their children who did not have their papers in order were discovered, they were forced from their shanty homes constructed of decrepit wood and sent to a football field, being held without food or water the entire day and were then deported later that night. Homes were marked with an "R" if the home was searched and "D" if the home was destined to be destroyed, though President Maduro also promised to demolish the entire neighborhood. Other Colombians were told after their houses were raided that they had 72 hours to evacuate their homes before they would be destroyed.

Tensions between the two countries slowed months after the initial border controversy. Nearly one year later in July 2016, the Venezuelan government allowed Venezuelans to cross the border into Colombia on specific dates. In that month, over 200,000 Venezuelans poured into Colombia to purchase goods due to shortages in Venezuela. On 12 August 2016, the Venezuelan government officially reopened its border with Colombia, with thousands of Venezuelans, again, entering Colombia to seek escape from Venezuela's crisis. Through 2016, many Venezuelans sought to emigrate into neighboring Colombia following the reopening of the Venezuela–Colombia border.

http://www.resumenlatinoamericano.org/2019/02/26/venezuela-como-se-fabrica-un-crimen-internacional-como-pretexto-de-guerra/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=29&v=qlX3yfXNX_g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trT51Ykqe8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmInkxbvlCs

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/03/08/venezuela-wins-round-one-against-the-empire/

Counterpunch again? Why don’t you read the Enquirer?

They never publish Cuban writers.

Top U.S. officials have said Nicolás Maduro’s regime burned an aid convoy last month. But TV footage contradicts that claim and shows how this unverified information spread across Twitter and television.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/10/world/americas/venezuela-aid-fire-video.html

LMAO.  So if the NT Times writes a story that fits your narrow world view it is suddenly dependable?

Anyway, I have no doubt the spin is working both ways on this fiasco, and I have zero respect for anything Pence or Bolton have to say.  This real news doesn't make Maduro any less of an authoritarian.  The mass exodus is actually happening and they are happening because the Venezuelan economy (see the story you posted).

Posted by: chupacabra

LMAO. So if the NT Times writes a story that fits your narrow world view it is suddenly dependable?

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

It is critical to understand how blocking the regime change agenda with respect to Venezuela is integrally connected to confronting the challenge of climate change.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/03/11/the-path-to-climate-justice-passes-through-caracas/print/