Discendo Vox posted:

Zambrano has been grabbed by SEBIN.

Chuck Boone posted:

The Supreme Court has accused about nine deputies of treason and other crimes over the last 24 hours, so I expect that we'll be seeing more arrests in the near future. I think that the government is going to stagger the arrests and drag them out so as to avoid causing more of a commotion.

EDIT: Here's a graphic showing the persecution that opposition deputies have been subjected to over the years. Phil Gunson is really good, by the way, and you should follow him if you're looking for a reasonable take on the Venezuelan crisis:

https://twitter.com/philgunson/status/1126286105568075778

brugroffil posted:

Lmao

https://twitter.com/John_Hudson/status/1126275852717756419


It's unironically good if Trump tires of Bolton's bullshit and backs off on Venezuela

Sinteres posted:

One of Trump's signature moves is to hype up a problem and then pretend he fixed it by just focusing on something else and letting things calm down again, so that's honestly not super implausible if he starts thinking there's no benefit to confrontation. If he could get Fox to praise him for meeting with Kim Jong Un, it's hard to imagine they'd abandon him over shaking hands with Maduro. A key group of Republican Florida voters might be pissed though.

nepetaMisekiryoiki posted:

Did not Maduro already donate big for Trump inauguration, to buy influence 2 years ago?

Darth Walrus posted:

Kind of gross if Maduro ends up being the next dictator he starts snuggling up to, though, even if it would be darkly amusing. Grifters getting an even bigger platform to grift seldom works out well.

Think his inner circle will ever figure out that telling him someone's an evil tyrant just makes him horny?

quote:

– How does the dialogue and agreements with the indigenous peoples found in the Orinoco Mining Arc progress?

We have today delivered 551 alliances with small-scale miners, which includes Creoles and Indians, who work in mining and have been delivered within the demarcated areas of the Mining Arc. Areas that are specially designed for this practice and that meet the following characteristics: they have presence of the mineral, it is not a sacred place for the indigenous peoples, it is not an area of environmental protection.

– Are these agreements worked in conjunction with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples?

Constantly, permanently and continuously. There is no permit for mining exploitation within an indigenous territory, which is not previously consulted. In fact, in the area of Los Pijiguaos, we signed, in mid-2018, seven strategic alliances and four joint ventures for the exploration and exploitation of Coltan. Until three weeks ago, we were still discussing with the indigenous peoples Mapoyo, Pumé, Wottuja and the companies involved in the project. And we already have the authorization of these peoples to do the exploration and exploitation of the Coltan. If these people had said that they did not want, that it was not convenient or that a sacred territory was being touched, we would not have been able to continue in the project.

– What are the ways to adapt the mining development plans with, for example, the demarcation of the indigenous territories?

We always cross territories to avoid violating the rights of indigenous peoples. However, we must clarify that these territories are not separate from Venezuelan territory, but have laws and rules additional to those we have at the national level. Therefore, agreements must be reached in order to carry out a mining activity that respects said indigenous laws. If, for example, there is a sacred or important site for your culture, we can not do mining within that area. Because mining leaves a mark, like any human activity. If we could go back in time and go to the year 1500, we could see in the Valley of Caracas how many trees we cut, how many drainages were moved, how many streams were contaminated to make the city we have today. What we are looking for with the mining activity, is that this impact is the least possible in the environment and that it has the greatest positive impact in terms of social welfare.

Glazius posted:

Well, Venezuela is out of both money and meaningful leverage on the international market, and its resource extraction and power and water infrastructures are rattletrap pieces of poo poo that need money to get back in good repair. The US is a sufficiently influential player in international finance that they could broker a deal on Venezuela's behalf that would still leave Venezuela ownership of all of it. But first, someone would need to be in power who doesn't think entropy is counterrevolutionary sabotage.

...also, someone would have to be in power in the United States capable of remembering anything week to week instead of tearing up international agreements to feel strong, and I'd like a pony.

quote:

The US is a sufficiently influential player in international finance that they could broker a deal on Venezuela's behalf that would still leave Venezuela ownership of all of it.

Keeshhound posted:

Yeah, but that was two years ago; you think Donnie even remembers that?

GreyjoyBastard posted:

took a while in the article to get to, you know, Labour's actual position, which is "matters in Venezuela are matters for Venezuelans, not us"

Keeshhound posted:

Yeah, but that was two years ago; you think Donnie even remembers that?

Yeowch!!! My Balls!!! posted:

in most countries trying to launch a military coup does get you arrested if you fail, yeah

Seraphic Sphere posted:

What do you want Trump to do? More sanctions, more mercenaries and contras, aerial bombardment?

Yeowch!!! My Balls!!! posted:

in most countries trying to launch a military coup does get you arrested if you fail, yeah

i mean for all the discussion of Failed State Venezuela it would be a significantly worse sign for the country's stability if they didn't do something like this

Discendo Vox posted:

The Empanada Summit

quote:

While embassy protectors have been inside the building since April 10, the pro-coup protesters officially laid siege to the building on April 30, and have repeatedly stated their intention to prevent the access to food by the people inside.

“We have decided to give them a bit of the experience of living in Venezuela under the failed socialism of Maduro. As of this moment, they will not have electric power. Next step: your exit,” stated Carlos Vecchio — the Venezuelan “Ambassador to the U.S.,” appointed by the U.S. to represent Juan Guaidó — in a live video posted on Twitter. Vecchio is confessing to ordering the shut off of water and power.

sexpig by night posted:

It's a little amazing that this can happen in plain sight and basically no one in the media or whatever gives a poo poo because something something commie scum


https://www.mintpressnews.com/mintpress-grazyone-journalists-endure-us-govt-blackout-and-siege-at-venezuelan-embassy-in-dc/258347/


Like, not even denying it, just open 'yea, gently caress embassies'.

But this isn't a far right coup or anything.

1994 Toyota Celica posted:

Interesting that the guaido supporters chose to show the embassy protectors 'what it's like in venezuela' by having american security forces cut utility service and impose a blockade

Elias_Maluco posted:

Well that's a surprise

https://twitter.com/ReutersVzla/status/1126844172894339073?s=19

Elias_Maluco posted:

Well that's a surprise

https://twitter.com/ReutersVzla/status/1126844172894339073?s=19

Yeowch!!! My Balls!!! posted:

who possibly could have seen this coming

Toplowtech posted:

Erik Prince?

Chuck Boone posted:

quote:

The International Contact Group (ICG) met on May 6-7 to analyze the situation and decide on its next steps (Spanish-language coverage here).

In their final statement, the ICG said it “is ready to undertake a mission at political level to Caracas, to present and discuss concrete options for a peaceful and democratic solution to this crisis.” This will likely be a rescheduling of the vice-minister level mission to Caracas that was to take place last week. The mission will provide some concrete proposals that could focus the parties on a negotiated electoral path.

In the statement the ICG said they would set up a humanitarian working group in Caracas to facilitate the humanitarian response. They also pointed out that the meeting was attended by representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Vatican and Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs and accepted the Lima Group’s invitation to meet.

The results of the meeting were more robust than anticipated in recent weeks, most likely because the April 30 uprising. The latter obliged the postponement of a high level technical mission scheduled for last week, but underlined the urgency of finding a political solution to the crisis.

quote:

What happened on April 30?

In the rest of this edition of the VW I will summarize what we know about the confusing events of April 30, as well as the consequences for the shape of the conflict and efforts at forging a solution.

[stuff]

Darth Walrus posted:

I feel like he has quite a lot of options that are not 'actively help out a con artist who's bankrupted the country because he's horny for hot young dictators' ...

punk rebel ecks posted:

What do Venegoons think of this recent Chomsky interview?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAHCbzzRFo8