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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| The risk of a catastrophic US intervention in Venezuela is real |
| 2019-01-25 |
| [Guardian] By declaring himself Venezuela’s president on Wednesday, Juan Guaidó has brought Venezuela to the edge of catastrophe. The hitherto unknown opposition leader’s actions, which appear to be closely coordinated with if not directed by the US, have set in motion a perilous chain of events. The US recognized Guaidó as president minutes after his declaration. A number of Latin American nations, most with conservative governments backed by the US, have also done so. The growing list includes Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, and Paraguay. Canada and the Organization of American States have also recognized Guaidó. The European Union has reportedly considered such a step, but for now has instead issued a call for new elections. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has responded to these actions by breaking relations with the US and ordering US diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours. Guaidó, in turn, told US and other diplomats to stay, a message also put forward by Republican US senator Marco Rubio, a leading opponent of Maduro. The Trump administration is ignoring Maduro’s order, which a senior official called "meaningless." Another senior Trump official has declared, "All options are on the table," reiterating a message Trump himself has put forward since 2017. What happens next is anyone’s guess. But a US invasion feels like a real possibility. This course of action must be firmly rejected. This is not because Maduro deserves anyone’s support or sympathy. It is because of the untold suffering and damage US military intervention would bring to Venezuela and the region, and the vanishingly small likelihood such action could bring the change Venezuela needs. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #15 I don't think Trump pulled the US out of the middle east only to get us involved in Venezuela. The suggestion is daft. Venezuela provided a wonderful reminder of the failures of socialism. Sorry for the Venezuelans that have to suffer through it. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2019-01-25 14:20 |
| #14 The US is in a golden age of peace and prosperity thanks to President Trump. He's not going to fuck that up like his predecessors did. |
| Posted by: Regular joe 2019-01-25 12:34 |
| #13 Exactly. The people who seem concerned about an invasion are the fellow travelers of those who, if a flotilla of food aid arrived, will be like, 'Trump unloads diabetic, heavy gluten diet upon the Venezuelans.' I would make clear that if anything happens to the embassy, the movie won't be called 13 Hours, but 13 Minutes and the score will be by Tchaikovsky. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2019-01-25 12:17 |
| #12 What happens next is anyone’s guess. But a US invasion feels like a real possibility. Doubt a full invasion is a real possibility. I can see some teams and advisers at most. I can see Maduro playing up the invasion talk as it galvanizes his supporters and fence sitters. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2019-01-25 11:46 |
| #11 to the edge of catastrophe Maybe climbing back over the edge? They were already over the edge going down. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2019-01-25 11:41 |
| #10 to the edge of catastrophe Since they already went over the edge into catastrophe does this mean they're now climbing back over the edge? |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2019-01-25 11:39 |
| #9 It's Al-Guardian |
| Posted by: Frank G 2019-01-25 10:11 |
| #8 Who the crap said anything about intervention, armed intervention you present? Posted by: swksvolFF Did you bother to read the headline? |
| Posted by: jvalentour 2019-01-25 10:01 |
| #7 If Canada and OAS has joined suit, Maduro is done. That's like the NFL firing its referees. Who the crap said anything about intervention, armed intervention you present? For bug fuck sake mon, other than the last two years really the diet master has been encouraged by those in power in the USA. Where is Ambassador Spicoli? |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2019-01-25 09:49 |
| #6 Herb, you're not defending Maduro by not wanting a US invasion. You just don't want the US military to intervene in Venezuela. Neither do I, bad idea. Unless the Chicoms or Russians move in. Most likely Guaido is a socialist anyway. |
| Posted by: jvalentour 2019-01-25 08:29 |
| #5 Boy, I never thought anything could make me defend Maduro, but here we are. A US intervention will be utterly disastrous. For America as well as Venezuela. Iraq would have been better off under the tyrant Saddam, Syria under the tyrant Assad, and both were much much worse than Maduro. No more interventions. |
| Posted by: Herb McCoy 2019-01-25 08:18 |
| #4 "untold suffering"??? The Trotskyites at the Guardian somehow overlook the fact that Venezuela is now a nation functioning without a currency. |
| Posted by: Chereting Pelosi1889 2019-01-25 08:09 |
| #3 But a US invasion feels like a real possibility. Care to bet? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2019-01-25 07:17 |
| #2 [Guardian] By declaring himself Venezuela’s president on Wednesday, Juan Guaidó has brought Venezuela to the edge of catastrophe Note its from the neo-commie Guardian. Venezuela is already a catastrophe. Guaido is simply the symptom of the disaster created by the failed political philosophy of the Left. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2019-01-25 07:06 |
| #1 Agree |
| Posted by: Jim Cramer6666666 2019-01-25 03:26 |