Venezuela's opposition takes to streets to seize momentum against Maduro

[webfact]

Venezuela's opposition takes to streets to seize momentum against Maduro

By Mayela Armas and Angus Berwick

 

Juan Guaido, President of Venezuela's National Assembly, speaks during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero

 

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelans will take to the streets on Wednesday as the opposition hopes to capitalize on several weeks of momentum and force a change in the government of President Nicolas Maduro, who has overseen economic collapse and the erosion of democracy.

 

A spate of protests in Caracas on Monday, sparked by a brief military uprising, have spread hope that a new leader of the congress, Juan Guaido, could unify the opposition and dislodge Maduro, who this month began a second term under a barrage of criticism that his election was illegitimate.

 

Guaido has said he would be willing to replace Maduro as interim president, with the support of the military, to call free elections. The opposition-controlled congress, considered by many abroad as Venezuela's last remaining bastion of democracy, has declared Maduro a "usurper" and the United States has thrown its backing behind Guaido.

 

The march, expected to draw hundreds of thousands, could solidify popular support behind Guaido and some backers are asking him to proclaim himself the legitimate president. Venezuela's opposition has been largely leaderless since Guaido's mentor, Leopoldo Lopez, was arrested in 2014 during street protests.

 

Guaido, 35, has called for the military to disavow Maduro and has promised a future amnesty for those that help bring about a return to democracy.

 

Addressing members of the military on Monday, Guaido said: "We're not asking you to launch a coup d'etat, we're not asking you to shoot. We're asking you not to shoot at us."

 

Guaido, in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, said if he became president he intended to provide legal protection to soldiers and officials who defected, though he recognized "there would have to be justice for those that have done bad things."

 

"The unease is natural. We've spent 20 years suffering attacks. They have killed political leaders, they have jailed others, I was kidnapped for a few hours, they've killed my friends," he said.

 

"I don't aim to cure the wounds of 20 years, and I don't aim to hide them. I aim to recognize those that are there."

 

The ruling Socialist Party is holding a rival march on Wednesday and officials have threatened Guaido with jail. The pro-government Supreme Court, which annulled the powers of the congress in 2017, ruled on Tuesday to not recognize Guaido as its head and asked the state prosecutor's office to determine whether he had committed a crime.

 

Maduro, who was inaugurated on Jan. 10 following a 2018 election widely viewed as a sham, has presided over Venezuela's spiral into its worst ever economic crisis, with inflation forecast to reach 10 million percent this year.

 

Maduro's administration has jailed dozens of opposition activists and leaders for seeking to overthrow him through street demonstrations in 2014 and 2017. The 2017 protests left 125 people dead in clashes with police.

 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence issued a message of support to Venezuelans opposing the government on Tuesday, branding Maduro a "dictator with no legitimate claim to power."

 

In response, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez told a news conference: "Yankee go home." She denounced "the perverse plans of Venezuela's extreme right to endanger stability and peace."

 

(Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Brian Ellsworth and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-23

[Baerboxer]

They won't get rid of this left wing dictator peacefully.

 

He will hang on to power as long as possible before fleeing with his vast wealth to a friendly country. 

 

Once again, the face of socialism.

[TopDeadSenter]

Not expecting any of them to comment, but I hope AOC and her fans are paying close attention. And no, I don't buy the usual "that wasn't real socialism" excuse they always trot out. 

 Best of luck to the Venezuelans, you know things are bad when you start eating your pets. But not Maduro, he was recently over in Turkey eating at that ridiculous Salt Bae restaurant.

[stevenl]

25 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

They won't get rid of this left wing dictator peacefully.

 

He will hang on to power as long as possible before fleeing with his vast wealth to a friendly country. 

 

Once again, the face of socialism.

 

21 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Not expecting any of them to comment, but I hope AOC and her fans are paying close attention. And no, I don't buy the usual "that wasn't real socialism" excuse they always trot out. 

 Best of luck to the Venezuelans, you know things are bad when you start eating your pets. But not Maduro, he was recently over in Turkey eating at that ridiculous Salt Bae restaurant.

You 2 have apparently no idea what socialism entails.

[from the home of CC]

Went there years ago to check out angel falls. Beautiful country, beautiful women and heavily blessed with resources. Another country that had it all thrown away with politics and power plays, real shame.

[Enoon]

40 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

They won't get rid of this left wing dictator peacefully.

 

He will with his vast wealth to a friendly country. 

 

Once again, the face of socialism.

 

Once again, just like the Shah of Iran and Ferdinand Marcos.

 

Who were also.....erm.....oh......hang on.....they weren't socialists were they?

 

So will Maduro "hang on to power as long as possible before fleeing with his vast wealth to a friendly country" in a way that is uniquely "socialist"?

 

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Enoon

[atyclb]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

you know things are bad when you start eating your pets

 

not in the least, you never been to the phillipines ?

[mcambl61]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

 

You 2 have apparently no idea what socialism entails.

Webster's dictionary defines socialism as a form of society in which government owns or controls major industries. Marxist theory says socialism is the transitional stage between capitalism and communism

 

both are a nightmare, eventually, depending on the greed of those that rule

[mcambl61]

1 hour ago, Enoon said:

 

Once again, just like the Shah of Iran and Ferdinand Marcos.

 

Who were also.....erm.....oh......hang on.....they weren't socialists were they?

 

So will Maduro "hang on to power as long as possible before fleeing with his vast wealth to a friendly country" in a way that is uniquely "socialist"?

 

 

no they were dictators, but I don't recall the people having to eat their pets or zoo animals or lack any basic necessities like ...EVERYTHING

 

 

 

[Nyezhov]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

 

You 2 have apparently no idea what socialism entails.

No but those who died in the Gulag did..

[Nyezhov]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Which is related to Maduro and AOC how?

well you alleged that folks do not have an idea what socialism entails. 

 

The victims did. Is that not related. Are you disputing human toll caused by socialism?

 

And shall we add the Holodomor? Looks like Venezuela does it not?

 

Venezuela was a wonderful country before it became socialist. I wish all the luck to the rebels and wish some freedom loving country intervenes before it becomes more tragic

 

[Jingthing]

To right wingers national health cover is socialism. Pretty much every nation has some or many socialist style programs. Venezuela is indeed a total disaster but look to Bolivia to another example of a leftist government that has been rather successful. Doesn't mean I'm a fan of Aoc as I'm not. The real world generally is not black and white.

 

As far as Maduro is concerned I truly hope the suffering Venezuelan people can manage a way to topple his horrific regime asap. I would even support "trump" and Bolsanaro helping with underground rebel funding if that's what it takes. Destabilization of Latin America is a real threat if Maduro stays.

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[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

To right wingers national health cover is socialism. Pretty much every nation has some or many socialist style programs. Venezuela is indeed a total disaster but look to Bolivia to another example of a leftist government that has been rather successful. Doesn't mean I'm a fan of Aoc as I'm not. The real world generally is not black and white.

 

As far as Maduro is concerned I truly hope the suffering Venezuelan people can manage a way to topple his horrific regime asap. I would even support "trump" and Bolsanaro helping with underground rebel funding if that's what it takes. Destabilization of Latin America is a real threat if Maduro stays.

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Underground rebel funding and other activities have in the past hardly ever been successful. Why would it be different here?

 

Agree with the rest of your post.

[mcambl61]

57 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

To right wingers national health cover is socialism. Pretty much every nation has some or many socialist style programs. Venezuela is indeed a total disaster but look to Bolivia to another example of a leftist government that has been rather successful. Doesn't mean I'm a fan of Aoc as I'm not. The real world generally is not black and white.

 

As far as Maduro is concerned I truly hope the suffering Venezuelan people can manage a way to topple his horrific regime asap. I would even support "trump" and Bolsanaro helping with underground rebel funding if that's what it takes. Destabilization of Latin America is a real threat if Maduro stays.

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well thanks for assuming you can speak for a hundred million people. 

 

some of us don't think "national health is socialism" we think that large government controlled

industries are not the answer, but getting the insurance and pharmaceutical lobby

out of the pockets of congress will certainly help everyone.

Why we do not have mandatory pricing published for every procedure in hospitals?

The insurance industry.

 Why can't there be large pools of private individual insurance policies?

the insurance industry.

 

We can not even fund medicare and you think a massive govt health system and the trillions it will cost is feasible?

 

unlike all the countries you admire with a fraction of the population, that have the national health system,

take into account the following realities:

 

They have double or triple more taxes on fuel to help pay for it

They have a national VAT or GST on everything to help pay for it

They have higher income taxes to help pay for it

They spend a tiny fraction of the USA on defense/military, and most have protection by NATO, to help pay for it

 

as far as the actual care goes, I have to friends from the UK, one needed a knee replacement, the other a hip replacement

both were in their late 40's.

After months of trying to get approval and a scheduled surgery, they both went to private doctors to get it done

so they could pass a medical and get back to work as soon as possible.

 

but as we see with the current liberal progressives, they are going to give debt free college, universal health care, guaranteed jobs,

and the Utopian dream will be funded by those billionaires and unicorns with some pixie dust sprinkled on top.

and if you disagree, you are a racist, white supremacist Trump loving evil Hitler like demon.

 

where is the reality check?

 

So the inevitable cases of rationing care, as they all must work off the govt mandated approved sheet, is just another issue 

to deal with.

 

[Jingthing]

Underground rebel funding and other activities have in the past hardly ever been successful. Why would it be different here?
 
Agree with the rest of your post.

Understood. It would be risky. Things are just so desperate though there. Calls for desperate measures. Many governments throughout Latin America are not even recognizing Maduro as the legit leaders.

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[EVENKEEL]

My family immigrated from Europe to the US in 1950 because of Socialism. My father wanted to have a life where he could enjoy the fruits of his labor. He loved being a US citizen, where the harder you worked the better your life could be. I do admit that things have changed, and the country he fled from seems to be pretty content.

[Jingthing]

Viva Juan Guaidó! 

Things are happening very quickly now. 

 

Juan Guaidó is now president of Venezuela. Now the ugly matter of Maduro  … 

 

Quote

 

Who is Juan Guaidó, the Opposition Leader Trump Just Recognized as Venezuela's President?

Three weeks ago, few outside or inside of Venezuela had heard of Juan Guaidó. But on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized him as the country’s rightful leader. After years of seemingly unstoppable slide into autocracy and humanitarian crisis under President Nicolas Maduro, Guaidó is reviving a deflated opposition movement—leading many to believe Venezuela’s democracy could be restored.

 

 

http://time.com/5503040/juan-guaido-venezuela-democracy/

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Jingthing

[SheungWan]

This means war!

 

 

[Jingthing]

Could be. Will the military stay loyal to Maduro or not? If not, good news. 

[Hanaguma]

19 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Despite knowing better, one more try: the reference was not made to European countries being socialist but being "socialist", the "" indicating it is just a small part of socialism, and those countries are not socialist.

 

"It is a fallacy to assume people are stupid enough to think that "socialist countries have socialized medicine, therfore all countries with socialized medicine are socialist". "

Yes, people think that way.

I guess we will have to disagree on what the quote marks meant in the comment. I took them to mean countries that actually put socialist political ideas in place, rather than socialized. The reference to Northern Europe was a giveaway to me, since the Nordic countries are often incorrectly held up as examples of countries where socialism works.  Lots of places in the world have 'socialized' medicine, not just northern Europe.  

 

Anyway, perhaps we can move on from it and get on with watching socialism as practiced fail in Venezuela.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

[KhunBENQ]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Will the military stay loyal to Maduro or not?

Latest news says YES.

Does it need a bloody uprise?

End like Gaddafi?

 

[Hanaguma]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

Latest news says YES.

Does it need a bloody uprise?

End like Gaddafi?

 

God I hope not. The last thing anyone needs is the Americans mucking things up in such a hamfisted way. Poor ol' Muhammar was actually coming around, gave up his WMD program, and wound up rather poorly.

[Jingthing]

Latest news says YES.
Does it need a bloody uprise?
End like Gaddafi?
 

If so then yes the only hope for the Venezuelan people and to avoid more destabilization in South America is violence. Violence is not good but sometimes it is necessary.

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[JemJem]

This Maduro guy is no real socialist for me. For instance, last year, he went all the way to Ankara for the Turkish dictator Erdogan's (one of the most hardcore leftist-hating leaders in the world, and an Islamist of course) inauguration ceremony, and expressed his admiration for Erdogan.

 

I am sure Maduro was/is well aware that Erdogan has jailed dozens of Turkish and Kurdish leftist intellectuals, and also caused the massacre of dozens of YPG (a leftist group) fighters (and also many civilians) in Syria.

 

I hope Maduro's fall from power is very soon.

 

But, I also hope that he won't be replaced by a far-right person.

 

Of course I also hope Erdogan's fall from power is very soon, but this sadly looks quite unlikely in the near future.

[Berkshire]

2 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Anyway, perhaps we can move on from it and get on with watching socialism as practiced fail in Venezuela.

What's happened to Venezuela and its citizens is abhorrent.  But it has more to do with massive corruption and incompetence than it does Socialism.

[Jingthing]

What's happened to Venezuela and its citizens is abhorrent.  But it has more to do with massive corruption and incompetence than it does Socialism.

There is a lot of knee jerk simple minded red baiting by right wingers about what happened to Venezuela. Regardless most all people can agree it's a disaster there and regime change is the only hope for relief. Hopefully the people there can manage that all by themselves but somehow I doubt that.

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[Hanaguma]

54 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

What's happened to Venezuela and its citizens is abhorrent.  But it has more to do with massive corruption and incompetence than it does Socialism.

The three (corruption, incompetence, socialism) seem to always be bedfellows though. Corruption and socialism are particularly insidious because countries like Venezuela, with greater government control and involvement. This gives corruption more opportunities to flourish. It was always present, but flourished under Chavez and Maduro.  Food production also dropped under socialism.  Again, the two seem to go hand in hand.

 

Again, still waiting to hear where socialism has actually worked.....

Edited January 24, 2019 by Hanaguma

[Jingthing]

The fight against Maduro is not against socialism in general. It's about a fight against a specific authoritarian dictator that rules over a society that has become unliveable.

 

 

Authoritarian populist regimes from the left and the right commonly end in blood and tears.

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[Hanaguma]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The fight against Maduro is not against socialism in general. It's about a fight against a specific authoritarian dictator that rules over a society that has become unliveable.

 

 

Authoritarian populist regimes from the left and the right commonly end in blood and tears.

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Perhaps, but Maduro is the face of failed socialism in Venezuela. Between him and Chavez, they managed to take a country with the largest reserves of oil in the world and make it a basket case. The society has become unliveable due to the socialist policies of the government.  Corruption is a huge part of socialism, as doling out favors and contracts is the exclusive purview of the government. Similarly, personal enterprise and hard work are discouraged by policies that favor confiscation and over regulation.

 

So again I ask, especially to you Jingthing, where has socialism ever worked?