Venezuela votes today in what may be the beginning of the end

[Valin]

Hot Air

Jazz Shaw

July 30 2017

 

As you read this, the last of Venezuela’s citizens to vote on the Constituent Assembly are making their way to the polls. (They close at 6 pm eastern time.) This could be viewed as a critical moment in the country’s history if it weren’t so obvious how badly it’s going to turn out. The country’s tyrannical president, Nicolas Maduro, was out before dawn to cast his own vote.

 

(Snip)

 

To give you an idea of precisely how fair and democratic this vote is going to be, Maduro already announced that all protests in the streets during the voting are illegal and anyone caught participating in any such protest will get ten years in prison. (Which, in Venezuela these days, is pretty much the same as a death sentence.)

Also, the members of this new “constituent assembly” which will replace the democratically elected legislature, are being picked from a slate of candidates who were all selected by the Maduro regime. (The opposition party did not support and does not recognize this election.) Some of the expected winners and new “legislators” include Maduro’s wife, as well as former Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez and former Vice President Diosdado Cabello.

 

(Snip)

 

When the dust settle from this farce there will be essentially nothing left of the constitutional structure Venezuela once had (such as it was), having essentially been replaced by a single party, socialist – or at that point more correctly communist – authoritarian state. The remaining question is whether or not the protesters will continue their efforts in the face of violent, well armed government militias and eventually cast Maduro out. If not, this may indeed be looked back at as the day when Venezuela became the new Cuba.

[Valin]

Venezuela key opposition leaders seized after poll

8/1/17

 

Two Venezuelan opposition leaders, Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma, have been re-arrested, relatives of the pair say.

They were under house arrest after accusations of inciting violence during anti-government protests in 2014.

The two have been taken to Ramo Verde military jail, family members say.

The move comes just two days after a controversial vote for a constitutional assembly saw violence on the streets, with at least 10 people killed.

 

(Snip)

[Valin]

 

[Valin]

Venezuela arrests over 'uprising attempt'