Maduro issues threat to jail Venezuela's opposition leader

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Maduro issues threat to jail Venezuela’s opposition leader

Incumbent asks how long Juan Guaidó will persist with his ‘virtual presidential term’

Tom Phillips in Caracas and Joe Parkin Daniels in Cúcuta
Tue 5 Feb 2019 14.41 GMT

Nicolás Maduro has issued a thinly veiled threat to the young opposition leader trying to force him from power, hinting that Juan Guaidó could soon be imprisoned as a result of his challenge.

Addressing a meeting of supporters on Monday night, Maduro questioned how long Guaidó – who declared himself Venezuela’s rightful interim president on 23 January – would persist with his “virtual term”.

“Until 2025, too?” Maduro said, referring to the six-year term he recently assumed to a storm of international condemnation. “Or until he ends up in jail by order of the supreme court of justice.”

Western diplomats have expressed surprise that, nearly two weeks after he threw the gauntlet down to the incumbent leader, Guaidó remained a free man. Many attributed that fact to warnings from his key backer, the United States, that any move against him would have consequences.

Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, has said that violence against or intimidation of Guaidó or other opposition leaders “would represent a grave assault on the rule of law and will be met with a significant response”.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/05/maduro-veiled-threat-jail-venezuela-opposition-leader-juan-guaido

[joshcryer]

1. When even the colectivos are protesting the military...

...you know something is amiss.

Link to tweet

[GatoGordo]

2. HOLY SHIT

Translation of tweet from Spanish
# 05Feb this was part of what happened today in #Ureña #Fronttera, and we do not see the military competent authority take action. We insist to #FANB the people wait for you not to be responsible for more crises in the country. I invite you to join the #Humanitarian Assistance with your town.

What you see in the tweet is El Pueblo (the colloquial term for The Humble People), who in the past have been fanatical about supporting Chavismo, expressing their displeasure with the FANB (Venezuelan military). Further, the avenue is being blocked by the most fanatical of Chavist supporters, the colectivos (highly armed, motorcycle riding "enforcers" for Chavismo) whose compliance and service has been bought and paid for with oil money. Now, even these die-hards have turned on Maduro.

1. There is very little running water. Spotty (at best) electricity. Internet? Now subject to censure.
2. Hospitals are a shambles. Few doctors, nurses or technicians remain. NO MEDICATIONS.
3. Food is scarce. What isn't scarce is expensive beyond belief.
4. No manufacturing. Profitable businesses nationalized, then financially ruined. Few non government employers.
5. NO FOOD SOVEREIGNTY. There are few farmers, ranchers left. Bolivarian Socialism has RUINED that economy. Almost ever food is imported. Farmers forced to sell their foods at less than what the see costs.
6. PdVSA, the national oil company. DISASTER. Pumping out 33% of what it did 20 years ago, in the nation with the worlds largest proven oil reserves. No gasoline. No natural gas. No motor oil.
7. Nothing imported (other than food) because the currency is worthless. No cars in the last 5 years. No batteries. No belts/hoses/tires... because NO RAW MATERIALS in a nation full of RAW MATERIALS
8. Nationalized industries paralyzed. Aluminum. Iron/steel. Textiles. Fertilizer. Mining. What hasn't collapsed has been "sold off" to Russian and Chinese firms who pay Maduro a fee, then pocket the profits.
9. Mass closure of multi-national businesses. Kimberly Clark. Smurfit Kappa. Bridgeston. Clorox. GM. Kelloggs. The list is seemingly endless.
10. No free press. Write or speak about Gauido? Off the air you go. No papers other than Chavista ones. No TV other than Chavista TV. No radio other than Chavista radio.