Banana Republic Newsflash

[SciFiFisher]

Well, so far. 10 EU nations have recognized Maduro. (the same piece stated it was eight this morning and had to be corrected).

The case of Italy is "schizophrenic". They have a coalition between left and right wingers. So, the left wingers back Maduro and the right wingers Gauidó. Very typical of them I'm afraid

I think the biggest issue for a lot of these countries is they are afraid to meddle in another country's "internal affairs". If they let the world start doing that it might be their turn next.

[Sigma_Orionis]

This former supreme court judge says that Maduro will not yield because he doesn't want to be seen as the one that destroyed the "Bolivarian Revolution" by International Left Wing

ETA. Yep it's she same guy that jumped ship recently.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Well, the "Colectivos" got noticed by the BBC...

[SciFiFisher]

Well, the "Colectivos" got noticed by the BBC...

We will fight to the death for the revolution! My real name? I really would rather not give you that. I don't want people to know who I am.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Well, the "Colectivos" got noticed by the BBC...

We will fight to the death for the revolution! My real name? I really would rather not give you that. I don't want people to know who I am.

And yet, they let the BBC take their picture

[Sigma_Orionis]

At noon there was a major power outage all over Caracas, it hit both at home and at the office. The emergency power plant had just died a couple of days before, so my Data Center went down, as the UPS only lasts for 20 minutes.

The fun part it's that the power went down on Maduro as he held a conference where he denied there was a Humanitarian Crisis here

Some EU Countries along with Mexico and Uruguay started an "International Contact Group" to attempt negotiations between Gauidó and Maduro (as in here we go again,).

Gauidó said there was no possible negotiation, considering how
well it went last time. Maduro of course said he wanted to negotiate (after all it worked wonders for him in 2014 and 2017)

But this time things didn't go his way. The "International Contact Group" called for new elections and accepting Humanitarian aid

So SURPRISE! Maduro didn't accept the proposals the "International Contact Group" made

Now this is fun... there are rumors that the Russkies are getting cold feet about Maduro

Apparently we're running out of Gasoline reserves though

[geonuc]

Sure seems like things are coming to a head.

[SciFiFisher]

Yeah, I heard that Maduro stopped international aid trucks at the border and refused to let them in stating "There is no humanitarian crisis".

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah, I heard that Maduro stopped international aid trucks at the border and refused to let them in stating "There is no humanitarian crisis".

Yup. He also said that we are not "A Nation of Beggars". Extremely ironic, not to mention infuriating. Because that's exactly what he and his buddies have turned us into.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Sure seems like things are coming to a head.

So it seems. Maduro's attempt to buy time failed. So maybe there's a way out of this.

[SciFiFisher]

Sure seems like things are coming to a head.

So it seems. Maduro's attempt to buy time failed. So maybe there's a way out of this.

That old saying seems true: Fool me the first couple of hundred times, shame on you. Fool me a couple hundred more, shame on me.

[Rommie]

They were covering the aid supplies at the border thing on NPR this morning. I guess if there's a way to lure the military, that's not the worst one.

I really hope things don't have to keep getting worse before they get better though.

[Sigma_Orionis]

They were covering the aid supplies at the border thing on NPR this morning. I guess if there's a way to lure the military, that's not the worst one.

I really hope things don't have to keep getting worse before they get better though.

Yeah, that's exactly what they're trying to do. Tomorrow there's going to be a big nationwide march. Guaidó is saying that as soon as there are enough volunteers they're going to try to cross the border with the aid supplies. One hell of a gamble if you ask me.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Looks like the Chinese and the Russkies are talking with Gauidó

That should scare the Military. Knowing that Maduro's two biggest patrons are flirting with the other side.

According to local news. Gauidó expects the humanitarian aid to start crossing the border on the 23rd. And has asked the military to let it through.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yesterday I found this article at the Wall Street Journal (behind a paywall so I could not read past the first paragraph).

I think it's still too early to tell. I think so because the flashpoint will be on the 23rd. Which is when Guaidó says they will attempt to bring humanitarian supplies into the country. Yet what worries me is that Plan B is. In case the military don't turn on Maduro.

The nutjobs are aporrea.org are livid. Because the government is blocking them.

In any case there are signs that Maduro is worried. Like this meeting with Elliot Abrams

Finally, there's this piece from the NY Times, written by a former PM of Spain (Felipe Gonzalez). I mostly agree with it.

[SciFiFisher]

I just hope you stay safe no matter what happens. After that I hope you find a way to a better place.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Thanks

[Thumper]

Ditto.

[code monkey]

be careful, sigma.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Oh yeah, keeping my head down this Saturday.

[Sigma_Orionis]

This just caters to my confirmation bias on my opinion that Trump got into this because Rubio convinced him that it's the way to cinch Florida for 2020.

And despite that I like Pink Floyd, Roger Waters can go fuck himself.

[Sigma_Orionis]

This hasn't made the international press. Unfortunately it's only in Spanish.

Now Maduro DARES Gauidó to call for presidential elections. To "landslide him with votes". Two weeks after Maduro refused to call them himself.

Hope Gauidó says "Sure, we'll do elections WITH INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS" .

[Rommie]

This just caters to my confirmation bias on my opinion that Trump got into this because Rubio convinced him that it's the way to cinch Florida for 2020.

Which is funny cause you know what would have been easier? Helping out Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria, tens of thousands of whom at least moved to Florida because their homes were destroyed. And they vote!

[Sigma_Orionis]

This just caters to my confirmation bias on my opinion that Trump got into this because Rubio convinced him that it's the way to cinch Florida for 2020.

Which is funny cause you know what would have been easier? Helping out Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria, tens of thousands of whom at least moved to Florida because their homes were destroyed. And they vote!

Well yes. Although from what I understand. Since Puerto Rico is not a state, If you live in Puerto Rico, while you are a still US Citizen, you can't vote. IF you move to the continental US. You can of course vote.

SO, maybe Trump & Co figured they didn't have any "need" to help Puerto Ricans at the time. And now that there's a lot of them who are displaced (and living in the continental US, where their votes count), they had to come up with this. I read in a similar article that since Trump's numbers with the majority of Hispanic voters are not exactly good, he's doing this to improve his chances.

Taddeo and others caution that Republicans can get only so far with Hispanics under Trump. Many Puerto Ricans loathe him because of the administration’s response to Hurricane Maria, and his hard-line position on immigration are net negatives in the Hispanic community. Aside from racist and racial overtones, they say, Trump immigration policy designed to end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants — tens of thousands from Honduras and Nicaragua — limits his appeal to Hispanic voters.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Oh yeah, it's going to be a showdown allright

Venezuela crisis: Maduro to close border with Brazil

Some pearls from the article

Despite denying there is any humanitarian crisis, Mr Maduro announced this week that 300 tonnes of aid would be shipped to Venezuela from its ally Russia.

Apparently Guaidó is going to the border with Colombia.

"Confirmed - it's rolling," a spokesman for Mr Guaidó's convoy told AFP news agency on Thursday after he left Caracas by car.

Earlier in the day, other vehicles in the convoy were blocked for several hours before being allowed to proceed, AFP says.

"We know that the regime is going to put all obstacles to prevent us from reaching the border, but nothing is stopping us, we are going to continue," opposition MP Yanet Fermin told the news agency.

And Maduro wants to show chutzpah

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government announced it would deliver 20,600 of its own food boxes to the Colombian border area.

ETA I guess Maduro is trying to make sure Roger Waters doesn't feel like an idiot