Banana Republic Newsflash

[SciFiFisher]

It looks like Maduro is going to be around for a bit longer.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It looks like Maduro is going to be around for a bit longer.

SOB is exactly like a tick

[geonuc]

Someday ...

[Sigma_Orionis]

We'll all be dead before that day comes

[Sigma_Orionis]

Gee, what a surprise

[SciFiFisher]

Gee, what a surprise

Holy Crap!

[geonuc]

Unbelievable, but there it is.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Even less surprising

[Sigma_Orionis]

Newsflash! To get rid of Maduro you need to get the Military on board and The opposition is still paying for the stupid quasi-coup of 2002

[geonuc]

Mexican President Obrador invited Maduro to his inauguration? Oy. Seems like Mexico could be a major player in a transition, if and when it comes. But not if the president sides with Maduro.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah, that's why I don't trust AMLO. After he got elected. Mexico started to favor Maduro.

[SciFiFisher]

Yeah, that's why I don't trust AMLO. After he got elected. Mexico started to favor Maduro.

Sadly, he has been compared to Trump. I think he is probably smarter than Trump. But, he definitely seems a bit authoritarian.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah, that's why I don't trust AMLO. After he got elected. Mexico started to favor Maduro.

Sadly, he has been compared to Trump. I think he is probably smarter than Trump. But, he definitely seems a bit authoritarian.

Meh, Mexico's government has ALWAYS been a tad on the authoritarian side. There's this political party called the PRI "Partido Revolucionario Institucional", that currently is considered the third major party in Mexico. The PRI won every election from 1930 to 2000 (in those days its ideology was rather "fluid"). That, and the fact that the Mexican constitution (at least until the 1990s) gave so much power to the presidency, was the reason on why the PRI was often referred to as "the perfect dictatorship"

[Sigma_Orionis]

And our march to turn into the North Korea of the Americas continues

Canada suspends operations at its Venezuela embassy

[Sigma_Orionis]

Wonderful, we're stuck.

At this point it's not surprising is it?

Yet, the last paragraphs raise an interesting possibility.

Many things can happen because almost all the parts involved need the situation to change. Havana needs more Venezuelan oil; Moscow wants to protect its investments and project force near the U.S.; Washington wants a more secure Caribbean without Russian meddling; Ottawa wants an international win to improve its global prestige and a stable Cuba, where Canadian investments are not affected by American sanctions; Beijing wants its money back; and Bogotá, more than any other foreign actor, needs a functional Venezuela to slow down the flow of migrants and eliminate a haven for guerrillas. Most Venezuelans, including many chavistas, are desperate for a normal country where you can eat, switch a light on, have running water and stay alive.

The only ones who need things just as they are, are Maduro and his circle.

And they are exactly the ones getting more enemies and fewer friends.

Yet, I see it as a long shot.Why? well, if the situation above were true (and at least sounds reasonable) Guaidó's next action should be to gather all the international "stakeholders" (including, as much as I hate it, Cuba) and reach an agreement. And, assuming they do, THEN turn to the Venezuelan Military and tell them: "Game's up kids, you lost your international friends. Kick Maduro out NOW". It would be easier to sell here that we're helping Cuba so they help us get rid of Maduro, than sell amnesty to Chavistas. The thing is: I think that's exactly when Trump and his Motley Crew (including Marco Rubio) will refuse to back the agreement. For the following reason: Cuba would be in the agreement. And the only reason Trump and Rubio are against Maduro is because Cuba supports him. They need the 29 electoral votes in Florida. Florida being Florida, the electoral margins are paper thin, so they need the Cuban expats, and those will NEVER forgive any politician that favors the current Cuban government in ANY WAY for ANY REASON. So, I suspect that Trump & Co. would torpedo such an agreement.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Here we go again...

Kremlin dismisses Trump tweet on alleged Venezuela withdrawal

[SciFiFisher]

Every day things seem to just keep sliding further. And yet, Madura is like a tick.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yup

[Sigma_Orionis]

How to go from 3.000.000 barrels a day to less than 750.000

[SciFiFisher]

That was an eye-opening article.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It more or less confirms what I said didn't it?

[SciFiFisher]

It more or less confirms what I said didn't it?

It did.

[Sigma_Orionis]

It's just a matter of time for us to become a failed state

[Thumper]

That is depressing.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Yeah