Free Republic

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The U.S. has opened up secret communications with Venezuela’s socialist party boss as members of President Nicolás Maduro’s inner circle seek guarantees they won’t face retribution if they cede to growing demands to remove him, a senior U.S. administration official has told The Associated Press. Diosdado Cabello, who is considered the most-powerful man in Venezuela after Maduro, met last month in Caracas with someone who is in close contact with the Trump administration, said the official. A second meeting is in the works but has not yet taken place. The AP is withholding the intermediary’s name...

The United States does not recognize Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate claim to power. His “election” in May 2018 was viewed internationally as not free, fair or credible.Today, the people of Venezuela are speaking out against Maduro’s illegitimate claim. The Trump Administration resolutely supports the Venezuelan National Assembly, the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people. In particular, we support the courageous decision of the National Assembly President, Juan Guaido, to invoke protections under Venezuela’s constitution and declare that Maduro does not legitimately hold the country’s presidency.We hold the illegitimate Maduro regime directly responsible for the...

As I noted yesterday regarding National Security Advisor John Bolton's and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statements, something is going on with Venezuela. Both Bolton and Pompeo told Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to get the heck out and suggested the U.S. was ready to recognize National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the country's president. They had perfect grounds for it, because Maduro illegally and unconstitutionally swore himself in to another term after a fraud election and didn't even show up at the right place for his inauguration. The statements coming from the U.S. were unprecedented - evidence of a true...

In Venezuela, the main thing we hope and watch for is the whole disaster ending. The people are starving. The aid is not getting through. The oil is gone. The cocaine is out of control. The terrorists are running wild. The torture has started. The oil infrastructure is collapsing. The currency is rotten, with inflation in seven digits. The corruption tops Mobutu's. The country is selling itself out like a raddled street whore to hostile powers in exchange for military weapons and foreign troops to base there, and getting itself into deep-dive debt. Millions are fleeing. The neighbors are angry....