Foreign Digest: Venezuela and Cuba

Venezuela: The Organization of American States, of which the United States is an America, urged Socialist-led Venezuela last week to put an end to persecutions and allow free and fair elections. The OAS cites a lack of independence of prosecutors that undermines the rule of law and violations of the freedom of expression. It notes there are 50 opposition leaders held as political prisoners by the authoritarian Venezuelan regime and that some local opposition meeting places have been closed and that the opposition is not afforded time on public radio and television. The opposition has united around a center-right former ambassador in the presidential elections later this month. The Socialists came to power over twenty years ago through elections and have become increasingly authoritarian. They are not permitting international observers for the elections. Communist Cuba: Non-governmental organizations report there are over 1,100 political prisoners in Communist Cuba, including many minors. The political prisoners suffer poor conditions and every one of them needs medical care. Many of them were arrested for peaceful protests in 2021, the largest since the Communist revolution in 1959.