Foreign Digest: Venezuela, Russia and Iran

Venezuela: The Venezuelan Socialist dictatorship deliberately drove the opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a conservative former diplomat, into exile with their campaign of repression and persecution, their siege of the Argentine Embassy and their revocation of Brazil’s management of Argentina’s diplomatic and consular affairs. They coordinated the safe passage of Gonzalez to Spain through a Socialist former Spanish Prime Minister. The lower house of the Spanish Parliament recognized Gonzalez as the President-elect of Venezuela. There has been growing international pressure for the Socialists to cede power or at least to publicize the details of their claimed election victory in July for another 6-year term, while the opposition has proof from the precincts that prove it had won a resounding victory after 25 years of Socialist rule. The Socialists were elected and then became increasingly authoritarian and have kept power by not tolerating free and fair elections. The United States mediated a deal between the regime and the opposition for free and fair elections, which the Socialists violated. The U.S., which recognizes Gonzales as President-elect of the South American State has re-imposed sanctions and has also imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Supreme Court officials who put their loyalty to the dictator above the Venezuelan Constitution. Russia: The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner condemned the Russian Federation’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure that routinely plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness and cold. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, seizing part of its territory and backing Russian-speaking separatists, before launching a full-scale invasion in 2022, despite Russian recognition of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Russian aggression against the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine is part of the goal of Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer, to restore the Soviet Union. Iran: United States and the European Union imposed more sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran for supplying missiles to Russia. Iran, the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism, foments revolution around the Islamic world, particularly among fellow Shi’ites. It is part of what I refer to as the “Axis of Rogues,” like Communist North Koea, which also supplies Russia with missiles.