Did the US Meddle in Venezuelan Internal Affairs -Again-?
Caracas, Jan 6th, 2020 (Orinoco Tribune).- In the middle of a very confusing scenario caused by a strong security scheme set to forbid the access of deputies barred from voting by Venezuelan Supreme Court, yesterday a new Executive Board for the National Assembly (AN) was elected and voted in with the legal quorum. Anti-Chavista deputy Luis Parra was chosen as the new AN president with 30 opposition dissident deputies joining the Chavista bench in a blow to the US promoted regime change operation.
US meddling again in Venezuelan internal affairs through State Departmen Michael Kozak threatening anti-Chavista deputies to vote "right" tomorrow electing AN board. It also denotes A LOT of uncertainty in Washington about the election tomorrow 😉😡🤣 https://t.co/Q9JRSxtwat
— Orinoco Tribune (@OrinocoTribune) January 5, 2020
On its twitter account, the Orinoco Tribune denounced US “preventive” meddling in the voting when media outlets in Venezuela made public information about Under Secretary for Western Heispheric Affairs, Michel G. Kozak, threatening deputies to “vote right” or prepare themselves to face US sanctions. It was described as a clear evidence of the US meddling in Venezuelan internal affairs but also was seen as evidence that Guaido (and the White House) lacked the votes needed to re-elect him as leader of the AN.
Maduro & his cronies harass, arrest, or attempt to bribe democratically elected members of @AsambleaVE as they prepare to elect the National Assembly president on January 5 – sadly typical repression of the Venezuelan people. #Venezuela
— Michael G. Kozak (@WHAAsstSecty) January 3, 2020
The previous day, Kozak had filled his timeline with unproven allegations that President Maduro was bribing opposition deputies or politically prosecuting them. No evidence has been shown (no audio clip or video) to support the alleged bribery or threats.
When talking about political prosecution, it should be remembered that in 2019 at least 5 coup d’etat attempts were recorded, led by Guaido and his cronies with US support, not to mention the assassination attempt on President Maduro in 2018. All these events have had the participation of anti-Chavista deputies who counted on their parliamentary immunity to avoid prosecution.
.@JGuaido sigue siendo el Presidente Interino de #Venezuela bajo la constitución. La falsa sesión de la Asamblea Nacional de esta mañana careció de quórum legal. No hubo voto.
— Michael G. Kozak (@WHAAsstSecty) January 5, 2020
Juan Guaido’s defeat on Sunday, January the 5th, startled Washington because they never counted on a rebellion among anti-Chavismo even though Chavismo is still a minority within the Venezuelan National Assembly.
Washington did not wait but instructed their puppets in Venezuela to run to the headquarters of “El Nacional” (a right wing newspaper) and hold an improvised session, violating all legal rules of assembly for the AN, including the illegal “remote” votes (that no one saw) of more that 30 deputies living abroad while evading Venezuelan justice.
The fact is that present were only fewer than 70 deputies which meant the already illegal session lacked a quorum.
Under those circumstances, Juan Guaido proclaimed himself (very similar to 2019) AN president and as usual the US apparatus and MSM (partners in crime) started their campaign calling him the “re-elected AN president”.
El coraje de 100 diputados hoy trasciende fronteras y debería servir de inspiración para todos. La democracia no es un camino fácil, y NO SERÁ INTIMIDADA. Demostraron que su compromiso con los venezolanos es inquebrantable y que el mundo libre está con #Venezuela. #5Ene
— Embajada Virtual de los EE.UU., Venezuela (@usembassyve) January 6, 2020
Congratulations to @JGuaido on his re-election to the @AsambleaVE! Arrests, bribes and blocking access to its building were unable to derail #Venezuela’s National Assembly. Only a transitional government organizing free and fair presidential elections can end the crisis.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 6, 2020
.@SecPompeo: I congratulate @JGuaido on his re-election as president of the Venezuelan National Assembly and condemn the failed efforts of the former Maduro regime to negate the will of the democratically elected @AsambleaVE. pic.twitter.com/laWQWWgoM7
— Department of State (@StateDept) January 6, 2020
Later on Sunday, President Nicolas Maduro rejected the blatant US meddling and even referred to anti-Chavista deputies receiving calls directly from US officials. He called for a strong diplomatic response from the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
.@SecPompeo: after the resounding failure of his 2019 coup strategy, Trump organized today a new circus, aiming to prolong the agression against the Venezuelan people &vthe fiction of a fake and unexistent government. Results: another intromission, another blunder,another failure https://t.co/SPIaWRq6oY
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) January 6, 2020
RT @jaarreaza: We reject Trump Administration's vulgar interventionism in the internal affairs of Vzla & its institutions. They don't fully understand that we're an independent & sovereign country. They should deal with the disaster they intend to provoke with new wars for oil.
— Nicolás Maduro (@maduro_en) January 6, 2020
The last event in this latest round of US aggression against Venezuela’s ‘resolve to be independent”, as expressed by Oscar Figuera, Secretary General of the Venezuelan Communist Party, was a press conference held by Elliott Abrams today in Washington.
An expected new round of sanctions has not yet been announced.
Abrams most relevant information presented was the statements of Argentinian and Mexican MFA critics of the chaos in which Luis Parra’s election occurred next to Abrams’ congratulations for Gaudo’s “re-election”
Today, Special Representative for #Venezuela Elliott Abrams addressed the media. pic.twitter.com/NaNUSsok1O
— Department of State (@StateDept) January 6, 2020
A tweet from OAS, Luis Almagro, one of the best State Department workers, was also visible on twitter on Sunday night.
Saludamos a @jguaido al ser reelecto como Presidente de la AN Venezuela y continuar al frente del Gobierno de Transición de Venezuela https://t.co/nIdOMkA1Pj
— Luis Almagro (@Almagro_OEA2015) January 6, 2020
Juan Guaido’s interim presidency was a blatant defeat for the US and yesterday’s last minute move makes it even more awkward because he broke all decorum to declare himself AN President. Today the world saw Luis Parra taking control of his office as new president of the Venezuelan National Assembly.
Hoy estamos tomando posesión del Despacho Presidencial de la Asamblea Nacional, en cumplimiento a la decisión de la mayoría expresada el día de ayer en la Sesión de Instalación. #6Ene pic.twitter.com/6zmH6pfx6G
— Luis Eduardo Parra R (@LuisEParra78) January 6, 2020
Reports indicate that first ordinary meeting in the National Assembly -tomorrow- will be busy as anti-Chavismo will promote a new circus to feed the MSM narrative.
Whenever US meddling in Venezuelan internal affairs arises as a topic, (something that happens regularly), the issue of MSM coverage of alleged Russian meddling in US elections comes up in our mind, too, with its selective outrage for alleged Russian meddling but blindness to the US observable one.
OT/JRE/EF
