Our Venezuela Policy Contradicts Itself
Our Venezuela Policy Contradicts Itself
Plus: False Flag Fantasies in Ukraine
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LINDA CHAVEZ: Biden's Venezuela Policy Contradicts Itself
LAST MONTH, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION announced a new deal with Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro: The United States will lift sanctions on Venezuelan oil and gas if Maduro ensures free presidential elections next year. Meanwhile, the United States resumed deporting Venezuelans directly to Caracas after a four-year hiatus precipitated by the political repression and humanitarian conditions in the country. Do these moves suggest that the political situation in Venezuela is improving? Hardly.
Within days of Maduro’s pledge to hold free elections in 2024, the country’s attorney general launched a criminal investigation into the winner of the opposition party’s presidential primary, Maria Corina Machado, who intends to challenge Maduro next year. The Biden administration’s eagerness to ease relations with Maduro has far more to do with domestic U.S. politics than it does with conditions in Venezuela, which remain dire.
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CATHY YOUNG: False Flag Fantasies in Ukraine.
A HISTORIC TRIAL IN KYIV that lasted more than six years and concluded with eleven months of jury deliberations wrapped up last month with a verdict that was almost entirely eclipsed by pressing war news. But the verdict deserves a look, because the trial dealt with key events in the 2014 “Revolution of Dignity” that birthed modern Ukraine—and because it’s at the center of persistent conspiracy theories portraying that revolution as nefarious “coup.”
The case involved riot police officers charged in the killing of 48 protesters on the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, on February 20, 2014. Many commentators have suggested that it was those deaths, after three months of protests sparked by pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych’s rejection of a European trade agreement, that caused popular anger to boil over, leading to Yanukovych’s flight and ouster.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Thursday! I’ve been burning the candle at both ends after last night’s debate, so today’s Overtime will be shorter than usual. Thanks to all the subscribers who came out to my live chat during the debate. If you missed it, you can catch up here. And yes, we’ll be doing more Substack chats! (Just be sure to turn off your notifications, or your phone might vibrate off the table, as mine did.)
While I keep pretty late hours, I have immense respect the county employees near me for managing a 24 hour marathon hearing.
🎵On the Jukebox.. 🎵 Guns N’ Roses — November Rain (Live in Tokyo, 1992.)
Biden has a zinger… And you can safely bet this will be a right wing conspiracy in no time.
Has the culture war fizzled? Greg Sargent argues that it has:
…and in my neck of the woods… Mario Beckles, who touted his “Moms for Liberty” endorsement got smoked, losing by 38 points.
Calculating your risk… For personal poverty.
Tommy Tuberville is still blocking noms… But Democrats are trying to push some through, and he’s objecting. At some point, Democrats might have to “roll” him, a process that is not much unlike a mini-equivalent of the “nuclear option.” Changing the rules about holds, probably isn’t in the cards.
You’re gonna want to watch this twice… At least you watch nerds. Breitling did whaaaat?
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