As this Jan. 3 begins, this blog turns to events in Venezuela, because after all, if your rearrange the letters you get Iran (or Hezbollah). Same for Cuba. The best news coverage is on BBC. Follow the NYT also. Here’s one of many stories in other sources, “Iran, Hezbollah condemn, Russia offers mediation after US operation on Venezuela,” JPost, 1-3-26. And see “Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Machado welcomes US intervention,” BBC, 1-3-26. “The opposition leader of Venezuela – and Nobel Peace Prize winner – Maria Corina Machado has welcomed the US intervention, saying the country’s “hour of freedom” has arrived. She said on social media that President Maduro was removed from power after refusing a negotiated exit, and the opposition’s candidate for the 2024 elections – Edmundo Gonzalez – should now “assume” the presidency.”
“Iran Supreme Leader says will not yield as protest simmer and US threatens,” Reuters, 1-3-26. Let the words of the Leader remind us, that when he says the Regime will only “talk to protesters”, not rioters, that he believes all protesters are rioters. He will talk to no persons on the street. The Regime will soon begin a heavy hand of arrests, beatings, and death. They have no other pattern, history, or playbook. See “Iran’s Khamenei says rioters ‘must be put in their place’ amid protests,” Al Jazeera, 1-3-26. Similar, “Khamenei labels protesters ‘enemy mercenaries,’ backs crackdown,” Iran International, 1-3-26. Anyone who walks, marches, chants, they’re all rioters to Khamenei, and are to be dealt with.
This blog finds opportunity to mention international law fairly often, and here again today but in the context of Iran and its Latin American partners/proxies. A problem that some have is they don’t remember that international law is made and codified by countries, not persons or international organizations. We remember Eichmann, Noriega, and now Maduro. The UN Secretary General has not pushed for Maduro to give up power after he stole the election, a violation of int’l norms, but he is calling for his reinstatement after Maduro’s removal on narco-terrorism by the U.S. In short, international law has a moral component, and the people of Venezuela especially sense this, along with the U.S.
“Iran and Maduro ties suffer major blow following US operation and capture of Venezuelan dictator,” Fox, 1-3-26. “Experts say Venezuela served as operational hub for Iranian terrorism, drug trafficking and power projection in Latin America.”
“Iran Uprising Day 7: Bloodshed in Malekshahi and Khamenei’s Panic as Nation Defies Crackdown,” NCRI, 1-3-26.