The United States was the first to recognize Guaidà ³ as Venezuela's leader last month. About 64 other nations have followed. However, the United Nations still recognizes Maduro, though it has called for talks, as roughly 50 countries side with him - including U.S. foes Cuba, China, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia and Syria.Sanders has had sympathy for leftist governments. Once a self-described socialist - he now uses the term "democratic socialist" - Sanders has spoken favorably in the past about socialist and communist strongmen. Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Sanders once said, wasn't "perfect" but "totally transformed" the country. And Nicaragua's leftist leader, Daniel Ortega, was "an impressive guy," Sanders argued.
Over the decades, Miami has become a home for exiles from some of those leftist governments, with Cuban-Americans leading the way and leaning strongly Republican. Venezuelans and Nicaraguans tend to vote Democratic once they become U.S. citizens and register to vote in Florida. But Democratic consultants and community leaders say there's evidence that could change and that the GOP's anti-socialist messaging helped Republicans in 2018 and could help Trump in 2020.
Helena Poleo, a Democrat who's a former journalist from Venezuela and is a Spanish-language commentator, called Sanders comments "disgusting. The Florida Democratic Party needs to denounce this now." The state party made its position on Maduro clear, without mentioning Sanders by name.
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For a closer look at Florida Politics, I found this, and the Republican Congressman predictably sounds like a page out of the White House political page, and although they are simplistic and veering toward the "Bernie is a socialist and socialism leads to Communism" track, but nonetheless to me sounds somewhat more reasoned and saner than the cacophonous braying Florida Democrats:
U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney accused presidential contender Bernie Sanders of siding with the autocratic regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. The Naples Republican during an interview with Fox News criticized Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, for remarks about Maduro."It is unsettling to see Americans calling for socialism," Rooney said. His comments came after Fox News host Leland Vittert played excerpts from a recent interview Sanders did on Univision. In that interview, Sanders declined to say the U.S. should not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's president, or to call for Maduro's removal. Sanders said whether he steps down or not "is a decision for the Venezuelan people." "There's got to be a free and fair election. But what must not happen is that the United States must not use military force and intervene again as it has done in the past in Latin America."
Florida politicians, including Congressional Democrats, already slammed the remarks. Rooney as a Republican piled on joyously, picking on Sanders' continued association with the Democratic Socialist Party, even as he seeks the Democratic presidential nomination. "It doesn't get any better than that," Rooney said. "This socialist is siding with Maduro against the rest of his own country and the people of Venezuela, and he wants to be president."
Rooney said the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela shows why socialist ideals fail: "We've seen for many years socialism and autocracy do not work," he said. "Democracy, freedom and free enterprise provide a lot better environment for people to flourish and to raise their families, and to provide for them."
The Florida congressman does see an end to Maduro's regime soon, and said the U.S. must continue to back Colombia and Brazil, and spread word to people in Venezuela that food waiting in all directions. The supply of oil in the nation, Rooney said, showed that the U.S. has long-term reasons to maintain a strategic partnership. The U.S. already recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaidà ³ as interim president.
Rooney greeted news Cuban militia now provided military support for Maduro as a good development. "That means that the Venezuelan army is continuing to retract itself from the conflict, which is a very positive sign for us," he said. He said the country seems on the verge of change. "I'm confident were reaching a tipping point and that it is going to turn," he said.
Please see also my article from yesterday:
Bernie Sanders' Foreign Policy Advantage is Clear and Substantial>>>>
Another very interesting more reasonable take on this situation, from the Los Angeles Progressive, but again I must ask, when does international political opinion even by the academic experts" become interference in the government and affairs of another nation?
.laprogressive.com/maduro-must-go/
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
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