Venezuela: Maduro subtly threatens to imprison opposition leader Juan Guaido

[EmperorScorpious]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/05/maduro-veiled-threat-jail-venezuela-opposition-leader-juan-guaido

“Until 2025, too?” Maduro said, referring to the six-year term he recently assumed to a storm of international condemnation. “Or until he ends up in jail by order of the supreme court of justice.”

Western diplomats have expressed surprise that, nearly two weeks after he threw the gauntlet down to the incumbent leader, Guaidó remained a free man. Many attributed that fact to warnings from his key backer, the United States, that any move against him would have consequences.

During an interview on Tuesday morning on the state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión, the Socialist party politician Gerardo Sánchez said “squalid” and traitorous members of the opposition would be treated “like enemies of the homeland” if their actions sparked foreign military intervention.

[the rifleman]

How to ensure civil war and foreign military intervention in one easy step.

[Judas]

I really cant forsee an end to this conflict without a civil war.

[Fulcrum]

As if foreign military intervention and civil war is not already on the cards.

The US gov and the corporate goons who pay them have wanted Venezuela for a long, this is the best shot they've ever had. They are going to take it.

[ASparkle]

Foreign intervention has already begun, Maduro's security is being bolstered by Russian troops.

[EmperorScorpious]

Source? I haven't heard of that. Only heard that Putin and Beijing have voiced diplomatic support for Maduro but not landed troops there, unless you're talking about those Russian bodyguards?

[ASparkle]

I was referring to the bodyguards, they're still Russian Army. Also in December a couple Tu-160 blackjack heavy bombers were in Venezuela, not sure if they're back to bombing Syrian/Chechen children or are still there.

[Fulcrum]

One issue with privatisation of armies is lack of accountability. US and Russian mercs can both operate with no official link to the government/corperation which pays em.

[ASparkle]

Wagner group is the most blatant black operation I've ever seen, their officers are all former or some even current Spetsnaz, they train at Russian Army bases, are considered military personnel for the purpose of access to army hospitals in Russia, are given Russian military awards for their actions, and of course are allowed to continue operating at all despite truly private military companies being illegal in Russia.

[AlbertWesker]

Imagine being so assbackwards that you make the threat of military intervention by Donald fucking Trump actually sound like a plausible outcome.

[RaikohZX]

I automatically assumed he already had.

[Sanjuaro]

Please just get Maduro out of there already. Dead, alive in prison, I really couldn't give a fuck. The amount of Venezuelans in this country just trying to get by, help feed their families back home, and even get basic medicine for them is sick. One of my damn students was talking to me the other week about how he was asking a friend to help him smuggle antibiotics and painkillers to his parents back home.