U.S. at the UN: Seems to Support Election Interference in Venezuela Claims Russia

Secy. of State Pompeo Makes Rare Plea to UN Security Council

This story in total from the Washington Post with this headline:

“Tensions between US and Russia surface at UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a very rare appearance at an emergency meeting of the *UN Security Council, called by the United States, urged the members of the Security Council to “pick a side” in Venezuela between freedom and mayhem in what he denounced as the “illegitimate mafia state” overseen by President Nicolás Maduro, adding: “No more delays, no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem.”

* The Security Council has powers that include: (1) the establishment of peacekeeping operations, (2) the establishment of international sanctions, and (3) the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions. It is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. 

The Security Council held its first session on 17 January 1946. 

It consists of 15 members: 5 permanent (US, Russia, China, France, and the UK, and 10 rotating 2-year, non-permanent members). Only permanent member states hold veto power on any UN resolution and new membership admissions.

The issue: The United States has recognized the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as president, not Maduro, who also is calling for the expulsion of all U.S. diplomats, though it has withdrawn unessential staff and families. 

The Treasury Department has said it will follow that policy in all commercial transactions involving Venezuela, suggesting it is preparing to divert to Guaidó and his government oil revenue and frozen assets under sanction. U.S. officials now refer to Maduro as the “former president.”

Europe has not followed suit yet, though several European nations and the European Union said Saturday they also will recognize Guaidó as president if Maduro does not call new elections within eight days. 

Maduro was inaugurated to a second term on Jan. 10 after winning an election many observers considered rigged.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza shook his head and looked skyward as if in disbelief during remarks by Pompeo and Elliott Abrams, the newly appointed U.S. envoy on Venezuela.

Maduro’s allies repeatedly accused Washington of attempting a coup d’état in Caracas, characterizing it as the latest in a string of U.S. interventions in Latin America dating back more than a century.

It also highlighted the acrimonious state of U.S. relations with Russia and China, two countries that Pompeo accused of “propping up a failed regime in the hopes of recovering billions of dollars in ill-considered investments and assistance made over the years.”

Russian Envoy Vasily Nebenzya said: “If anything represents a threat to peace and security, it is the shameless and aggressive actions of the United States and their allies to oust a legitimately elected president of Venezuela.” Then he added: “It is Washington trying to engineer a coup d’état in Venezuela.”

All in all, any statement or resolution from the Security Council was doomed from the start, and the meeting ended with no vote taken. The ambassadors of Russia and China, both permanent members of the Security Council and with veto power, said they considered the political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela an internal matter and urged the United States to stop meddling.

My 2 cents at this point: I have to say I agree with the Russian and Chinese stance that this matter is internal and NOT either a U.S. or UN matter, although this part of story concerns me: Russia, which has offered to mediate between Maduro’s government and the opposition, has warned the United States not to intervene.

I hope this does not lead to another 1962 Cuban missile crisis scenario.

Russia also recently deployed two bombers to Venezuela, leading Pompeo to accuse both countries of “squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer.”

Ironically, Pompeo and Trump and GOP loyalists say there was no Russian interference or Trump collusion in our 2016 election despite the strong evidence otherwise. This case in Venezuela is 180° opposite and seems to be election  influence directly being led by the U.S. and right out front. Hypocrisy many say.

However, this might be a clever Trump-Pompeo ploy (I think) as they might claim: “See, we are standing up against Russia. This again proves no Trump-Putin collusion.”

Wait and see – my hunch. I may be wrong. But on top of this story, Pompeo, speaking to reporters after he left the Security Council, also said $20 million in food and medical aid from the United States is pledged to provide to the Venezuelan people once it can be delivered, is just an initial effort to help then Pompeo added: 

“Got a whole nation starving, massive malnutrition, refugees fleeing. This is an international crisis to be sure. And nations like Cuba and Russia and China have shamefully cast their lot in support of the former president. They don’t have the best interests of the Venezuelan people at heart.”

So, this is our tax dollars at work, right Mr. Pompeo? I see, I see.

Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by.