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☆ What Happened to Venezuela’s Democracy?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Julie Turkewitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A generation ago, a charismatic former military officer swept into the highest office in Venezuela on a promise to deliver a more inclusive democracy, a system for the common man that would transfer the levers of power from the political elite to the people. That man was Hugo Chávez, who in a democratic vote rode a wave of discontent into the presidential palace in 1999, eventually founding what he called the country’s socialist revolution. On Monday, as anti-Maduro protests erupted around the country and armed government-aligned gangs tried to dissuade them, demonstrators in the northern state of Falcón climbed atop a Chávez statue. First, they attempted to hack off his head. Then, hindered by its bulk, they instead sent his entire mammoth metal body crashing to the ground.

Persons: Hugo Chávez, Chávez’s, Nicolás Maduro Locations: Venezuela, Falcón

☆ How Authoritarian Governments Rig Elections to Stay in Power
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Eve Sampson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of Venezuela’s presidential vote on Monday despite glaring election irregularities, plunging the country into widespread protests. Mr. Maduro was declared the winner by the country’s electoral authority, which did not release a full vote count, fueling suspicions about the credibility Mr. Maduro’s claim of victory. Ms. Machado called the results “impossible,” and many pointed to government interference at polling stations. This is not the first time Mr. Maduro’s administration has been accused of reporting false election results. Like other authoritarian leaders across the world, Mr. Maduro has employed myriad tactics to rig elections in an attempt to garner legitimacy by skewing the democratic process.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Edmundo González, María Corina Machado, Maduro, Maduro’s, Ms, Machado

☆ Venezuela’s Power Struggle Deepens, With Dueling Rallies Planned
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Frances Robles | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Leaders of both sides of Venezuela’s political divide are calling on their followers to take to the streets on Tuesday, in a sign that the crisis set off by this weekend’s disputed presidential election is intensifying. The opposition leader María Corina Machado released data that she said showed Edmundo González, the opposition candidate, winning in a landslide, and summoned her followers to a rally n front of the United Nations offices in Caracas. Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly and the head of President Nicolás Maduro’s campaign, also called for massive marches on Tuesday from traditional government strongholds to Miraflores, the presidential palace, after the government declared Mr. Maduro the winner. “Thousands of us will be out on the streets from all four corners of the globe, who came out on the day of the closing campaign to line all the avenues of this capital,” he said on Monday night. “We are going to Miraflores to defend our right to life, our right to freedom, and, above all, our right to choose and to defend the result of the election.”

Persons: María Corina Machado, Edmundo González, Jorge Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro’s, Maduro, “, ” Organizations: United Nations, National Assembly Locations: Caracas, Miraflores, ”

☆ What’s happening in Venezuela - protests, election uncertainty and an economic crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Venezuelans across the country took to the streets on Monday to protest a disputed election, clashing with police as uncertainty swirls around the results amid allegations of election fraud. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after the presidential election results were announced in Caracas on July 29, 2024. Though Maduro supporters celebrated his win in parts of Caracas, Monday was marked by wider protests by the opposition. Many regional and world leaders have cast doubt on the results, including the United States – though some of Venezuela’s partners have stood by Maduro. Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, Venezuela has experienced the worst economic collapse of a peacetime country in recent history.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, –, Juan Barreto, Hugo Chávez, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Matias Delacroix, Gonzalez, Machado, António Guterres, Molotov, Samir Aponte, ”, “, Antony Blinken, Maduro’s Organizations: CNN, Sunday, Getty, AP, Officially, Electoral Council, CNE, The Carter, United Nations, Reuters, Police, Washington, Venezuela –, European Union Locations: Venezuelan, Caracas, AFP, Venezuela, Charallave, Chile, Spain, Puerto La Cruz, United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Latin America

☆ Analysis: In Venezuela, voters caught in Maduro’s dangerous dance are seeking answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Flora Charner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We want peace for Venezuela, for our family members,” a protester, who chose not to be identified, told reporting teams on the ground. Leo Ramirez/AFP/Getty Images/FileA ‘cyberattack’ curveballIt seems unlikely Maduro’s government will pay too much attention to the concerns raised over the results. Nearly 8 million people have left Venezuela since 2014, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reacts following the election results in Caracas on July 29, 2024. “We want Venezuela to be free and for the people’s will to be respected,” she said.

Persons: CNN — It’s, Nicolás Maduro, “, Nicolas Maduro, ” Maduro, Edmundo González, González, Maria Corina Machado, ”, Federico Parra, Antony Blinken, Stephane Dujarric, Maduro’s, Miguel Díaz, Canel, Leo Ramirez, it’s, Tarek William Saab, Machado, Leopoldo López, Lester Toledo, Panamá, Consultores, Maduro, ” Eva Martinez, Will Freeman, Juan Barreto, Hugo Chavez, Chavez, sobbed Heczair Blanco Organizations: CNN, Bolivarian, Electoral Council, Armed Forces, Getty, UN, The United Nations, Carter Center, Washington, Twitter, AFP, CNE, Caracas Monday, Saab, ’, United Nations, Refugees, US Customs, Border Patrol, Council, Foreign Relations, Democrats, Biden Locations: Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Venezuelan, AFP, United States, Tokyo, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, China, Cuba, North Macedonia, Balkans, UNHCR, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, “, Buenos Aires

☆ Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wins third term, electoral authority says, contradicting exit polls
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro speaks during the election campaign closing event on July 25, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has won a third term with 51% of the vote, the country's electoral authority said just after midnight on Monday, despite multiple exit polls which pointed to an opposition win. Maduro, appearing at the presidential palace before cheering supporters, said his reelection is a triumph of peace and stability and reiterated his campaign trail assertion that Venezuela's electoral system is transparent. A poll from Edison Research, known for its polling of U.S. elections, had predicted in an exit poll that Gonzalez would win 65% of the vote, while Maduro would win 31%. Local firm Meganalisis predicted a 65% vote for Gonzalez and just under 14% for Maduro.

Persons: Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, Nicolas Maduro, Edmundo Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Maduro, Meganalisis, Elvis Amoroso Organizations: Edison Research, Maduro Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuelan

At the city’s main military base, where Maduro lives, people were seen setting fire to the strongman’s election posters. The CNE, which is stacked with Maduro allies, has yet to issue final vote tallies from Sunday’s election. “Venezuela has the best electoral system in the world!” CNE president Elvis Amoroso announced before proceeding with the formal announcement. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives with his wife Cilia Flores for a ceremony where the National Electoral Council (CNE) certified he won the presidential election. Senior Biden administration officials on Monday said Venezuelan election authorities must release the “detailed precinct level results” from the election.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Esthefania Natera, ”, Maduro, Hugo Chavez, Elvis Amoroso, Nicolas Maduro, Flores, Matias Delacroix, Maria Corina Machado, Maduro’s, Edmundo Gonzalez, “, ” Machado, Machado, ” CNN’s Avery Schmitz Organizations: Caracas CNN —, CNN, Electoral Council, CNE, “, Maduro’s, Democratic, National Electoral, Monday, Venezuelan, Biden, Organization of American States Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, Falcón, “ Venezuela, States, Peru, Chile, Brazil, “, United States

☆ Opinion | Venezuela’s Election Gives a Boost to the Autocrats
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Michael Albertus | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In what appears to be a deeply unfair election riddled with irregularities, Venezuelan’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, seems to have survived once again. The election was a crucial test of the durability of the new brand of authoritarianism gripping the Americas — and it has proved that the movement may not fade away anytime soon. Guatemala had a close call last year, with the attorney general’s office attempting to prevent a peaceful transition of power. Venezuela’s election is a fulcrum moment for the Americas. Despite high turnout, there were numerous reports of voting irregularities, voter intimidation and problems at voting centers.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Mexico’s, Claudia Sheinbaum, It’s, Maduro Organizations: United Locations: Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, United States, Americas

CNN —Nicolás Maduro, the authoritarian leader of Venezuela, has been reelected as president, the country’s election authority has announced, amid allegations of electoral irregularities by the opposition. Maduro will hold office for a third consecutive six-year term – representing the continuity of “Chavismo” in power, which started in 1999 at the hands of former president Hugo Chávez. Maduro has been in power since Chávez’s death in 2013. The vote has come at a crucial moment for Venezuela, an oil-rich nation that experienced the worst economic crash of a peacetime country in recent history. In the capital Caracas, opposition supporters were seen crying and hugging after the results were announced.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro, Hugo Chávez, —, Antony Blinken Organizations: CNN, Democratic, National Electoral Council, Voters, CNE Locations: Venezuela, Caracas

☆ Takeaways From Venezuela’s Marred Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Anatoly Kurmanaev | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner in a presidential vote on Sunday that was marred by irregularities. Officials at some polling places refused to release paper tallies of the electronic vote count, and there were widespread reports of fraud and voter intimidation. Here are initial takeaways from Venezuela’s election. The results announced by the government-controlled electoral council varied wildly — by up to 30 percentage points — from most public polls and from the opposition’s sample of results obtained directly from voting centers. And there were many reports of major irregularities and problems at those voting centers.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Edmundo González

☆ Nations Denounce Venezuelan Election, Demanding Transparency
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Frances Robles | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The United States and countries around the world denounced the results of Venezuela’s presidential election, in which the incumbent, Nicolás Maduro, declared victory in the face of accusations of widespread fraud. Notably, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil and a longtime leader within the region’s leftist movement, released a cautious statement that did not congratulate the president on his win. “The Brazilian government welcomes the peaceful nature of yesterday’s elections in Venezuela and is following the counting process closely,” Mr. Lula said in the statement. “In this context, it awaits the publication by the National Electoral Council of data broken down by polling station, an indispensable step for the transparency, credibility and legitimacy of the election result.”

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, “, ” Mr, Lula, ” Organizations: National Electoral Locations: States, Brazil, Venezuela

☆ US suggests Venezuela's president is clinging on illegitimately after a disputed vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Hannah Abraham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Nicolás Maduro was declared the victory in Venezuela's election, despite exit polls suggesting he didn't win. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other leaders have suggested the vote is not legitimate. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementVenezuela's Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in Venezuela's president election — prompting criticism from the US and its allies over the legitimacy of the vote. A poll from Edison Research — which also polls the US elections — predicted that Maduro's rival Edmundo González Urrutia would win, with 65% of the vote to Maduro's 31%.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Antony Blinken, —, Maduro, Edmundo González Urrutia Organizations: Service, Edison Research, Business Locations: Venezuela's, Venezuela

President Biden is expected to argue that the current system of lifetime appointments for Supreme Court justices gives a president undue influence lasting decades. Credit... Tom Brenner for The New York Times

Persons: Biden, Tom Brenner Organizations: The New York

☆ Artificial Intelligence Gives Weather Forecasters a New Edge
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( William J. Broad | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Artificial Intelligence Gives Weather Forecasters a New Edge The brainy machines are predicting global weather patterns with new speed and precision, doing in minutes and seconds what once took hours. GraphCast GraphCast Miss. specialist at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the agency that got upstaged on its Beryl forecast. Even so, reliable weather forecasts turn out to be extraordinarily hard to achieve. As a result, weather forecasts can fail after a few days, and sometimes after a few hours.

Persons: Hurricane Beryl, GraphCast, Beryl MEXICO, Hurricane Beryl Miss ., William B, Davis, ”, Matthew Chantry, Christopher S, Amy McGovern, Dr, McGovern, “, Brandon Bell, Maria Molina, Bretherton, Sir Richard Friend, Rémi Lam, GraphCast’s, Lam, . Lam, Beryl, Hurricane Lee, DeepMind’s GraphCast, . Chantry, Chantry, Paul G, Allen, ‘, we’ve, Molina, Jamie Rhome, Rhome, Mr, There’s Organizations: A.I, Beryl MEXICO CUBA European, JAMAICA European, Beryl MEXICO CUBA JAMAICA Hurricane, National Hurricane Center, Hurricane, NOAA, European Press Agency, Google, European Center, University of Washington, University of Oklahoma, University of Maryland, Royal Academy of Engineering, Cambridge University, Getty, Nvidia, Huawei, Fudan University, Allen Institute for A.I, Microsoft Locations: Va . Ky, N.C, Okla, ., Ala . Texas, Texas, Fla, Va, Kan, Mo, Ky, Beryl MEXICO CUBA, VENEZUELA COLOMBIA, Tenn, Okla ., Beryl MEXICO CUBA JAMAICA, Caribbean, Mexico, Houston, London, DeepMind, Land , Texas, A.I, Freeport , Texas, England, Canada, Nova Scotia, China, Corpus Christi , Texas, Miami

They arrived at polling stations long before dawn, slept in the streets so they could be the first in line, and then cried as they cast their votes. On Sunday, millions of Venezuelans headed to the ballot box in an election that will determine the fate of the socialist movement that has governed oil-rich, crisis-laden Venezuela for 25 years. By 8 p.m., most polling stations had closed, and the nation waited with apprehension for the country’s electoral body, headed by an acolyte of the ruling party, to announce the result. For the first time in more than a decade, the country’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, faced a strong challenger, Edmundo González, a previously little-known former diplomat who has the backing of a popular leader, María Corina Machado.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Edmundo González, María Corina Machado Locations: Venezuela

☆ Venezuelans vote in crucial election as opposition challenges Maduro
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-28 | by ( Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Venezuelans headed to the polls on Sunday to vote in a highly consequential presidential election where the country’s longtime strongman, Nicolas Maduro, will face one of his greatest political challenges yet, say analysts. Of the nine other candidates running for the presidency, his biggest challenger is a unified opposition movement that overcame their divisions to form a coalition known as the Democratic Unitary Platform. The opposition movement has maintained its momentum despite sustained government repression, in which their first-choice candidate, María Corina Machado, was disqualified from running. The government has also created significant impediments for the millions of Venezuelans abroad to vote, including widely unattainable passport and residency requirements. But several international election observers have announced this week that they will no longer travel to Venezuela to monitor the vote.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Maduro, Hugo Chavez’s, María Corina Machado, Machado, Edmundo González Urrutia, Matias Delacroix, –, Laboratorio de, Jimmy Carter –, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, ” Laura Cristina Dib, CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon, David Shortell, Michael Rios Organizations: CNN, Democratic, International Monetary Fund, European Union, The Carter, Washington Office Locations: Venezuela, Latin America, Caracas, United States, Laboratorio de Paz, Venezuelan, America, WOLA

☆ Venezuela’s Maduro bids for a third term in power — as U.S., Brazil warn over need for free election
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro rises his hand during a mass gathering convene by supporters on July 18, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela. The 74-year-old is widely regarded as the only contender capable of denying Maduro a third six-year term. Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has governed Venezuela since 2013, with the former union leader taking power after the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez. His 2018 election victory was widely regarded as an unfair contest, given that many prominent opposition parties were banned from taking part. "The destiny of Venezuela depends on our victory," Maduro said at a rally earlier this month, according to the Associated Press.

Persons: Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, Nicolas Maduro, Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro, González, María Corina Machado, Corina, Maduro's, Hugo Chavez Organizations: Democratic, Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Associated Press Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuelan

☆ Opinion | Venezuela Is Ready for Change. Maduro Must Allow It.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( María Corina Machado | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

These are the reasons that roughly a quarter of our population has emigrated across the world, including hundreds of thousands to the United States. An overwhelming majority of Venezuelans are ready for change. Despite electricity and fuel shortages and relentless harassment from the Maduro regime, huge numbers of people are participating in our campaign events. Just a year ago, Venezuelans felt hopeless, migration through the Darién Gap began surging, and the opposition was leaderless. Even the most conservative estimates suggest that the opposition’s support is twice the incumbent’s.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro’s, entrench, Edmundo González, Maduro, Hugo Chávez Locations: United States

☆ Maria Corina Machado: The woman behind Venezuela’s opposition movement
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Machado has described the decision to bar her – upheld by Venezuela’s Supreme Court – as illegitimate, unjustified and unconstitutional. From left: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, and Urrutia's wife Mercedes Lopez wave during their campaign closing rally in Caracas on July 25, 2024, ahead of Sunday's presidential election. CNN: In the economy, your plan is to privatize most Venezuelan public assets, especially in terms of health, oil and education. I do believe in public education, but I do believe that you have to create incentives so the public education can be as competitive and with the same degree of excellence that you have in private education. But you don’t need to own the companies directly for the country to benefit from it.

Persons: María Corina Machado –, Nicolás Maduro, Machado, Hugo Chávez, Chávez, –, Edmundo González, Maria Corina Machado, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, Mercedes Lopez, Federico Parra, doesn’t Organizations: Caracas CNN —, Venezuela, Venezuela’s, CNN International, Getty, CNN, Venezuelan Locations: Caracas, Congress, Venezuelan, AFP, Venezuela, Americas

☆ Venezuela election: Young opposition voters prepare to leave the country if Maduro is reelected
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

A staunch supporter of Venezuela’s opposition movement, she’s buoyant about her coalition’s chances to win this Sunday’s presidential election. “The alternative is to go somewhere else to look for a better life,” she told CNN. “The plan B is packing your bags and the border,” he told CNN. We ask them to come back and to help us to rebuild the country,” he told CNN. He is able to see them “about once a year, otherwise it’s videocall,” he told CNN.

Persons: – Venezuela’s, Nicolás Maduro, ”, Edmundo González, Julio César Pérez, Víctor Medina, “, Panamá, ODH, Leáñez’s, Rafael Cabrera, Cabrera, Leáñez, Rhonny Zamora, …, ” Maduro, González, It’s, González’s, María Corina Machado Organizations: CNN, González, Sunday, Homeland Locations: Venezuela, Colombia, United States, Brazil, Miami, Maracay, Madrid, Spain

Stripped of her bodyguard last week by the government, she traversed the streets unprotected. As she climbed onto the windshield of her battered car — her makeshift stage — supporters jostled to touch her. Inside the frameless image, María Corina Machado was shielded by the Venezuelan flag and the arms of Jesus Christ. “María!” yelled one supporter, “help us!”Ms. Machado, 56, the newest leader of Venezuela’s opposition, has struck fear into the hearts of the country’s ruling party. She is not the one running for president, but she is the driving force behind the main opposition candidate, a little-known diplomat named Edmundo González.

Persons: jostled, María Corina Machado, Jesus Christ, “, ”, Ms, Machado, Edmundo González Locations: Venezuelan

☆ How Venezuela’s election could upend the geopolitics of the Americas
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Caracas CNN —It would be easy to dismiss this Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela as a fait accompli. The opposition campaign has re-energized its bases, and the candidature of Edmundo González has attracted widespread support in Venezuela and abroad. A chance to rebuild Venezuela’s economic power“On the ballot is how long it’ll take to fix Venezuela’s economy,” said Asdrubal Oliveros, founder of Caracas firm Ecoanalitica, in his weekly podcast on July 8. Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, today Venezuela’s economy has shrunk to the equivalent of a medium-sized city, smaller than say, Milwaukee, according to data from the IMF. As Venezuela’s economy has crumbled, around eight million Venezuelans have already fled their country, many of them scattered across South America.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, ”, –, Laboratorio de Paz, Edmundo González, Asdrubal Oliveros, Andres, Maduro, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Gabriela Oraa, Gonzalez, Consultores, Putin, Xi Jinping, who’s, “, Donald Trump Organizations: Caracas CNN —, Laboratorio, IMF, Andres Bello Catholic University, Central University of Venezuela, of American, World Bank, Inter, American Development Bank, Supreme, CNN Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, Ecoanalitica, Latin America, Milwaukee, AFP, United States, Americas, South America, Venezuelan, America, China, Iran, Russia, Miami, Cuba, Maduro, of American States, Mercosur, Algiers, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Spanish, Washington, Brexit, neofascism, Europe, India, Turkey, Philippines

☆ Opinion | It’s Not Too Late for Change in Venezuela
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Farah Stockman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro wants the world to believe he won Sunday’s presidential election. But nobody should believe that until he releases precinct-level vote tallies and submits to an independent audit. Maduro has done everything in his power to tilt the election in his favor, from barring rivals to arresting their campaign staff members. It’s already being called the “mother of all stolen elections.”Luckily, the Venezuelan opposition anticipated that Maduro would try to rig the vote, and dispatched volunteers to collect precinct-level tally sheets from voting centers across the country. The opposition says it has collected some 70 percent of such tally sheets, enough data to prove that voters overwhelmingly rejected Maduro.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, ” Geoff Ramsey, Maduro, It’s, ” Organizations: America, Atlantic Council Locations: Venezuelan

☆ Russia and China are gaining ground on the US in Latin America, US commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussia and China are trying to compete with the US for influence in Latin America, according to the US Southern Command commander. Kevin Riehle, a former FBI counterintelligence officer, told BI last December that Russia was using South America to obtain fake identities for its spies. AdvertisementDaniel P. Erikson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Western Hemisphere, also warned of Chinese and Russian threats in Latin America at an Atlantic Council event in February. Latin America, in the post-Cold War era, has not seen major wars, the prospect of nuclear weapons, or US rivals seeking to establish military bases and alliances directly, he said. "Nonetheless, the economic needs of Latin America and weak governance in many cases have opened the door for predatory, non-transparent deals, particularly with the PRC, which has expanded its influence," he said, using the initials of the People's Republic of China.

Persons: —, Laura J, Richardson, Vyacheslav Volodin, Craig Faller, Kevin Riehle, Daniel P, Erikson, Evan Ellis, Ellis Organizations: Service, US Southern Command, Aspen Security, Initiative, Business, Russian, Institute for, West . Belarus —, US Special Operations Command, FBI, Strategic, International Studies, Atlantic Council, US Army, Strategic Studies Institute, Southern Command Locations: Russia, China, Latin America, Colorado, America, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, West . Belarus, Belarus, South America, Washington, DC, Caribbean, East, Ukraine, People's Republic of China, Iran, United States

☆ What to expect in Venezuela’s presidential election as strongman Maduro faces his biggest test yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado wave to supporters at the Central University of Venezuela UCV in Caracas on July 14, 2024. Analysts see those as the seeds of a pretext that Maduro could use to postpone or cancel the election at the last minute. Some have speculated that Maduro could use the crisis as an excuse to suspend the election. Supporters at a meeting with Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the Central University of Venezuela UCV in Caracas on July 14, 2024. Maduro currently faces drug trafficking and corruption charges in the US and is under investigation for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia –, Hugo Chavez’s, Nicolas Maduro, Flores, Teresa Carreño, Jesus Vargas, “, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Pedro Rances Mattey, Gonzalez, Corina Yoris, Oswaldo Ramírez, ORC Consultores, ”, Juan Barreto, Chávez, Ryan Berg, They’re, Machado, Yoris, –, Jimmy Carter –, Berg, ” Machado Organizations: CNN, of American, Teresa, Teresa Carreño Theater, International Monetary Fund, Central University of Venezuela UCV, Getty, Democratic, Venezuelan, Americas, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, The Carter, European Union, CSIS, International Criminal, Socialist United Party Locations: Canada, United States, Caracas, Venezuela, Anadolu, “, Agua, Maiz, AFP, Guyana

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