Posted on 08/23/2017 10:10:04 AM PDT by ebb tide
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called Tuesday for Pope Francis's support against a "military threat" from the United States, as international pressure mounts over the deadly political crisis Caracas is facing.
"May the pope help us prevent Trump from sending troops to invade Venezuela," Maduro told a news conference. "I ask for the pope's help against the military threat from the United States."
Maduro has faced months of deadly mass protests by opponents who blame him for an economic crisis and are demanding elections to replace him.
International pressure has also grown, with US President Donald Trump even saying this month that the United States reserved the option of military intervention in the Venezuela crisis.
Maduro pointedly highlighted his alliance with Russia, which had rejected Trump's recent threat as "unacceptable."
The Venezuelan leader said he wanted to "keep strengthening the military cooperation agreement" between the two countries "for the sovereign defense of Venezuela."
Russia recently sold fighter jets and ground to air missiles to Venezuela.
"Venezuela has the full and absolute support of Russia," he said, adding that he would soon go to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Maduro has called for military drills next weekend as a show of strength after Trump's threat.
The United States has applied economic sanctions directly targeting Maduro.
He says the economic collapse that has dragged his country into crisis is a US-backed conspiracy.
The opposition blames his economic management for the crisis.
Since Maduro was elected in 2013, Venezuela has descended into chaos that has raised fears for regional stability.
The fall in world prices for its oil exports has left it short of dollars for imports of food and medicine.
Venezuela is the third-biggest seller of oil to the United States, which is the destination for 42 percent of the South American country's crude exports.
Russian ground to air missiles are useless against an F-22 Raptor, which doesn’t even show up on radar, and also useless against standoff weapons that can be fired from 25 miles away from the target. The Venezuelan military couldn’t possibly stand up to a combined military force from the US and the South American democracies for more than a few weeks. Most likely, 80% of the Venezuelan soldiers would drop their weapons and surrender to the liberating army within a few days.
But a blockade and liberation of Venezuela is a costly option of last resort, and the best option is for Maduro and his regime to resign. I think everyone would allow him safe passage to Bolivia or Cuba if he’s willing to resign.
Perhaps he could move to California.
Run for office.
He’d get elected.
Madura is just another dirty thug begging for help as he loses power.
It is interesting to see Russia’s play in this fiasco.
This Pope sucks. Cut off all oil imports and export Sanders,Moore,Penn and Glover to that socialist sh*t hole. They prop it up as their utopia so they should stand behind it.
Maybe someone should tell Madurashole that Russia is broke.
Maybe the Pope can send some food along with his support for Socialist Hellholes...
Sounds like he’s trying to take advantage of Francis’ hatred for the U.S. to keep from getting invaded.
Thank goodness, Trump couldn’t care less what Francis thinks.
The Pope worst than sucks. He is a USA hating scumbag. Glad I am not church goer anymore. Michael Moore, Danny Glover and Sean Penn can all go to hell ( or at lease Venezuela)
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