Free Republic

“Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence — not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free.” — President Donald Trump, State of the Union Address February 5, 2019 Venezuela is a real-time example of the failure of socialism. Promises of prosperity frequently lead to poverty for the masses and all-too-often opens the door to brutal dictators. Nicolas Maduro is such a ruler and we sadly see daily reminders of how far he is willing to go...

Venezuela’s ex-vice president and now the top confidant of Nicolas Maduro is said to have tried sneaking in Hezbollah militants into his country, made a business deal with a drug lord and became extremely wealthy as the once-rich country turned into an economic basket case. Tareck El Aissami has emerged as a hardliner of Maduro’s socialist regime as the country remains on the brink of an all-out civil war due to economic misery. **SNIP** But El Aissami, while not having the same scrutiny as Maduro, has long been the subject of various investigations both at home and in the U.S....

"Who would be free themselves must strike the blow... "By their right arms the conquest must be wrought." So wrote Lord Byron of Greece's war of independence against the Turks, though the famed British poet would ignore his own counsel and die just days after arriving in Greece to join the struggle. Yet Byron's advice is the wise course for the United States, and for the people of Venezuela who seek to free their country of the grip of the incompetent and dictatorial regime of Nicolas Maduro. Let the Venezuelans decide their own destiny, as did we. As of today,...

Maybe Venezuela’s most famous political prisoner, Leopoldo Lopez, was the thread that unraveled it all. The overthrow that sputtered began when opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido tried to spark an uprising in Caracas on Tuesday, standing not only with masked soldiers who had defected but Lopez, his mentor and a cult figure in some circles. That dramatic turn sent a signal that this wasn’t mere posturing. To many watching, it seemed the opposition plan to replace President Nicolas Maduro was finally moving swiftly forward. But it turns out that Lopez’s first appearance in public in years might actually have had the...

When opposition leader Juan Guaido called for the military to join him and oust dictator Nicolas Maduro yesterday, I suggested that he was making a high stakes bet against long odds and it might backfire on him. Barely 24 hours later, it looks as if that bet isn’t going to be paying off. There were sporadic protests in a number of areas, with Guaido’s supporters throwing stones and even tear gas canisters at some soldiers, but by the end of the day, he was still standing with only a handful of soldiers at an airport near Caracas. The anticipated,...

CNN and BBC were taken off the air by Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro’s government as violent protests broke out in the South American country. Spurred on by an early morning speech by interim President Juan Guaidó, demonstrators massed in the streets of Caracas demanding that Maduro relinquish control of the country. As videos of the violence began to proliferate, CNN International was taken down after airing footage of gunfire and military vehicles running over protesters. A clip posted on social media purported to show the moment that the channel was pulled.

enezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was prepared to leave the country Tuesday and seek asylum in Cuba but was stopped by Russia, U.S. officials said. “We’ve watched throughout the day, it’s been a long time since anyone’s seen Maduro,” Pompeo told CNN. “He had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning as we understand it and the Russians indicated he should stay.” Pompeo said Maduro had been planning to travel to Havana. Asked if Maduro would have been allowed to safely depart for Cuba, Pompeo dodged the question. “Mr. Maduro understands what will happen if he...

The situation in Venezuela is deteriorating. Throughout the day, protests have erupted. Supporters and opponents of socialist President Nicolas Maduro are once facing off after months of economic destitution that has left the beacon of 21stCentury Socialism an absolute hellhole. You’ve all read the reports. Medicals supplies are absent, hunger is rampant, and inflation is through the roof. No one is safe from economic blight, except Maduro. Venezuelans from all social classes have suffered. There’s footage of people eating out of trashcans. Zoo animals are being killed for food. Venezuelan children are now being forced into prostitution in order to...

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed Tuesday that embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was preparing to leave the country for Cuba, but was talked out of it by Russia. "We've watched throughout the day, it's been a long time since anyone's seen Maduro," Pompeo said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room." "He had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning as we understand it and the Russians indicated he should stay." "He was headed for Havana," Pompeo said.

Dozens of supporters of opposition leader Juan Guaido converged Tuesday on the now-shuttered Venezuelan embassy in Washington, clashing with pro-regime activists who have been camped out at the building for weeks in support of embattled Nicolas Maduro. .... In Washington, flag-waving and national-anthem singing demonstrators, many of whom were born in Venezuela, quickly outnumbered those from the anti-war group Code Pink gathered to support Maduro's regime. .... "This group – the Code Pink – has taken the embassy," Gandullia said. "We want to enter. We want to take over. And demonstrate that it belongs to us." Activists from Code Pink,...

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How long have I lived? Long enough to see a mainstream media outlet other than Fox News make a core Second Amendment argument. And guess who it is?All right, all right, MSNBC didn’t know they were making a core Second Amendment argument. They were just reporting on the captivity of Venezuelans by a socialist regime that made sure to ban gun ownership. Six of one, half-dozen of another, says the Free Beacon: MSNBC Report on Venezuela Makes Case for Second Amendment https://t.co/pOdsekefc8 pic.twitter.com/Uqh4Vs5pyE— Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 30, 2019 MSNBC reporter Kerry Sanders unwittingly made the American case for...

WATCH: Venezuela military armored truck rams into pro-Guaidó protesters in Caracas

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has taken to the streets with detained activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed soldiers in a military uprising. “This is the moment of all Venezuelans, those in uniform and those who aren’t,” said Lopez in his first public appearance since being detained in 2014 for leading anti-government protests. “Everyone should come to the streets, in peace.” Lopez said he has been freed by the military. Moments earlier, Guaidó appeared in an early morning video shot next to a Caracas air base surrounded by several heavily armed soldiers...

Does the tiny nation of Malta need some tourism or someone to buy its products, some extra defense help, or maybe a Hollywood movie celebrating it? Can we do something for them? I wish I could tell for sure, because right now, the only sentiment to describe the tiny state is one of awe and gratitude. National Security Advisor John Bolton had a great tweet about it: John Bolton ✔ @AmbJohnBolton The U.S. recognizes and appreciates Malta & countries across the world that are standing up to a ruthless dictator by prohibiting military flights and vessels from bringing military equipment...

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is getting desperate. With the international community lining up against him, and his own people getting more hungry all the time, Maduro finds himself increasingly alone and isolated. His solution? Find a million more friendly faces that he can count on when it really hits the fan. Maduro is calling for a million more members of his personal bodyguard, a civilian militia tasked with keeping the population in line by any means necessary. Those means include roving gangs of street thugs who shoot anyone who looks like they oppose the government. Since there are already nearly...

Venezuela’s socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro has triggered the “worst humanitarian crisis in the history of the Americas” with the help of Cuba, Russia, China, and terrorist groups, the executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) told Breitbart News Friday. The deteriorating security, political, and humanitarian conditions in Venezuela are comparable to those in war-ravaged Syria, Juan Antonio Blanco, the director, wrote in a report he co-authored with other Cuban and Venezuelan experts. In the report issued Friday, FHRC declared: Citizen insecurity, added to political repression, has left more than 24,000 violent deaths [in Venezuela] in 2018,...

Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro has upped the ante. He ordered his Supreme Court to ask his Constituent Assembly to strip opposition leader Juan Guaido of his parliamentary immunity against arrest. On Tuesday the Constituent Assembly dutifully responded, voting unanimously to approve the court’s request, opening the door for Maduro to order the arrest of Guaido. Guaido is being accused of violating a court order to remain in the country while Maduro’s attorney general is considering various charges against him. Instead Guaido left the country for a 10-day goodwill tour of neighboring South American countries to drum up more support for...

Merida, April 3, 2019 – Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly (ANC) has lifted the parliamentary immunity of the self-declared “Interim President” Juan Guaido, opening the door for criminal charges to be brought against him. Tuesday’s unanimous decision came following a request from the Supreme Court, and included the “authorisation” of the continuation of investigations into the also deputy and president of the National Assembly. “The investigation [against Guaido] is formally authorised to continue in accordance with our Constitution and laws” said ANC President Diosdado Cabello during the session. Cabello added that justice was “necessary” and what would safeguard peace in Venezuela....

President Donald Trump's special envoy to Venezuela warned that the administration could impose financial sanctions against Russia if it continues to meddle in Venezuela. Elliott Abrams said he has already delivered a list of options to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, including diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions, that can be employed against Russia if it continues to send military personnel to Caracas. The Trump administration ratcheted up its warnings Friday against Russia and other countries who may be considering sending military personnel to Venezuela by calling the action a direct threat to peace and security in the region. Pompeo earlier...