#VENEZUELA: Maduro Regime Wins Seat On UN Human Rights Commission

[world politics news]

The government of President Nicolás Maduro won a seat Thursday on the U.N. Human Rights Council, a controversial victory for a regime accused of using intimidation, torture and murder to cling to power.

The Maduro government, no longer recognized as legitimate by the United States and around 50 other countries, had sought a return to the 47-member panel to counter an image of international isolation - and thwart investigations into its own alleged abuses.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Loyalty Of The Kremlin To Venezuela May Last As Long As Debt Payments Continue; And They Might Not

[world politics news]

How seriously should the US take Russian determination to stand by Venezuelan strongman Maduro? Perhaps not very strongly. Their loyalty may last as long as they continue to make payments on Russian loans.

Reports are circulating that Russia expects Venezuela to make its next scheduled debt repayment to Moscow on schedule at the end of March. Venezuela has sunk into economic and political turmoil under Maduro, with inflation seen rising to 10 million percent this year, leading to food shortages, protests and mass emigration.

The opposition disputes the legitimacy of Maduro's re-election to a second term last year, and opposition leader Juan Guaido, 35, proclaimed himself interim president this month. The US, along with Canada and several neighboring Central and South American nations, have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader, while Russia has continued to back Maduro.

When asked if the new Venezuela may have trouble making payments on Russia's loans, Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said  "There will probably be problems. Everything now depends on the army, on the soldiers and how faithful they will be to their duty and oath. It is difficult, impossible to give a different assessment."

For its part, the Russian Finance Ministry issued a separate statement saying it still expected the next payment to be made on time.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#VENEZUELA: 14 Nations Recall Ambassadors To Venezuela After "Undemocratic" Elections Return Maduro To Power

[world politics news]

A bloc of countries from the Americas opposing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that all its 14 members will recall their ambassadors to the country to protest against what it said was the country's failure to hold a "free and fair" election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Pres. Maduro Strips Parliament Of Power, Deepening Political Crisis

[world politics news]

Venezuela’s political crisis has deepened after a new pro-government "superbody" stripped the opposition-held parliament of its legislative powers and the fugitive attorney general accused President Nicolás Maduro of links to a corruption scandal. The move by the national constituent assembly, denounced by regional powers and the US, has limited practical impact. The government had in effect neutered the parliament soon after the 2015 election that brought it to power, and the new constituent assembly already has virtually unlimited reach.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#PERU: Gov't Orders Venezuelan Ambassador Out To Protest Maduro's Constituent Assembly

[world politics news]

The Peruvian government has ordered the Venezuelan ambassador in Lima to leave within five days over a perceived breakdown in Venezuela’s democratic order. Peru said the ouster had followed Venezuela’s failure to respond to a declaration issued by American nations at this Tuesday’s meeting in Lima where they announced they did not recognize President Nicolas Maduro’s new constituent assembly.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Opposition Leaders Taken From Homes By Maduro Regime Following Election

[world politics news]

Leading Venezuelan opposition figures Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were taken from their homes early Tuesday, according to their families, after they opposed a controversial election that critics say will let President Nicolás Maduro illegitimately consolidate power.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Oppo. Denounces "Coup" As Maduro-Friendly Court Disbands National Assembly, Seizes Control

[world politics news]

Venezuela's opposition is calling the Supreme Court's move Thursday to dissolve the opposition-controlled Congress and assume full control over all branches of government a "coup." The court is the virtual puppet of Socialist Pres. Maduro. There was swift and widespread international condemnation of the annulment of the National Assembly. The head of the Organization of International States, Luis Almagro, said the Venezuelan court had dealt the final blows to democracy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Opposition Marches Call For President Maduro's Ouster Amid Violent Crackdown

[world politics news]

Rivals and allies of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rallied in the streets Monday as the opposition demanded early elections to oust him over the country's ongoing economic and political crisis. It was the first coordinated street demonstration called by the opposition since Maduro launched a crackdown with the arrests of several of his opponents early this month.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Mass Opposition Protests Planned After Referendum On Maduro Recall Denied

[world politics news]

The opposition coalition in Venezuela is planning sustained street protests after a ruling by the National Electoral Council not to allow a Referendum on the Presidency of Nicolas Maduro this year. Instead, they are requiring the high hurdle of the signatures of 20% of all voters in each state, and would only allow a referendum late next year. The opposition is seeking the removal of the Maduro's leftist regime as the economy endures a full collapse.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Socialist Regime Arrests Oppo Ldr At Home In 3 AM Raid

[world politics news]

Human rights figures around the world are condemning the Socialist regime of Nicolas Maduro after opposition leader Daniel Ceballos was arrested in a 3 a.m. raid on his home this past Saturday. Security forces said he was being taken to a "medical exam," but a waiting ambulance instead took him to a prison. Tensions are rising as mass protests against Maduro are scheduled for Thursday, seeking his removal from office.

#VENEZUELA: South American MERCOSUR Trade Group May Expel Venezuela

[world politics news]

The coordinators of MERCOSUR - a trade association consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela - may decide as early as Aug. 23 to expel Venezuela, which joined in 2012. A meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay will discuss legal sanctions on Venezuela, which self proclaimed itself the presidency of the group on July 30, and is also allegedly not complying with over 200 rules and regulations, requirements they agreed to when they joined. Venezuela could then lose its full member status.

Pictured: The flags of MERCOSUR’s five member-states: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela. 

#VENEZUELA: Desperate For Food, Gov't Uses Forced Labor In The Fields

[world politics news]

The government of Venezuela has issued a decree that "effectively amounts to forced labor" in an attempt to fix a spiraling food crisis, according to a new report from Amnesty International. A Venezuelan ministry last week announced Resolution No. 9855, which calls for the establishment of a "transitory labor regime" in order to relaunch the agricultural and food sector. The decree says that workers can be forcefully moved from their jobs to work in farm fields or elsewhere in the agricultural sector for periods of 60 days.

#VENEZUELA: Caracas Mayor Arrested Over Alleged Coup Plot

[world politics news]

Venezuelan intelligence agents have arrested opposition leader and Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma amid accusations of his involvement in a coup attempt against President Nicolas Maduro, who frequently denounces alleged coup plots by opposition leaders, usually without presenting concrete evidence.

#VENEZUELA: Maduro Prosecutor Indicts Oppo. Ldr. #Machado Claiming Assassination Plot

[world politics news]

Venezuela has indicted opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on charges that she took part in an alleged plot to kill Pres. Nicolas Maduro. Machado rejects the accusation, accusing Maduro of cracking down on opposition parties before next year's elections.

#VENEZUELA: Opposition Leaders Call for US Sanctions Against Maduro Regime

[world politics news]