It may go down as the biggest “vote of no confidence” ever seen. This is a report from the New York Times:
Millions of Venezuelans signaled their disapproval of President Nicolás Maduro’s plan to hold a constituent assembly by casting ballots on Sunday in a vote unlike any other in this nation’s history.
More than 98 percent of voters sided with the opposition in answering three yes-or-no questions drafted with the aim of weakening Mr. Maduro’s legitimacy days before his constituent assembly is expected to convene.
Opponents see the assembly as a power grab by an increasingly unpopular leader and fear he may use it to do away with democratic elections.
Sunday’s exercise, known as a popular consultation, was organized by a slate of opposition parties that dominate Venezuela’s National Assembly.
Organizers had hoped that a large turnout and a lopsided result would widen rifts within the governing party and deepen the government’s international isolation, undermining Mr. Maduro’s plan to appoint an assembly of handpicked supporters to draft a new Constitution.
We have not seen such a one sided vote since Saddam Hussein carried 100% of precincts in Iraq! Seriously, it was huge and fantastic.
My friend Daniel Duquenal posted that it was a victory for the opposition. He points out that the Maduro regime tried to disrupt the vote, but failed. They even tried to use government resources to keep the people down, but couldn’t.
I would go further. It is a huge victory for the people of Venezuela who have been marching and demanding change.
I am happy that the U.S. may impose new sanctions. President Trump has a huge opportunity to stand with a frustrated middle class that sees their country stolen by socialist demagogues. Go for it, President Trump. Don’t worry about hearing from the Maduro apologists that the “yankis” are engagaing in gunboat diplomacy again.
It is also up to the other Latin American leaders to stand with the people of Venezuela. We hear that Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is meeting with Raúl Castro to find some regional solution. Involving Cuba for a solution to Venezuela? Are you kidding me, President Santos? Cuba is a big part of the problem.
Latin American leaders have historically avoided sticking their noses in their neighbor’s business. I think that the people of Venezuela just gave them 7 million reasons to stick their noses and do a lot more.
President Trump should lead a “coalition of the willing” calling on President Maduro to resign or face more sanctions. Where is the UN Security Council or the OAS when we really need them?
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