Venezuela’s interim regime is using the earthquakes to bury democracy

All is not well in Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro.

Images of Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello obstructing the arrival of U.S. humanitarian aid offer a perfect snapshot of the post-Maduro regime’s brutality. The tragedy that took the lives of more than 1,700 people has become a political windfall for a select few — an opportunity to secure resources, legitimacy and longevity in power. 

The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela were not part of the U.S. three-phase plan — stabilization, economic recovery and transition — yet they command attention due to their profound impact and devastation. The aftershocks of this event present humanitarian, economic and political challenges, while also shaking the foundations of a fragile transition that had begun to gain momentum.

Six months ago, the unthinkable was achieved: Maduro was captured and brought before a court in New York. The Trump administration had also succeeded in removing Venezuela’s highly enriched uranium. No previous government had managed to neutralize this hemispheric threat, arising from the regime’s dangerous liaison with Iranian tyranny. 

Under U.S. leadership, Venezuela secured the capture of Ali Zaki Hage Jalil, a suspected Hezbollah agent accused of involvement in a terrorist attack. After 30 years as a fugitive, he was finally captured and extradited to Panama to face justice. 

The Trump........

© The Hill