The US is absolutely lawless and out of control. Trump is exactly as expected. The US is acting out of a desperate need to hold onto global control. It won’t work- But it’s dangerous for us all.

Trump Says US Has Captured Maduro and Wife and have flown them out of the country

President Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning that the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, flying them out of the country after a “large scale strike.” This marks the administration’s most aggressive action in the region since taking office.

The shocking announcement follows months of airstrikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the region that have killed dozens, as the administration has denied that the real goal was a regime change to oust the authoritarian leader.

The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” the president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social at 4:21 a.m. Eastern time. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! ”

AG Bondi: Maduro, Wife Indicted in SDNY for Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy

Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced the indictment of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and his wife on terrorism and weapons charges in the Southern District of New York.

“Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York,” Bondi wrote Saturday morning on X.

“Nicholas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.“

Maduro cancelling the Lula meeting is really interesting. What might these actions suggest to us? I’d boldly state that Maduro smells a rat in Lula.

In 2024 we saw Lula taking a pro western stance in the Venezuela elections

How to understand Brazil’s stance on Venezuela’s election

“the administration of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has decided to join Mexico and Colombia to help facilitate a dialogue between the Maduro administration and the opposition.”

The US and friends, Canada included, were very clearly making yet another attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan government in a Juan Guido 2.0 episode. Facilitating a dialogue with the opposition? To what end?

Lula not attending BRICS summit– faces diplomatic challenge

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 78, faced an unforeseen setback when he suffered a head injury at his Brasilia home on Saturday. Doctors at the Sirio-Lebanese Hospital diagnosed Lula with a contusion on his head.

Brazil’s Lula cancelling BRICS summit

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced on Sunday he will no longer travel to Kazan, Russia, for the Brics summit after medical advice to temporarily avoid long-haul flights.

Yes, I find the head contusion excuse an avoidance tactic on the part of Brazil- given the previous goings on.

BRICS Balancing Act Getting Harder

October 21/24

Recent developments in the BRICS grouping, however, have the potential to undermine this relatively broad consensus in Brazil vis-à-vis the benefits of membership. Until last year, Brazil had, along with India, successfully prevented the bloc’s expansion, promoted by Beijing since 2017.

Yet during last year’s summit in South Africa, China ran out of patience and, with Russian support, not only pushed through expansion but also ignored Brazil’s request not to include explicitly anti-Western countries such as Iran.

So Brazil did not want Iran to be included in the BRICS? Did Chinese diplomats at BRICS get a sense of Brazil being duplicitous?

None of this will lead Brazil to abandon the grouping abruptly. Yet behind closed doors, it is now common to hear Brazilian diplomats express concern about Brazil’s diminishing capacity to control intra-BRICS dynamics and to use the outfit to its benefits.

Brazil wanting to control intra BRICS dynamics?

I’m going to ignore what is being claimed about India in this America-centric article. As China and India have just signed a new border agreement, announced today! A move that could only serve to annoy Pax Americana

Brazil’s leading business daily, recognized the benefits BRICS membership had produced for Brazil, but warned that the grouping was “ceasing to be a source of opportunities and becoming a source of risk” if it became a club of largely authoritarian regimes with anti-Western positions.

Next year, it will be Brazil’s turn to host the BRICS Summit, forcing the Lula government to decide whether to invite Putin, against whom the International Criminal Court, of which Brazil is a member, has issued an arrest warrant—a situation which leaves little space for fence-sitting. The time when BRICS membership had only upsides and virtually no downsides for Brazil seems to have come to an end.

Making a prediction based on present day information- Brazil, if they host BRICS at all, will not invite Putin.

Edmundo González the 80+ yr old challenger is pictured directly above

It was reported that Maria Corina Machado was disqualified from running because of her participation in a corruption plot with the Juan Guaido- The other US/Canada backed huckster.

LeMonde

Venezuela’s Supreme Court, on Friday, January 26, 2024 disqualified opposition leader Maria Corina Machado – who handily won a 2023 primary vote – from seeking election this year. The court upheld a 15-year ban on Machado, 56, from holding public office and also confirmed the ineligibility of a possible opposition stand-in – two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski

Background on Radonski- notice western media calls him Henrique Capriles or they simply add an R, but, rarely is his actual last name, Radonski, included. Why?

Over the past few years, it’s been hard not to see Capriles as another iteration of Venezuela’s long line of messianic leaders. His behavior, at times, showed him as someone more than happy to play into that perception, publicly presenting himself like a maverick-prophet who would carve the path to salvation. This latest cycle began with the very moment his party nominated him as their candidate for the 2024 election by calling him “a gift for Venezuela.”

Back to LeMonde

The United States and others have repeatedly called for the reinstatement of disqualified opposition candidates ahead of elections, for which a date has yet to be set.

Maduro’s government and the opposition agreed in talks in Barbados last year to hold a free and fair vote in 2024 with international observers present. That agreement saw the United States ease sanctions against Venezuela, allowing Chevron to resume limited oil extraction as part of an effort to keep down global prices as the West pressed sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. It also led to a prisoner swap.

But the Supreme Court said Friday Machado would remain disqualified “for being involved… in the corruption plot orchestrated by the usurper Juan Guaido.” Guaido, now in exile, was recognized by western powers– But not Venezuelans.

To summarize it looks as if a replaceable prop was used by the western backed opposition to “run” in the election against Maduro. That’s some serious sleight of hand.

Oh and Canada has been meddling for years in Venezuela. Acknowledged and admitted

“Canada has been supporting the democratic opposition and condemning an increasingly severe authoritarian regime in Venezuela for many years now,” said Freeland