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‘Totally not meddling’: Reactions to US recognition of Venezuela’s Guaido as ‘acting president’
The Trump administration’s recognition of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president has provoked criticism from independent journalists but cheers from an unexpected quarter: his domestic foes.
“Donald Trump, Mike Pence and Marco Rubio got to decide who is president of Venezuela. That’s democracy you guys,” tweeted journalist Rania Khalek, who also predicted that the same media outlets hating on Trump all day would applaud the move.
Donald Trump, Mike Pence and Marco Rubio got to decide who is president of Venezuela. That’s democracy you guys
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) January 23, 2019
This move by Trump to facilitate a coup in Venezuela by recognizing an unelected leader as its president will almost certainly be supported by all the corporate outlets that spend all day insisting they hate Trump. https://t.co/HULPNPpoPu
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) January 23, 2019
Trump’s declaration of who should lead Venezuela is “totally not meddling” in another country’s internal affairs, was the sarcastic take from commentator Mark Sleboda, referring to accusations by the US establishment that Russia “meddled” in the 2016 presidential election.
Journalist Sarah Lazare pointed out that Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, “both on the far right,” have teamed up against Venezuela’s socialist president Nicolas Maduro.
There should be far more alarm about the fact that Donald Trump and Jair Bolsanaro--both on the far right--are teaming up to dictate who Venezuela's president is. https://t.co/SGMN7ILgF5
— Sarah Lazare (@sarahlazare) January 23, 2019
Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who lives in Brazil and has criticized Bolsonaro, argued along the same lines – and quoted a colleague to add that disagreeing with US policy doesn’t mean sympathy for Maduro.
It's the US and Bolsonaro-led Brazil doing this together: declaring who the "real leader" of Venezuela is, with Canada now following. Exactly as @mehdirhasan says, recognizing the dangers of this intervention doesn't mean one harbors any sympathy or affection for Maduro: https://t.co/mHiBQAYUtA
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 23, 2019
A Fusion journalist agreed that US meddling will not end well.
Whatever you think of the current regime in Venezuela, you cannot possibly think that the Trump administration moving in will end well there.
— Nando (@nandorvila) January 23, 2019
The only thing Wednesday’s declaration will accomplish is to make the life “really miserable” for the people of Venezuela, argued commentator George Szamuely.
Short of actual invasion of Venezuela, the US will not be able to remove Maduro from power. The US can however make life really miserable for the people of Venezuela. In other words, standard US operating procedure.
— George Szamuely (@GeorgeSzamuely) January 23, 2019
TV producer Mike Prysner had the same sentiment, graphically illustrating the character of Venezuela’s opposition.
The opposition trying to take power with Trump’s backing in Venezuela is the SAME opposition that BURNED ALIVE a young man, as the mob screamed “hey Black guy, this is what happens to Chavistas” pic.twitter.com/Rc3kaSPHl3
— Mike Prysner (@MikePrysner) January 23, 2019
Even some of Trump’s supporters were unhappy with the move. Journalist Jack Posobiec reacted by quoting Trump’s own disavowal of regime change from 2016.
“We will stop racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about that we shouldn't be involved with”
Donald Trump, 2016
— Jack Posobiec
