Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president, Nicolas Maduro, has had his share of problems lately. Aside from the legitimacy of his presidency itself being denied and protested, he has been widely criticized for his friendship with Russia’s Vladimir Putin; had his illegally-purchased $13 million plane seized; and had to fight off growing political unrest among Venezuela’s citizens who are fed up with his authoritarian rule. And that’s just for starters.

But he believes he’s found a way to keep his people happy, or at least distracted . . . for the next few months, anyway. On his weekly television show on Monday, he proclaimed:

“September smells like Christmas! This year and to honor you all, to thank you all, I am going to decree the beginning of Christmas on October 1. Christmas arrived for everyone, in peace, joy and security!” [Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, September 4, 2024.]

Well, that ought to do it — particularly for the dissidents he’s thrown into prison. And for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, who has been accused by Maduro of “crimes associated with terrorism,” and is now the subject of an arrest warrant issued just hours before the big Christmas announcement.

Since the start of the protests over the election, some 2,400 people have been arrested, and Human Rights Watch says it has documented eleven related killings. (Non-governmental organizations have reported 24 people killed.) Maduro has ordered two new prisons to be opened, and has called for “everyone in the streets to be imprisoned.” [Id.]

If they were speaking Russian instead of Spanish, I would swear . . . well, never mind.

To say that things are not going well in Venezuela would be a gross understatement. Obviously, then, what we need is a little . . .

That should fix everything. Yeah . . . right!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/5/24