Delta force in Caracas.

[andy didcott]

Not messing about are they, captured Maduro by sound’s of things.

[turnbull for england]

Bit excessive, you can get that weight loss jab from chemist!

[Donnywolf]

Personally I cant believe Trump is allowed by his yes men to carry out such an assault on a sovereign Countty

I could add many more observations but people maybe 50pc will disagree with my viewpoints so ill save my time

[Donnywolf]

Im reminded watching this show of strength of 99 Red Balloons though

[BobG]

This is a translated version of a msg a Colombian friend sent me last night. It is massively worrying. Megalomania untrammelled?

 "Oh, I'm watching the news, and this is going to be bad.Donald Trump issues a strong verbal warning against Colombian President Gustavo Petro. In his statements, Trump states verbatim that Petro “has factories” and accuses him of being linked to cocaine production, adding that “he really needs to watch his ass,” in a phrase that is already generating reactions due to its tone and seriousness. He's looking into whether Petro is involved in narco-trafficking. If that's the case, he's coming for Petro too. This is going to be rough."

Now, claiming others are running drug cartels reinforces the credibility of the action against Maduro. But on the other hand, Venezuela sits on more crude oil than even Saudi Arabia. 303 billion barrels of the stuff. Let's  see what 'US control' actually means. Watch out for US oil companies moving into Venezuela in the next week to 10 days. That would then give an indication about intentions towards Colombia. Colombia doesn't  have anywhere near as much oil, but it is nevertheless a very resource rich nation.

Do you know Petro's misfortune? He was elected, in a proper free election, as a socialist president. You all know of my love of Colombia. I know quite a bit about the place and it's people.  Petro cares about people  Not profit. That upsets the orange bladder seemingly.

The Colombian government today have publicly said that any attack on Colombia or its President would be an act of war. Just imagine if that came pass... The Americans have already barred  Brazilian president, Lula, from attending the UN and he has recieved Trumpian threats himself. Colombia is now in the firing line. Just what do you think most of  the rest of the South American nations are going to be thinking right now? If I was Xi Jinping I'd have my South American embassies working overtime. And that, I fear, could lead to a potentially disastrous situation. If China starts to gain a significant foothold in South America bang goes the Monroe Doctrine. And that,  my friends, is about the most sacred holy cow there is in the US foreign policy world. I suspect that like all megalomaniacs, success breeds an ever greater need for ever more triumphs. But he is now playing with fire.

I saw a meme today. ' Trump just gave the world perrnission to do something very good for America'.

Anyone know if the SAS have a free date? Better be soon. I'm off back there in mid March.

BobG

[Sprotyrover]

The American Oil giants had been there for decades it was the lefties kicked them out and the country with the worlds largest Oil reserves but no other viable source of income plunged into decline

[BobG]

So they haven't been there for decades then. Hugo Chavez came to power, in a free election with his policy publicly known,  27 years ago. He nationalised the oil industry because it was an extractive monopoly benefitting nobody beyond the confines of North America.

BobG

[i_ateallthepies]

This is a translated version of a msg a Colombian friend sent me last night. It is massively worrying. Megalomania untrammelled?

 "Oh, I'm watching the news, and this is going to be bad.Donald Trump issues a strong verbal warning against Colombian President Gustavo Petro. In his statements, Trump states verbatim that Petro “has factories” and accuses him of being linked to cocaine production, adding that “he really needs to watch his ass,” in a phrase that is already generating reactions due to its tone and seriousness. He's looking into whether Petro is involved in narco-trafficking. If that's the case, he's coming for Petro too. This is going to be rough."

Now, claiming others are running drug cartels reinforces the credibility of the action against Maduro. But on the other hand, Venezuela sits on more crude oil than even Saudi Arabia. 303 billion barrels of the stuff. Let's  see what 'US control' actually means. Watch out for US oil companies moving into Venezuela in the next week to 10 days. That would then give an indication about intentions towards Colombia. Colombia doesn't  have anywhere near as much oil, but it is nevertheless a very resource rich nation.

Do you know Petro's misfortune? He was elected, in a proper free election, as a socialist president. You all know of my love of Colombia. I know quite a bit about the place and it's people.  Petro cares about people  Not profit. That upsets the orange bladder seemingly.

The Colombian government today have publicly said that any attack on Colombia or its President would be an act of war. Just imagine if that came pass... The Americans have already barred  Brazilian president, Lula, from attending the UN and he has recieved Trumpian threats himself. Colombia is now in the firing line. Just what do you think most of  the rest of the South American nations are going to be thinking right now? If I was Xi Jinping I'd have my South American embassies working overtime. And that, I fear, could lead to a potentially disastrous situation. If China starts to gain a significant foothold in South America bang goes the Monroe Doctrine. And that,  my friends, is about the most sacred holy cow there is in the US foreign policy world. I suspect that like all megalomaniacs, success breeds an ever greater need for ever more triumphs. But he is now playing with fire.

I saw a meme today. ' Trump just gave the world perrnission to do something very good for America'.

Anyone know if the SAS have a free date? Better be soon. I'm off back there in mid March.

BobG

Not seeing this being reported in the news, Bob.

[BobG]

Hi Pies

I may be being somewhat dim, but I'm not clear which bit or bits you're not seeing being reported. If you can give me a pointer or two I'll do my best. Having reread my whole post, as far as I am aware, there is nothing, except the sentence I labelled as "I suspect..." that is not true.

Cheers

BobG

PS. Don't forget I have a particular interest in South America and in Colombia and Venezuela in particular. I keep an eye on relevant news therefore, including both some in Spanish as well as feeds from my Colombian and Venezuelan friends.

[i_ateallthepies]

Apologies, Bob, The piece about Trump issuing a strong verbal warning his quoted statement and the Colombian government's response to it.  Given that the world is watching with great interest and trepidation every move that the US is making I would have expected to see media interest in the Columbia situation.

I am well aware of your particular interest in South America and have read with genuine interest your vivid accounts of your travels there.

[glosterred]

I see the first pictures of the delta force team that captured the Venezuelan president have been released

[BobG]

Hi again Pies

Thank you.

I have attached below a Colombian report of both what Trump has threatened, and, the response that the Colombian government chose to make public. As it's in Spanish, I've put a translation first:

 "ATTENTION Will he be next? Petro's security reinforced due to Trump's threats.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed that President Gustavo Petro's security detail has been reinforced following a series of physical and media threats allegedly related to his anti-drug policy.

The announcement came after he was asked about recent statements by US President Donald Trump, amid the international context surrounding the arrest of Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking from Norte de Santander, the minister explained that the comprehensive anti-drug strategy has generated additional risks to the president's security.

"There are physical threats, but also media threats, some based on lies that incite hatred," he stated.

Given this situation, he assured that all presidential security has been increased, with the support of the Armed Forces, to protect the institutions and democracy."

If you look at the attached, 'amenaza' means 'threat'.

The report is very clear about who is threatening whom, and, its ultimate paragraph is a very public declaration that the armed forces will fight. For diplomatic speech, by a Foreign Minister, it is downright trenchant.

As for the lack of reporting by our appalling press industry, why would they when they've  utterly ignored the very worst refugee crisis in the world for over 10 years? Sorry. I am quite bitter about the utter uselessness of the British press.

BobG

PS. Again in coded, diplomatic speak, that statement by the Colombian Foreign Minister actually calls Trump a liar. You can see how pissed off the Colombians are.

[BobG]

Gloster: is that J Clarkson Esq in the middle of that bunch of pirates?

BobG

[glosterred]

Gloster: is that J Clarkson Esq in the middle of that bunch of pirates?

BobG

And Hammond and May as well

[i_ateallthepies]

Thank you, Bob.  It' almost as if sections of the world media are under the spell of the Trump mob.

[BobG]

I made myself a list the other day. All the countries the Orange Blimp has threatened and/or properly pissed off this last 12 months. Try it. Even if he were accurate in his accusations he is clearly and obviously strategically inept. USA v Rest of the World. Is that what he wants?

The lack of challenge by mainstream news media is, as you say, very noticeable. The shadows of malevolent litigation and the vicious attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband by his goonish thugs are running very deep. 

It's obvious now that a latter day Third Reich could arise anywhere. And that thought prompts a lot of serious thinking and a lot of serious soul searching.

BobG

[BobG]

On the other hand....

1823 - Monroe Doctrine first articulated by President Monroe, warning Europe to stay out of the western hemisphere and asserting U.S. dominance in the region

1954 - US trained and funded invasion overthrew the democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala.

1961 - Invaded Cuba

1973 - US sponsored the overthrow, and death, of democratically elected president Salvator Allende of Chile - and then protected the right wing thug regime of Augusto Pinochet for 8 years as leader of the military junta and subsequently a further 16 years as president.

1980's - funded right wing paramilitary forces seeking to overthrow the democratically elected and then wildly popular government of Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.

1983 - invaded Grenada

1989 - invaded Panama

2026 - invaded Venezuela

Several things to note about this list:

- Just in my lifetime the US has either sponsored revolution in or invaded seven Latin American and Caribbean countries. Over half had proper democratically elected governments. I don't know the US imperialist efforts over the century and quarter prior to the ones I've listed. The list is therefore probably very incomplete.

- The United Sates is the country that has, for decade after decade, bleated on about 'democracy' and 'human rights'. The Yanks clearly operate in opposition to these principles that they have so fervently espoused.

- The rule of law does not apply to America

- Despite their public declarations over decades, human rights are not relevant whenever America decides so.

- The interregnum in Latin American invasion events between 1989 and 2025 might lead one to believe that America had changed its principles. But that has less to do with changed  principles than it has to do with the prolonged distraction caused by events in the Middle East. Events which once again highlighted the American love of destabilising and invading other peoples countries.

- Trump isn't the maniac he appears to be. He is carrying on a very long established modus operandi.

I don't believe that last btw; what he is doing is entirely in conformance with what has gone before. But the difference now is one of scale and judgement of consequences.

BobG