USNS Comfort. Click to see full-size image
On May 7th, the US lifted sanctions from Venezuelan General and former intelligence chief Manuel Christopher Figuera.
Treasury removes sanctions imposed on former high-ranking Venezuelan intelligence official after public break with Maduro and rallied to the support of the Venezuelan constitution and National Assembly https://t.co/rzJY5znuT6
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) May 7, 2019
He turned on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and joined the US-backed opposition.
“In recognition of his recent actions in support of democracy & the rule of law, the U.S. is removing all sanctions on General Manuel Cristopher Figuera effective immediately,” US Vice President Mike Pence announced.
In recognition of his recent actions in support of democracy & the rule of law, the U.S. is removing all sanctions on General Manuel Cristopher Figuera effective immediately. #VenezuelaLibre pic.twitter.com/6sBgnV1ua4
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May 7, 2019
Figuera was initially sanctioned on February 16th by the US Treasury.
On May 1st, following the failed coup attempt by US-Proclaimed Interim President Juan Guaido’s opposition, Maduro appeared with the defense minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez to prove that the military was still behind him.
In the same address to the nation he said in the broadcast he had reinstated Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez as the head of the Sebin intelligence agency, without providing details on the exit of Manuel Cristopher Figuera.
Pence further said that the US would stand with the Venezuelan people “until freedom is restored.”
To the people of Venezuela, I say, “Estamos con Ustedes.” “We’re with you.” We will continue to stand with you until freedom is restored! As you march, you go with the support of the American people & freedom-loving people all over the world. pic.twitter.com/bwF0JxdsQ9
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May 7, 2019
At the Washington Conference of the Americas, Pence further announced the deployment of the US Navy’s USNS Comfort to the Caribbean, Central America, & South America in June for a 5-month humanitarian mission to address the Venezuelan crisis.
He also didn’t miss the chance to accuse Russia, Cuba and Iran for supporting the Maduro regime. According to him, Maduro “stood aside as millions of Venezuelans have fled in desperation, it has been more than eager to accept the aid of three notorious regimes: Iran, Russia, and Cuba.”
While the Maduro regime has stood aside as millions of Venezuelans have fled in desperation, it has been more than eager to accept the aid of three notorious regimes: Iran, Russia, and Cuba. #MaduroMustGo pic.twitter.com/YQzTj18c6D
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) May 7, 2019
In response to Pence, Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodriguez tweeted that the US VP had returned to his “cowboy arena to threaten Venezuela with his anachronistic posture.”
.@VP Mike Pence vuelve a sus ruedos de cowboy para amenazar a Venezuela en su altisonante y anacrónica postura monroísta! No vuelvan a poner a prueba nuestra fuerza histórica en defensa de la soberanía sagrada de nuestra Patria!
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) May 7, 2019
El sucio perdón imperial de quienes asesinan niños, masacran pueblos sin pudor y condenan al mundo a la violencia, será la condena eterna de los pueblos a los oprobiosos traidores! Las Naciones libres somos el futuro de la humanidad, atrás quedarán los decadentes imperios!
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezVen) May 7, 2019
“The filthy imperial forgiveness of those who murder children, massacre people without shame and condemn the world to violence, will be the eternal condemnation of the peoples to the Oprobiosos traitors! Free nations are the future of humanity, the decadent empires will be left behind!”
Separately, the Venezuelan Supreme Court on May 7th, found guilty seven opposition lawmakers of the Venezuelan National Assembly for illicit activity linked to treason, conspiracy, instigation of civil rebellion, conspiracy to commit a crime, usurpation of functions, and public instigation of disobedience of the laws and their participation in the attempted coup on April 30th.
“Henry Ramos Allup, Luis Germán Florido, Marianela Magallanes López, José Simón Calzadilla Peraza, Andrés Enrique Delgado Velázquez, Amerigo De Grazia and Richard José Blanco Delgado have been held responsible for the violation of articles 128, 132, 143, 145 , 163, 213, 285, stipulated in the Venezuelan Penal Code, before the Flagrant Commission of Common Crimes.”
The request for indictment was made official by the Attorney General of the Public Ministry of Venezuela Tarek Willian Saab.
The Plenary Chamber of the Venezuelan Supreme Court decided to send a certified copy to the President of the National Constituent Assembly of Venezuela (ANC), Diosdado Cabello, so that he continues the judicial process against the seven opposition deputies.
TeleSUR published a video, presenting the good relations between Iran and Venezuela, claiming that Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza confirmed that he was taking part in talks with Iranian consultants in dealing with US sanctions.
#Iran is helping #Venezuela deal with #UnitedStates sanctions. pic.twitter.com/B6kVVk0jHT
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) May 7, 2019
Arreaza, after his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said that “the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela does not represent a threat to the United States, but in the case of a military intervention, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces and the People of Venezuela are prepared to defend its sovereignty.”
“We are creating alternate routes with Russia, China and other friends in order to face this economic blockade. Even the ships that carry the oil to Cuba are being sanctioned; it is a criminal blockade.”
According to the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, the U.S.-led blockade “seeks to stifle the Venezuelan economy … More than 5 billion Euros, also gold, are blocked in the international banking structures.”
“Venezuelan gold equivalent to 1.359 billion Euros is blocked at the Bank of England, 1.043 billion Euros are blocked at Novo Banco for PDVSA, part of that money is used to pay for the treatment of 26 patients needing bone marrow transplants,” Arreaza said.
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A hospital ship big enough to carry an army. Will the cargo be checked on docking?
I did wonder about that. It has the helipads as well :)
Those helipads are used to bring in the wounded while the ship remains on sea.
Even if they’d plan to make a port call in Venezuela (which they don’t), they’d probably be refused entry, like those other ‘humanitarian aid’ efforts.
Should the ship dock at a port, the US would ultimately be forced to treat regular Venezuelans, who might come knocking at their door, while the real purpose of the deployment is to help injured anti government activists and militiamen. Those couldn’t seek help in one of Maduros facilities.
The deployment of a high capacity field hospital is either an indication for upcoming turmoil or, at least, a threat thereof.
Any airlift of wounded US proxies would only be from US proxi held territory, ergo, the outward flights from the hospital ship could contain US humanitarian aid ,such as toilet rolls and AR15’s.
It’s not going to dock anywhere in Venezuela. They’ll float it around outside the 12nm zone.
Russia needs to fly over it and render it useless like they did with SS Donald Cook . That way ,the ship is flotsam and jetsam. Tugs can then take it to Aruba etc and just let it float to shore on the waves. Gets rid of the yanks and no blood spilled then.
why your comments and not only yours cancel the venezuelans as decision makers for their own homeland and russians need to do what venezuelans have a duty to, in order to protect what is theirs and their homeland?
I dont disagree with much of your posting, but I disagree with this mentality all of you seem to have that always expect someone else to fight and die so none of you need to get his ass of his couch and do something about what is happening to them enslavement wise.
I want you to think very seriously what I will tell you. None ever is going to free a slave. Freedom and the willingness to live free or kill and die for that right, comes from within and not because someone told you that you no longer a slave, by turning you into his slave.
I agree with you totally. Noone respects or frees a slave. Look at Greece ,Cyprus ,Italy ,Spain and Portugal but mostly the first two as they are under the most pressure even by a so-called Nato ally and they have had their economy and sovereignty hijacked by ZioEuNato.
Of course the Venezuelans should spill their own blood. Freedom is won with blood ,tears and steel. I say Russia as because 1) they have the know how to make ships fail by electronic warfare and 2) a Natoists will think twice about shooting back at a Russian or Chinese aeroplane.noone will think twice about shooting down a Venezuelan plane.
I have ceen vids of a russian and chinese ship push an American ship out of the 12 nau. Mile. Range so that blood would not be spilled. Yet they did it and it worked!
yes true as for the countries you mentioning I am a true believer that slaves always deserve the leaders they chose to lead them into slavery. Especially in the case of greece and cyprus. One of this days the guns will be free all over europe as they are now in ME and ukraine and then many will see what we are thinking.
It would have no weapons systems to disable.
Don’t need to disable weapons and of course it has no weapons as it is meant to be a hospital ship. I meant its steering and navigational ability as was done with Donald Cook.
On old ships like that the steering gear is hydraulic, a bit like the power steering on your car. Actually it’s probably still done that way, but I haven’t been in a ships rudder compartment in 45 years so I’m only guessing.
Modern electronic warfare weapons only work against modern electronic weapons.
Reports said rheat Ss donald cook was dead in the water and had to be towed.
No it wasn’t towed, the Russians are clever, but no magic spells.
They would be foolish to allow it to dock, and I don’t the US has any intention of helping people.
American and UK Jews have used this game against many countries and have butchered millions of innocent children and women because children and women are their soft targets.
The international criminal courts are in a terrorist state of America. Therefore, there their impeachment is not possible for what they have done and dong in the world.
Therefore, these courts must be closed and the impeachment should be launched against them in independent international criminal courts in Russia and China. For which the American and UK Jews would be not ready.
The America global terrorism consists of five points. 1. First they use economic terrorism to collapse the national economy of a target country.
2. Then they create chaos by proxy war.
3. Then they blackmail the national government for all these american terrorism.
4. and then after collapse of economy and civil uprising America and Israel together invade the target country. In this invasion America first start from soft targets like slaughtering children and women to harass the target nation and government.
5. They also use MSM to defame the target national government by attacking their privacy and civil rights. The America this game is the result of collusion of UK and American Jews. For which the condemnation day has arrived.
U.S. appears to be expecting casualties. (presumably CIA)
Remember the USS Liberty?
How about 9/11 attacks and how these were used to justify war.
Now imagine a giant (ageing) Hospital ship clearly painted in white with a giant red cross burning and going to the bottom in Venezuelan waters in front of TV cameras because “someone” (who could it be?) blew it up… What an outrage,. what a crime against humanity – we need to go to war!!!
False flag on the way guys yet again, the oldest trick in the book never gets tired – I suggest the Russians start publicizing this “possibility” far and wide as they did with the fake chemical attack warnings in Syria.
God speed one and all its time to put this tyrants to bed and tear up their babylonian playbook.
Good point and verry possible.
spot on
yes right. On the other hand americans and allies seem to want to go in so why not help them get what they wishing for and we see how this end up with them in the ground and venezuelans shitting on their graves.
What is to remember of uss liberty? beside the fact the government of usa forbidden all ships in 6th fleet and air force to aid it. as for 9/11 an obvious inside job from the first days it has happen, to all with common sense and basic knowledge of what was going on in usa.
a hospital ship for whom and why?
Injured rioters, who couldn’t seek help in Maduros hospitals without getting arrested.
then it is a very strong reason for it to become as soon as possible a fish tank.
So these injured people are going to swim to the ship?
Did you notice the helipad?
So the US will just invade Venezuelan airspace? I guess American pilots are disposable?
Wouldn’t be the first time.
On both counts.
imagine…….this ship sitting off the coast of Venezuela…….
suddenly…
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM……….the ship is sunk……by the ruthless Maduro Regime……
catch the drift??
if it is within the waters of venezuela and it does not go boom, then the venezuelan decision makers deserve what is coming to them.
If Trump doesn’t act now while Maduro is coming down on their boys in Venezuela he’ll have to throw the towel in, or the entire regime change conspiracy will become a real Liberation Movement to liberate the prisoners.
These corporate fascists just keep banging on about democracy, and rule of law… they know nothing of either, they respect neither. .
https://www.mintpressnews.com/how-gmo-seeds-and-monsanto-bayers-roundup-are-driving-us-policy-in-venezuela/258232/?fbclid=IwAR0F9FuFyUG1kJYCWoslGgPsPwXmjiUCndZF2camNPMiNgge9UJtHwAd9bo
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b210edcc94ccab2c916052c1a0fe3fc7ba9e5bad5dc400ebf17d05a9e5608b92.jpg
USA. STOP FUCING AROUND; YOU ARE STEALING Billions from Venezuela then, coming around with your fake humanitarian /”trojan ship”