US Decides Who Qualifies as 'President' (Hint: Not Who Voters Choose)
Al Jazeera reports the US Ambassador to the UN declared Nicolás Maduro an “illegitimate so-called president,” because, well, the US says so. This fascinating diplomatic maneuver conveniently overlooks the fact that Maduro still holds the actual office, runs the government, and—crucially—received millions of votes in a process observed by international bodies (though criticized by the US, of
course). This isn't just semantics; it's a playbook move. The US has a long, distinguished history of deciding which sovereign nations' leaders are 'legitimate,' often preceding sanctions, destabilization efforts, or even invasions. Remember when the US recognized Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president in 2019? That worked out splendidly. It raises questions about how much 'democracy' the
US truly champions when the outcome isn't to its geopolitical liking. One might wonder if their definition of 'legitimate' has more to do with resource control than ballot boxes.