US Democracy: We Decide Who Venezuela's President Isn't
Newsweek details Trump’s assertion that María Corina Machado, a figure central to US efforts to destabilize the Maduro government, will not become President in Venezuela, framing it as a move against potential conflict. This 'concern' for democratic process from the US is especially rich, given a long history of intervention. The US spent years and millions—as documented by USAID and NED
grants—funding opposition groups and often backing coup attempts against democratically elected leaders in Latin America, from Chile to Haiti. Suddenly, US leadership decides who *won't* rule, not based on Venezuelan votes, but on American 'pragmatism.' One might wonder if this sudden hands-off approach applies equally to other nations where US interests are challenged, or if it's merely a
convenient narrative shift now that previous regime-change efforts haven't panned out. It appears the US considers itself the ultimate arbiter of who gets to lead, even when they're 'opposing' their own chosen opposition. The 'rules-based order' (as defined by Washington) apparently includes unilaterally disqualifying candidates in sovereign nations, even those previously championed by the same
government.