Venezuela’s “elected” dictator Nicolas Maduro has abruptly cancelled his scheduled visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Maduro claims that the cancellation was recommended by his doctors, who advised him not to travel by airplane.
No specific diagnosed ailment was mentioned.
This cancellation comes on the same day that Venezuela’s dissidents began vigils in various cities, and also outside the Vatican, with the support of Venezuela’s Catholic Church.
Advertisement for an “S.O.S. to Pope Francis” vigil in Venezuela
These prayer vigils were intended to remind Pope Francis that he needs to pressure Maduro into easing up on his repressive and economically irresponsible policies.
But now that meeting between Maduro and Papa Pancho will not take place.
Venezuelans protesting against Maduro at the Vatican
Whole story HERE in the quaint Castellano dialect known as “Spanish.”
Meanwhile….. in Venezuela, Maduro gave a fiery, ominous speech in the city of Belén. The speech was broadcast on Venezuelan television.
Maduro thundered: “If the Bolivarian Revolution were to fail, and the imperialists were to take control of the country, then prepare yourselves for a time of massacres and deaths!” ( «Si fracasara la revolución bolivariana y el imperialismo toma el control del país, que se preparen para un tiempo de masacre y muerte»).
Maduro’s opponents claim that this speech is his response to low approval ratings in recent polls.
Maduro claims that all of Venezuela’s ills are caused by a capitalist “oligarchy” that is backed by the “imperialist” United States.
“I call for a national awakening, a collective awakening, an awakening of consciences, an awakening of the people against an oligarchy that is planning to do harm every single day… defeating their economic war is everyone’s responsibility.” («Llamo al despertar nacional, al despertar colectivo, al despertar de la consciencia, al despertar del pueblo frente a una oligarquía que está calculando todos los días hacer daño… vencer la guerra económica es la tarea de todos»).
Hoo boy! Gadzooks! Gosh golly gee, Mildred! Ay caramba!
Tremendo discursito, Madurito… no se te olvide mandarme tu petroleo gratis (Great little Speech, Madurito… don’t forget to send me your free oil.)
2 thoughts on “Maduro cancels visit with Pope Francis, threatens bloodshed in Venezuela.”
Good luck with that. This pope should have been much more interested in Venezuela (not to mention Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and his native Argentina) than in Cuba since taking office, but Cuba was a much easier and surer PR payoff, and there was also the prestigious partnership with the POTUS (which would not have been part of the package with those other countries). In other words, the Cuba business was guaranteed to make Bergoglio and Rome look good as well as important internationally, the only downside being the reaction of “those people,” which has long been ignored or dismissed. So, once again, it looks like Cuba’s been used to benefit outsiders. Imagine that.
Is going out in public dressed like a clown despite being the president some sort of Venezuelan thing? Or is it just that Maduro IS a clown and can’t help it?
Good luck with that. This pope should have been much more interested in Venezuela (not to mention Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and his native Argentina) than in Cuba since taking office, but Cuba was a much easier and surer PR payoff, and there was also the prestigious partnership with the POTUS (which would not have been part of the package with those other countries). In other words, the Cuba business was guaranteed to make Bergoglio and Rome look good as well as important internationally, the only downside being the reaction of “those people,” which has long been ignored or dismissed. So, once again, it looks like Cuba’s been used to benefit outsiders. Imagine that.
Is going out in public dressed like a clown despite being the president some sort of Venezuelan thing? Or is it just that Maduro IS a clown and can’t help it?