p.s. Any experts on Venezuela have ideas on what happens next?
Kidnapping a head of state doesn't usually change a government by itself, the deputy steps in etc. Are there likely to be demonstrations? Conflict?
If an opposition group somehow takes over without an election, isn't there a danger they will just look like they were installed as a puppet of Trump?
p.p.s. Good god, this is a direct quote from Trump:
"We want to surround ourselves with stability…with energy. We have tremendous energy in (Venezuela). It’s very important that we protect it.”
“We need that for ourselves."
p.p.p.s. Trump now saying that Maduro's deputy who has taken over "will pay a bigger price than Maduro" if she doesn't do what Trump says.
By any reasonable interpretation this can only be taken as a death threat.
p.p.p.p.s. This just gets worse, @Semafor is reporting that the Washington Post and the New York Times KNEW IN ADVANCE about the plans for the kidnapping and murders but declined to publish:
These papers are helping the regime, they are assisting it in carrying out crimes that killed dozens. They could have stopped this by just publishing what they knew, but declined to do so.
@FediThing ... all for AI