Opinion: Is Venezuela where Trump finally stands up to Putin?
By Fareed Zakaria Fareed Zakaria Columnist focusing on foreign affairs Email Bio Follow Columnist March 28 at 7:00 PM President Trump faces a crucial test of his foreign policy and his resolve over Venezuela. His administration has made absolutely clear that the United States no longer considers Nicolás Maduro to be president, publicly backing Juan Guaidó, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as the country’s interim leader.
This is just the latest in a series of moves by Moscow to shore up Maduro. Over the past few years, Russia has provided wheat, arms, credit and cash to the flailing government in Caracas. Estimates of Russia’s total investment in Venezuela vary from $20 billion to $25 billion. Russia now controls almost half of the country’s U.S.-based oil subsidiary, Citgo, which has been a major source of government revenue. The Venezuelan military uses Russian equipment almost exclusively.
The big question for Washington is: Will it allow Moscow to make a mockery of another U.S. red line? And as with Syria, there is a danger that, if Washington does not back its words with deeds, a year from now, we will be watching the consolidation of the Maduro regime, supported with Russian arms and money.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | Let’s empower Russians who are fighting Putin’s propagandaOpinion: Let’s empower Russians who are fighting Putin’s propaganda
Read more »
‘The Russia hoax is finally dead’: At Michigan rally, Trump declares victory in Mueller investigationThe president attacked Democrats and the news media for “a sinister effort” to sabotage his 2016 election.
Read more »
Trump takes a victory lap: 'The Russia hoax is finally dead'At a campaign rally in Michigan Thursday night, the president attacked Democrats for 'defrauding' the public with investigations of his campaign and finances.
Read more »
Watch: CNN's Don Lemon on the Mueller report—why has Trump 'repeatedly deferred to Putin?'Lemon called for the release of the full report to address questions raised by Attorney General William Barr's summary letter.
Read more »
Standing ovations, ‘street cred’ and ‘Trump Country’: George Papadopoulos recounts his time in prisonWhen he showed up at the minimum-security federal facility in late November, Papadopoulos wrote in his book, he almost immediately realized he had nothing to worry about.
Read more »
Watch: Stephen Colbert compares Donald 'Numbnuts' Trump to Vladimir Putin“The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert noted that Americans seem unhappy there was no collusion because Russia’s Vladimir Putin “knows what he’s talking about” unlike President Donald Trump.
Read more »
Prison ‘street cred’ and a standing ovation: George Papadopoulos on doing time ‘in Trump Country’When he showed up at the minimum-security federal facility in late November, Papadopoulos wrote in his book, he almost immediately realized he had nothing to worry about.
Read more »
Donald Trump receives standing ovation from Republican senators“The Mueller report was great, it could not have been better, it said no obstruction, no collusion,” Trump said.
Read more »