What’s going on with that meeting, scheduled for today, between Pres Ali and Mad Maduro?? To repeat what he’d said at the announcement a week ago, your Eyewitness supports the meeting in principle. Even in war – and this IS war! – you gotta keep communication going; the only question is the channel. “You never know” has to be your motto when it comes to these things; you hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. But another reason that reinforced his position was that, from the beginning, it was announced that Pres Lula of Brazil was gonna be there as the main go-between. In a word, the channel!!
Ralph Gonzalves – who’ll host the face-to-face meet as the pro-tem head of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) – was pretty fulsome in praise of Lula – who evidently suggested the meet after speaking to both Mad Maduro and Pres Ali. In his invitation letters to Maduro and Pres Ali, it was pretty clear that the presence of Lula was a big factor in persuading the two sides to accept the invitation. And it wasn’t just because of the bonhomie that “Ralph” clearly shares with “Nicolas”, “Lula” and “Irfaan” – not with the stakes involved!!
Nah…as Lula had warned, we’re talking of a possible breakout into physical warfare – following Mad Maduro’s crazy (redundant?) de-facto annexation of our Essequibo. Lula didn’t need to spell out his fear in words – his actions spoke louder! Knowing that the terrain through his Roraima State into our Region Nine was more logistically feasible for Venezuelan troops to invade rather than over the mountains and jungle up north, he moved Brazilian troops into the area. Checkmate Mad Maduro!!
Lula’s respected by most leaders in the hemisphere – even the US concedes Brazil as primus inter pares in Latin America. And that even though his star may’ve been dimmed somewhat after his conviction on corruption charges. As a certified “leftist”, Mad Maduro would know Lula would be sympathetic to his rantings about “Imperial America”!! It was Lula who’d helped him to come in from the cold when diplomatic relations were resumed and he was invited to that regional meet in Brasilia back in May. Our Pres Ali also has worked with Lula to strengthen our linkages – especially in our new mega-agriculture thrust – where we’d be following in Brazil’s footsteps!
The problem is: what now? After learning that Lula won’t be coming to dinner tonight in St Vincent. We’re told that Mia’s now gonna be there. Your Eyewitness is a HUGE fan of Mia – but with all her charm, intelligence and wit – Barbados ain’t no Brazil!!
Lula would’ve had an iron fist inside the velvet glove he would’ve extended to Maduro!!
…and Russian proxy
Back in the day, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of Chairman Mao used to really resent the junior role the Russians foisted on them – in what they were convinced was the world communist tide. Well, things have certainly changed since then, haven’t they?? Today, China’s the state – still under their Communist Party! – that’s creeping up on the Capitalist bastion America – and Russia’s been forced into a subsidiary role!
Recently, they’ve been playing the “Bad Cop” to China’s “Good Cop” in Venezuela, which we can’t ignore – nor forget!! Putin will be hosting Mad Maduro in Moscow in a couple of days – and your Eyewitness will bet dollars to donuts that Maduro’s annexation of our Essequibo won’t even be mentioned!! But the US knows who’s the threat – and their proxy war in the Ukraine is just to deny China a too powerful ally in Europe!! The UK’s Cameron just revealed that they and the US have just moved from the “peaceful” reunification of China and Taiwan – to “No reunification”!!
Ouch!!
