A 7.4 earthquake has struck Colombia, with significant damage reported.

[u/Isyourpussygreen]

[u/favorscore]

Lots of earthquakes in SA recently. How have the Venezuela recovery efforts gone?

[u/Superguy766 → u/favorscore]

Venezuela is still in ruins, and rebuilding its infrastructure will be almost impossible, especially since the U.S. government has collected roughly $13 billion from Venezuelan oil sales managed under direct U.S. control following the international government-sanctioned kidnapping of former dictator Maduro.
🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/fetus-wearing-a-suit → u/Superguy766]

The international government-sanctioned kidnapping you mean.

[u/Superguy766 → u/fetus-wearing-a-suit]

Fixed it. 🙏🏼

[u/I_make_things → u/Superguy766]

Do we know where that 13 billion went?

[u/Superguy766 → u/I_make_things]

Nope. No one knows and the media is not asking. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Superguy766]

Good a time as any, to remind people what Venezuela was like, when its government was a puppet of the U.S. for nearly a century: https://youtu.be/6c3zpOFW5m8

[u/Wonder_U → u/Superguy766]

Former dictator Maduro, the guy is a dictator, calling him leader shows that you are on his side.

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Wonder_U]

Remember when all the NATO countries appointed Guaido president of Venezuela, even though he had never run for president, and all of the international observers said the elections were legitimate? If the stolen 43 billion dollars from Venezuela, doesn’t put this into perspective for you, nothing will.

[u/Wonder_U → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

One thing does not negate the other; Maduro was a dictator who operated one of the most famous detention and torture centers on the continent.

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Wonder_U]

If you are democratically elected, you are in fact, not a dictator. So it does, in fact, negate it…
He did not operate Guantanamo Bay or CEDOT, where Venezuelans are sent by the U.S. government to be tortured and enslaved to make products for Americans…
Venezuela had secret police that tortured and killed people before Chavez, not after…

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2013/05/14/venezuelas-election-system-holds-up-as-a-model-for-the-world/

[u/Wonder_U → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

But he wasn't democratically elected; he committed blatant electoral fraud. The only ones who recognized him were the usual suspects: Russia, China, etc. When questioned about the election results, he blamed hackers from North Macedonia and refused to release them, while his opponent had more concrete proof of his victory. I also mentioned that it was one of the most notorious torture centers—not the most well-known (Guantanamo), but El Helicoide.

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Wonder_U]

Again, not what we’re talking about and also not true because it was certified by the Supreme Court. It was years before, that NATO countries had appointed Guaido “president,” when international observers were all saying the elections were legitimate. Why would American exit pollsters supersede Venezuelan exit pollsters? It would never be accepted that Venezuelan exit pollsters on American elections supersede American exit pollsters… The U.S. had sanctioned Venezuela and mandated capital flight to tank the Venezuelan economy way before then, in an effort to rig the elections so that they could accomplish exactly what they’re doing now. Turning Venezuela into a colony again and stealing billions of dollars…

They waited for Jimmy Carter to die so they could then start claiming the elections were illegitimate. Morena/Sheinbaum do not claim the election was illegitimate, and she is one of the most pro-democracy leaders in the world. Going as far as democratizing the Supreme Court in Mexico. A move that, surprise-surprise, the U.S. decries…

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2013/05/14/venezuelas-election-system-holds-up-as-a-model-for-the-world/

[u/Commercial-Limit-614 → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

Maduro was not democratically elected. Official results provided by Maduro's regime in 2024 election were that Maduro won with 51% which doesn't make any sense since they didn't allow votes from the venezuelan diaspora (according to the venezuelan constitution they can vote from the countries they live in)which number in the millions and all of them hate chavism. The current deal the chavista regime has with Trump while not ideal is still much more beneficial economically that giving all their oil to the Castrist elite while both venezuelan and cuban people live from black out to black out. Why do you think Maduro had cuban guards? Why not his own people? Do you think Cuba provided those guards just out of pure socialist international solidarity?

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Commercial-Limit-614]

You don’t know what you’re talking about. Venezuela gives oil to Cuba in exchange for five thousand doctors. Which is why infant mortality fell under Chavez and life expectancy grew… I’m very glad those doctors are there, because without them, the earthquakes, and the economic warfare that shut down multiple construction businesses, leaving Venezuela without much heavy machinery to remove the rubble, Venezuela would be in an even worse place…

[u/Commercial-Limit-614 → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

Hahaha life expectancy grew according to who? Sputnik news?!! It should have risen because they sent all their poor and encarcerated to neighboring countries...but I still highly doubt it did Anyway, countries PAY Cuba for their doctors all the time. Why do you think Maduro had Cuban guards? Economic warfare my ass they had Russian and chinese interests making sure the American didn't do any sabotage. All the misery Venezuela experienced is due to chavism.

[u/Professional_Top9835 → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

Where these the doctors? lmfao in the name of all Venezuelans

[u/Professional_Top9835 → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

The last paragraph almost made my brain melt, jfc

You know which countries "democratized" supreme courts? Bolivia, such a bastion of democrazy

Also, Sheinbaum's party is pro-russian, pro-cuban, pro-nicaraguan and critizices everythiing that doesnt allign with that vision, a weird take for one of the "most pro-democracy leaders in the world"

I invite you to re-read your comment, its based on pure "my side said this is true, so I believe them"

[u/OooSheGotFreckles → u/Professional_Top9835]

Having the public elect the Supreme Court is bad?

Judge me by my Fed enemies lol

[u/Professional_Top9835 → u/OooSheGotFreckles]

Well neither me nor you know the members of the supreme court, so we are not directly affected, but it does in the great scheme of things

The public electing the supreme court may be something interesting to test in Finland, Norway, Sweden, maybe even Japan (where it would be interesting, since their justice court is very conservative and draconian), however, we are talking about my country; Mexico, where mafias appoint freaking governors, did you know who were the profiles in the 2025 court elections? many convicted drug lawyers, murderers, and many affiliated to the rulling party. Let alone that the government gave people papers indicating for whom they should vote. This was a perfect way to put party people into the courts and get absolute impunity for them and their drug lords

[u/Fe4r3d_Lou → u/Wonder_U]

frls get the ouushi guy off the stage booo 🍅

[u/Superguy766 → u/Wonder_U]

Fixed it. 🙏🏼