Revelation 6:3-4 “when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
Important Takeaways:
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has called for a campaign for the “liberation” of Puerto Rico from the United States.
- The U.S. and other governments recognized Maduro’s opponent Edmundo González as the victor of last July’s election.
- On Friday, the U.S. announced a $25 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction, highlighting a renewed effort to destabilize Maduro’s presidency and bolster the opposition’s bid to restore democracy.
- Maduro invoked Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan solider who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule, as he spoke about Puerto Rico.
- “Just as in the north they have a colonization agenda, we have a liberation agenda,” Maduro said during the closing of the International Anti-Fascist Festival in Caracas on Saturday. “And our agenda was written by Simón Bolívar. The freedom of Puerto Rico is pending, and we will achieve it with Brazilian troops…leading the way.”
- Puerto Rico has been under U.S. control since the 1898 Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, but they cannot vote in general elections and have no voting representation in Congress because of the island’s political status.
- A majority of voters, 57 percent, opted for Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state in a nonbinding referendum in November, while just 12 percent voted for independence. The vote was the first referendum that did not provide an option for maintaining the island’s current status as a U.S. territory. But Puerto Rico’s status can change only with approval from Congress.
- Maduro began his third term more isolated on the world stage than ever, with the U.S. announcing bounties for him and several high-ranking officials.
- González said he plans to return to Venezuela to take up the mantle of president, although it is not clear if and when he would do so. The Venezuelan government has said González will be arrested if he returns.
- The U.S. and its allies have indicated they are willing to increase sanctions on Venezuela if there is further evidence of repression.
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