Thursday, May 16

Political Systems, Domestic Politics

France Elects A Divided Government
23Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Bit

France Elects A Divided Government

Macron addressed the country after the vote. June 23, 2022--In April, French President Emmanuel Macron defeated right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen in the presidential election. As the GER noted at the time, the run-off election showed that populism is still alive and well in the heart of Europe. This week, Macron lost control of the French National Assembly. In the second round of the parliamentary elections on Sunday, Macron's centrist coalition lost dozens of seats, leaving the political situation fragmented. The coalition still won 246 seats, but they lost an absolute majority of 289. Like Germany, the French multiparty system requires coalition building. "We must collectively learn to govern and regulate differently," Macron said as he addressed the nation after the vote....
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As Nicaragua Invites Russian Troops To Central America, U.S. Responds
17Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Geopolitics, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

As Nicaragua Invites Russian Troops To Central America, U.S. Responds

U.S. Treasury Sanctions State-Owned Gold Mining Firm June 17, 2022—Citing Nicaragua's closer ties with Russia and political oppression at home, the U.S. Treasury issued new sanctions today targeting a Nicaraguan mining company and a government official. Specifically, it targets Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas (ENIMINAS), a state-owned gold-mining company, and Ruy Lopez Delgado, the head of the enterprise. Nicaragua Welcomes Russian Military The sanctions action comes just days after Nicaragua's parliament approved a decree to allow Russian troops to enter the Central American country. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega invited Russian troops into his country to carry out law enforcement duties and conduct joint military exercises, ABC News reported earlier this month. On ...
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Venezuela’s Communist Control Of The Economy Cracks Open An Inch
10Jun By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Types of News: Analysis

Venezuela’s Communist Control Of The Economy Cracks Open An Inch

Editor's Note: The Venezuelan economy is one of the most repressed in the world. In fact, the country ranks next to last on the Heritage Foundation's 2022 Economic Freedom Index. The only country with worse rankings is North Korea. But there are a few signs the country's leaders are seeing at least some value in the capitalist model. Even as Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro courts despots in Iran and Algeria, he is opening up the government's ownership of some parts of the economy, at least a crack. The story below is by Ernesto Rodriguez. Source: My Expat Diary June 10, 2022—If you’ve been following Venezuela’s and Latin America’s news, you might have seen something extremely curious: Predictions of growth from the Venezuelan economy. They come from various places: the Inter...
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Peru’s Protests Put Its President In An Uncomfortable Spot
13Apr By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Peru’s Protests Put Its President In An Uncomfortable Spot

Economic Impact of War And Sanctions Reaches Far And Wide April 13, 2022—Pedro Castillo won a very close election last year as the left-wing option to Keiko Fujimori, the right-wing daughter of a dictator. It's been a rough ride for President Castillo with multiple crises taking place and government ministers changing frequently. But all that turmoil grew worse in the last few weeks. Castillo now finds himself in a position where you can usually find right-wing leaders: Fending off a protest movement started by transport syndicates. The last few weeks in Peru have seen the people take the streets and even call for a countrywide strike. What started with a protest against the rise in oil price by truckers escalated to more and more sectors of society. In some places, it turned vi...
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Council Of Europe Moves Forward Minus One: Russia
16Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Human rights, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

Council Of Europe Moves Forward Minus One: Russia

March 16, 2022--The human rights body for the European continent made a big decision today: It kicked one of its 46 members out. It is another sign of the turning point in history when the world becomes more divided. In what it said was "an extraordinary meeting" in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe revoked the membership of the Russian Federation after 26 years of its participation. Human Rights Body Statement The expulsion comes a day after the council's parliamentary assembly initiated the procedure. "Through their actions in Ukraine the Russian authorities deprive the Russian people of the benefit of the most advanced human rights protection system in the world, including the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights and our vast convention system," the counci...
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Protests And Political Imprisonment In Russia
4Mar By Jacob DavenportNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Human rights, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Protests And Political Imprisonment In Russia

Photo by @Martin_camera Russian Opposition Leader Alexey Navalny Calls For Anti-War Protests Editor's Note: As Russian President Vladimir Putin accelerates its war against Ukrainians, world leaders and foreign policy watchers are increasingly counting on Russian citizens to take responsibility for ending the war. Mohr Media's intern Jacob Davenport reports on the unfolding developments and some background. March 4, 2022--In response to the military invasion of Ukraine, Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny encouraged his fellow citizens to continue protesting against the war. From Prison, Navalny Says 'Go Protest' Navalny said Russian citizens should be prepared to “fill prisons and paddy wagons” as a means of demonstration and protest in response to “Moscow’s unprovoke...
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The Weird History of the Venezuela-Colombia Relationship Under Chavismo
28Feb By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Diplomacy, Domestic Politics, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

The Weird History of the Venezuela-Colombia Relationship Under Chavismo

Photo of Colombia-Venezuela border by El Espectador. By Ernesto Rodriguez February 28, 2022—Neighbors can be a complex issue in international politics. While having an economic and political ally next door can be beneficial—after all, that’s the whole conceit of the European Union—it doesn’t always work that way. When you have a neighbor that has significant political differences or is even an open enemy, it can be catastrophic. Just ask Ukraine. In South America, relations between Colombia and Venezuela are quite complicated. They have been difficult and complex since Hugo Chávez-led Chavismo, a radical left-wing ideology, came to power in the late 1990s.  A Shared History And Culture The two countries share a 2,219-km (1,379-mile) border, a common language and many s...
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Unsealed Document Reveals New Twist In The Alex Saab Story
18Feb By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Human rights, Types of News: Analysis

Unsealed Document Reveals New Twist In The Alex Saab Story

International Corruption Case Spanning Two Continents And Two Decades Grows Even More Intriguing By Ernesto Rodgriguez @Ernestoalexan February 18, 2022—Since 2018, the mere mention of the name Alex Saab to Venezuelans at home and abroad evokes bad memories of rotten food and rice with metal.  For the rest of the world, here’s a bit of background that puts this week’s revelations in perspective. Saab is the Columbian businessman who cheated Venezuela’s starving population during the worst point of an economic and political crisis that continues to this day.  A Corrupt Food Program In terms of international intrigue, the Saab story is one for the ages. It was in 2018 when an investigations team at ArmandoInfo published a piece about corruption inside the food Ve...
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Whatever Happened to Venezuela’s Interim Government?
9Feb By Ernesto RodriguezNo Comments
Democracy, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Whatever Happened to Venezuela’s Interim Government?

And Where Does Juan Guaidó Stand Politically? By Ernesto Rodriguez @Ernestoalexan February 9, 2022—It’s probably not easy to be Juan Guaidó in 2022. The former upstart of Venezuelan politics is now struggling to find relevance, three years after being appointed as interim president by the National Assembly he hasn’t been able to accomplish his goal of toppling the Nicolás Maduro regime and leading the opposition to free elections. Now he is also starting to lose his international backing. Support in the European Union started wavering in recent months. Meanwhile, with the world looking away from Venezuela and towards the crisis in Ukraine and Afghanistan, interest itself is dissipating. Even with the strongholds of the United States and the United Kingdom, Venezuelan democra...
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Australia Has Ruled, And It’s A Grand-Slam Crackdown On Speech
16Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Domestic Politics, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Type of Post: Essays & Travel Writing, Types of News: Analysis

Australia Has Ruled, And It’s A Grand-Slam Crackdown On Speech

Three-Panel Judge Backs Immigration Official's Right to Make Personal Decision over Visa Status January 16, 2022—A three-judge panel made a decision today in the case of Novak Djokovic versus an immigration minister, and the decision is final. The 20-time-Grand Slam title champion lost his appeal to stay in the country; the government's deportation order stood, and Novak Djokovic left the country. Game over. What Happened? The troubling part of the story is the legal reasoning behind the decision. The court order on January 16 said, "reasons to be published at a later date." Ruling by three-judge panel that gave the final word in the Novak Djokovic visa case. In short, it was not because of Djokovic's vaccination status or visa status. Either one of those issues, if ...
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