Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro Asks for Decree Powers to Counter U.S.

[Zippyjuan]

Always blame some outside power for your own failings and demand even more dictatorial powers to deal with them.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latin-am...er-u-s-n321226

CARACAS — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday asked parliament for decree powers in response to new U.S. sanctions, in a move opposition critics slammed as a power-grab.

If as expected the government-controlled National Assembly approves his request for an "Enabling Law," it would be the second time the 52-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez has gained these expanded powers since winning election in 2013.

"I've come to ask for an Enabling Law to confront the aggression of the most powerful country in the world, the United States, against this beautiful nation," Maduro told parliament. "This is a law that will prepare our country, may we never be caught off guard," he added.

Maduro's adversaries say he is using the worst flare-up with Washington during his nearly two-year rule to justify autocratic governance, sidetrack parliament and distract attention from a shrinking economy and chronic product shortages. "Nicolas, are you requesting the Enabling Law to make soap, nappies and medicines appear, to lower inflation?" satirized opposition leader Henrique Capriles. "It's another smokescreen."

Confirming Venezuela as Washington's No. 1 adversary in Latin America after a rapprochement with Cuba, the United States has taken its gloves off against Maduro, characterizing his government as a security threat and sanctioning seven officials. In terminology that has also been used for measures against nations such as Iran and Syria, the U.S. government declared a "national emergency" due to "the unusual and extraordinary threat" from Venezuela.

[jllundqu]

Whenever the US declares something a "National Emergency" all those executive orders that allow POTUS to virtually do anything without reprecussion come into play.... this could be interesting

[AngryCanadian]

Always blame some outside power for your own failings and demand even more dictatorial powers to deal with them.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latin-am...er-u-s-n321226

Since when is Venezuela a threat to America Zippy the Obama lover?

[Zippyjuan]

Have I said they were a threat to the US? (and no, I am not an Obama lover)

US needs Venezuela and Venezuela needs the US (though these days with fracking we don't need them as much as they need us). Why? Oil. Venezuela makes their money off oil. But they lack enough refining capacity. Their oil is very thick and sulfurous- difficult and costly to process and few places can handle it. Not a light high grade oil. So they send it to the US for processing and we also buy and use a lot of their oil ourselves. We then send them back refined oil products like gasoline. Venezuela is our number four foreign source for oil- behind Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=727&t=6

Now in addition to failed policies, the fall in the price of oil has further harmed Venezuela- they don't have the money for all of their socialist programs which have been causing all kinds of shortages anyways- even with more money available. In the last election against candidates he chose, he barely won. Now things are worse off and he is getting worried and wants more powers.

[AngryCanadian]

Have I said they were a threat to the US? (and no, I am not an Obama lover)

US needs Venezuela and Venezuela needs the US (though these days with fracking we don't need them as much as they need us). Why? Oil. Venezuela makes their money off oil. But they lack enough refining capacity. Their oil is very thick and sulfurous- difficult and costly to process and few places can handle it. Not a light high grade oil. So they send it to the US for processing and we also buy and use a lot of their oil ourselves. We then send them back refined oil products like gasoline. Venezuela is our number four foreign source for oil- behind Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=727&t=6

Now in addition to failed policies, the fall in the price of oil has further harmed Venezuela- they don't have the money for all of their socialist programs which have been causing all kinds of shortages anyways- even with more money available. In the last election against candidates he chose, he barely won. Now things are worse off and he is getting worried and wants more powers.

Now in addition to failed policies, the fall in the price of oil has further harmed America/World
There you go fixed it up for ya.

You Americans arent in a better shape having an NeoCon Rep wont do any difference.

[pcosmar]

Have I said they were a threat to the US?

NO,, but you did imply that he has no legitimate concerns of US involvement in the internal affairs of his country.

The US,, and the CIA particularly have been deeply involved there for many decades... including training terrorists. (School of the Americas)

Any political Leader in South America that is not fully subservient,, has reason to be concerned.

Now in addition to failed policies, the fall in the price of oil has further harmed Venezuela- they don't have the money for all of their socialist programs which have been causing all kinds of shortages anyways- even with more money available. In the last election against candidates he chose, he barely won. Now things are worse off and he is getting worried and wants more powers.

I will agree that socialist policies suck,, as they do everywhere else. (see Greece) and they will kill the US.

Venezuela had gotten in trouble for selling below market,, when oil was very high. That is why their refineries were attacked and why Chavez was so hated.
He simply did not play along with TPTB.

[69360]

So he wants to be a dictator to counter our dictator. Yeah that'll work.

[Zippyjuan]

Now in addition to failed policies, the fall in the price of oil has further harmed America/World
There you go fixed it up for ya.

You Americans arent in a better shape having an NeoCon Rep wont do any difference.

Canada and Russia are being hurt by lower oil prices more than the US is since energy is a lower portion of our economies. Canada tar sands need about $80 a barrel to break even.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

(and no, I am not an Obama lover)

But you voted for Obama, right?











.

[politics]

Maybe that the US Gov declares that you are a threat –after all- is a real reason.
Of course we can agree that the Venezuelan Government gave a response that fulfills the expectations of those that are arguing that there is an authoritarian ruler.

But isn't the US Gov, in a very straight way, forcing this kind of answers to take place?
Let’s assume for the sake of the argument that there is an authoritarian ruler there, doesn't the US have a long list of countries as key partners that are certainly and unduly ruled by authoritarian dictators? Shouldn't the US, in the first place, begin to use its rule of moral integrity with those that are clearly its friends?

In my view, It seems that the US government is showing some neocon attitude, willing to accelerate history, speeding up the political process in Venezuela, increasing internal contradictions in the pursuit of a regime change.