Venezuela has severed relations with its neighbor Colombia and has expelled all diplomats from its embassy, President Nicolas Maduro has declared, during a rally in Caracas.
Maduro had earlier closed the border with Colombia in the run-up to Saturday’s attempts by the opposition to deliver trucks of ‘humanitarian aid’ from Colombia, in defiance of Caracas. A part of the border where a forced crossing might take place has been the scene of a tense confrontation between opposition activists and security forces all day.
Addressing a crowd of thousands of supporters, Maduro condemned his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque for meddling in Venezuela’s internal affairs, calling him a “devil in the flesh”.
Word from South America is that there is now a sudden and dramatic "spike" of U.S. Military Aircraft landing in Colombia.
For anyone wondering this was what landed in Bogotá, Colombia a few hours ago. The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military strategic & tactical airlifter. Can carry up to 134 soldiers or alternately can transport heavy equipment such as tank/armored vehicles.
No word on troops or any other info, just a series of military aircraft landings. An amount of planes found to be unusual.
Here are some examples:
A C17, in the radar tracking map above, is a large, cargo aircraft capable of carrying troops and equipment.
And another:
This is undeniably related to the ongoing situation in Venezuela.
UPDATE 8:25 PM EST --
Unconfirmed reports: Relatives of Maduro, Major General Cabrera Romero and leader of the TSJ (Supreme Court of Justice) have left Venezuela (possibly on a plane)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed that Donald Trump ordered the Colombian government and mafia to assassinate him, but insisted that he’s well protected from the threat of assassination.
“Without a doubt, Donald Trump gave the order to kill me, told the Colombian government, the Colombian mafia, to kill me. If something happens to me, Donald Trump and Colombian President Ivan Duque will be responsible,” Maduro told RIA Novosti.
Maduro, however, expressed confidence in his country’s security services.
“I am always protected by the Venezuelan people, we have a good intelligence service,” he said.
Maduro also claimed that White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has prevented Trump from communicating with the Venezuelan government. The Venezuelan president told RIA Novosti that he has repeatedly tried – but failed – to reach out to the US leader.
"For all these years, I have been trying on a personal level [to establish dialogue] … But Bolton prevented Donald Trump from initiating a dialogue with Nicolas Maduro. I have the information that he has prohibited this," Maduro said.
Venezuela Begins Deployment of 500,000 Troops; Colombia Sending Troops to its Border too
Venezuela has begun the deployment of its 500,000 man army throughout the country, with emphasis on its border with Colombia.
In response, Colombia is now deploying troops to its border with Venezuela . . .
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino declares his forces are prepared for an invasion: “We are seeing the same formula they applied to Libya... They will try to penetrate across the border... So we are waiting for them here.”
Venezuelan soldiers on TV are telling the United States "You want war, we will give you war."
In an interview with Russian Television station Ria Novasti, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro claims President Donald Trump has given an order to kill him.
- First, my destiny is in the hands of the Lord, I am a Christian, I believe in the defense of the Lord ... The people of Venezuela protect me all the time, we have a good intelligence service. But without a doubt, Donald Trump gave the order to kill me, told the Colombian government, the Colombian mafia, to kill me. If something happens to me once, Donald Trump and Colombian President Ivan Duque will be responsible. Meanwhile, they protect me, we have a good system of protection, and, moreover, we have more substantial protection - this is protection from God, who will give me a long life.
In the meantime, Video from Colombia shows that country is now deploying its army to the border with Venezuela:
When countries start deploying troops on this scale, the outlook for future conflict is severe.
ARMY DEFECTORS
Defectors from Venezuela's army who are now loyal to self-declared president Juan Guaidó have called on the Trump administration to arm them in what they refer to as their quest for "freedom," and are strongly opposed to the United States conducting a broad military intervention.
Two former soldiers, Carlos Guillen Martinez and Josue Hidalgo Azuaje, who live outside the country, say they are in contact with hundreds of willing defectors who want US military assistance in their revolt against the Maduro regime.
"As Venezuelan soldiers, we are making a request to the US to support us, in logistical terms, with communication, with weapons, so we can realize Venezuelan freedom," Guillen Martinez told CNN.
Hidalgo Azuaje said: "We're not saying that we need only US support, but also Brazil, Colombia, Peru, all brother countries, that are against this dictatorship."
The appeal came as US national security advisor John Bolton on Sunday warned the Maduro government that violence against Venezuela's political opposition—or against its leader and self-declared president Juan Guaidó—would be met with stern reprisals.
Bolton also appealed to the Venezuelan military to assist in the smooth transition of power from Maduro to Guaidó, whom the US has recognized as the legitimate head of state.
American officials have repeatedly warned that no options are off the table, in terms of US intervention. -CNN
The most loyal supporter of the British Deep State and the Empire, the Guardian, words things as if there was not a more ridiculous "claim"
"5,000 Troops To Colombia" To Quell Venezuela Crisis? John Bolton Flashes Notepad Contents At Briefing
Zero Hedge, 28 January, 2019 During
a Monday White House press briefing national security adviser John
Bolton was photographed carrying a notepad — presumably
as he was fresh out of a national security meeting — and
one of the things which appears to be handwritten on the pad
is "5,000
troops to Colombia".
The
contents of the notepad were spotted almost immediately by
multiple journalists online after an NBC news release featuring the
AP photo was published. More precisely the full contents appear
to read:
"Afghanistan
-> Welcome the Talks. 5,000 troops to Colombia."
Here's
the image of Bolton with his notepad from NBC
News:
And
a closer look, per one of the first journalists to examine the
photograph and writing, who noted that "if
confirmed this would be a pretty terrible OPSEC [operations security]
breach":
Bolton
during the White House presser revealed that President Trump is
"leaving open the
possibility of a U.S. military intervention to
protect opposition leader Juan Guaidó, members of the nation's
assembly and American diplomatic personnel," according to NBC.
"The
president has made it clear that all options are on the table,"
Bolton told reporters while holding the yellow notepad. "We
also today call on the Venezuelan military and security forces to
accept the peaceful, democratic and constitutional transfer of
power," Bolton said.
But
could, as the notepad suggests, this
involve plans to send 5,000 American troops to neighboring Colombia,
a close US ally in Latin America?
No
doubt the administration is already spitballing military contingency
operations especially after the latest spat over Maduro's ultimatum
for all US diplomatic personnel to leave the country "within 72
hours" — which
he has since walked back after the Trump administration threatened
severe consequences.
There
remains the possibility, however, that having clearly written words
on a mostly blank pad indicating that disengagement from Afghanistan
equals ramping up engagement and intervention in South America is
actually intentional signalling to both enemies and allies alike.
White House spokesman's explanation for Bolton's "5,000 troops to Colombia" memo on his legal pad: "As the President has said, all options are on the table."
When
asked following the briefing by eagle-eyed reporters who caught a
glimpse of the notepad's contents about the "5,000 troops to
Colombia" memo, the White House spokesperson responded, "As
the President has said, all options are on the table."
Hal Turner has an almost directly opposed viewpoint from me ("Maduro is a 'communist dictator' "). For all that often his intell has some value.
My own feeling is that the coup has already failed and the United States, despite the bravado, is already on the back foot.
Today, National Security Adviser John Bolton appeared before the media to talk about Venezuela and various other issues. Bolton was carrying a typical yellow legal pad, with some things scrawled on it
Zooming-in on what was written, we can clearly see:
"Afghanistan - welcome the talking"
. . . and . . .
"5,000 troops to Colombia"
Here's the zoomed-in image:
This is a not-so-veiled threat. Make no mistake. This did not happen by accident.
Get ready, folks. This looks more and more like we're going to war with Venezuela.
UPDATE 6:39 PM EST --
White House spokesman responded to question about John Bolton's notepad that had "5,000 troops to Colombia" scribbled on it during Venezuela WH briefing. WH spokesperson said : “As the President has said, all options are on the table.”
Posts
