Last Chance for Freedom? Venezuela's dictatorship is cracking down on Venezuelan democrats

"Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship." - George Orwell, 1984

MariaCorina in #Aragua, Venezuela with demonstrators tonight

The democratic opposition is using constitutional means and nonviolence to seek an outcome from the current political crisis, but unfortunately according to Secretary of State John Kerry "the United States and Cuba are talking about ways to solve the Venezuelan crisis." This implies that the U.S. is on board with Maduro continuing in power in Venezuela while trying to find ways to stabilize the country by improving the government's behavior. At the same time, despite the Venezuelan regime's rhetoric, remains a major U.S. oil supplier.

Protesters gassed today in Venezuela by the Maduro regime

The Maduro regime has declared a state of emergency as a pretext to crackdown on nonviolent demonstrators exercising their constitutional rights. Today the military and national guard beat up, and tear gassed opposition demonstrators. Maduro has threatened to disappear the National Assembly.

Students repressed and hurt in Merida, Venezuela by regime

 At least 30 were arbitrarily detained today according to Alfredo Romero of the Penal Forum. At the same time armed collectives backed by the police set out to terrorize Venezuelan democrats. Some of these colectivos shot at demonstrators and burned installations at a medical school in Merida to terrorize university students. Meanwhile the regime brought in their own supporters to give the appearance of still have some measure of popular support.

Venezuelan opposition blocked by Bolivarian National Guard

Naturally the Maduro regime resorts to these same old tactics perfected by their Cuban handlers. Meanwhile the same old worn out attacks are made to any who criticize its dictatorial turn. This ignores an unpleasant fact that many would prefer to leave unmentioned. What is taking place today not only in Venezuela, but also in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia and elsewhere in Latin America is the cost of tolerating injustice in Cuba when a concerted hemispheric response in the early 1990s supporting the democratic aspirations of the Cuban people would have made all the difference.

The head of the National Assembly of Venezuela is complaining of the leadership role played by Cuban officers over the Venezuelan military over social media.

Indignación fan: Gral cubano Gregorich dentro Fuerte Tiuna emite órdenes militares cubanos y también a oficiales venezolanos clan Cabello.

— Henry Ramos Allup (@hramosallup) May 15, 2016

Núcleo 60 oficiales cubanos vive Fuerte Tiuna área Villa Alba infiltrados unidades operativas clave comanda gral cubano apellido Gregorich.

— Henry Ramos Allup (@hramosallup) May 15, 2016

The two tweets above from Henry Ramos Allup are translated as follows:

Outrage FANB: Cuban General Gregorich in Fuerte Tiuna issues orders to Cuban military and Venezuelan officers clan Cabello. Core of 60 Cuban officials live in Fuerte Tiuna infiltrated key operating units commanded by Cuban Gen last name Gregorich.

Maria Adela Castellanos of the CEA University of the Andes tweeted today that "University students protesting peacefully, and the Bolivarian National Guard and collectives lashing out and kidnapping us in the medical school."

Los universitarios protestando pacíficamente, y la GBN y colectivos arremetiendo y secuestrandonos en medicina pic.twitter.com/bKxPapXTze

— Ma Adela Castellanos (@Ade_castellanos) May 18, 2016

The Obama administration's detente policy with Cuba means that Venezuelan democrats on their own. If they are to succeed then understanding this is key to the grand strategy being plotted out and they should also understand that the military has been deeply infiltrated by and controlled by Castro regime agents and officials. The likelihood of a military coup are minimal. The best, and perhaps,  only option is nonviolent civil resistance that recognizing these realities can plot out a path to a democratic transition and the end of the Maduro regime.

Otherwise the Venezuelan government will complete its metamorphosis into a fully totalitarian communist regime and client state of the Castro regime. The difficulty in ridding oneself of that regime will be exponentially more difficult as the ongoing tragedy in Cuba demonstrates.