Cries of election fraud by Donald Trump and his followers are familiar to Venezuelans; their right-wing opposition has been doing the same thing for years. I had a chance to observe this destabilizing strategy unfold on my first visit to Venezuela in 2005, an election year.
The Western-backed Belarusian opposition has failed to topple President Alexander Lukashenko, who is still firmly supported by Russia. Three months after the Eastern European country held controversial presidential elections, anti-Lukashenko opposition groups still hold protests all over the country, although once massive demonstrations, involving some 100,000 protesters taking to the streets, are now dying down to several thousand.
Robert Fisk’s death on October 30th came as a profound shock to journalists around the world, especially those who knew him. And, in a deeply personal way, it was devastating to me as well, though I never met him. I will try to explain what his truth-seeking meant to me, as a former reporter in Beirut and as someone who has shared his anguish over the horrific death and destruction that has engulfed the Middle East.
Belgium is furious. On November 6, the Belgian government condemned Israel’s destruction of Belgian-funded homes in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank. Understandably, Brussels wants the Israeli government to pay compensation for the unwarranted destruction. The Israeli response was swift: a resounding ‘no’.
If, by now, Americans are suffering from “election fatigue” one week before the November 3 elections, now is not the time to relax.
Yes, there are indications of a massive voter turnout, and yes, the people of Bolivia have dramatically proven how voter determination can defeat a right wing regime. But President Donald Trump’s own determination to stay in power cannot be ignored, including his intended reliance on conservative justices in the U.S. Supreme Court –if necessary –to sway election results in his favor. It seems as though Republican operatives have considered every angle to steal the 2020 election (See below excerpts of my interviews with investigative journalist and inveterate election protector, Greg Palast, author of How Trump Stole 2020.)
Copyright Toward Freedom 2019