Pompeo Demands Countries ‘Pick a Side’ on Venezuela

The Trump Administration has made quite a point of heavily insinuating itself into the internal political strife of Venezuela, cajoling opposition leader Juan Guaido to declare himself “interim president” and then loudly backing him for having done so.

But it’s not enough for the administration to be involved in the political power struggle, or even for the US to have the backing of its usual allies. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the UN Security Council over the weekend that every nation on the planet must “pick a side” on the matter.

Which isn’t meant to imply a real choice. Rather Pompeo is demanding that the whole world back the “forces of freedom,” which is to say the American position, and failing to do so means “you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem.”

One might wonder whether countries elsewhere in the world would feel that picking the government of Venezuela is any of their business at all. Either way, Pompeo has no hope of the unanimity he desires, as China and Russia have already endorsed Maduro, and warned the US against intervening militarily to try to impose their sought change.