VENEZUELA
At a recent press conference in Dallas, Secretary Mike Pompeo addressed questions about the dire humanitarian situation in Venezuela. He talked about how during his recent trip to Columbia he witnessed the human suffering taking place. “…thousands of people crossing from Venezuela. Now it’s a million-five in Colombia and three quarters of a million in Peru. These people are suffering tremendously. They – literally, they’re coming across the border to try and work a job, make a couple of dollars, buy some diapers and some food for their baby so that they can eat every other day, every other day. This is the Maduro regime’s legacy and it needs to end.” Large numbers of Venezuelans are leaving the country to escape violence, malnutrition, and other harsh economic conditions in the failing state.
The list of abuses by the Maduro government is long and egregious, according to the State Department. In 2017 Maduro created the Special Action Force of the National Police (FAES) which has carried out illegal raids and extrajudicial killings. This 1,300 member force is accused of killing 100 people in the last 6 months of 2018. Maduro also uses the National Guard and civil militias to crackdown on protesters. So far in 2019 they have detained over 1,255 people, are holding over 860 prisoners of conscience, including 95 members of the military and running numerous clandestine detention centers. The United States has pledged humanitarian aid to Venezuela but the Maduro regime is refusing to allow it into the country. Over 208 metric tons of relief supplies remain sitting on the country’s border.
NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNTRIES
“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been provided to the Northern Triangle countries, and we have an enormous migration problem, people fleeing El Salvador, people fleeing Honduras, people fleeing Guatemala,” according to Secretary Pompeo. He added that “What we’re trying to do is get those governments to take this seriously, to assist their people of their countries so they won’t have to make this long, dangerous trek across Mexico. Pompeo said the goal is to have the people of the Northern Triangle countries remain in their home states, to have food and water, and be able to make their own decisions about how they desire to be governed.
NORTH KOREA
In recent remarks to the media, Secretary Pompeo responded to questions about North Korea and the ongoing negotiations. He pointed out that he personally has received a half dozen assurance from North Korean Kim and that he is “convinced we still have a real opportunity to achieve that outcome, and our diplomatic team will continue to remain in the lead.”
RUSSIA
With the recent release of the Mueller investigation papers Secretary Pompeo pointed out that “Russia interferes in a number of places. I’ve talked about it most recently in Venezuela, but the – they’re impacting Ukraine. The work that they’ve done to interfere with elections around the world, not only ours in 2016 but others, is serious, and there are real interferences. I don’t think there’s been a discussion between a senior U.S. official and Russians in this administration where we have not raised this issue about our concern about Russia’s interference in our elections.”
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SUDAN
The State Department announced this week that the United States supports a transition to a peaceful and democratic Sudan led by civilians who represent the diversity of Sudanese society. It said that “The will of the Sudanese people is clear: it is time to move toward a transitional government that is inclusive and respectful of human rights and the rule of law.”
Sudan’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism remains in effect, and Phase II discussions are suspended. Washington will continue to calibrate our policies based on our assessment of events on the ground and the actions of transitional authorities, according to the State Department.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.
Illustration: Pixabay