From 13 to 27 August next in Venezuela, in the city of Barquisimeto, in the state of Lara, in the north-west of the country, there will be a military exercise advertised as a sporting event with the name "Army Games”In which the troops of Russia, China ed Iran.
It is the first time that Russian-led drones and sniper commando has been staged in Venezuela, coincidentally one day after the end of military operations - "Panamax 2022”- annuals organized by the Southern Command of the United States, in which the armed forces of twenty countries in the region participate.
The Kremlin-led Eastern Bloc wants to demonstrate its military strength in the Caribbean area, that is, in Washington's backyard. Approximately 270 teams from 37 countries will participate in 36 military competition modes. Beyond Russia, Venezuela, China ed Iran, will participate Algeria, Belarus, Vietnam, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Abkhazia and other delegations from the Eastern Socialist Bloc.
What most of these countries have in common is their anti-American sentiment and opposition to the imposition of sanctions.
The Chavista regime offers them a golden opportunity to challenge the United States right under their noses.
Protagonists of the advertising billboard of the 'Army Games'are the tests called'Frontera Sniper'which, for the first time, will be seen in Venezuela. There will also be exercises at the Terepaima military fort. The Venezuelan armed forces have built an obstacle course, areas dedicated to judges and referees and a grandstand for the public. The work was supervised by delegates from the Russian government.
Maduro took advantage of the 'war games' with the presence of Iranian soldiers to launch a ferocious campaign against the Argentine government of Alberto Fernández. He wants them to return the Venezuelan-Iranian plane detained in Buenos Aires since June 6 on suspicion of being linked to terrorism. The regime's leadership, with Diosdado Cabello -vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela-, spared no imprecations against Argentine justice for this case.
Iranian crew members are being investigated for their alleged connection with the attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA).
on your part, Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Chavista National Assembly, conditioned the re-establishment of dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition because of the controversial plane case. Stalin González, a member of the negotiators' opposition, reiterated that there is no precise date for resuming the dialogue, but that progress continues to bring the dialogue between the parties closer.
In the midst of the economic crisis, Venezuelans criticize the huge amount of money the regime has spent on military game jobs while cutting their wages.
The minimum wage is $ 0,99 per day ($ 29,81 per month), below the extreme poverty wage. 95% of the population is at these dramatic levels. Poverty is aggravated by the monthly inflation rate of 14,5%, a record figure for 2022. The cumulative inflation of the year has already reached 53,8%, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory.
Teachers, university professors, public employees and pensioners have therefore decided to take to the streets to protest, even if their demonstrations are censored by the media and cannot be made public at the same time as the military games.