Each dictator is aware of that the very first thing they have to do to keep up their grip on energy is ban civilian firearm possession after which confiscate all of the weapons.
Nobody is aware of this higher than Venezuelan dictator and mass-murderer Nicolás Maduro. The company media refers to Maduro as a “strongman,” however there’s nothing sturdy about machinegunning disarmed residents or imprisoning political opponents with out a shred of due course of.
In 2012, Maduro issued an govt order that banned his topics from proudly owning firearms or ammunition and shuttered each personal gun store. After all, the Venezuelan Military, police and particular paramilitary items had been exempt from Maduro’s decree and continued to acquire weapons and ammo from authorities sources. There was a brief grace interval throughout which Venezuelans had been allowed to show of their weapons, however hundreds of firearms needed to be confiscated by power. At this time, Venezuelans resist 20 years in a state jail for unlawful firearm possession.
Maduro justified his nationwide gun seize by claiming it will cut back crime.
Sound acquainted?
The transfer paid off for Maduro. Throughout yesterday’s nationwide elections, when it grew to become clear that he was going to lose to opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, Maduro despatched armed authorities thugs into polling locations with orders to cease the voting.
On Monday, Maduro formally introduced that he had gained the election, garnering greater than 51% of the vote. However Urrutia’s Democratic Unitary Platform social gathering claimed he gained with greater than 73% of the vote. The US and several other international locations within the area “voiced skepticism” in regards to the election outcomes, in response to information experiences.
Making issues worse for the Venezuelan folks, Vice President Kamala Harris issued an announcement supporting Maduro’s claims.
“The US stands with the folks of Venezuela who expressed their voice in at present’s historic presidential election. The desire of the Venezuelan folks have to be revered. Regardless of the various challenges, we are going to proceed to work towards a extra democratic, affluent, and safe future for the folks of Venezuela,” Harris mentioned in a social media submit.
The US stands with the folks of Venezuela who expressed their voice in at present’s historic presidential election. The desire of the Venezuelan folks have to be revered. Regardless of the various challenges, we are going to proceed to work towards a extra democratic, affluent, and safe…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 28, 2024
In different phrases, Harris mentioned we must always settle for the election outcomes and transfer on, regardless of the dishonest.
Classes Realized
Latest occasions have proven that the proper to maintain and bear arms is just not common, sadly, and that those that rely on the federal government to guard them achieve this at their very own peril.
Previous to the October seventh terrorist assaults, Israelis needed to serve two years within the Israeli Protection Forces earlier than they might apply for a firearm allow. At this time, they will apply after serving one 12 months within the IDF or different nationwide service. As well as, those that work or dwell in a “certified harmful space” can even apply for a firearm allow. Israeli civilians who haven’t any firearms coaching can even apply. In consequence, greater than 300,000 Israelis have utilized for firearm permits for the reason that Hamas massacres.
“When the struggle began, we knew that we had been proper after we mentioned that each person who has a weapon can save a life,” Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s Nationwide Safety Minister, informed the Occasions of Israel. “We have to allow as many individuals as doable to hold a weapon.”
Israel was not the one nation to remorse limiting civilian entry to firearms.
As Russian motorized rifle brigades streamed throughout the Ukrainian border, the world watched in horror as Ukrainian troopers uncrated instances of AKs as rapidly as doable and handed them out to principally untrained recruits. Ukraine tried to mitigate the injury by opening government-owned ranges to the general public, however for a lot of, it was too little, too late.
Lots of their frontline forces had minimal firearm coaching, which led to hundreds of unnecessary battlefield deaths.
Takeaways
Venezuela must be one of many wealthiest international locations on this planet. It’s actually floating on a sea of oil. Nonetheless, a long time of presidency corruption have pressured a lot of the inhabitants into poverty – corruption that was enabled by disarming the folks.
Everybody besides our Vice President appears to acknowledge that Maduro cheated – by power of arms – and can now serve one other six-year time period, his third. There may be little the Venezuelan folks can do to contest Monday’s election outcomes. They don’t have anything to battle again with. All of their weapons had been confiscated and destroyed. [Update 7/30/2024: they are currently still fighting]
Venezuela is the newest instance of the necessity to shield and defend our Second Modification rights. Slightly than focusing solely on how they intend to disarm us, we must always concentrate on why our legislators – together with Harris – need a disarmed populace. It’s definitely a query worthy of a response.
This story is offered by the Second Modification Basis’s Investigative Journalism Undertaking and wouldn’t be doable with out you. Please click on right here to make a tax-deductible donation to assist extra pro-gun tales like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who’s often known as “The Gun Author,” is the chief editor of the Second Modification Basis’s Investigative Journalism Undertaking. Till lately, he was additionally an editor for a day by day newspaper in Florida. Earlier than changing into an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Earlier than changing into a journalist, he labored as a police officer. Earlier than changing into a cop, Lee served within the Military. He’s earned greater than a dozen nationwide journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
