Venezuelans had enough

Hi Global Recap readers,

Just when it seems the world is at its peak with violence and anger, 2024 continually reminds us to stay humble. 👇

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Israel Demands NATO Expel Turkey

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, has called for NATO to expel Turkey following President Erdoğan’s threats to invade Israel.

Israel’s Demand

• Katz instructed diplomats to engage with NATO members urgently.

• He called for the condemnation of Turkey and its expulsion from NATO.

• This demand follows Erdoğan’s aggressive rhetoric and threats.

Erdoğan’s Statements

Erdoğan’s comments have escalated tensions between Turkey and Israel.

• Erdoğan threatened to deploy military personnel to Gaza to demonstrate strength and deter Israel.

• His statements have raised fears of a broader regional conflict.

International Reactions

Global leaders and politicians have responded to the escalating situation. Take Wilders for example.

• Geert Wilders, a prominent party leader of the Dutch House of Representatives, called Erdoğan an “Islamofascist” and "totally nuts."

• Wilders has long advocated for Turkey’s expulsion from NATO.

NATO’s Position

NATO’s current stance on member expulsion remains unchanged.

• Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and has the alliance’s second-largest army.

• NATO lacks a specific mechanism to suspend or expel a member.

• NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg stated in 2021 that creating such a mechanism "would never happen.

🇰🇵 NORTH KOREA
Dictator’s Obesity Concerns

North Korea is on a mission to find medicine for Kim Jong Un’s obesity-related health issues.

With the recent frequent sightings of his daughter and intel suggesting she is secretly undergoing succession training, many experts have been speculating about Kim’s possible health problems for a while now.

Kim’s Health Issues

Kim Jong Un’s health problems are tied to obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

• Kim weighs around 308 pounds (139 kg) and is at high risk for heart disease.

• He has shown symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes for nearly a decade.

• Despite losing weight in 2021, he has regained it. Ironically, back then, people speculated that he had a terminal illness due to his weight loss. Now, observers are speculating illness because he has gained weight. Kim just can’t win, it seems. 😂

Seeking Treatment

• The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that officials are looking overseas for medicine. to treat Kim’s obesity and other health issues.

• Kim’s health issues are linked to stress, smoking, and drinking habits.

• There’s a family history of heart problems, with both his father and grandfather dying from heart-related issues.

Regime Stability

Kim’s health is a significant factor in the stability of North Korea’s regime.

• Experts believe Kim’s health is a “wild card” for regime stability.

• Succession plans are unclear if something happens to Kim.

• Kim’s young daughter, Ju Ae, is likely to be his heir apparent, though the role hasn’t been officially designated.

North Korea remains a patriarchal society, and it remains to be seen whether North Koreans will view Kim’s daughter as a strong military leader.

Could this signify the end of communist rule?

🇨🇳 CHINA
How Pro-Communists Hit and Stabbed to Suppress Protesters

A new report reveals that pro-Communist supporters allegedly used China’s national flag to hide their violent actions against protesters during a summit between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in San Francisco last year.

Violent Suppression

Pro-Communist supporters allegedly used flags to hide their violent actions against protesters.

• Pro-Communist supporters allegedly hit and stabbed protesters with flagpoles.

• 34 cases of harassment, intimidation, and assault were reported.

• Victims included US citizens of Tibetan, Hong Kong, and Chinese descent.

CCP’s Strategy

The report highlights the CCP’s strategy to suppress dissent and promote a positive image of Xi Jinping even overseas.

• CCP Supporters were mobilized from across the US to create a massive show of support.

• The goal was to neutralize any opposition to Xi or the CCP.

But of course, we already knew that many of the overly enthusiastic people greeting Xi last year were planted, right?

Intimidation Tactics

The report also details various intimidation tactics used against protesters and their families.

• Family members in China were threatened to stifle protests in the US.

• Online threats of physical harm were directed at activists.

🇻🇪 VENEZUELA
More on Election

Before we delve into this story, I want to clarify one of the images provided yesterday regarding the Venezuelan elections.

Various people reported that the image showed more than 100% of the votes tallied. However, it has since been revealed that the figure 4.6% you see here represents the collective votes that all the candidates, other than the two top contenders, received in total.

In hindsight: of course, that makes more sense, but what’s with the graphic design?

Take Statues Down

Multiple videos of Venezuelan citizens toppling statues of Hugo Chávez. For those unaware, Chávez was a Venezuelan President who is the face of socialism in the country. Here are some links to a few videos:

• Video 1

• Video 2

• Video 3

Police Crackdown

We are also seeing videos of police arresting and shooting protesters. Protesters are not sitting idly by either, setting fire to police stations.

Future

Are these protests effective in toppling a dictatorial regime that has a monopoly on violence? Or is more dramatic action needed? If unsuccessful, will Venezuela have to live under this regime until Maduro’s death?

• So many questions and uncertainties are perpetuated by mainstream media’s inability to provide a clear picture of what’s happening due to the fluidity of the situation in real-time.

• X is the only substitute so far, but as we all know, it’s extremely difficult to verify the validity of information on the platform.

• This may also foreshadow the upcoming US elections. We could be only at the beginning of what’s to come…

🇱🇧 LEBANON
Hezbollah Commander Killed

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have announced the death of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, in a recent strike. This event has significant implications for the region.

Fuad Shukr

The IDF confirmed that its fighter jets eliminated Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s most senior military commander, in southern Beirut.

• Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin, was behind a drone strike that killed 12 children and teens over the weekend.

• He was responsible for Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles and UAVs.

• He joined Hezbollah in 1985 and was sought by the US government for his connection to the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.

Aftermath

The situation remains volatile, with both sides preparing for potential further conflict.

• A senior Israeli official emphasized that the strike was a message to Hezbollah to avoid a wider war.

• However, with Turkish President Erdoğan recently threatening to send troops against Israel, a wider war seems possible.

• Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant is in contact with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding the situation.