this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2026

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Switzerland to freeze any Maduro assets ‘with immediate effect’ (www.straitstimes.com)

submitted 1 month ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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GENEVA – The Swiss government said on Jan 5 that it had decided to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro or his associates “with immediate effect”.

Bern said it had reached its decision after Mr Maduro was seized in Caracas in a shock US military operation and brought to New York to face narcotrafficking charges.

Describing the situation as “volatile”, the Swiss government said in a statement that it wanted “to ensure that any illicitly acquired assets cannot be transferred out of Switzerland in the current situation”.

“The asset freeze comes into force today with immediate effect and will remain valid for four years until further notice.”

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[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Maduro was democratically elected because the election was widely observed as fair, Maduro won 51% to González' 43%, and because surrounding nations such as Bolivia, Cuba, Colombia, etc. recognized it as legitimate. The fact is, the same people that claim Biden stole the 2020 election are now telling you that Maduro stole 2024 in order to justify kidnapping him and his wife and steal Venezuelan oil. This is a tried and true tactic of the US Empire.

[+] HurlingDurling@lemmy.world -6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Both sides play the same game, I just choose to listen to a majority as its harder to get the majority of the world to agree on something. I am not talking about Biden so let's keep him out of this or it will devolve to scapegoatism (ie. But Biden did that...)

The nonprofit human rights foundation said it was fraud, the majority of south america said it was fraud even countries aligned more to China than the US. Source

Lastly, if the elections of Venezuela where legitimate and Maduro was the "good guy" as you appear to paint him as then why do we have a Venezuelan refuge crisis? Source

Bonus: No one has ever told me that Biden stole the election in the US and also said Maduro stole the Venezuelan election, I don't listen to propaganda networks like Newsmax or Fox News.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

The nonprofit human rights foundation said it was fraud, the majority of south america said it was fraud even countries aligned more to China than the US. Source

Your source is the Human Rights Foundation, a US State Department - mouthpiece known for manufacturing consent for regime change. What's actually true is that Maduro is the internationally recognized president of Venezuela.

Lastly, if the elections of Venezuela where legitimate and Maduro was the “good guy” as you appear to paint him as then why do we have a Venezuelan refuge crisis? Source

Gusanos fled Venezuela when their assets were nationalized. Continuous emigration from Venezuela is due to the economic act of war from the US Empire, including sanctions, blockades, and restricting trade with Venezuela. The working classes support Maduro in Venezuela, which is why the US Empire is relying on AI generated videos, older videos celebrating Maduro's election in 2024, and so forth to pretend Venezuelans are celebrating his kidnapping.

Bonus: No one has ever told me that Biden stole the election in the US and also said Maduro stole the Venezuelan election, I don’t listen to propaganda networks like Newsmax or Fox News.

Biden is an imperialist, just like Trump. Operation Gideon happened under Biden, where the US Empire tried a Bay of Pigs style invasion of Venezuela. Desire to overthrow the socialist government of Venezuela has existed since Chavez nationalized the oil industry. You do listen to propaganda, likely CNN, BBC, or New York Times.

Edit: Not directly funded, but a mouthpiece nonetheless.

[–] HurlingDurling@lemmy.world -5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Your source is the Human Rights Foundation, a US State Department-funded group known for manufacturing consent for regime change. What’s actually true is that Maduro is the internationally recognized president of Venezuela.

Um... except it isnt.

The Human Rights Foundation was founded in 2005 by Venezuelan human rights advocate and film producer Thor Halvorssen Mendoza in response to the alarming rise of authoritarianism in Latin America, particularly in Venezuela.

Straight from Wikipedia

Gusanos fled Venezuela when their assets were nationalized.

I guess Venezuela is full of "Gusanos" as you call them because 7.9 million isn't a small number hermano.

Biden is an imperialist, just like Trump.

And your point is what? No one is denying it.

Not denying Operation Gideon either, but can you please point me to where Biden did this? According to your own link the operation was primarily planned by Clíver Alcalá Cordones (retired Venezuelan major general) and Jordan Goudreau (a canadian american mercenary).

Desire to overthrow the socialist government of Venezuela

Venezuela was never socialist. Hell, the US is more socialist than Venezuela. Venezuela is more of a marxism-leninism when it comes to the government it has.

You do listen to propaganda, likely CNN, BBC, or New York Times.

Like I said, I don't watch imperialist propaganda networks, sorry. Try again comrade.

Lastly, what Trump did is an illegal act of war both in the international laws side and in the laws of the united states as he didn't even get congress to sign off on (not that this would make it OK either). However, the point isn't that the US is good or bad (because the US currently has a corrupt and out of control government at the moment), it's that Maduro did not get elected.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

From your own link

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting and protecting human rights globally, with an emphasis on authoritarian regimes.[2] HRF organizes the Oslo Freedom Forum. The Human Rights Foundation was founded in 2005 by Thor Halvorssen Mendoza, a Venezuelan film producer and human rights advocate. The current chairman is Russian opposition activist Yulia Navalnaya, and Javier El-Hage is the current chief legal officer. The foundation's head office is in the Empire State Building in New York City.[2][3][4]

The Human Rights Foundation was founded in 2005 by Venezuelan human rights advocate and film producer Thor Halvorssen Mendoza in response to the alarming rise of authoritarianism in Latin America,[5] particularly in Venezuela.[6]

His family's deeply personal experience with political repression—his father was arbitrarily imprisoned and his mother seriously wounded by security forces during a protest—shaped HRF's early mission to boldly defend individual rights in closed societies.[7] HRF's founding council included figures such as Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and former Czech president Václav Havel, who called the organization "an essential voice for freedom" and later chaired its International Council until his death in 2011.

Initially focused on Latin America, HRF worked on legal advocacy, international litigation, and public campaigns on behalf of political prisoners. It later expanded its focus to the global stage, taking on cases in countries such as North Korea, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Today, HRF runs campaigns and engages in bold, unapologetic pro-democracy advocacy around the world, with a laser-sharp focus on countries classified as authoritarian or hybrid authoritarian.

Essentially, a gusano that lost out when Chavez nationalized the oil industry among others for the good of the people made a non-profit to deliver US State department propaganda around the world about the US Empire's geopolitical enemies. They also shill for cryptocurrency. They're a far-right think-tank.

I guess Venezuela is full of “Gusanos” as you call them because 7.9 million isn’t a small number hermano.

It is and was, but also has had people flee due to economic problems caused by the US Empire sanctioning them, not a fault of Maduro or Chavez.

Not denying Operation Gideon either, but can you please point me to where Biden did this? According to your own link the operation was primarily planned by Clíver Alcalá Cordones (retired Venezuelan major general) and Jordan Goudreau (a canadian american mercenary).

It was supported by the US government, and is merely one of many attempts by the empire to undermine Venezuelan socialism.

Venezuela was never socialist. Hell, the US is more socialist than Venezuela. Venezuela is more of a marxism-leninism when it comes to the government it has.

Marxism-Leninism is socialist, but Venezuela is closer to reformist socialism than Marxism-Leninism. The US Empire is capitalist, the large firms and key industries are privately owned and capitalists in charge of the state. I don't know what you think Marxism-Leninism is, but if you want a primer, check out section 0 of the intro ML reading list I made.

Lastly, what Trump did is an illegal act of war both in the international laws side and in the laws of the united states as he didn’t even get congress to sign off on (not that this would make it OK either). However, the point isn’t that the US is good or bad (because the US currently has a corrupt and out of control government at the moment), it’s that Maduro did not get elected.

You haven't proven that Maduro didn't get elected, though, you've just posted that the majority of western countries and compradors believe him to not be. The majority of the world upholds Maduro as legitimate and the constitutionally recognized president of Venezuela. The US Empire has always been corrupt and "out of control," Trump is just the latest in a long line of imperialists.

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago

Straight from Wikipedia

Your daily reminder that liberals think Wikipedia is literally Holy Scripture

[–] BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The nonprofit human rights foundation

Are you under the impression that there is one single universal "Human Rights Foundation"?

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

It's actually called the Human Rights Foundation, actually. It's a real thing founded by a Venezuelan gusano.