Up in arms: Sudan and Venezuela

Two oil-rich countries are up in arms this weekend, though you’ll only be hearing about one of them. In Sudan, a revolution is underway against the authoritarian military ruler General Bashir, who has been in power for 30 years. Bashir is a regional hub for the pan-Islamic Muslim Brotherhood, though years of isolation and sanctions have pushed him ever closer to Saudi Arabia. His people it seems may have had enough. Steep price increases of bread and other staples sparked outrage and the protest movement is now challenging for state power. So, we invited Khalid Omer Yousif, General Secretary of the opposition Sudan Congress party, to the studio to tell us what is going on there.

This week the US, Canada, and of course Albania, afforded official recognition as president of Venezuela to a man who didn’t lose the presidential election but who withdrew from standing in it. That’s surely a first! Venezuela broke diplomatic relations with the US after Vice President Mike Pence announced the beginning of this coup. But Washington has refused to withdraw its diplomats and threatens war if they are harmed. Russia, China, Cuba, Mexico, and Bolivia, are standing by the legal Venezuelan authorities, neighbouring Colombia is a candidate member of NATO and Bolsonaro’s Brazil has applied to join the organisation. So, is the scene set for a new Ukraine or even a new Syria? We asked Ben Chako, editor of the only left wing daily paper in Britain, the Morning Star.