the 1st law show you i then just in case that we should be very careful about official intelligence, the point obviously is to race truck rather than fear. i would like to take on various char, with artificial intelligence. real, somebody with a robot must protect its own existence with oh, hello, i'm manila chad. you are tuned into modus operandi. this week we'll head to central america where one country is resisting us pressure and going their own way in foreign policy. after a history of meddling from the americans, president daniel ortega of nicaragua stands his ground as the united states takes aim at their gold industry. we'll get you all the details straight ahead. all right,

let's get into the m o. ah. the former u. s. national security adviser under donald trump, john bolton, called at the troika of tyranny, referring to cuba, venezuela and nicaragua. now for most of the 20th century, the u. s. has had frosty relations with cuba does say the least in the 21st century, the u. s. and a few of its allies anointed one, why doe, as their chosen president for venezuela, a move, some o, 80 percent of the world reject it. and now the u. s. has its sites set on nicaragua, again under the bite in administration. so what do these 3 latin american countries have in common while they're all run by left? is herman's resist us influence and exploitation by the west. so to talk

more about nicaragua in the crosshairs, we'll bring in a man who's had 1st hand experience with its president. is dan co valid? he is an author and professor of international human rights at the university of pittsburgh school of law. his newest book is called nicaragua, a history of intervention and resistance. dan, thanks for joining us. first i'd like to address the us state department framing of nicaragua. if you go to their website to see their remarks on the country, they describe it as having descended into this sort of distort be a nightmare run by an authoritarian bonnie and clyde. in this case, daniel ortega and his 1st lady rosario moody, oh, also serving as in the capacity of vice president. how fair is the state department

depiction and how might you characterize the nicaraguan leaders? i would say that characterization characterization of the state department is incredibly unfair. and i find a very rich and very hypocritical b u. s. that supported a brutal dictatorship in on some moser and his 2 sons from 1934 to 1979. i must, you know, remind people, if they don't know that the 3rd somoza killed, 50000 nicaraguans in the last year of his reign between 197979 fully supported by the united states. and by the way, those numbers are staggering. giving the time nicaragua had about 2 and a half 1000000 people in todo. my characterization now is that nicaragua has a popular leader. and daniel ortega,

who lead was one of the key leaders of the sandinista revolution against the dictatorship, backed by the us, right. his popularity numbers are huge. the last poll i saw showed him it about 70 percent approval. the 2nd most popular president in the americans, 2nd only to the president of el salvador. meanwhile, very much more popular amongst his people than the president of the united states show by um, who's, you know, hovering around 30 or 40 percent. so i think this characterization, the state department is incredibly unfair. by the way. i've been in nicaragua 3 times this year and i traveled throughout nicaragua on a bus seen

a lot of it. i've been going to nicaragua since 1987. and i've seen the incredible development since that. ah. and it's nothing like it used to be. i mean, there aren't kids living in rags anymore. there are these beggars on the street. you see, it's a very prosperous country compared to what he used to me. and i got italian so a lot more prosperous in many ways than i see on the streets of pittsburgh, pennsylvania. ah, where we have, you know, 10 cities long as people and huge crime rate. so no, this, this is not a fair characterization. so part of the state department's page on nicaragua, points to a crippled economy. they addressed us sanctions on the country, but neglect to link the to things. now the by did administration has its site set

on nicaragua was gold industry and stripping up to 500 government workers of their us visas. how much of this move has to do with their security cooperation with russia? does the state department merely, you know, try to punish states economically? who won't jump when the us says so? yeah. well, 1st of all, let me your say yes, the sanctions are going to hurt nicaragua, up kill now the sanctions and there's been about 3 different sanctions, regina against nicaragua and the last 4 years. but nicaragua was whether those, well, i think they were g, m, p has been about 5 percent every year since that time i've been this year, it's going to be 5 to 7 percent. so 1st of all, their economy is doing bar at the moment. it's the same time. what i understand is that the sanctions on the gold war, her garage very bad. and as usual,

these sanctions are going to hurt individual or poor nicaraguans the most. and that is the sad part of it. nicaragua is done so much for its people, particularly the poor, giving them free education, free housing, building free. how free housing for the poor, free medical care building since 2007 when daniel ortega had been reelected for the 1st time. they've built 26 hospitals in the country, paved and built new roads throughout the country. so the government is doing a lot for people. but these sanctions, especially these, this new round sanctions is going to hurt the average nicaragua, greatly. and that's what is intended to do. let me be clear. the sanctions are not

targeted dirt. the nicaraguan government, they're targeted to her knicker. i will be with the hope that the nicaragua people will rise up against their bedroom. right. and that's what the sanctions are always targeted to do. and i find a complete the despicable but that's, that's the reality. now for nick i was part, according to the u. s. c. b p. the border protection. they say they've had more than a $164000.00 nicaragua and migrants at the southern border this year. that is up 3 times from 2021. what is driving these people out of their home country? yeah, well 1st of all, let me say, and i've just written a book by the way, that as a recently, very recently nicaragua has not been sending very vibrant the border that when they

talk about the migrant to central america by and large, they will not from nick rod, what is it the countries doing very well. i do think that this new way of immigration is being spurred by the sanctions which are starting to take you know, have an impact on that society, on the economy and slowly, you know, taking away jobs from the nicaraguan people. so i think that that's a big part of it, but also people also realize and there's a lot of detailed be talks about this, but in 2018, there was a very violent insurrection against the government that the u. s. supported with millions of dollars. it was very violent about 200 or so people were killed during that violence. many public buildings were

destroyed. many policemen were killed during that time is a very difficult time in nicaragua. it did hurt the con and me, particularly for the annual year, 2018 and i think that led to the increase in migration. but again, a lot of that was spurred on by the united states, which, you know, was pretty open in its support for these violent insurrection as in 2018. so, the point is, up to, very recently the u. s. was bidding their wall 100. so salvador and watermarks and environments the u. s. nicaragua was not. but then the us supported of ireland who attempted to a 1018 then, you know, initiated at least 3 rounds of sanctions,

economic sanctions against the country. and yeah, so that has hurt the country and led to this increase in migration. could we call that some sort of a blowback? well, in a sense, yeah, in the truth is all this migration from central america is blowback. right? i mean, let's, let's face it, the you are supported. right? when dictatorships and how, salvador, that killed 75000 people in guatemala, the kill 200000 people in honduras, they killed thousands of people. and yeah, the fruit, the, that was born by that is this huge migrations. the u. s. has destroyed these societies in these countries. nicaragua has been one country that has whether that storm because frankly, the good governance of the san an east is. but you know,

the u. s. is doing everything you can to undermine that. it can be in that side. yes. that will lead to more migration. so yeah, i think it's fair to say all this is the product of blow back. all right, dan cove, alec, we've got a lot more to unpack, so stay with us. coming up next. the u. s. isn't the only superpower with its site set on nicaragua? find out why this central american country is abandoning taiwan. and now backing china, we'll discuss it when we return, sit tight, the ammo will be right back with ah ah

ah ah needs to come to the russian state will never be tied up. i'm phoning most landscape diva. mckindoe's house not made it within a 50 babel did. okay, so my niece group i'm speaking with, we will van in the european union the kremlin. yup. machine. the state on russia to date and c, r t spoke neck, given our video agency,

roughly all band on youtube and pinterest and with ah, welcome back to b, m o. i am manella chan, author and professor danco. valerie was kind enough to stay with dan, thanks for sticking around. all right, let's go back to the summer of 2022 biden hosted what has been described now my worth described as a botched summit of the americas. he deliberately left off the invite list. cuba, nicaragua, and bennett whalen, by not inviting those leaders to

a summit that is supposedly aimed at open dialogue among countries in the western hemisphere. widen was then snubbed by a number of other latin leaders, most notably mexico's undress. manuel lopez open door now and lo made it a point to say that if these guys weren't invited that he was just flat out, not going to come. the uninvited countries are led by leftist leaders. we just saw lula win back his seat as president in brazil. another left us am lo is a left us as well, but he made the list. i'm curious to know why, and if this is somehow abide and push back against the left, this swing in latin america, how might he respond to brazil's return leader? well, i great concerns about brazil right now. i mean there are some earmarks that boast, dinero may be planning a military coup and he was very player. he did not rule out that loss.

and there have been some truckers blocking roads and whatnot. which by the way, looks like chilly in 1973. when salvador allende was overthrown without the united states. yeah, i do fear the u. s. is going to react very, very negatively towards lula being elected. i mean, really with the new lou will as the president of brazil, which is one biggest economies in amis, fear, ah, we almost have a clean sweep of land america, right. having progressive, less winning or less leading a president. so the u. s. is going to react to that. it's the same time, i think the shows in many ways that the u. s. is become powerless in preventing that. and i hope that's true. um, but yeah, i mean, this is assign,

the latin america is really as, as a group rejected the united states intervention rejecting the monroe doctrine of 1823 on which gives me a lot of hope. i mean, probably years, i get more out that aladdin, latin american, than any other region in the world. but yes, the u. s. is going to try unsure to overturn some of these governments. but, you know, here's the problem. the u. s. s a can't. is it out as, as strong as it is a, it just can't control every country on the globe, right? it tries to but it can't. you know, once there's a critical mass with countries saying, bhaskar, you know, no more. i think the u. s. you know, just can't do it. yeah. they're focused on ukraine right now,

sending billions of dollars. ukraine to fight russia. by the way, i am in moscow, russia out. um, you know, and in the breach, i think latin america is rising. so, you know, i have great hopes, but yeah, we have to be vigilant for sure. only grandma has recently re established diplomatic ties with china. it's a, it's a pivot from their previous diplomatic ties with taiwan. why? and what does this do to the balance of power in the western hemisphere? yes. so let me explain a little bit about that. first of all. so under somoza from 1934, the 19. well really, i mean it, well the to the 940304949. let's put that out from 949 to 979. so most are recognized. right. and not the people's republic of china. after

the sandinista had the revolution in 1979, they recognized people's republic of china because they were allowed to start up. but after the sandinista were voted out of office in 1990, the new government then recognized taiwan again. and withdrew recognition from the people's republic of china. and in that interim period from 1990 to 2007. when daniel ortega of the san and he's become president again i taiwan did help nicaragua, a lot economically built all these factories. and then the keela door zones, i and so when the sandinista came back to power in 2007, they were very reluctant to just tell taiwan, hey, go what, right? because they were employ hundreds of thousands of able so for years they were,

you know, of continuing to recognize taiwan, even as they were at the united nations voting with the people's republic of china on pretty much every vote. right. and then as 2000 and deb, i think 21 came 202021. daniel ortega became very concerned with how one, how taiwan was acting was feeling like they were really collaborating with the us to antagonize the people's republic of china, which he didn't like. but also he was feeling that, you know, his attempts to have to talk with the u. s. were coming to nothing, you know, with the 2018 co attempt with all the sanctions. so with all this,

he finally decided, okay, forget, you know, our hardest people's republic. we've been playing ball the taiwanese because they're given us jobs. but we don't like with ty, wendy's or doing the u. s. is now against us again. ah. so we're just going to recognize the people's republic. that's what happened. and so, ah, now they're getting development now from the people's republic. and of course are now getting close. should russia, you know, again, danny, our take, the president was reluctant to do those things. he wanted to get along with the us, he always but the us as constantly. you know, every time he puts his hand out, they slap it down. so finally said, oak, you know, fine, we'll go with china. we'll go with russia. and forget to time means, you know, and i think what he effects what he did, he kicked the taiwanese out of their embassy and gave it to the people's republic.

sir, there. yeah. and what do you make of the deepening ties between nicaragua and russia in recent years? i mean, this really began to develop back in 2008, but has since gotten to the place where nicaragua is actually allowing from military cooperation between the 2 countries. this is obviously gonna cause some major red flags and concerns for the u. s. y, a, russia, nicaragua, relationship. what will turn it back to the future now? right. i mean, 1st of all, again, let's go over some history after the sand is over through the us back dictator armstrong as you somoza in 1979. 2 and they didn't align with cuba, but they, you know, fidel castro told any ortega said, you know, be slow and, and aligning with. so even because one,

the us will go after you for that. and to, you know, you want your independence, not just from the us but from the soviet union. so you know, go very gently with so but then the us is early is 1981. so 2 years eric exam, mrs. po, power began supporting these counter terrorist events, nicaragua, so what happened naturally nicaragua returned to the soviets. right. right. the russians at that time was so union and got a lot of support. and so the union from east germany from other easter bar countries. and then of course, the sandinista road voted out of power, 9090, and so union collapsed to 991. so that pretty much ended that closed bond. it came to be between nicaragua and so the union ah, in russia. ah, but then now again,

daniel ortega is elected again 2006 takes governance in 2007. and again, he tries again to play ball with the you us. why, you, us is close to him wants to trade with them culturally nicaragua, closer to the u. s. than russia? no one in, in nicaragua speaks english. many people there's, i'm sorry, none of them speak russian, many of them do speak english. ah, culturally they like the us, they play baseball, nicaragua, they don't like soccer's march, right? their main sort of baseball which they adopted from the us, right. so they were half inch pipe all the last, but in the end, the u. s. would not play ball with the sandinista govern. so they been forced, again, as they were after 979 to line with russia. so they've gone back to their old

ally, ah, to get support in, in the face of continued opposition from the us. so, i mean the lesson is that the u. s. and by the way, he mentioned no chance king, we can mention him again. what all you say. and he said this during the old cold war with the soviet union, but it still app today. he said, what, what the us would, would do is force a country to align with the soviet union, you know, through violence and economic threats and then blame them for wanting with the so you'd right, that would be a pretext then for war belligerence. and that's exactly what we're seeing today, right? the u. s. bullies the country like nicaragua, freezes him out economically, and then forces them to align with china to align with russia,

and then blamed them for doing. and that's what has happened. president ortega is now being described as something of a firebrand in the west after his 2022 u. n. g. a appearance where he ripped into fellow latin american liter president gabrielle boric of chili, calling him an american lap dog. how board is self described as a left wing politician. so why the mudslinging there? well, brock is not bad. progression is the truth. in fact, he's been very repressive against his own indigenous population. even when he was elected a lot of letters from july were saying he's not that progress. and i think that or take a saw that too. but also let me just say something i don't see or take as a buyer, right? i've actually met ortega a few times and i've been in his presence

a number of times list new speeches. the truth is, he's not much of a firebrand. he east. the truth is he's a pretty shy softspoken version. ah. he feels more comfortable in the presence of, you know, working people in peasants and he does with intellectuals even though he's illegitimate. intellectual, unself. ah. and the fact is, most of his support comes from workers in essence. right? so, but he's not, you know, i've also heard fidel castro speak in person. i've heard you chavez speak in person, and he doesn't have that kind of bombastic way about him that they do. you know, he speaks in a very, a calm tone in kind of almost like an educator talks very stork, lead cetera. so i really kind of balk at that idea that he's a firebrand,

mom. i think he's just a nice guy. so human rights attorney, professor an author danco valid. thank you so much for sharing this very candid insight with us. all right, that's going to do it for this weeks episode of modus operandi there show that dig deep into foreign policy. i'm your host manila chan. thank you for tuning and we'll see you again next week to figure out the ammo ah, with ah, in the 1950s, the u. s. used former nancy's against the soviet union in the 21st century. they engineered kuta, the fish, the former soviet republic,

into our confrontation with moscow will certainly if the united states and the u. k and the rest of the western world had not engaged in conflict with the ukraine and with the soviet union and its successor, the russian federation. we would not have the horrible situation we have today. i think that if the american stopped, we would be at peace and the role would be a lot better place. and the economy, the world will function considerably better than his doing now. be what happens with digital didn't with actual physical sport, something like digital filters. yes. because on is preparing to host the 1st ever

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