While the tragic invasion of Crimea was taking place and people were killed in the streets of Venezuela, President Maduro was celebrating a Carnival and people in Cologne, Germany, were madly celebrating another one.
Venezuela and Russia were blatantly violating international law and human rights and using military force and repression for their ambitious goals. While some diplomatic concerns were shown regarding the Russian invasion or Ukraine, practically none was visible on the other hemisphere, with the sole exception of Panama asking for an urgent OAS meeting, while the OAS's Secretary General, Insulza, proclaimed that the OAS had nothing to do in the Venezuelan tragedy.
In Cologne, people were dancing on the streets and pubs disguised in many colorful ways. Cora Pfafferott, spokesperson of Democracy International (DI), reported on this Ash Wednesday that she spotted a young man who looked like a Maidan protester, walking a few days before among the festivity crowds while wrapping a Ukrainian flag around his shoulders and having his face marked with blood and scratches. He was raising with his hands a placard saying "For Freedom and Democracy".
Cora writes that she approached, questioned him and found that he was a native German: "His concern about the ongoing, dreadful developments around Kiev’s main square had motivated him to choose his costume. Impressive!! A political sign of solidarity during Carnival season when most people live for the moment".
What matter most are the people of Ukraine. Despite horrific events of the 20th century that claimed millions of lives, Ukraine survived both Hitler and Stalin. Its leaders found themselves free of Moscow's domination and in possession of nuclear warheads upon the collapse of the oppresive Soviet Union in 1991. However, it peacefully and voluntarily eliminated those warheads from Ukrainian soil in exchange for national sovereignty. Twenty years later, hundred's died confronting repressive forces in Ukraine during the last few weeks and the people finally got rid of a government prone on turning again this country into a Moscow's satellite. But Russia would not allow Ukrainian independence and Putin has emulated former Soviet dictators in using military force to promote his expansionist goals and keep neighboring countries as vassals. It did not matter that treaties were in force guaranteeing Ukraine's sovereignty.
Military aggression keeps going in Ukraine up to this date while the democratic world keeps talking about appeasement. We are witnessing a new Munich. It is only reasonable to think that Putin will not stop at Crimea. As with Czechoslovakia in 1938, Ukraine will soon fall under Russian hegemony. Will the Baltic countries be next?
That is a safe prediction to make unless the democratic countries show the aggressors their determination to use military force in support of Ukraine if the Russian troops do not stop. In 1938 democracies wasted a good chance to stop Hitler before it was too late. Nowadays Russia cannot face militarily the United States and its allies. They will turn back as Khrushchev did when Western determination was clear to him in 1962.
But, do democracies have the required political will? Or, are they instead infected with Chamberlain's virus?
If Ukraine is abandoned, Venezuelans have very little foreign support to expect in their lopsided struggle against a cruel dictatorship.
Democracy will then be in full retreat all over the World.