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".
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