[Skynet]

Is Lukashenko a socialist?

[B0ycey]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55108312

"Near is in the eye of the beholder"

@JohnRawls this is for you. Could one of your predictions be coming true?

[JohnRawls]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55108312

"Near is in the eye of the beholder"

@JohnRawls this is for you. Could one of your predictions be coming true?

I doubt it. I might see the discontent and inapproval from the people. Maduro and Lukashenko might have support of around 10-20% but that doesn't mean that they can't cling to power against the majority. Sadly, the only thing that you need to remain in power is just brute force unless somebody else wants to get involved and assist the opposition. Nobody really wants to really do that in Belarus and Venezuela besides token sanctions of sorts.

So the reality is, nobody really cares about Belarus or Venezuela in this regard. Europe or US might want a liberal democratic regime to come to power but they do not want it to a degree of actually assisting the oppositions who obviously have the majorities but have no control over the military. The brilliance of Maduro and Lukashenko still being in power is that the military higher ups are complicit and on the hook. They have everything to loose if somebody else comes to power.

TLDR version: People might want somebody else in power but they are not willing to take extreme steps to do it because the situation is not about "surviving" for them. People usually take drastic action when people are drastic about their "survival" or if the hated leader chickens out. Maduro and Lukashenko do not seem to be chickening out. Situation in Belarus is a lot better compared to Venezuela so..... Probably not. Lukashenko is just saying that to give people false promises and calm them down.

[B0ycey]

I doubt it. I might see the discontent and inapproval from the people. Maduro and Lukashenko might have support of around 10-20% but that doesn't mean that they can't cling to power against the majority.

...but this time Lukashenko has hinted to step down himself which is different from mob rule I might add. We will see.