Biden admin's Venezuela appeasement backfires as Maduro suspends primaries for alleged 'corruption'

Venezuela’s top court nullified results of an opposition presidential primary that took place last month — just weeks after the U.S. lifted sanctions on some of the country’s industries in exchange for a free election guarantee.

"[Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro hoodwinked [U.S. President] Biden by making promises to lift sanctions, but these promises are likely to prove ineffective, especially concerning primary elections in Venezuela after the illegitimate Supreme Court's decision voiding the result," Isaias Medina III, a former Venezuelan diplomat at the U.N. Security Council who resigned in 2017 due to Maduro's human rights violations and crimes against humanity, told Fox News Digital.  Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news. 

"Anticipating elections without a strong foundation of the rule of law is akin to expecting an apple tree to bear figs; a fundamental principle must be in place for the desired outcome to manifest," he said. 

Medina added, "Until Maduro's network of influence is removed from power and Venezuela is liberated from his grasp, it's unrealistic to expect any significant change from the current status quo. Venezuela remains a haven for terrorists. Loosening sanctions is not a viable alternative, while Maduro continues to strangle the civilian population through human rights violations, grand corruption, and money laundering, effectively imposing a hyperinflation tax."