QUESTION: I’ve been referred by the Embassy of Belarus in South Africa Ambassador, to contact the Armstrong Economics crew.That is pertaining the publication as follows:https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.armstrongeconomics.com_world-2Dnews_corruption_belarusian-2Dpresident-2Dclaims-2Dimf-2Dworld-2Dbank-2Doffered-2Dhim-2Da-2Dbribe-2Dto-2Dimpose-2Dcovid-2Drestrictions_&d=DwICaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=1b9cMrxhopAbocguyDbJ-naWHNw5q0c-n3I3p_EMpvc&m=VKvjXq3WrxTr_sSk5vJnkugSARhdrvbLvxJrPyxcwSAdexqcHyap7zTWJgnpYYlo&s=fX497EatV5f3RDcEdB7zAQ6gKvPxTLIds65c3AVnmZo&e=
Request is as follows: Armstrong Economics crew to please share proof of this text as revealed in Sept 2020Thanks upfront.
Variety regards
S.D.
ANSWER: Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who’s up for re-election in 2025, signed a regulation in January that grants him lifelong immunity from prison prosecution. Lukashenko “can’t be held accountable for actions dedicated in reference to exercising his presidential powers” underneath the brand new laws. Undoubtedly, this regulation was propelled by America’s persecution of Donald Trump and different world leaders who should not adhering to Western insurance policies.
The struggle in Ukraine has place Lukashenko underneath stress as soon as once more on account of Belarus aiding neighboring Russia. The nations strategic placement bordering each Ukraine and Russia has made it a strategic stronghold for Russian troops, and extra importantly, nuclear weapons. Belarus remained impartial through the 2014 Crimean battle and tried to behave as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia.
Lukashenko has confronted numerous controversies throughout his 30-year reign. The August 2020 Belarusian election sparked huge civil unrest as lots of his opponents believed the election was rigged in his favor. Russia aided Belarus through the 2020 political upheaval that noticed tens of hundreds of protestors arrested. Belarus had fallen out of the West’s good graces way back, however its COVID response prompted additional distain from the Construct Again Higher, World Financial Discussion board allied nations. Lukashenko’s authorities was one of many final to impost restrictions and people restrictions had been way more lenient than the rules introduced by world well being businesses.
Most significantly, Belarus didn’t implement necessary vaccinations for COVID. Lukashenka was accused of human rights abuses as his nation held the bottom vaccination price in all of Europe with fewer than 21.2% of the inhabitants receiving the mRNA vaccine. The vaccine was obtainable, however folks weren’t threatened or coerced into taking it. Taking it a step additional, his administration didn’t belief the vaccines produced within the West and solely supplied varieties supplied by Russia and China. Lukashenka known as the pandemic response a “mass psychosis,” refused to lockdown his folks, and instructed holistic strategies against the vaccine.
The West has imposed quite a few sanctions on Belarus for aiding Russia, however the financial affect has been cushioned by Moscow’s willingness to repay its ally with vitality subsidies that exceeded $15 billion in 2022. It’s in Belarus’ greatest curiosity to stay loyal as two-thirds of all imports and exports are with Russia.
I can focus on the Belarus-Russia alliance in additional element if there’s curiosity. To deal with the unique request, President Lukashenko did, actually, obtain a bribe from the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) and World Financial institution in 2020 to steer him to impose COVID restrictions. As talked about in my authentic submit, the president revealed this bribe via the Belarusian Telegraph Company, BelTA. In alternate for a $940 million bribe, the World Financial institution and IMF demanded that the president of Belarus:
- impose “excessive lockdown on his folks”
- power them to put on face masks
- impose very strict curfews
- impose a police state
- crash the financial system
These are the president’s personal claims. The world well being businesses misplaced legitimacy when Belarusians had a LOWER dying price from COVID-19 than the remainder of Europe. Belarus started testing efforts when the know-how was obtainable. Those that purchased into the psyop refuse to acknowledge that lockdown measures did nothing to cease the unfold. Folks merely don’t wish to imagine that the COVID restrictions had been fully pointless and solely contributed to larger dying charges and crippled economies.
