Anne Applebaum

All of them are regimes who seek to rule without checks and balances, without legitimate democratic opposition, without any real opposition, without independent courts, without the rule of law. So they're countries that are run, it's called rule by law, meaning the law is what the regime says it is at any given moment. It doesn't have any separate status.

All of them are regimes who seek to rule without checks and balances, without legitimate democratic opposition, without any real opposition, without independent courts, without the rule of law. So they're countries that are run, it's called rule by law, meaning the law is what the regime says it is at any given moment. It doesn't have any separate status.

They try to rule without independent media or conversation. And That links them. They're also linked by a kind of set of opportunistic interests. They have financial interests in common. Quasi-state, quasi-private companies in one country invest in the quasi-state, quasi-private companies of another. That brings them together.

They try to rule without independent media or conversation. And That links them. They're also linked by a kind of set of opportunistic interests. They have financial interests in common. Quasi-state, quasi-private companies in one country invest in the quasi-state, quasi-private companies of another. That brings them together.

They try to rule without independent media or conversation. And That links them. They're also linked by a kind of set of opportunistic interests. They have financial interests in common. Quasi-state, quasi-private companies in one country invest in the quasi-state, quasi-private companies of another. That brings them together.

They sell one another surveillance technology, other kinds of technology. The Chinese sell actually surveillance technology to a lot of these countries. They also... see one another as allies in a kind of ill-defined global struggle that most of us aren't even aware of. In other words, they will come to one another's rescue. So you mentioned Venezuela.

They sell one another surveillance technology, other kinds of technology. The Chinese sell actually surveillance technology to a lot of these countries. They also... see one another as allies in a kind of ill-defined global struggle that most of us aren't even aware of. In other words, they will come to one another's rescue. So you mentioned Venezuela.

They sell one another surveillance technology, other kinds of technology. The Chinese sell actually surveillance technology to a lot of these countries. They also... see one another as allies in a kind of ill-defined global struggle that most of us aren't even aware of. In other words, they will come to one another's rescue. So you mentioned Venezuela.

So Venezuela is a country that is a failed state. It was the wealthiest country in South America. It's now the poorest. It produces more, depending on how you calculate, more refugees than Ukraine, even though it's not at war. Its economy has collapsed. It has no legitimacy. The regime just lost an election and the opposition proved that they lost an election.

So Venezuela is a country that is a failed state. It was the wealthiest country in South America. It's now the poorest. It produces more, depending on how you calculate, more refugees than Ukraine, even though it's not at war. Its economy has collapsed. It has no legitimacy. The regime just lost an election and the opposition proved that they lost an election.

So Venezuela is a country that is a failed state. It was the wealthiest country in South America. It's now the poorest. It produces more, depending on how you calculate, more refugees than Ukraine, even though it's not at war. Its economy has collapsed. It has no legitimacy. The regime just lost an election and the opposition proved that they lost an election.

They had the papers and the documents and the data to prove it. Nevertheless, Maduro, who's now the dictator, stays in power. How does he do that? One of the most important ways is that he has military support from Russia. He has investment from China. He has help with his security services from Cuba. He has, and as he said, he has this weird relationship with Iran.

They had the papers and the documents and the data to prove it. Nevertheless, Maduro, who's now the dictator, stays in power. How does he do that? One of the most important ways is that he has military support from Russia. He has investment from China. He has help with his security services from Cuba. He has, and as he said, he has this weird relationship with Iran.

They had the papers and the documents and the data to prove it. Nevertheless, Maduro, who's now the dictator, stays in power. How does he do that? One of the most important ways is that he has military support from Russia. He has investment from China. He has help with his security services from Cuba. He has, and as he said, he has this weird relationship with Iran.

Why do left-wing socialist Venezuela and Islamic Republic of Iran work together? Well, they're both oil states. They're both under sanctions. They help one another evade sanctions. The Venezuelans have lent visas, we think, to Iran. Hezbollah activists so that they can travel freely. They see themselves as united essentially against us.

Why do left-wing socialist Venezuela and Islamic Republic of Iran work together? Well, they're both oil states. They're both under sanctions. They help one another evade sanctions. The Venezuelans have lent visas, we think, to Iran. Hezbollah activists so that they can travel freely. They see themselves as united essentially against us.

Why do left-wing socialist Venezuela and Islamic Republic of Iran work together? Well, they're both oil states. They're both under sanctions. They help one another evade sanctions. The Venezuelans have lent visas, we think, to Iran. Hezbollah activists so that they can travel freely. They see themselves as united essentially against us.

And by us, I mean very broadly the democratic world, the world where, at least in theory, we believe in the rule of law and accountability and transparency. And they help one another stay in power working against us. And they see the ideas that we represent as their biggest threat. So

And by us, I mean very broadly the democratic world, the world where, at least in theory, we believe in the rule of law and accountability and transparency. And they help one another stay in power working against us. And they see the ideas that we represent as their biggest threat. So

And by us, I mean very broadly the democratic world, the world where, at least in theory, we believe in the rule of law and accountability and transparency. And they help one another stay in power working against us. And they see the ideas that we represent as their biggest threat. So