VOA常速英语2020--马杜罗企图破坏民主选举

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. government. The Venezuelan people continue to suffer under an illegitimate regime intent on destroying democratic institutions. Most recently, the regime of Nicolas Maduro has moved to tighten¹ its grip on power by thwarting² the possibility of free and fair elections in Venezuela. The Maduro regime-controlled Supreme³ Court recently named a new, regime-aligned National Electoral Council, taking over the constitutional right of the National Assembly to fill these seats. The illegitimate National Elections Council then announced that elections for a new National Assembly will be held December 6. The Venezuelan legislative⁴ body is the only branch of the government not controlled by Maduro and is currently led by opposition⁵ leader and interim⁶ President of Venezuela Juan Guaido. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement, condemned⁷ “Maduro’s puppet National Elections Committee” for laying the groundwork “for the Maduro regime to illegitimately remain in power without the consent of the Venezuelan people.”

接下来是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。在一个意图摧毁民主体制的非法政权的统治下，委内瑞拉人民继续饱受煎熬。最近，尼古拉斯·马杜罗政权通过阻挠委内瑞拉举行自由公正选举的可能性，加紧了对权力的掌控。最近，受马杜罗政权控制的最高法院任命了一个与政权一致的新的全国选举委员会，接管了国民议会填补席位的宪法权利。这个非法的全国选举委员会随后宣布，新一届国民议会的选举将于12月6日举行。委内瑞拉立法机构是唯一不受马杜罗控制的政府分支机构，目前由反对党领袖、委内瑞拉临时总统胡安·瓜伊多领导。美国国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥在一份声明中谴责“国家选举委员会是马杜罗的傀儡”，该机构为“马杜罗政权未经委内瑞拉人民同意非法继续执政”奠定了基础。

Not satisfied there, the illegitimate Supreme Court, the TSJ, has also stolen the name and branding of three major political opposition parties and replaced their leadership with Maduro’s lackeys⁸. Creating puppet opposition parties is yet another part of Maduro's plan to convince the world that Venezuelans have a choice in any future elections he supervises. said Secretary Pompeo, “to deny the Venezuelan people their unalienable right to choose their government officials through free and fair democratic elections.”The recent decisions by Maduro’s rigged Central Elections Committee and illegitimate Supreme Court only have one goal, “The people of Venezuela and the international community will not recognize the outcome of fraudulent processes,” declared Secretary Pompeo. All those who collaborate⁹ in denying the people of Venezuela their democratic and human rights may be held immediately accountable by the international community. The United States has proposed a democratic roadmap, known as the ‘Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela’ that includes a transition to a broadly-accepted emergency government that can immediately address the humanitarian¹⁰ crisis and organize free and fair presidential and legislative elections, as well as a pathway to lifting Venezuela-related sanctions. The United States, said Secretary Pompeo, “will continue to stand with the people of Venezuela who want their freedom.” That was an editorial reflecting the views of the U.S. government.

令人不满的是，非法的最高法院（TSJ）也盗用了三个主要政治反对党的名字和品牌，并让马杜罗的走狗取代了他们的领导地位。创建傀儡反对党是马杜罗计划的另一部分，他要让全世界相信，在受他监督的未来的任意选举中，委内瑞拉人都有选择权。受马杜罗操纵的中央选举委员会和非法的最高法院最近下达的决定都只为达成一个目的，国务卿蓬佩奥表示，“是为了剥夺委内瑞拉人民不可剥夺的权利，即通过自由和公正的民主选举选择政府官员。”“委内瑞拉人民和国际社会不会承认这一欺诈行为产生的结果，”国务卿蓬佩奥宣布。国际社会可立即追究所有合作剥夺委内瑞拉人民民主和人权的人的责任。美国提出了一个名为“委内瑞拉的民主过渡框架”的民主路线图，其中包括向一个被广泛接受的紧急政府过渡，该政府能够立即解决人道主义危机，并组织自由公正的总统和立法选举，这也是一个解除委内瑞拉相关制裁的途径。国务卿蓬佩奥说，美国“将继续与委内瑞拉人民站在一起，我们希望他们获得自由。”这是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。

1 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

2 thwarting   

阻挠( thwart的现在分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The republicans are trying to embarrass the president by thwarting his economic program. 共和党人企图通过阻挠总统的经济计划使其难堪。
• There were too many men resisting his authority thwarting him. 下边对他这个长官心怀不服的，故意作对的，可多着哩。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 lackeys   

n.听差( lackey的名词复数 )；男仆（通常穿制服）；卑躬屈膝的人；被待为奴仆的人

参考例句：

• When the boss falls from power, his lackeys disperse. 树倒猢狲散。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The singer was surrounded by the usual crowd of lackeys and hangers on. 那个歌手让那帮总是溜须拍马、前呼後拥的人给围住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

10 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。