Niger Says Au Revoir France! Is the US Next to Go?

On The Freedom Side LIVE, Thursday 9/28 at 3pm ET/12pm PT, tune in to discuss

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will withdraw its troops from Niger after refusing to do so in a nearly two-month-long stand-off with the people of Niger who demanded the French troops leave the country soon after a popularly welcomed coup in July. With the largest US drone base in the world located in Niger, is the US next to leave? Eugene Puryear and Rania Khalek discuss.

During Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s visit to the Canadian Parliament, Yaroslav Hunka, an elderly Ukrainian immigrant living in Canada was given a standing ovation for fighting “for Ukrainian independence against the Russians in the Second World War.” It was later revealed that Hunka is a veteran of the 14th division of Hitler’s Waffen-SS. Moss Robeson, an independent researcher of the far-right in Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora, discusses the past and present of the intersection between Canadian politics and Ukrainian fascist politics.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Guatemala, answering a call issued by President-elect Bernardo Arevalo to defend the landslide election results. Marco Castillo, Co-Director of Global Exchange, explains why Guatemala’s political establishment is trying to prevent the center-left Arevalo from taking office.

Toforest Johnson has been on death row for 25 years, despite jurors, former judges, government officials, and even the prosecutor who secured his conviction saying he’s innocent. Despite the overwhelming lack of evidence and widespread calls for a new trial, the state of Alabama still plans to move forward with his execution. Robin Maher, Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, discusses the fight for justice for Toforest.

For over 60 years, the US has maintained a hostile policy towards Cuba, aiming to isolate its people through a cruel blockade. During the pandemic, the Trump administration intensified this by adding 243 new sanctions and designating Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Manolo De Los Santos, Co-Executive Director of The People’s Forum and a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, discusses the #LetCubaLive campaign, which is calling on President Biden to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and end the blockade.

Lalo Vargas joins the show to discuss his campaign as the first openly socialist candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 14. Lalo, a high school science teacher, United Teachers of LA member, tenant organizer, and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation is contesting the seat of disgraced Councilmember Kevin de Leon.