In recent weeks, the Ortega regime has killed an estimated 350 innocent citizens. Anyone besides Senator Rubio paying attention?

Thousands of people marched yesterday in Nicaragua to demand that President Daniel Ortega step down. The demonstrations over proposed benefit cuts, which began three months ago, are expected to continue today.

Human rights groups say about 300 people have been killed during the protests, many by police.

A recent debate about Montenegro’s NATO membership has put the spotlight on this Western Balkan country. But it is not the first time that it has been at the centre of political debate and international attention. A recent study by the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) focuses on the interest of the Kremlin in Montenegro, and on how several well-known influence tactics, among them disinformation, have been applied by Russia during the last couple of years in an attempt to gain influence in the country.

The report concludes that, despite the fact that Russian efforts to hinder Montenegro’s NATO accession ultimately failed, the attentions continue with a new strategy, specifically; “stoking political and ethnic divisions to destabilize Montenegro and preclude further Western integration.”

Related reading and historical perspective.

To this end, disinformation about NATO has been spread by Russian officials, narratives familiar to those regularly following Russian disinformation, namely describing Montenegro joining NATO as a provocation (a word often used in Russian disinformation narratives) against Russia as well as responding with threatening remarks, also something we have seen before.

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The constitutional reforms, which have not been approved but were broadly outlined in the official Granma newspaper, were prepared by a commission headed by former ruler Raúl Castro. They include creating the post of prime minister, who would be in charge of the Council of Ministers and the administration of the government, in collaboration with a president and vice president.

“The changes indicate they are splitting up the political control in order to improve the socialist system,” said Andy Gómez, an academic who recently retired from the University of Miami.

One of the key questions raised by the proposed reforms, as outlined in Granma, is how much power Miguel Díaz-Canel, recently selected as president of the Council of State and the Council of the Ministers, would retain in the new government configuration. More here.

A draft of Cuba’s new constitution backs away from a stated goal of furthering communism and opens the door for legal recognition of private businesses and gay marriage, according to a new report.

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Hat tip to Senator Rand Paul:

Former Obama National Security Council advisor and Director of the CIA, John Brennan, is constantly on CNN. When there is a commercial break, Brennan is tweeting:

Why does Brennan still have a security clearance?

For those who haven’t had the time to review the 412-page FISA application that was used to spy on the Trump campaign, I’ve culled a few key highlights.

1. The Application Lied About Carter Page
Carter Page is described as “an agent of a foreign power”, which was and is clearly not the case. Carter Page is walking around free as a bird, giving interviews to anyone who asks, and stating that the FBI lied about him repeatedly.

2. The Application Contradicts Itself From the Outset
After describing Page as an agent of a foreign power, the application goes on to say that Page is currently the subject of “targeted recruitment” by Russia. How can it be that Page is simultaneously: (a) a clandestine agent of Russia; and (b) being recruited by Russia to serve as an agent? Obviously, these assertions are sloppy, nonsensical and — ultimately — flat-out lies.

3. Christopher Steele Lied About Page
The DNC-funded former MI6 agent Christopher Steele told the FBI that Page had met with two Russian officials during his visit to Russia. Steele went on to say that Page had been offered compromising material on the Clinton 2016 campaign. Page denies all of this — the meetings and being offered kompromat — and the fact that Page has never been charged with anything would indicate that Steele fabricated the story and then lied to the FBI about it.