Quid pro quo: Bolivia for Ukraine?

I can’t be the only one mystified by Moscow’s apparent acquiescence to the US-sponsored coup in Bolivia. Lavrov’s number two, Sergei Ryabkov, announced on Thursday that Russia would recognize Jeanine Anez as the legitimate leader of Bolivia until the next election.

Anez doesn’t have any more claim to legitimacy than Juan Guaido, which is to say none. So what’s going on here?

Is this a tacit acknowledgement that Bolivia is in America’s legitimate sphere of influence? If so, will there be a tacit acknowledgement coming soon from the US side that Ukraine is in Russia’s legitimate sphere of influence?

If nothing else, the impeachment circus in DC might get a few more folks asking questions about how “strategic” our strategic ally Ukraine really is. Five years after being gifted “democracy” by the Americans, Ukraine remains a corruption-riddled failed state.

Swapping Ukraine for Bolivia might have some appeal in certain circles.