Venezuela

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Mon May 06, 2019 5:05 pm

Cuban “troops” saving lives in Venezuela
Cubans are truly committed to the principle of sovereignty, we are protective of our independence, and we would never do to others what we would not allow to be done to ourselves

Author: Raúl Antonio Capote | informacion@granmai.cu

may 6, 2019 10:05:56

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More than 20,000 Cuban collaborators, 61% of whom are women, remain in Venezuela fighting to save lives and ensuring the well-being of the population of this sister nation. Photo: Omara García

U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened Cuba with a “full and complete” blockade, coupled with the “highest-level sanctions,” while John Bolton accused the island of “controlling” the government of Nicolás Maduro.

That lie is repeated without an ounce of shame by the highest officials of the Yankee government, and Donald Trump has ordered Cuba to withdraw “20,000 Cuban soldiers from Venezuela,” even promising a new opening in relations if the island takes its “hands off” Caracas.

Cubans are truly committed to the principle of sovereignty, we are protective of our independence, and we would never do to others what we would not allow to be done to ourselves. Our banner “has never been mercenary.” Venezuela, the land of the clarion call, of Bolívar’s brave soldiers, the same that made an empire tremble, needs no one other than Venezuelans themselves to safeguard its honor, courage and dignity.

The only Cuban “troops” to be found across Venezuela, working alongside its brave people, are those fulfilling what they consider a duty. Thousands of Cuban specialists in health, sports, culture, education, communications, agriculture, food, industry, science, energy and transport, share this task in the Bolivarian Republic.

The Bolivarian Revolution placed human beings at the center of all its efforts; for the first time, millions of “nobodies” were provided with access to the social welfare programs of a government that has allocated 73% of GDP investment for the benefit of the majority.

Various social missions were born from that will to benefit all, created and promoted by Chávez. Fidel outlined the fundamental principles of cooperation between our countries, and the rest was provided by the heart and soul of the people in revolution. Thus Cubans arrived to join ranks with Venezuelans.

Our health collaborators are distributed across the 24 states and 335 municipalities of the country. They live in all its parishes, offer their services in more than 1,500 health centers, and share their daily lives with those most in need, be it in the poor hillside neighborhoods, or in those where the upper classes live. No patient is questioned as to their political affiliation or religious beliefs, nor is any money requested for these services; everyone is treated equally.

A total of 140,000 Cuban health workers have provided their services in Venezuela, undertaking 3,300,000 operations, and saving 1,470,000 lives. Currently, there are more than 20,000 working in the country, providing 10,388 health services. To offer just one example of these services, in just ten years, 209,607 diabetic patients have been treated with Heberprot-P, reducing the need to amputate limbs to just 3% of cases. These are “alarming” figures for those who spread hate and destruction.

These are our weapons, our “troops” in Venezuela; those who guarantee life and peace. And we are firmly on the side of those who undertake such caring efforts.

http://en.granma.cu/mundo/2019-05-06/cu ... -venezuela
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Wed May 08, 2019 10:56 pm

US Venezuela Sanctions Violate Human Rights, International Law: UN Expert
UN expert Idriss Jazairy stated that unilateral measures are against the U.N.’s Declaration on the Principles of International Law concerning friendly relations and cooperation among States.

By TeleSUR English
May 8th 2019 at 10.24am

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of sanctions, Idriss Jazairy, expressed deep concern on Monday about the recent measures against Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran by the United States, arguing the use of economic sanctions for political purposes violates human rights and international law.

“The resort by a major power of its dominant position in the international financial arena against its own allies to cause economic hardship to the economy of sovereign states is contrary to international law, and inevitably undermines the human rights of their citizens,” the Special Rapporteur said.

The international expert stated unilateral measures are against the UN’s Declaration on the Principles of International Law concerning friendly relations and cooperation among States. The resolution, in accordance with the international body’s Charter, was adopted by the General Assembly on October 1970, and it affirms “the duty of States to refrain in their international relations from military, political, economic or any other form of coercion aimed against the political independence or territorial integrity of any State.”

On this matter, Jazairy focused on the 150 sanction designations issued by the US Treasury Department against Venezuelan individuals and companies since 2017 via Executive Orders and the Kingpin Act. US officials have said that sanctions are meant to pressure the Maduro government. Sanctions were significantly ramped up since the self-proclamation of Juan Guaido as "interim president" on January 23, with US support, and have targeted sectors such as banking and oil.

A recent report titled 'Economic Sanctions as Collective Punishment: The Case of Venezuela', written by Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs and Mark Weisbrot from the Center for Economic Policy Research, revealed that 40,000 people may have died in the Latin American nation in the last two years as a consequence of US sanctions.

Caracas has also denounced the freezing of billions worth of Venezuelan assets held abroad, which have made operations such as food and medicine imports more difficult. “It is hard to figure out how measures which have the effect of destroying Venezuela’s economy can be aimed at ‘helping the Venezuelan people’, as claimed by the US Treasury,” Jazairy added.

Jazairy also denounced the implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, though which US citizens can sue foreign citizens and companies in US courts if they have any dealings in properties that were nationalized after the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

“The international community must come together to challenge what amounts to blockades ignoring a country’s sovereignty, the human rights of its people, and the rights of third countries trading with sanctioned States, all while constituting a threat to world peace and security”, the UN expert concluded.

Edited by Venezuelanalysis.com.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14474
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Thu May 09, 2019 2:22 pm

THE TRACES OF BAYER AND MONSANTO IN THE US COUP AGAINST VENEZUELA

Whitney Webb

May 8, 2019 , 11:00 a.m. .

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Venezuelan peasant in the mountains of Carayaca, Venezuela (Photo: Archivo)

Caracas, Venezuela - As the political crisis unfolds in Venezuela, much has been said about the clear interests of the Trump Administration in the privatization and exploitation of the Venezuelan oil reserves, the largest in the world, by giant firms such as Chevron and ExxonMobil

But the influence of another notorious US company, Monsanto - now a subsidiary of Bayer - has not been mentioned.

While numerous Latin American nations have become "save whoever can" for biotech companies and their affiliates, Venezuela has been one of the few countries to fight with Monsanto and other giants of international agrochemicals and win. However, since that victory - which was won under the Chavez mandate - the opposition supported by the United States has been working to reverse it.

Now, with the parallel government of Juan Guaidó trying to take power with the backing of the United States, it is revealing that the highest political contributors pushing for a regime change in Venezuela have close ties to Monsanto and large financial actions in Bayer. .

In recent months, Monsanto's most controversial and notorious product - the pesticide glyphosate, branded Roundup, and linked to cancer in recent rulings in US courts - has threatened Bayer's financial future like never before, like a litany of new legal cases barking at the gates of Bayer. It seems that many of the forces in the United States that now seek to overthrow the Venezuelan government hope that a new government led by Guaidó will provide Bayer with a new and much needed market for its agrochemicals and transgenic seeds, particularly those products that now face vetoes. in countries around the world, including defoliated and still poisoned Vietnam .

THE ANTICHAVISM SEEKS TO REVERSE THE LAW OF SEEDS AND THE VETO OF TRANSGENICS
In 2004, then-President Hugo Chávez surprised many when he announced the cancellation of Monsanto's plans to plant 500,000 acres of genetically modified soybean (SGM) seeds in Venezuelan lands. The termination of the contract led to an ad hoc ban on all SGMs in the country, a move praised by groups of local farmers and environmental activists. In contrast to the anti-transgenic movements that emerged in other countries, Venezuela's resistance to GM crops was based more on concerns about the country's food sovereignty and the protection of farmers' way of life.

Although the veto has failed to keep GM's products away from Venezuela - to the extent that it has imported most of its food, much of it originating in countries that are among the world's largest producers of GM foods - a pristine effect has It has been to prevent companies like Monsanto and other large agrochemical and seed companies from gaining significant ground in the Venezuelan market.

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Hugo Chávez and Lula da Silva greet in a visit to El Tigre, 2009 (Photo: Ariana Cubillos / AP)

In 2013, a new seed law was almost approved that could have allowed SGMs to be sold in Venezuela through a legal vacuum. The law, which was authorized by a member of the chavista United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), was protested by farmers, indigenous activists, environmentalists and eco-socialist groups, which led to its transformation into what was called the "Law of Seeds". from town". That law, passed in 2015, went far beyond the original 2004 ban by vetoing not only the SGM but also many toxic agrochemicals, while strengthening the varied native seeds with the creation of the National Seed Institute.

Immediately after the new seed law was passed in 2015, the pro-US opposition led by the Democratic Unity Table (MUD) - a group made up of numerous parties funded by the United States, including Voluntad Popular de Guaidó - took over of the National Assembly. Until the Supreme Court of Venezuela dissolved parliament in 2017, MUD legislation tried to repeal the seed law on several occasions. Those who were in favor of it called the law "anti-scientific" and damaging the economy.

Despite the decision of the Supreme Court of 2017, the National Assembly has continued its meetings, but the body has no real power under the current Venezuelan government. However, if he is overthrown and Guaidó - the "interim president" who is also president of the dissolved National Assembly - comes to power, it seems almost certain that the "People's Seed Law" will be one of the first pieces of legislation to go up to the scaffold.

THE AEI AXIS
Some of the key figures and noisier voices supporting the Trump Administration's efforts to overthrow the Venezuelan government are well connected with a particular think tank: the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). For example, John Bolton -now national security adviser Trump and an important player aggressive policy against Venezuela was a senior member ( senior fellow ) AEI to his current position. In it, Bolton advises the president on issues of foreign policy and national security while doing the same with the Secretaries of State and Defense. Since then, he has been pushing for military action in Venezuela, according to media reports.

Another key figure in Trump's policy against Venezuela -Elliott Abrams, the special representative of the State Department for Venezuela- has been regularly included in the AEI meetings and as a guest in panels and podcasts. According to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Abrams' current role gives him "the responsibility for all things related to our efforts to restore democracy" in Venezuela. Other top management figures, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, were invitedto the "secret" conclave of the AEI in last March. As MintPress and other media have reported, Guaidó proclaimed himself "interim president" of Venezuela at the request of Pence. Pompeo is also intimately involved in the direction of Trump's policy on Venezuela, being the president's chief adviser on foreign affairs.

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Mike Pompeo speaks at the headquarters of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, 2018 (Photo: Susan Walsh / AP)

Other connections of the Trump Administration include the Secretary of Education Betsy De Vos, who was previously on the board of the AEI.

AEI has long been part of the "neoconservative" establishment and employs recognized neoconservatives such as Fred Kagan - the architect of Iraq's "insurgent troops" - and Paul Wolfowitz, the architect of the Iraq war. His connections with the administration of George W. Bush are particularly notable and controversial, while 20 employees of the AEI were put in high positions during that term. Many of them, like Bolton, have enjoyed a new prominence in the Trump Administration.

Other key officials of Bush joined the AEI soon after they left their positions in the administration. One was Roger Noriega, who was a US representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) during the failed coup supported by the United States in 2002 against Hugo Chávez and who had been the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. 2003 to 2005, where he was extremely influential in the policies of the administration regarding Venezuela and Cuba.

Since leaving the Bush Administration and joining the AEI promptly, Noriega has been instrumental in promoting unfounded allegations but with the objective of painting the government of President Nicolás Maduro as a threat to national security, for example by stating that Venezuela helps Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and hosts Lebanese Hezbollah soldiers. He also lobbied Congress to support opposition leader Leopoldo López, Guaidó's political mentor and leader of his political party, Voluntad Popular.

Not only that, Noriega also met with Martin Rodil , a Venezuelan exile who worked for the IMF, and José Cardenas, who served in the Bush Administration, to found Vision Americas , a private risk and lobbying firm that was hired to "to support the efforts of the Honduran private sector and thus help consolidate the democratic transition in their country" after the 2009 coup in Honduras. In recent months, Noriega and his associates have been well focused on Venezuela, with Cardenas offering Trump public advice on how to "precipitate Maduro's departure," while Rodil has offered him publicly. "Get a deal" if you have assets from the Venezuelan government.

While the AEI is best known for its hard line, it is also a promoter of great interests in agriculture. Since 2000, he has hosted several conferences auguring the "biotechnology" and the SGM, and has strongly promoted the work of the Monsanto lobbyist, Jon Entine, who was a visiting professor of the AEI for many years. The AEI also has long-standing connections with Dow Chemical.

The most likely reason why the AEI is interested in promoting biotechnology, however, can be found in its links with Monsanto. In 2013, The Nation acquired a document from the 2009 AEI , obtained by an erroneous procedure and that had no intention of publishing, which revealed the biggest contributors of the thought tank. The form, known as the "taxpayer program," revealed that the two largest donors simultaneously were the Donors Capital fund and the billionaire Paul Singer.

The Donors Capital fund, which continues to be a major contributor to the AEI, is linked to the interests of Monsanto through the vice president of its board, Kimberly O. Dennis, who is currently a member of the National Council of the AEI. According to the AEI, the National Council is composed of "community and business leaders from all over the country who are committed to the success of the AEI and serve as ambassadors of the AEI, providing us with advice, perspective and guidance".

Dennis is the long-time president of the Searle Freedom Trust, which was founded in 1988 by Daniel Searle after overseeing the sale of her family's pharmaceutical company - GD Searle and Company - to Monsanto in 1985 for $ 2.7 billion. The money that Searle made with the merger was used to fund the trust that now finances the AEI and other right-wing think tanks. Searle was also close to Donald Rumsfeld, who managed GD Searle and Co. for years and was Secretary of Defense with Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. Searle was also administrator of the Hudson Institute, which once employed Elliott Abrams .

Before the family company-which gained notoriety for falsifying its investigations into the safety of its sweeteners, aspartame or NutraSweet-was sold to Monsanto, GD Searle executives close to Daniel Searle increased its prominence within the firm. Robert Shapiro, who was for a long time the lawyer of GD Searle and head of the NutraSweet division, would become the vice president, president and then CEO of Monsanto. Notably, Daniel Searle's grandson, D. Gideon Searle, was a director of the AEI until recently.

THE RUBIO-SINGER-BAYER RELATIONSHIP
However, it is the largest individual taxpayer of the AEI according to the harsh "taxpayer program" which says more about the private biotechnological interests that guide the Trump Administration's policy against Venezuela. Paul Singer, the controversial billionaire and financial fund manager, has long been the largest donor of neoconservative and Zionist causes, helping to finance the Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI), successor to the Project for a New American Century (PNAC); and the neoconservative and Islamophobic Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), in addition to the AEI.

Singer is one of the most notable and important political contributors to Senator Marco Rubio (Republican, from Florida) and has been intimately involved in the recent chaos in Venezuela. He has been called as one of the architects of the current administration's regime change policy, and was the largest donor of Rubio's presidential campaign, while he is a key figure behind the controversial "dossier" about Donald Trump compiled by Fusion GPS . In fact, Singer has been the first person to hire to Fusion GPS to make an "opposition research" about Trump, however, Singer has since evaded much scrutiny for his role in the creation of the dossier probably because he became a key contributor to Trump after his presidential election in 2016, giving $ 1 million to the opening fund of his administration.

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Paul Singer has raised millions of dollars for Marco Rubio's campaigns (Photo: Moritz Hager / World Economic Forum)

Singer has a varied history in South America, although it has been relatively silent around Venezuela. However, a long-time executive of Singer's financial fund, Jay Newman, recently told Bloomberg that a Guaidó government would recognize that international creditors "are not the enemy," and implied that Newman himself was pondering whether to join the growing "list of veteran bonds that have already begun to be quoted, anticipating the restructuring of a debt of 60 billion dollars once the one supported by Washington, Guaidó, overthrows President Nicolás Maduro and takes control." In addition, the Washington Free Beacon, which is largely funded by Singer, has been a verbal advocate of regime change in Venezuela by the Trump Administration.

Beyond that, Singer's Elliott Management Corporation gave Roger Noriega $ 60,000 in 2007 to lobby on sovereign debt issues and for "federal promotion on behalf of US investors in Latin America." During the time that Noriega was under Singer's payroll, he wrote articles linking Argentina and Venezuela in Iran's non-existent nuclear program. At that time, Singer was aggressively pursuing the Argentine government in an effort to obtain more money from that country before the default of the sovereign debt.

While Singer has been silent about Venezuela, he has been making business decisions that have raised eyebrows, as he has been increasing his participation in Bayer . This move seems strange because of Bayer's financial problems, a direct result of the turnaround in legal cases regarding its link with glyphosate and Monsanto's cancer. The first decision that caused a problem for Monsanto and its new related company Bayer took place last August, but Singer increased its investment in the company since December , and it was already clear at that time that Bayer's financial problems related to the cases of glyphosate were just beginning.

Since the beginning of 2019, Bayer's problems with the Monsanto merger have only gotten worse, with the CEO of Bayer recently declaring that the lawsuits have "severely affected" stock prices and the company's financial performance.

FORCING THE OPENING OF A NEW MARKET FOR ROUNDUP
Part of Singer's interests in Bayer may be related to Venezuela, given that Juan Guaidó's "Country Plan" to "rescue" the Venezuelan economy includes a focus on the country's agricultural sector. Notably, prior to and under Chavismo, agricultural productivity and investment in that sector have taken a back seat to oil production; as a result, 25% of Venezuelan land is being used for agrarian purposes despite the fact that the nation has a rich arable land. As a consequence, Venezuela needs to import many of its food from abroad, many of them originated in Colombia or the United States.

Under Chávez and his successor Maduro, there has been a new approach to small-scale farming, food sovereignty and organic agriculture. However, if Maduro is overthrown and Guaidó is mobilized to implement his "Plan País," the accommodation of the opposition with foreign corporations, the interests of the American architects of the coup at Bayer / Monsanto, and the past efforts of the opposition to reverse The veto of the SGM suggests that a new market for Bayer / Monsanto products - particularly glyphosate - will open.

South America has long been a key market for Monsanto and -while the company's problems began to accumulate before the merger with Bayer- became vital for the company due to the few environmental and consumer regulations in relation to many Western countries. . In recent years, when South American governments had opened their countries to more "market friendly" policies in their agricultural sectors, Monsanto made millions.

For example, when Brazil sought to expand investment in biotechnology in 2012, Monsanto saw its sales increase by only SGM of corn by 21% , generating additional profits of 1 billion dollars for the company. A similar scenario is needed more than ever for Bayer / Monsanto, while legal problems reduced the company's profits last year.

With countries in the world weighing proscriptions for glyphosate as a result of rising litigation over chemical linkages to cancer, Bayer needs a new market to avoid financial ruin. As Singer now has a significant stake in the company, he - along with the politicians and think tanks he funds - could see promising the end of the EMS veto that a Guaidó government would provide.

Also, given that Guaidó's top adviser wants the Trump Administration to have a direct role in Venezuela's governance if Maduro is overthrown, it seems likely that Singer would leverage its connections to keep Bayer / Monsanto afloat despite the growing controversy that surrounds glyphosate. Such behavior on the part of Singer should not be surprising in light of the international financial means that have characterized him as a "ruthless opportunist" and "too aggressive".

Such an outcome would be to maintain the growth of the profit margins of Monsanto and related companies that have continued their expansion in countries where there were coups backed by the United States. For example, after the coup in Ukraine in 2014, loans given to Ukraine by the IMF and the World Bank forced the country to open and expand the use of "biotechnology" and GM crops in its sectoragrario, and Monsanto, in particular, It made millions while the veto of the SGM and its associated agrochemicals was reversed by the government backed by the United States. If Maduro is overthrown, a similar scenario will probably occur in Venezuela, as the opposition announced its intentions to erase its institutions to a large extent. just a few days after Guaidó proclaimed himself "interim president".

Whitney Webb is an American journalist of MintPress News, based in Chile. He has contributed to several independent media such as Global Research, EcoWatch, Ron Paul Institute and 21st Century Wire, among others. In 2019 she won the Serena Shim award for "her uncompromising integrity as a journalist."

This article was published in English on MintPress on May 6, 2019, the translation for Mission Verdad was made by Ernesto Cazal.

http://misionverdad.com/traducciones/ba ... -venezuela
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Sat May 11, 2019 2:05 pm

An admiral’s blatantly ‘colonialist’ tweet exposes US policy on Venezuela for what it is
US special forces on excercise - US troops near Venezuela 770 x 403

A top US economist has hit the nail on the head regarding Washington’s blatantly ‘colonialist’ attitude towards Venezuela.

On 9 May, the current head of US Southern Command (which oversees US military interests in Central and South America) explained how he looks forward to working with Venezuelan army defectors “when invited” by “the legitimate” government (i.e. not the current, elected one). Admiral Craig Faller said:

When invited by @jguaido & the legitimate gov't of #Venezuela, I look forward to discussing how we can support the future role of those @ArmadaFANB leaders who make the right decision, put the Venezuela people first & restore constitutional order. We stand ready! #EstamosUnidosVE pic.twitter.com/F6ib7mfO47

Economist Mark Weisbrot, of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, responded by highlighting the truly perverse nature of that tweet:


To the vast majority of the world, the sight of a US Admiral who heads the US Southern Command deciding who should be president of another country — in this case #Venezuela — and openly encouraging a military coup, looks like 19th century colonialism. https://t.co/2FpbhzRhqV

— Mark Weisbrot (@MarkWeisbrot) May 10, 2019

“19th century colonialism”
Faller is not the only military official to make such comments, though. In March, for example, a former US brigadier general called for the invasion of Venezuela and the assassination of its democratically elected president, Nicolás Maduro. He said:

we’ve got the armed teeth of the 18th Airborne Corps that is bearing down on [Venezuelan capital] Caracas. And the very well known places that Maduro hides out, we can target those pretty surgically… [Maduro] needs to understand that a bullet to the forehead may be his way out of Venezuela.

Shannon K. O’Neil, an expert with the highly influential Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, herself confirmed that what the US wants is “regime change”. During a conference call with business leaders and analysts, O’Neil also admitted that US sanctions are designed to “make the economy scream”, explaining that:

as we see sanctions tighten, as there’s less money, I do think you’ll see more deprivation, even given the low base we’re at, more among the population. And I think you’ll see more people leave Venezuela. So you’re going to see more refugees pouring into countries throughout the hemisphere and elsewhere around the world.

Western-backed Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaidó, meanwhile, told an Italian newspaper on 10 May that:

If the Americans were to propose a military intervention I would probably accept it.

US sanctions kill 40,000 Venezuelans and counting
In April, Weisbrot co-authored a report which argued that US sanctions had killed 40,000 Venezuelans from 2017 to 2018 alone. The report said that:

American sanctions are deliberately aiming to wreck Venezuela’s economy and thereby lead to regime change. It’s a fruitless, heartless, illegal, and failed policy, causing grave harm to the Venezuelan people.

On 9 May, Weisbrot told BNN Canada that “the world needs more journalists willing to report on how US economic sanctions are killing people in Venezuela”:


The world needs more journalists willing to report on how US economic sanctions are killing people in #Venezuela . Here are 2 minutes of truth on BNN Canada: pic.twitter.com/8SNt7ffnVi

— Mark Weisbrot (@MarkWeisbrot) May 9, 2019

Military threats and brutal sanctions: US colonialism in the 21st century
The next time a talking head says Venezuela is in crisis because of ‘socialism’ or that US policy towards Venezuela is about human rights, democracy or freedom, remember what the experts and coup-mongers have been saying all along. Because it’s crystal clear. This is 21st-century US colonialism in all its dirty glory.

https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2019/ ... hat-it-is/
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Mon May 13, 2019 1:46 pm

Venezuela: ANC Revokes Lawmakers’ Immunity over Alleged Role in Coup Attempt
The move paves the way for the criminal charges to be levied against the deputies.

By Paul Dobson
May 8th 2019 at 5.39pm

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Six of the seven opposition deputies accused of treason following the events of April 30. Simon Calzadilla (top left), Henry Ramos Allup (top center), Richard Blanco (top right), Marianela Magallanes Lopez (bottom left), Americo de Grazia (bottom center) and Luis Florido (bottom right). (EFE)
Merida, May 8, 2019 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly (ANC) has revoked the parliamentary immunity of seven opposition deputies, opening the way for criminal prosecution for their purported role in last week’s failed coup d’etat.

The deputies, who sit in the country’s National Assembly (AN) since 2015, are being accused of treason, conspiracy, civil rebellion, usurpation of responsibilities, criminal association, public instigation to disobey the laws, and “continued hatred” by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, following a ruling on Tuesday. The ruling was based on articles 128, 132, 143, 145, 163, 213 and 285 of Venezuela’s Criminal Code, as well as article 37 of the Law against Organised Crime and Terrorist Financing.

The decision to lift their immunity was taken by the ANC following a request from the Court. According to the Venezuelan Constitution, the ANC supersedes other institutions of state and has the legal power to strip parliamentary immunity. At the time of writing none of the lawmakers have been taken into custody.

On April 30, National Assembly President Juan Guaido together with fugitive opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez attempted to instigate a military uprising to remove President Nicolas Maduro. The putsch failed after it became apparent that the men did not command the requisite civilian and military support, a fact Guaido later recognized in an interview with the Washington Post. Five citizens died as a result of the day’s altercations, which left dozens injured, including three police officers and five military officials.

Among those deputies facing charges over their alleged role in the coup attempt are two high profile members of the conservative Democratic Action party, National Assembly Vice President Edgar Zambrano (Lara State) and former National Assembly President and party head Henry Ramos Allup (Capital District).

Parliamentary immunity from prosecution has also been revoked for Americo de Grazia (Bolivar State) and Marianela Magallanes Lopez (Aragua State) from the Causa R party, Popular Will legislator Luis Florido (Lara State), Alianza Bravo Pueblo President Richard Blanco (Capital District), and Venezuelan Progressive Movement Secretary General Simon Calzadilla (Aragua State).

Many of the lawmakers, including Zambrano, took part in a Tuesday session of the National Assembly, which rejected the move, claiming that the Supreme Court and ANC are “usurping” their responsibilities. The opposition-led legislature has been in contempt of court since 2016 when it disobeyed a Supreme Court ruling ordering the dismissal of three deputies under investigation for electoral fraud.

Magallanes Lopez did not attend the AN session, having fled to the the residence of the Italian Ambassador in Caracas. She is applying for Italian citizenship.

Allup, on the other hand, made clear that he has no plans to flee the charges.

“I will [not] take refuge in an embassy, nor will I leave the country,” he told press.

Photographic and video evidence places Allup and Zambrano, de Grazia and Blanco at the Altamira Overpass on April 30 actively supporting Guaido and Lopez. Allup was caught on camera trying to convince soldiers to join the attempted uprising.

Guaido, who swore himself in as “interim president” on January 23, described the move by the ANC as “persecution.” The also president of the AN had his own parliamentary immunity revoked in April and is the subject of various criminal investigations. No warrant has yet been issued for his arrest.

Speaking from the ANC, the body's president, Diosdado Cabello, urged the attorney general to continue criminal procedures against all of those involved, responding to grassroots calls for justice.

“Justice will be served, sooner or later, we shouldn’t lose hope,” the Socialist Party number two stated.

Cabello also added his voice to calls for Leopoldo Lopez to face new charges for his role in the putch.

“The sentence against Leopoldo Lopez should be increased as he escaped and participated in the coup d’état. This sentence must be revised with the new crimes he committed,” Cabello explained.

Lopez is currently a “guest” at the Spanish Ambassador’s residence in Caracas after having violated his condition of home arrest to participate in last week’s attempted coup. The former mayor was serving out a 13 year sentence for his role in the 2014 street violence, which left 43 people dead. Following his April 30 activities, a new arrest warrant was issued against him on May 3.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14475

the worm turns....
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri May 17, 2019 10:46 am

Russia Warns US Against Venezuela Meddling as Alleged Bomb Threat Temporarily Closes National Assembly
Four more opposition deputies have also been accused of treason and conspiracy following the April 30 attempted putsch, bringing the total to fourteen.

Image
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meet in Sochi, Russia, to discuss the crisis in Venezuela. (Anton Novoderzhkin / TASS)

By Paul Dobson
May 15th 2019 at 7.03pm

Merida, May 15, 2019 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Russia told the United States that Venezuela’s people should be the only ones to decide the future of the country during a three-hour-long bilateral meeting held in Sochi, Russia on Tuesday.

The high level meeting, which bought together Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, dealt with a number of issues including Iran, nuclear disarmament, and Syria, but foreign involvement in Venezuela was one of the key disputes. Subsequent announcements from both sides indicated that no agreements had been made nor common ground reached.

The United States and fifty-three other nations maintain that Venezuela’s self-declared leader Juan Guaido is the lawful president, while Russia and roughly 75 percent of the world’s governments continue to have relations with Nicolas Maduro, who was elected in May 2018.

The US has hardened its stance against Caracas in recent months in its bid to oust Maduro, including ramping up economic sanctions and threatening military intervention, with tensions flaring over a naval border incursion last Thursday

In Sochi, Lavrov warned that US attacks against Venezuela do nothing to promote a democratic solution to the current crisis.

“Threats against Maduro's administration, which are heard from U.S. officials and Guaido, who constantly reminds us of his right to invite an armed intervention from abroad, have nothing in common with democracy," Lavrov told Pompeo, drawing parallels with previous regime change efforts which ended in war, such as in Iraq and Libya.

Lavrov’s remarks were backed up by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also met Pompeo on his trip. Putin’s aide described the discussion as “rather frank,” with the Russian leader informing Pompeo that “any steps that may provoke a civil war in [Venezuela] are unacceptable.”

Pompeo, for his part, called for “every country interfering in Venezuela to cease doing that.” Nonetheless, he went on to reiterate his government’s position that “Maduro must go.”

Four more lawmakers accused of treason
Likewise on Tuesday, more opposition Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) deputies had their parliamentary immunity from prosecution revoked by the National Constituent Assembly (ANC).

The lawmakers join a number of their colleagues in being accused of treason, conspiracy, and instigating civil rebellion, amongst other charges, by the Supreme Court, all related to their alleged involvement in the unsuccessful April 30 putsch.

On April 30, AN President Juan Guaido attempted to lead a military uprising to oust President Maduro. The attempted coup failed, however, when it became apparent that all but a handful of soldiers remained loyal to the sitting president.

Following Tuesday's decision, Deputies Carlos Paparino (First Justice, Merida State) and Miguel Pizarro (First Justice, Miranda State), as well as Substitute Deputies Franco Casella (Popular Will, Miranda State) and Winston Flores (Popular Will, Vargas State) may now be subject to criminal prosecution. This follows ten other right wing lawmakers who had their immunity revoked last week, with AN Vice President Edgar Zambrano taken into custody Wednesday. AN President Guaido also had his immunity lifted in April and investigations into the self-proclaimed “interim president” are ongoing.

Following the vote, ANC President Diosdado Cabello hinted that two more prominent opposition leaders – ex-governor of Bolivar State and Causa R leader, Andres Velazquez, and far-right Vente Venezuela party head Maria Corina Machado – may also be formally accused.

After learning of the decision, Deputy Paparoni told press, “None of us believe ourselves to be, nor are, martyrs, but we are also not willing to abandon this struggle for the future.”

Casella, on the other hand, decided to flee the accusations, taking refuge in the residence of the Mexican ambassador. A number of other accused opposition leaders also currently living in the residence of the Argentinian, Spanish, and Italian ambassadors in Caracas.

Alleged bomb alert at AN Palace
The Federal Legislative Palace in the Capitolio district of Caracas was cordoned off by police Tuesday following an alleged bomb threat which prevented the National Assembly from holding session.

ANC President Cabello later announced that “Fortunately, no explosive artefact was found.”

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Security forces block the entrance to the Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas following an alleged bomb threat Tuesday. (@Presidencia_VE / Twitter)

AN President Guaido, however, disputed the allegation, claiming that the government was “sabotaging” the building to prevent its functioning.

His position was supported by a small number of other opposition lawmakers who turned up to take part in the session. The opposition members considered holding the session in another location before Guaido declared it would be postponed, with the body going on to successfully hold session on Wednesday.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court declared the National Assembly in contempt of court in 2016, and its decisions “null and void,” following a series of procedural irregularities. The opposition-controlled body does not recognise this decision, however, and continues to call sessions.

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A handful of opposition deputies ponder what to do in the administrative tower of the organisation following an alleged bomb threat closed the Federal Palace Tuesday. (Irene Mejias)

US police threaten to violate Vienna Convention
Venezuela’s political crisis also generated tension in Washington DC, as US police looked to break into the Venezuelan embassy and evict the members of the Embassy Protection Collective on Monday.

The embassy is currently being occupied by a number of US solidarity activists after being left vacant as the two countries broke diplomatic relations in January when the Trump administration recognised Guaido as “Interim President”. This was the second failed attempt by Guaido’s US representative, Carlos Vecchio, to take control of the building.

Authorities have cut off water and electricity to the building, while police and Guaido’s supporters have blocked food from entering. Solidarity movements have denounced this as a breach of human rights and international law.

Washington DC Metropolitan police attempted to enter the embassy in the evening after reading ad hoc eviction notice and breaking a chain closing off the entrance to the building. However, an incursion into the building and eventual arrests were halted following discussions with the activists’ attorney and the lack of formal eviction or arrest warrants. Activists have since claimed that the eviction notice read out was a fake.

Fears remain, however, that the diplomatic building is soon to be breached and those inside arrested, sparking a solidarity rally in Caracas Wednesday. Meanwhile the Collective was visited by Reverend Jesse Jackson Wednesday, who brought supplies for those inside. A national demonstration to support the collective is also due to be held in the United States this Saturday.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14491
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Fri May 17, 2019 1:04 pm

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China delivers to Venezuela third humanitarian technical aid with 64 tons of medical supplies
Caracas, May 16, 2019 VTV
On Thursday, the third plane with humanitarian technical assistance from the People's Republic of China arrived in Venezuela with 64 tons of medical supplies to continue strengthening the National Public Health System .

The Minister of People's Power for Health, Carlos Alvarado , reported from Maiquetía that this new lot mostly consists of medical-surgical material necessary for public hospitals and the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (IVSS).

The endowment forms part of the bilateral agreement between both nations to face the consequences of the illegal and criminal blockade of the United States government and its international accomplices.
#NotiSalud🗞️ As part of the bilateral agreements on humanitarian technical cooperation between China and Venezuela, today # 16May arrived to the nation a plane from the Asian country with 64 tons of medical supplies to continue strengthening the National Public Health System pic.twitter.com / bzssNb6Jdu

- MPPS (@MPPSalud) May 16, 2019
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China delivers to Venezuela third humanitarian technical aid with 64 tons of medical supplies (Photo MinSalud)
(Photo MinSalud)

Alvarado said that the new cargo (gauze, surgical jumpsuits, medicines, various materials) is added to the others previously sent by China, Russia, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Unicef ​​and the International Red Cross, which total about 356 tons.

"This somewhat alleviates the situation generated by the blockade. It is not all that is needed, but it contributes a lot, "said Alvarado, regarding the retention of millions of dollars and euros in European banks that have prevented the direct purchase of inputs, as well as the seizure of material already purchased and dammed in Allied countries of the USA

He announced that Venezuela, through the Asian government, has already negotiated 104 million dollars in direct purchases of medical supplies to China, which should arrive in June. With the cargo, they will acquire an amount higher than that required by the country in terms of medicines, equipment and health materials.

According to the agreement with China, that nation will comply with the fourth installment in mid-June, Minister Alvarado finally informed.

/ JB

http://vtv.gob.ve/china-ayuda-tecnica-t ... s-insumos/

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Tue May 21, 2019 3:15 pm

In Norway, an opportunity for dialogue is once again
20.MAY.2019 / 04:13 PM

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Photo: RNV

After more than 400 calls for dialogue, in six years, made by the Government of Nicolás Maduro, an opportunity for dialogue again opens up, said Deputy Minister of International Communication, William Castillo, after Norway sponsored preliminary contacts with government representatives. Venezuelan and the opposition.

The process is in an "exploratory phase," said the official who was favorable to the call of the Norwegian government in its purpose to support the search for a solution to the situation of the country, as indicated by the Oslo chancellery in a statement.

"Beyond the attacks, the fake news, the accusations of (John) Bolton and the desperate declarations of the spokesmen of the empire, I believe that the country has won in the last hours a new opportunity that opens".

Castillo, during a telephone contact with RNV Informativa reiterated that Chavismo is engaged in dialogue. "We need dialogue so that sanctions are removed and the economic blockade that is affecting the country is lifted and we can go to a political process and normalize political life within the framework of economic stability."

http://www.psuv.org.ve/temas/noticias/n ... OQUkVJKiM8

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I know they gotta do it but I'd tell those gusanos to talk to the hand. They are traitors and class enemies.
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Wed May 22, 2019 6:22 pm

HUMANITARIAN AID? THE WHITE HOUSE PREPARES SANCTIONS AGAINST CLAP
May 22 , 2019 , 1:44 pm .

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The government of the United States is preparing sanctions against Venezuelan officials in charge of administering the Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP), the government subsidized food aid program commanded by President Nicolás Maduro, said anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Reuters .

"Washington would take these actions within the next three months as part of the efforts of the government of President Donald Trump to reduce cash flow to Maduro and his loyalists, said two sources on Tuesday who spoke on condition of anonymity," the cable dictates. .

The agency reports that "multiple US government agencies, including the National Security Council and the Treasury, State and Justice departments, are involved in the campaign, the sources said."

Although the United States proclaims that it only wishes to "humanely" help the Venezuelan people, the inclusion of the CLAPs in the financial, economic and commercial blockade systems would significantly increase the social crisis that Venezuela is experiencing as a result of the sanctions issued two years ago. years for the White House.

Some 6 million families in Venezuela live on the state food program in a vital way, due to the high prices that entrepreneurs and merchants place on their shelves and the hyperinflation induced in escalation.

In previous days, the national head of the CLAP, Freddy Bernal, denounced that the Trump Administration "sanctioned 10 of the 12 shipping companies that moved food to Venezuela, which causes delays in the arrival of the items to the country, that is, that arrived in a month, now it takes three months ".

http://misionverdad.com/TENDENCIAS/ayud ... a-los-clap

The US gov, under any regime, is monstrous.
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Re: Venezuela

Post by blindpig » Thu May 23, 2019 2:15 pm

Víctor Patrizzi: Only with production will economic independence be achieved
22.MAY.2019 / 12:05 PM / MAKE A COMMENT

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Photo: VTV

The president of the Legislative Council of the state of Yaracuy, Víctor Patrizzi, affirmed that only with the production will an economic independence of the Venezuelan people be achieved.

During the program Al Aire that is broadcast by Venezolana de Televisión, he indicated that coffee and rice are currently being produced in the federal entity, in order to boost the harvest of these crops.

Patrizzi said that Yaracuy coffee is one of the achievements of the Bolivarian Government and is immersed in the Comprehensive Coffee Plan Yaracuy (Picay) where the producer is served in a technical and ecological practice, while the rice is produced through the land within the communities.

He stressed that the gourmet coffee produced is to boost exports and obtain foreign currency in order to help the social projects of the state governor, Julio León.

Street parliamentarism

The President of the Legislative Council of the state Yaracuy stressed that the people and their proposals are being heard directly on the street in order to generate a space on the part of the commune to make the revolution.

"We have a lot of experience in the productive field and soon we will have Yaracuy cement in order to give the people the greatest amount of happiness possible," he said.

Patrizzi finally urged communities to raise the level of awareness to boost sovereign production.

http://www.psuv.org.ve/temas/noticias/v ... OaqBRZKiM8

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"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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