International
Trade
Food and cleaning
products have arrived at Margarita island’s El Guamache port
Port officials have announced that the CFS PANAVERA
has arrived at Margarita island’s El Guamache port from Jamaica, carrying 53 containers,
including 12 with food and 4 with personal care and health products. Cooking
oil, rice, wheat flour, coffee, chocolate, pasta, peas, tomatoes, cosmetics and
cleaning products are part of the arriving cargo. More in Spanish; (Bolipuertos,
http://www.bolipuertos.gob.ve/noticia.aspx?id=43456)
Logistics
& Transport
US flying more reconnaissance flights off Venezuela, military sources
say
The US
military has flown an increased number of reconnaissance flights in
international airspace off the coast of Venezuela during the last several days
to gather classified intelligence about the embattled regime of Nicolas Maduro,
according to two US defense officials. The officials would not detail which US
military aircraft are being used, but the Navy and Air Force maintain several
large fixed-wing aircraft capable of intercepting communications and monitoring
the status of weaponry. The officials noted that the effort is limited to
whatever the aircraft can gather by staying in international airspace. Several
US military officials continue to emphasize there are no military options
actively being considered for the Venezuela crisis. For now, the US military
would only contemplate a response if US assets, personnel or the embassy were
attacked. The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a warning to US
pilots about flying into and out of Venezuela because of "continued political instability and
increasing tensions." (CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/25/americas/venezuela-developments/index.html)
AVIOR halts
flights to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire
Venezuela’s
AVIOR airline has indefinitely suspended all flights to and from the islands of
Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, following an order from this country’s National Civil
Aeronautics Institute barring all air traffic by order of the Maduro regime. More
in Spanish; (Noticiero Venevisión, http://www.noticierovenevision.net/noticias/economia/avior-suspendio-sus-vuelos-a-aruba-curazao-y-bonaire)
Oil &
Energy
Venezuela has US$ 500 million of crude sitting in ships — but nobody
wants to buy it
Venezuela is
running out of space to store its sanction-stained crude that few dare to buy,
forcing it to reduce output at a time when the world is thirsty for heavy,
sulfurous oil. Tankers holding 8.36 million barrels of Venezuelan crude worth
upwards of a half-billion dollars are floating off the country’s coast as the
nation struggles to find buyers for its oil following new U.S. sanctions in
January. An armada of 16 ships holds cargoes belonging to state oil company PDVSA,
CHEVRON, VALERO, and ROSNEFT, according to shipping reports and ship-tracking
data compiled by Bloomberg. Oil ventures owned by PDVSA with ROSNEFT, CHEVRON,
TOTAL and EQUINOR, whose upgraders convert tar-like Venezuelan crude into oil
that refineries can process, reduced rates this week because they ran out of
space to store crude, according to people with knowledge of the situation. With
few buyers willing to take PDVSA’s oil, the alternative was to put some of that
oil onto tankers to clear space and continue to operate at lower rates. The
backlog of ships and the growing difficulty in keeping its oil upgraders
running underscore the impact U.S. sanctions are having on PDVSA. Shipments to
America, once Venezuela’s largest customer, have dried up. Without access to
the U.S. financial system, on which many refiners and trading houses rely on to
finance purchases, PDVSA is having trouble finding buyers outside of countries
such as India and China, to whom it owes oil in payment for past loans. The
PDVSA-Rosneft joint-venture PETROMONAGAS upgrader isn’t processing oil after
running out of space to store their production, a person with knowledge of the
situation said. PDVSA-CHEVRON’s PETROPIAR venture has reduced output for the
same reason, other people said. PETROCEDENO, a PDVSA-TOTAL-EQUINOR venture, is
running out of oil to process as a ban on sales of heavy naphtha to PDVSA has
made it difficult to ship the heavy oil through pipelines from inland fields to
the upgrader, another person said. (FORTUNE: http://fortune.com/2019/02/26/venezuela-crude-sanctions-ships/)
Venezuela oil sanctions slash Brent crude premium
The U.S.
sanctions on Venezuela from late last month cut off more heavy and sour crude
oil supply to the global market, leading to the lowest premium of quality light
sweet Brent over heavier and sour crude grades because of limited heavy oil
supply worldwide. At times when supply of various crude grades is not
distorted, Brent usually trades at a premium of US$ 3-$4 a barrel over Dubai,
but since January, the premium of Brent over Dubai has been consistently below US$
1 a barrel. To top off the sanctions on Iran and the OPEC cuts, the U.S.
sanctions on Venezuela at the end of January further tightened the heavy crude
market, and traders expect the market to tighten even more in the coming
months. Despite initial expectations that the Venezuelan oil that would have
gone to the U.S. could easily make way to Asia, the nature of the U.S.
sanctions have effectively turned the U.S. import ban into financial sanctions
applicable globally. In the middle of February, the April Brent premium to
Dubai Exchange Futures for Swaps (EFS)—generally seen as the spot market
sentiment of Brent-linked and Dubai-linked crude grades—fell to the lowest on
record, since S&P Global Platts started publishing data about the spread in
August 2011. (Oil Price: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Venezuela-Oil-Sanctions-Slash-Brent-Crude-Premium.html)
Commodities
Fishing
halted on Venezuelan coast
In an unusual move, Venezuelan military are stopping fishermen from
setting sail from docks in Vargas state near Caracas. More in Spanish: (El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/caracas/33938/refuerzan-muelles-pesqueros-de-vargas-tras-prohibicion-de-zarpe)
Economy &
Finance
National
Assembly asks CITIGROUP for 90-day extension on gold foreclosure
Venezuela’s
opposition led National Assembly has asked CITIGROUP for a 90-day extension before
it forecloses on Venezuelan gold reserves held with the Bank of England as collateral
on a US$ 1.1 billion debt. The request was made by the Assembly’s standing
Finance Committee, headed by congressman Angel Alvarado, who said CITIGROUP is “willing to cooperate”. More in Spanish: (El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/economia/33859/plazo-de-90-dias-pide-an-a-citigroup-para-cobrar-deuda-en-oro)
Evolving Venezuela sanctions pose problems for banks
Recently
imposed sanctions on Venezuela have posed new compliance risks for U.S. and
international financial institutions as they seek to untangle business ties
between the two countries to meet evolving requirements. The Treasury
Department has ramped up sanctions with more designations and guidance in
recent weeks. Gradually increasing U.S. measures targeting the government of
Venezuela, and the country’s state-owned oil giant have made banks more
reluctant to touch accounts that might relate to Venezuela for fear of
sanctions violations. The scenario is complex because of the economic and
business connections between the two countries has a foundation in the oil-and-gas
industry, which can affect automobile and heavy machinery manufacturing, as
well as elements of insurance and finance. Intricacies stemming from the
sanctions are particularly disruptive for the banking industry, said Daniel
Gutierrez, who chairs the anti-money-laundering compliance committee at the
Florida International Bankers Association. In the case of Venezuela, where the
list of the Maduro government officials is broad and unclear, and where PDVSA
has many subsidiaries and tends to outsource to third-party vendors, banks are
finding they need to pull more resources to holistically analyze each instance
on a case-by-case basis. If not carefully managed, banks could face penalties
and reputational damage. (The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/evolving-venezuela-sanctions-pose-problems-for-banks-11551143320)
Politics and
International Affairs
UN Security Council to meet on Venezuela after deadly clashes
The UN
Security Council is due to meet today to discuss Venezuela, following weekend
violence over a failed opposition bid to bring in humanitarian aid. The United
States requested the meeting to be held in open session this evening. The
request came as US Vice President Mike Pence travelled to Colombia to meet
opposition leader Juan Guaidó in a show of support for his bid to replace
President Nicolás Maduro. The Security Council is divided over Venezuela. The
U.S. and many Western and Latin American nations back opposition leader Juan Guaidó
as interim president, while Russia, China and other countries support President
Nicolas Maduro and oppose any interference in Venezuela's internal affairs. (RTE:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/0226/1032860-venezuela/;
ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-germany-urges-pressure-maduro-61299953
Lima Group asks International Criminal Court to provide assessment of
Venezuela situation
The Lima
Group on Monday asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to make an assessment
of the situation in crisis-torn Venezuela, proposing that Venezuela's partners
help organize "free elections"
in the country. "We have decided to
turn to the International Criminal Court with a request to take into account
the grave humanitarian situation in Venezuela, the criminal violence of Nicolas
Maduro's regime against civilians and the denial of access to international
aid, which is a crime against humanity", the statement said. The Lima
Group of 14 countries was created in 2017 and currently seeks to end the political
crisis in Venezuela. The group includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia. The majority of the
organization's member states are backing Guaidó. (SPUTNIK: https://sputniknews.com/latam/201902261072735401-lima-group-venezuela-intl-court-situation/)
Guaidó and Pence agree to tighten noose on Maduro, as Guaidó says he will
return to Venezuela
US Vice
President Mike Pence announced fresh US sanctions against allies of Nicolas
Maduro on Monday, after meeting with Latin American leaders including
Venezuela's interim president Juan Guaidó in Colombia. "The tragic events of this past weekend have
only steeled the resolve of the United States of America to stand with you, to
stand with freedom-loving people in Venezuela," Pence told Guaidó at
the Lima group meeting in Colombia's capital Bogota. Pence also urged other
Latin American countries to freeze the assets of PDVSA, Venezuela's state-owned
oil company, and to restrict visas for officials close to Maduro. "Effective today, the United States will
impose additional sanctions on regime officials, including three border state
governors implicated in last weekend's violence and a member of Maduro's inner
circle," he said, adding that the US stands with Guaidó "100 percent". Guaidó, who is recognized
by most Western nations as Venezuela's legitimate leader, called on all foreign
powers "to consider all options in
ousting Maduro". "Just days
ago, as the world watched, the tyrant in Caracas danced as his henchmen burned
truckloads of food and medicine, and murdered civilians," Pence said,
and added that the U.S. will stand by Guaidó until freedom is restored and
promised tougher measures against this nation soon. "In the days ahead ... the United States will announce even stronger
sanctions on the regime's corrupt financial networks," Pence said.
"We will work with all of you to find
every last dollar that they stole and work to return it to Venezuela."
Pence also said the U.S. is sending another US$ 56 million to Venezuela's
neighbors to help them cope with the influx of migrants from Venezuela. If
Maduro remains in charge of Venezuela, Pence said he expects it will result in
two million more refugees. The European Union on Sunday condemned the
government's use of violence and armed civilians to block the aid entry, while
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "shocked and saddened" by the civilian deaths. During Monday's
meeting, Guaidó, who was sitting next to Pence, asked for a moment of silence
for those who were killed over the weekend. Guaidó warned that "indulging" Maduro "would be a threat to all of America,"
while Colombia President Ivan Duque called for "more powerful and effective" pressure on the socialist leader.
Pence reiterated that "all options are on the table" — a
phrase that has been repeated by Trump administration officials since the U.S.
recognized Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela in January. Guaidó has
adopted similar language and urged the Lima Group to consider "all options" in ousting Maduro. But
both Guaidó and Trump administration officials have stopped of calling for U.S.
troops on the ground. In a statement following Monday's meeting, the Lima Group
demanded that the Maduro leave his post immediately and make way for a
democratic transition that included free elections. Guaidó accused Maduro's
government of turning the country into "the sanctuary of terrorists." Having defied a government
travel ban to got to Colombia on Friday, Guaidó said he would return home
"this week," with the Lima
Group warning he faced "serious and
credible threats" from the regime. Maduro has told ABC News that Guaidó
must “face justice” if he decides to
return because he had a Supreme Court order against leaving the country. (NPR: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/697638242/pence-on-venezuela-we-will-keep-standing-until-your-libertad-is-restored; Al Jazeera:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/ramps-pressure-venezuela-maduro-sanctions-190225173549450.html;
Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics/venezuelas-Guaidó-says-all-options-open-after-maduro-blocks-aid-idUSKCN1QC091;
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics/after-venezuelan-troops-block-aid-maduro-faces-diplomatic-siege-idUSKCN1QD0LX
NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/colombia-vice-president-pence-announce-clear-actions-against-venezuela-s-n975621;
Philadelphia Star: https://www.philstar.com/world/2019/02/26/1896883/venezuelas-Guaidó-and-pence-agree-tighten-noose-maduro#Yxo5IppGTKzRk1dL.99
and more in Spanish: El Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/politica/34120/maduro-asegura-que-Guaidó-debera-responder-a-la-justicia-cuando-vuelva-al-pais)
US sanctions pro-Maduro governors who blocked international aid
The U.S.
Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated
four officials aligned with the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas
Maduro. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets
the Governors of four Venezuelan states involved in endemic corruption and in
blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the
ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime. “The illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to
blockade international aid intended for the Venezuelan people are shameful.
Treasury is targeting four state governors aligned with former President Maduro
for standing in the way of severely needed humanitarian assistance and
prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people,” said Treasury Secretary
Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States
fully supports the efforts of Interim President Juan Guaidó to address the
endemic corruption, human rights abuses, and violent repression that has become
the hallmark of the illegitimate Maduro regime, and looks forward to the
restoration of a democratically elected government for the people of Venezuela.”
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these
individuals, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50
percent or more by these individuals, that are in the United States or in the
possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.
OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within
(or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in
property of blocked or designated persons. (Latin American Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2475341&CategoryId=10717)
Maduro extends
deadline for US Embassy closure
On Saturday,
Nicolás Maduro for a second time extended the deadline for shutting down the US
Embassy in Caracas. US authorities say this extensión is now for 30 more days. Maduro’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza claimed
on Twitter that both countries had agreed to establish interest section offices
in Caracas and Washington for migratory and bilateral affairs. More in Spanish:
(Noticiero Venevisión, http://www.noticierovenevision.net/noticias/politica/gobierno-nacional-extiende-el-plazo-para-el-cierre-de-la-embajada-de-eeuu-en-caracas)
Maduro responsible for safety of Colombian embassy staff: minister
Nicolas
Maduro is responsible for the safety of Colombian diplomats in Venezuela, Colombia’s
foreign minister said on Saturday, after Maduro formally broke off relations
with Bogota. “Colombia holds the usurper
Maduro responsible for any aggression or violation of the rights of Colombian
officials in Venezuela,” Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said. Luis
Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, said in the
same statement that Maduro, socialist, could not break relations with Colombia
because he is not Venezuela’s legitimate president. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-colombia-maduro/maduro-responsible-for-safety-of-colombian-embassy-staff-minister-idUSKCN1QC0UL)
In Colombia, Pence lets Guaidó down easy on use of military force
against Maduro
Vice
President Mike Pence flew into Colombia on Monday as an anxious hemisphere
waited to hear if the leader from America would back the Venezuelan
opposition’s call to use “force” to
bring humanitarian aid into the country. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who was
barred from leaving Venezuela, had secretly crossed the border amid violent
clashes between demonstrators and security forces for a special meeting Monday
with Pence and regional leaders. What Pence ended up telling the young
Venezuelan leader was not necessarily what he traveled so far to hear: Pence
told Guaidó the Trump administration still believes in a peaceful resolution. “We got a long way to go,” Pence said he
told him. “I made it clear to President
Guaidó that we’re going to continue to call on allies to join with us. We’re
going to continue to isolate Maduro economically and diplomatically until democracy
is restored.” Many in the region breathed a sigh of relief after fearing
that Pence was going to support the call for military action. Diplomats
acknowledge that the strongest steps have already been taken and fear is
growing that momentum against the government of Nicolas Maduro may be stalling.
But governments that oppose using force say there are diplomatic options yet to
be considered. One diplomat whose government opposes any kind of military
option said there have been conversations with U.S. officials about forcing
Venezuelan diplomats loyal to Maduro to choose between remaining in their
countries or returning home. Pence said ultimately it would be up to Trump, in
consultation with allies, to decide under what conditions a military option
would be appropriate. Pence said Guaidó wanted to make sure that all options
remained on the table. “I assured him
that they were, but we hope for better,” Pence said. “We hope for a peaceful transition.” Using military force would be a
drastic escalation, but José Cárdenas, who served in the National Security
Council under George W. Bush and regularly speaks with Trump administration
officials, said it needs to be discussed. “We
can’t just walk away,” Cárdenas said. “In
order to sustain the pressure, you have to keep one-upping what the government
does.” (The Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article226784504.html)
US increasingly isolated as allies warn against use of military force
US
vice-president Mike Pence has repeated a veiled threat of military intervention
in Venezuela, but Washington appeared increasingly isolated in its willingness
to contemplate using force to oust Nicolás Maduro. Both European powers and
some of Donald Trump’s key Latin American allies – all of whom have recognized
opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader – warned that
they would oppose sending troops into the country. Guaidó had for weeks
insisted his movement was focused on peaceful, democratic change. But after the
opposition failed in a weekend bid to defy Caracas and bring aid into the country,
he called on the international community to “keep all options open”. Speaking at an emergency summit of regional
leaders in the Colombian capital Bogotá, Pence renewed the threat of
intervention, describing Maduro as “a
usurper”, and calling for a global push to oust him. “To leaders around the world: it’s time. There can be no bystanders in
Venezuela’s struggle for freedom,” he said. “We hope for a peaceful transition to democracy, but as President Trump
has made clear, all options are on the table.” But beyond the US, few
appear willing embrace the prospect of violence. Brazil’s vice-president, retired general
Hamilton Mourão, said on Monday that under no circumstances would his country
allow the United States to intervene militarily from Brazilian territory, even
though the country’s rightwing president Jair Bolsonaro has previously vowed to
do “everything for democracy to be
re-established” in Venezuela. Colombian president Iván Duque has also now
ruled out intervention, according to sources in his administration. Chile and
Peru were also among other regional powers opposing military action on Monday. 'Let's hope that the pressure of the
international community, dialogue and prudence will prevail,' said
Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, who likened the crisis in Venezuela to
what his country faced in the run up to the 1989 U.S. invasion to remove
dictator Manuel Noriega. 'Although the
circumstances are similar, we must have the capacity to find a solution
different than the one used back then.' There was similar concern across
the Atlantic, where European nations including Spain and Germany made clear
they considered the deployment of troops a line that should not be crossed. Spain
would 'roundly condemn' use of force
in Venezuela: “Not every option is on the
table,” the country’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell, said in a blunt
rebuke to supporters of intervention. The European Union’s foreign policy
chief, Federica Mogherini, insisted there could be no military solution to a
political crisis. The Lima group also said credible threats have been made
against the life of Venezuelan opposition leader Guaidó and his family, adding
that Nicolas Maduro was responsible for Guaidó’s safety. “We want to hold the usurper Maduro responsible for any violent action
against Guaidó, against his wife and against their relatives,” said
Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, speaking on behalf of the
group. (The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/25/venezuela-mike-pence-maduro-Guaidó;
Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6743013/Venezuelas-second-command-flies-two-children-China-using-wifes-surname.html;
Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-25/venezuela-neighbors-push-back-against-military-answer-to-crisis)
Russia accuses U.S. of preparing military intervention in Venezuela
A top Russian
security official on Tuesday accused the United States of deploying forces in
Puerto Rico and Colombia in preparation for a military intervention in
Venezuela to topple Moscow’s ally, President Nicolas Maduro. “...The
United States is preparing a military invasion of an independent state,”
Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, was quoted as
saying in an interview. “The transfer of
American special operations forces to Puerto Rico, the landing of U.S. forces
in Colombia and other facts indicate the Pentagon is reinforcing its troops in
the region in order to use them in an operation to remove ... Maduro from power.”
Patrushev said in the interview that Washington had asked Moscow for
consultations on Venezuela and that Russia had agreed, but that U.S. officials
had repeatedly postponed them under false pretexts. U.S. officials have
previously dismissed Russian allegations about U.S. plans for Venezuela as
baseless “propaganda.” (Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-russia/russia-accuses-us-of-preparing-military-intervention-in-venezuela-idUSKCN1QF14K)
China says hopes world provides 'constructive'
help to Venezuela
China hopes
that the international community can provide “constructive” help to Venezuela
based on respect for the country’s sovereignty, the foreign ministry said on
Monday, after Venezuelan troops repelled foreign aid convoys. China hopes
Venezuela can remain peaceful and calm, the Foreign Ministry said, and reiterated
Beijing’s opposition to foreign interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs or
the use of “so-called ‘humanitarian aid’
for political aims”. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-china/china-says-hopes-world-provides-constructive-help-to-venezuela-idUSKCN1QE0YW)
Mexico President says committed to non-intervention on Venezuela
Mexico's
president on Tuesday said he remained committed to a policy of non-intervention
on Venezuela a day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence urged Mexico to
recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's rightful president. President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at his regular morning news conference urged all
sides in Venezuela to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis and said the
United Nations should be used to help resolve a dispute over humanitarian aid. (The
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/02/26/world/americas/26reuters-venezuela-politics-mexico.html)
Sanders warns against intervention in Venezuela, stops short of calling
Maduro a 'dictator'
Sen. Bernie
Sanders on Monday night steered clear of calling Venezuelan leader Nicolas
Maduro a "dictator", despite
criticizing Maduro's government for failing to hold democratic elections. "It's fair to say the last election was
undemocratic, but there are still democratic operations taking place in that
country," Sanders said after being asked by CNN's Wolf Blitzer why he
wouldn't use the term to describe Maduro. "What I am calling for right now is internationally supervised free
elections." Sanders was asked
about his opposition to U.S. intervention in Venezuela. He responded by saying
he believed there should be an “international
humanitarian effort” to improve the lives of Venezuelans and expressed that
their last election was “not free and
fair.” (CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/25/politics/bernie-sanders-venezuela-maduro/index.html; FOX:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bernie-sanders-refuses-to-call-venezuelas-maduro-dictator-says-democratic-operations-taking-place)
UN’s Michelle
Bachelet condemned violence at Venezuela’s borders
Michelle
Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has condemned what she
called the excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces and pro-regime
groups on the borders with Colombia and Brazil, causing at least 4 dead and
over 300 wounded. She pointed to “deplorable
scenes” and asked the Maduro regime to “stop using excessive force against
unarmed protesters and ordinary citizens”. She asked the regime to stop pro-government
groups involved in violent actions. More in Spanish: (Noticiero Venevisión, http://www.noticierovenevision.net/noticias/internacional/michelle-bachelet-condeno-la-violencia-en-las-fronteras-de-venezuela)
European
Union condemns Maduro regime’s use of “armed
groups” to “intimidate civilians”
The European Union
has condemned violence in Venezuela and the Maduro regime’s use of “armed groups” to block the entrance of humanitarian
aid. “We reject the use of irregular
armed groups to intimidate civilians and legislators who seek to distribute aid”.
More in Spanish: (El Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/politica/33966/union-europea-condena-que-gobierno-recurra-a-grupos-armados-para-intimidar-civiles)
Uncertainty at Colombia-Venezuela border bridge after clashes over aid
Dawn broke on
Sunday at the Simon Bolivar bridge, the main border crossing point between
Colombia and Venezuela, amid a tense and uncertain calm after a clash between
Venezuelans – many of them shouting and calling for their country’s “freedom” – who were trying to bring
humanitarian aid into their country and authorities taking orders from Caracas.
There were sporadic clashes between hooded protesters and police, supported by
armed civilian "colectivos"
on Sunday on the Venezuelan side of the border. On the order of Colombian
President Ivan Duque, the bridge linking the Colombian city of Cucuta with
Venezuela’s San Antonio del Tachira was closed for two days while the damage
resulting from the failed aid delivery attempt is evaluated. The area near the
bridge was cordoned off and is being guarded by Colombian soldiers, police and
some members of the ESMAD anti-riot squadron. In addition, the bridge is being
blocked on the Venezuelan side by a tanker truck, with a number of masked men
deployed in the area along the Tachira River on the Colombian side. Scores of
Venezuelans who managed to slip across the border to get aid were trapped there
as Venezuelan authorities closed it. (Latin American Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2475334&CategoryId=10717;
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2475324&CategoryId=10717)
In Venezuela, bows and arrows against tanks, four people reported slain
on Venezuela-Brazil border
Nicolas
Maduro’s forces in Venezuela armed with tanks and live fire attacked an
indigenous tribe armed only with bows and arrows when they tried to stop a
convoy of humanitarian aid from Brazil. One woman from the Pemon tribe was
killed and 15 were wounded, but the tribe took several soldiers, including
three lieutenants and a sergeant captive. The battle took place in the remote
Gran Sabana region near the Brazilian border. The Pemon were successful at
stopping the anti-riot troops in their effort to block food and supplies from
entering the country through Brazil near the village of Kumarakapay, about 50
miles north of the border. The soldiers tried to breach barricades set up by
residents about 6 a.m., said Jorge Perez, mayor of the Gran Sabana
municipality. Marcel Perez, a 30-year-old Pemon, said in an interview in
Pacaraima, Brazil, that he and others had gathered at dawn for a peaceful
protest to prevent the military from reaching the border. “We made a blockade, without any weapon but our traditional bows and
arrows,” he said. “They had tanks,
buses and a lot of soldiers. And, so they decided to shoot at us with live
bullets.” Five armored vehicles passed by, spewing tear gas that set fire
to a small shack, the mayor said. Those wounded more seriously were allowed to
cross on ambulances into Brazil so they could be treated in the regional center
of Boa Vista. Perez said he was beaten with sticks a few hours later by members
of a pro-Maduro gang while taking other wounded people to a hospital in Santa
Elena de Uairen, on the Venezuelan side. Police said Zoraida Rodriguez, 45, was
killed and 15 people were wounded. A Venezuelan general was negotiating with
the tribe for the return of three lieutenants and a sergeant captured by the
indigenous forces. The Venezuelan Congress with its opposition majority
reported on Saturday that by 4:00 pm, four people had been slain while more
than 20 suffered bullet wounds on Venezuela’s border with Brazil. (WND: https://www.wnd.com/2019/02/in-venezuela-bows-and-arrows-against-tanks/#06mCVSLVHotB8Xep.99;
Latin American Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2475312&CategoryId=10718;
Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-aid-brazil/two-people-killed-in-venezuelan-town-near-brazil-in-clashes-over-aid-idUSKCN1QC0U5)
Attacked and powerless, Venezuela soldiers choose desertion
A high-stakes
plan by the Venezuelan opposition to bring humanitarian aid into the country
floundered Saturday when troops loyal to Maduro refused to let the trucks
carrying food and medical supplies cross, but it did set off a wave of military
defections unlike any seen yet amid the country's mounting crisis. Over 270
mostly low-ranking soldiers fled in a span of three days, Colombian immigration
officials said Monday. In interviews with The Associated Press, nine National
Guard soldiers described the day that they were ordered by commanders to stop
the humanitarian aid from entering Venezuela. Fearful of being jailed, many
complied with orders and admitted to launching tear gas at protesters. Two said
they were part of a failed plot to get the aid in. All fled after making
unplanned, split-second decisions with only the uniform on their backs. While interim
president Juan Guaidó has proposed amnesty to military officers who back him,
the low-ranking soldiers who have defected say breaking ranks with Maduro is
all but impossible. Anyone who shows the slightest hint of disapproval risks
arrest, they said, and jail has become increasingly synonymous with torture.
Even those who wanted to see the aid brought in, followed orders to repress
citizens. As Saturday grew increasingly tense, protesters threw rocks and
gasoline bombs at him. One said he responded by throwing tear gas at them to
protect himself. Others at the home also had evidence of the resistance they
faced that day: Torres still had blood caked beneath the skin on his nose from
protesters kicking him on the ground after he surrendered to Colombian
authorities. A young woman had a scratch across her cheek that she said came
from a rock thrown by protesters. During the clashes, armed pro-Maduro groups
known as "colectivos" fired
indiscriminately, and several of the soldiers said they feared being shot
themselves. National Guard troops are equipped with crowd-control devices like
rubber bullets and tear gas but do not carry any regular firearms. Many said
they worry their wives and children will face repercussions and they are concerned
about how they will make ends meet. Nearly all the defectors would support a
foreign intervention in Venezuela and join in the fight. Floating ideas among
each other, several of the defectors said they believe the best way forward is
for more troops to desert and help form a resistance from abroad. Some
envisioned an intervention led solely by Venezuelans, while others are
convinced it can only be done with the help of an international coalition. All
said they don't see themselves as traitors, but rather as troops intent on
restoring Venezuela's democracy. (Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/world/attacked-and-powerless-venezuela-soldiers-choose-desertion)
Venezuela ex-spy chief reveals Maduro’s ties to Hezbollah, drugs
Former head
of Venezuela’s intelligence services General Hugo Carvajal revealed powerful
ties between the administration of Nicolás Maduro and the Hezbollah terrorist
group, as well as wide-spread corruption and drug activity, the New York Times
reported on Thursday. The nefarious activities were directed by Maduro himself
as well as Interior Minister Néstor Reverol and former vice-president Tareck El
Aissami. Allegedly, those who were meant to combat drugs were engaged in
trafficking them, Carvajal said. El Aissami was not only a drug kingpin, said
Carvajal, but also had connections to Hezbollah, and attempted to arrange
Hezbollah terrorists to work with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
[FARC] through Venezuela. In a meeting that took place in 2009 Hezbollah
terrorists met El Aissami and Carvajal in Syria and gave the two Venezuelan
state representatives three assault rifles as gifts. The meeting involved
Venezuelan diplomat Ghazi Nasr al-Din, who was stationed in Syria at the time. Labeled “a
Hezbollah supporter” by the department of Treasury, Nasr al-Din is wanted
by the FBI. (The Jerusalem Post: https://www.jpost.com/OMG/Venezuela-ex-spy-chief-reveals-Maduros-ties-to-Hezbollah-drugs-581615)
UNIVISION journalists freed after being detained at Venezuelan
presidential palace
The UNIVISION
network said six of its staffers, including veteran anchorman Jorge Ramos, were
briefly detained at the presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on Monday. Ramos
and the crew members were released a little less than three hours after the
episode began. Daniel Coronell, UNIVISION's president of news, tweeted that
"Jorge Ramos and his team have been
released and are on route to their hotel." In Caracas, the Venezuelan
National Union of the Press Workers also confirmed that "the UNIVISION team has been freed."
The network said Ramos was in Caracas to interview Nicolas Maduro. UNIVISION
spokesman Jose Zamora said Maduro objected to Ramos' questions. "Very shortly into the interview, Maduro
didn't like the line of questioning, and they stopped the interview,"
Zamora said. He said government aides confiscated the network's equipment. UNIVISION's
news executives were able to find out what happened, he said, because "Jorge managed to call us." But
"in the middle of the call, they took his phone away. UNIVISION is the
leading Spanish-language television network in the United States, with millions
of loyal viewers. The network immediately contacted the US State Department.
Kimberly Breier, the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere
Affairs, tweeted out, "We insist on
their immediate release; the world is watching." After the team was
released, UNIVISION broke into programming for a special report — with Ramos
joining by phone. He said Maduro "got
up from the interview after I showed him the videos of some young people eating
out of a garbage truck." "They
interrogated us. They put us in a security room. They turned off the lights,"
he said. Ramos called the episode a "violation."
He said Maduro's aides still had the tapes. "They have stolen our work and are trying to keep what is happening from
airing," he said. Pedro Ultreras, a member of the UNIVISION team in
Venezuela, tweeted late Monday that immigration officials told the journalists
that they will be expelled from Venezuela and must leave Tuesday morning. "The hotel we are staying in is surrounded by
Venezuelan authorities, we cannot go outside," he said. Ramos, a
veteran anchor born in Mexico, said he asked Maduro about the lack of democracy
in Venezuela, the torture of political prisoners and the country’s humanitarian
crisis. Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard also tweeted his government’s
protest at the events. (CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/25/media/univision-venezuela-jorge-ramos/index.html; Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-univision/venezuela-to-deport-univision-team-after-maduro-shown-garbage-eating-video-idUSKCN1QF05F
Maduro's right-hand man sends his two youngest children to China
Venezuela's
second-most powerful man has sent his children to China amid the possibility
Nicolás Maduro's government will crumble.
Diosdado Cabello, known to be the second most-powerful man in Venezuela
behind President Nicolás Maduro, sent two of his three children to China. Airline
boarding passes showed different names for Cabello's daughter, Daniella
Cabello, and his youngest son, Tito Cabello, raising suspicions because his
wife's surname - Contreras - was on the boarding passes. Both children boarded
the Havana to Beijing flight as Desiree Contreras and Tito Contreras,
apparently using their mother's surname to hide their identities. The siblings
left Havana on Friday and made it to Moscow on Saturday before connecting to a
Beijing-bound flight that touched down Sunday- Daniella Cabello, 22, boarded
the plane with a US-issued passport as Desiree (her middle name) Contreras
while his son Tito Cabello, 17, used a Ugandan passport and used the name Tito
Contreras. The reservation system
indicates they're both scheduled to return to Havana on a one-stop flight March
12. In recent days, it has been reported that several Maduro loyalists
successfully arranged to have their immediate family members flee what once was
considered one of the most economically powerful countries in South America. (Daily
Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6743013/Venezuelas-second-command-flies-two-children-China-using-wifes-surname.html)
OP-ED: Dictator Maduro survived a tough week, but his problems are about
to get worse
The
conventional wisdom in some quarters is that Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro
has proved in recent days that he’s in firm control of his military goons and
that he will be able to stay in power indefinitely. The conventional wisdom may
be wrong. Maduro’s problems will get worse. With or without a military
intervention, his illegitimate regime is cornered, isolated and increasingly
unsustainable. Maduro danced in public on Feb. 23, but that image is going to
haunt him. First, Maduro’s international isolation will continue to grow. Interim
president Juan Guaidó is reportedly planning to return to Venezuela. If he’s
arrested by the Maduro regime, we may see even stiffer international sanctions.
Second, the Maduro regime’s foreign income will dwindle in coming months, as
U.S. and international sanctions kick in. Third, Maduro does not have a
superpower that will be willing to support him an at any cost. Fourth, it’s unclear for how much longer
Venezuela’s armed forces will stand behind Maduro. Most of the uniformed
Venezuelan soldiers who blocked humanitarian aid and fired on unarmed
opposition volunteers at the Colombian-Venezuelan border on Feb. 23 were not
members of the army or National Guard. They were part of Maduro’s paramilitary
forces. Fifth, while no U.S. or international military intervention is likely
anytime soon, there might be growing pressure for a United Nations intervention
if Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate. Virtually all
Latin American and European countries that support Guaidó — including Colombia
and Brazil — said Monday that they won’t back a U.S. or international military
intervention. But if Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, that
could change. Barring a miracle Maduro’s political future doesn’t look good. He
will be under growing domestic and foreign pressure to agree to a political
solution that will most likely include his departure. By Andres Oppenheimer (The
Miami Herald: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article226777084.html)
OP-ED: What’s next for Venezuela?
Scenes of
destruction and despair were on full display worldwide over the weekend as the
Maduro regime used force to deny entry into Venezuela of desperately needed
humanitarian assistance, leading to increasing speculation about what comes
next. Or, rather, will the United States invade Venezuela to topple the
despotic regime that has ruined Latin America’s once-wealthiest economy and
created Latin America’s worst humanitarian crisis in many years. The threat of
invasion has increasingly been implied, with senior U.S. administration
officials suggesting routinely that “all options are on the table.” Indeed,
they are, as they always are in the conduct of foreign affairs. But the
implication is clearly that if Maduro and his inner circle refuse to depart,
then the use of force may be employed. However, as bad as the situation
continues to get in Venezuela an armed response is unlikely. First, there is no
casus belli that would justify a U.S.-led invasion. Nor is there a mandate from
the United Nations or OAS. The doctrine of Responsibility to Protect is not
sufficiently developed or accepted at this point, and circumstances do not yet
justify its application to Venezuela in any event. Latin American nations,
including those that support strong actions against Maduro, have publicly
indicated little support for armed intervention, and, despite the rhetoric,
there does not appear to be much enthusiasm in Washington for such a step. What
can be anticipated is that there will be further intensified pressure on the
regime. In addition to efforts to entice regime officials, including the
military, to shift their loyalty from Maduro to Guaidó, the United States, in
coordination with other nations, looks to amplify asset seizure and forfeiture.
Collectively, they aim to deny new and cancel existing visas for regime
officials and their families and increase humanitarian assistance. All these
activities will further the goal of turning Maduro into an international
pariah, and, it is hoped, create conditions that will ultimately see him turfed
from office. The key is to keep the Maduro regime on the defensive. There are
no guarantees, and nobody can say when the dam will ultimately break—or if it
will break. Meanwhile, Venezuelans face an unpleasant choice between protesting
and exposing themselves to the excesses of the regime, hunkering down, or
joining the millions of Venezuelans who have already left their nation behind.
It is a tragedy lain squarely at the feet of Chavismo. By Eric Farnsworth. (The
National Interest: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/what%E2%80%99s-next-venezuela-45577)
