April 11, 2019

Oil & Energy

Venezuela reports collapse in oil supply, tightening global market

Venezuela’s oil output sank to a new long-term low last month due to U.S. sanctions and blackouts, the country told OPEC, deepening the impact of a global production curb and further tightening supplies. In a monthly report released on Wednesday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said Venezuela told the group that it pumped 960,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March, a drop of almost 500,000 bpd from February. Venezuela’s production figure brings its numbers closer to outside estimates, which have been saying the country’s economic collapse has taken a bigger toll on its oil industry. Output in Venezuela, once a top-three OPEC producer, has been declining for years due to economic collapse. In March, supply dropped due to U.S. sanctions on state oil company PDVSA designed to oust President Nicolas Maduro, and power blackouts. (Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-opec-report/venezuela-reports-collapse-in-oil-supply-tightening-global-market-opec-idUSKCN1RM1BT)

 

Oil edges higher as Venezuela output collapses

Oil prices rose to their highest in more than five months Wednesday as a sharp decline in Venezuelan oil production more than offset the effect of a weekly report showing another increase in U.S. inventories of crude oil. West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. oil benchmark, ended 1% higher at US$ 64.61 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest since Oct. 31. (The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-edges-higher-as-venezuela-output-collapses-11554911649)

 

Venezuela congress authorizes parallel PDVSA board to negotiate foreign debt

Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly on Tuesday allowed a parallel board of directors of state-run oil company PDVSA to negotiate foreign debt ahead of a looming payment deadline that could put its crown jewel overseas asset, U.S. refiner CITGO, at risk. The board’s new head will be former PDVSA executive Luis Pacheco, said lawmaker Elias Matta, head of the assembly’s energy commission. The expanded board would also be able to represent the company overseas, Matta said in congress. The ad hoc board, which the Assembly on Tuesday expanded to nine members from five, is part an effort by opposition leaders who have disavowed the regime of Nicolas Maduro to control PDVSA’s overseas assets. Maduro’s ruling Socialist Party continues to control the company’s day-to-day operations. The move will allow the board to decide whether to make a US$ 71 million interest payment due April 27 on PDVSA’s 2020 bond, which is backed by a 49% stake in CITGO, said opposition lawmaker Elias Matta, the head of the Assembly’s energy commission. “They will evaluate if they are going to pay the bonds. That is now their decision,” Matta said in a telephone interview, adding that the board would have to inform the Assembly should it decide to pay. “We will do everything we have to do to protect the republic’s assets.” (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-pdvsa/venezuela-congress-allows-parallel-pdvsa-board-to-negotiate-foreign-debt-idUSKCN1RL2CQ; https://www.reuters.com/article/venezuela-politics-pdvsa/venezuela-national-assembly-approves-expansion-to-pdvsa-ad-hoc-board-idUSL1N21R14F)

 

Two of Venezuela's four crude upgraders restart after blackout: document

Two of Venezuela’s four crude oil upgraders, which are necessary to process the country’s extra-heavy crude into exportable grades, have restarted after halting activities due to blackouts in March. The PETROCEDENO upgrader, a joint venture between state oil company PDVSA, France’s TOTAL SA and Norway’s EQUINOR ASA, and the PETROPIAR joint venture with U.S. CHEVRON Corp both restarted, according to the document. The upgraders, together with the Petrosinovensa mixing facility, were set to produce 298,000 barrels of upgraded crude on Tuesday. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-oil/two-of-venezuelas-four-crude-upgraders-restart-after-blackout-document-idUSKCN1RL2FE)

 

Economy & Finance

Maduro is cut off from US$ 400 million in cash held at the IMF

As Nicolas Maduro steps up his search for cash overseas, another door is slamming shut. The International Monetary Fund suspended the Venezuelan strongman’s access to almost US$ 400 million of special drawing rights, citing political chaos since National Assembly President Juan Guaidó claimed in January that he was the nation’s rightful leader, said two people familiar with the matter. Venezuela already whittled its SDR holdings down from almost US$ 1 billion in March 2018. The IMF’s caution marks at least a temporary defeat for Maduro’s government as it seeks to gather money held abroad to stave off a devastating economic collapse that could undermine key support from top military commanders. The SDRs represent one of the regime’s last remaining sources of cash. Almost two-thirds of Venezuela’s US$ 9 billion in foreign reserves are in the form of gold, which has been difficult to liquidate because of U.S. sanctions. Guaidó’ s camp has all but declared victory in the battle over who has access to the SDRs. Ricardo Hausmann, a Harvard professor and economic adviser to Guaidó, said the IMF is safeguarding the assets until a new government takes over. “Those funds will be available when this usurpation ends,” he said in an interview at Bloomberg headquarters in New York. Venezuela’s relationship with the IMF has long been contentious. In 2007, then-President Hugo Chavez pledged to cut ties with the fund. That plan was never carried out because leaving the IMF risked triggering a technical default in which investors could demand immediate repayment on some bonds. Since then, Venezuela has defaulted on more than US$ 10 billion in payments. (Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/imf-freezes-venezuela-funds-as-members-debate-who-s-president)

 

Venezuela removes eight tons of gold from central bank

Venezuela removed eight tons of gold from the central bank’s vaults last week, and the cash-strapped socialist regime is expected to sell the bullion abroad as it seeks to raise hard currency in the face of U.S. sanctions, a lawmaker and one government source said. With sanctions imposed by Washington choking off revenues from exports by state oil company PDVSA, Nicolas Maduro’s increasingly isolated regime has turned to sales of Venezuela’s substantial gold reserves as one of the only sources of foreign currency. The government source said the central bank’s reserves had fallen by 30 tons since the start of the year before U.S. President Donald Trump tightened sanctions, leaving the bank with around 100 tons in its vaults, worth more than US$ 4 billion. At that rate of decline, the central bank’s reserves would nearly disappear by the end of the year, leaving Maduro’s regime struggling to pay for imports of basic goods. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-gold-exclusive/exclusive-venezuela-removes-eight-tonnes-of-gold-from-central-bank-sources-idUSKCN1RL247)

 

Fund sues Venezuela for US$ 26 million in unpaid bonds, interest

Global fund manager PHARO has sued Venezuela for US$ 26 million in unpaid bond principal and interest, a U.S. court filing showed, as legal claims by creditors piled up against this nation whose economy is suffering from a hyperinflationary collapse. In a complaint filed with the New York State Supreme Court late on Monday, PHARO said two funds that it controls own US$ 1.5 million in bonds that matured in 2018 and more than US$ 200 million in bonds set to mature in October 2019. Venezuela failed to pay interest and principal on the 2018 bonds and missed three interest payments on the 2019 bonds, it added. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-bonds/fund-sues-venezuela-for-26-million-in-unpaid-bonds-interest-idUSKCN1RL25D)

 

Venezuela unemployment nears that of war-ruined Bosnia, IMF says

Venezuela’s unemployment rate is soaring to levels unseen in the world since the Bosnian war came to an end more than two decades ago, according to the International Monetary Fund. Joblessness will reach 44.3% in 2019 and will slam nearly half of Venezuela’s labor force in 2020, the IMF said in its World Economic Outlook published on Tuesday. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s joblessness was 50% in 1996, immediately after its 3 1/2-year domestic war, according to the multilateral’s database. The Venezuelan depression is among the deepest economic catastrophes ever suffered by a nation outside of wartime. This year alone, the Andean nation’s output will shrink by a quarter -- the most worldwide since the 2014 start of the Libyan civil war, according to the IMF. The contraction has become so large that it’s generating “sizable drag” on growth not just in Latin America, but also in emerging markets as a whole. (Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-09/venezuela-unemployment-nears-that-of-war-ruined-bosnia-imf-says)

 

Politics and International Affairs

OAS votes to recognize Juan Guaidó’ s ambassador

The members of the Organization of American States (OAS) voted on Tuesday to recognize Juan Guaidó’ s ambassador as the country's official representative to the organization. The move solidifies Nicolas Maduro's exit from the regional body, further isolating Venezuela from its neighbors. The OAS is the second multilateral organization in the hemisphere to recognize representatives designated by Guaidó, after the Inter-American Development Bank accepted Ricardo Hausmann as its Venezuelan envoy last month. With 18 votes in favor, nine against, six abstentions and one absence, the OAS confirmed Gustavo Tarre as Venezuela's new delegate. After a heated debate, the OAS permanent council made the decision by a vote of 18 in favor, nine against, and six abstentions. One delegate was absent. The council asked OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro to send the text to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The text states that "Nicolas Maduro's presidential authority lacks legitimacy and his designations for government posts, therefore, lack the necessary legitimacy." The countries that voted against Tuesday's decision were Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Dominica, Grenada, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Uruguay.  (DW: https://m.dw.com/cda/en/oas-votes-to-recognize-juan-Guaidós-ambassador/a-48269376; France24: https://www.france24.com/en/20190409-oas-recognizes-Guaidó-envoy-until-new-venezuela-polls)

 

 ‘You shouldn’t be here’: U.S. pushes U.N. to pull Maduro envoy’s credentials

Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday urged the United Nations to revoke the credentials of Nicolás Maduro’s ambassador to the world body, portraying him as a loyalist to the country’s disputed president, Nicolás Maduro, and to a government that has allowed crime, violence and starvation to rise. In a 20-minute speech to the United Nations Security Council, Mr. Pence called for a formal recognition of Juan Guaidó as the rightful leader of Venezuela, which he called “a failed state — and as history teaches, failed states know no boundaries.” Mr. Pence turned to Maduro’s representative, Samuel Moncada Acosta, telling him, “You shouldn’t be here.” “You should return to Venezuela and tell Nicolás Maduro that his time is up,” Mr. Pence said. “It’s time for him to go.” The Council meeting addressed the situation in Venezuela, which officials and experts are increasingly describing as a humanitarian crisis that has led about 3.5 million citizens to flee the country. Mr. Pence also accused China and Russia of meddling in efforts to remove Mr. Maduro. While “Russia and China continue to obstruct at the Security Council,” Mr. Pence said, “rogue states like Iran and Cuba are doing all they can to prop up the Maduro regime.” But on Wednesday, he did not give a firm answer when asked by a reporter where the United States would draw a line on Russia’s involvement. He also did not give a timeline when asked if the possibility of American military intervention, an option long played up by administration officials, was drawing closer as conditions in Venezuela worsened. In briefings held before Mr. Pence arrived to speak, (The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/world/americas/pence-venezuela-un-envoy.html; Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-10/pence-demands-un-expel-venezuela-s-ambassador-support-Guaidó)

 

U.N. Aid Chief says 'very real humanitarian problem' in Venezuela

United Nations aid chief Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that there is a "very real humanitarian problem" in Venezuela and that the world body is ready to do more if it gets more help and support from all parties. "The scale of need is significant and growing. The United Nations is working in Venezuela to expand the provision of humanitarian assistance," Lowcock said. "We can do more to relieve the suffering of the people of Venezuela, if we get more help and support from all stakeholders." He briefed the council on a recent U.N. report on the situation that estimates about a quarter of Venezuelans are in need of humanitarian assistance and painted a dire picture of millions of people lacking food and basic services. Some 3.4 million Venezuelans have left the country, Lowcock said. This number was expected to rise to some 5 million by the end of the year, said Eduardo Stein, the joint envoy for Venezuelan refugees and migrants for the U.N. refugee agency and the U.N. migration agency. Lowcock stressed the need for humanitarian efforts to be neutral, impartial and independent. Lowcock said the number of U.N. staff in Venezuela had nearly doubled since 2017 to some 400 and that U.N. agencies were working in all 24 Venezuelan states. (The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/04/10/world/americas/10reuters-venezuela-politics-un.html)

 

US, EU at odds over Venezuela sanctions

The crisis in Venezuela is causing divisions between the Trump administration and EU governments, which have failed to back Washington's call for tougher sanctions against Nicolas Maduro. Disregarding evidence presented at a NATO summit last week indicating that Maduro is digging in with the aid of Russia, the EU decided against widening Venezuelan sanctions during a foreign ministers’ meeting Monday. “The EU is against implementing sanctions on Venezuela as a country,” said Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrel at a press briefing following the meeting. He left open the possibility of applying individual sanctions against some members of Maduro’s government. Last week, the United States expanded sanctions to block Venezuela’s oil exports by targeting its tanker fleet, declaring that 34 of its vessels could be embargoed or seized through new measures announced by the U.S. Department of Energy. Europe, on the other hand, continues receiving oil from Venezuela despite crippled production. Spain’s oil company REPSOL recently reached an agreement with the cash-strapped Maduro government to pay down the company’s US$ 2 billion investment with added shipments of oil. And almost 100 Spanish companies continue operating in Venezuela, including one of Spain’s largest banks, BBVA, which could be vulnerable to future sanctions. Borrel has said he discussed Spain’s financial stake at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week in Washington and complained about administration plans to toughen the embargo on Cuba. Spain’s large presence in Venezuela — where the Spanish expatriate community numbers about 250,000 dual nationals — makes Madrid the lead government on EU policy toward the Latin American country. Italy and Portugal also have substantial expatriate communities and commercial interests in Venezuela including investments by Italy’s oil company ENI. The Trump administration used last week’s NATO summit to argue Venezuela presented a new threat from Russia, which has supplied sophisticated arms and military advisors to revamp Maduro’s air force, armored units and special forces. Borrel has said Russia’s presence in Venezuela is small and should not constitute a “problem” for NATO. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said that Spain would “roundly oppose” any U.S. military action against Venezuela and that he would urge the rest of the European Union to do the same. Spanish officials say they are doubling down on efforts to find a political solution through negotiations between Maduro and Guaidó. Speaking from Brussels Monday, Borrel said Maduro had requested an “activation” of the EU-led Montevideo group, which includes Mexico, Uruguay and other Latin American governments offering mediation. (VOA: https://www.voanews.com/a/us-eu-at-odds-over-new-sanctions-against-venezuela/4869617.html)

 

Honduran, Nicaraguan, Venezuelan leaders not invited to Salvadoran's swearing-in

El Salvador’s incoming president Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday he would not be inviting the leaders of Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela to his June 1 inauguration after criticizing them as illegitimate rulers. In a Twitter post, the 37-year-old Bukele confirmed news reports that invitations were not being extended to Juan Orlando Hernandez, president of neighboring Honduras, Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, or Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Bukele, who won an election in February, did not say why the presidents would not be asked, but he has previously criticized all three as men who did not deserve to be in power due to controversies that have clouded their administrations. (Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-elsalvador-inauguration/honduran-nicaraguan-venezuelan-leaders-not-invited-to-salvadorans-swearing-in-idUSKCN1RM0BD)

 

Maduro says Venezuela ready to receive international aid

Nicolas Maduro has said his country was ready to receive international aid following a meeting with the Red Cross chief, as this nation plunged into a new round of blackouts. "We confirm our readiness to establish cooperation mechanisms for international assistance and support," Maduro said on Twitter on Tuesday. Maduro, who denies that the current situation in Venezuela can be described as a humanitarian crisis, reiterated after the meeting that collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) should respect "the Venezuelan legal order." An ICRC delegation led by its president Peter Maurer has been here since Saturday and is due to finish its visit on Wednesday. The ICRC said last Friday in a statement it was "concerned by the serious impact that the current situation has on Venezuelans, especially those who do not have access to basic services." (Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/maduro-venezuela-ready-receive-international-aid-190410083550252.html)

 

Red Cross regains access to Venezuela jails, military prisons

The International Committee of the Red Cross has regained access to prisons in Venezuela, including highly guarded military facilities where dozens of inmates considered political prisoners are being held, as strongman Nicolas Maduro seeks to counter mounting criticism of his government’s human rights record. International Red Cross President Peter Maurer on Wednesday wraps up a five-day visit to Venezuela, where the Geneva-based group is among international organizations trying to carve out a space to deliver badly needed humanitarian aid and technical assistance free of the winner-take-all politics contributing to the country’s turmoil. The group had been denied access in Venezuela at least since 2012. The renewed visits in Venezuela began March 11 when a Red Cross delegation visited a model prison in Caracas, the Simon Bolivar Center for the Formation of New Men. Eighty-seven foreigners are being held. But more significant was the visit two weeks later to the military-run Ramo Verde prison outside Caracas, which holds 69 people the opposition considers political prisoners. Most people held at the Ramo Verde are military personnel accused of plotting to overthrow Maduro. Many more, including five oil executives with U.S. passports, are being held in the basement jail of the military counterintelligence headquarters in the capital. In another attempt to counter growing criticism, Maduro last month welcomed a delegation sent by the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights. He previously had called s999uch visits a politically biased threat to Venezuela’s sovereignty. (NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/red-cross-regains-access-venezuela-jails-military-prisons-n992981)

 

Raúl Castro pledges Cuba will never abandon Venezuela

Raúl Castro has promised that Cuba will never abandon its leftist ally Venezuela despite US “blackmail”, even as the Trump administration threatened more sanctions over its support. In a speech to the national assembly, the head of the Cuban Communist party said the island had been increasing defense preparedness in recent months in view of mounting US hostility. The island nation had also been adopting economic measures to contend with the Trump administration’s tightening of the decades-old US trade embargo, Castro told legislators. “We will never abandon our duty of acting in solidarity with Venezuela,” Castro said. “We reject strongly all types of blackmail.” Shortages of basic goods have increased recently, including flour, eggs and chicken, with the state even reducing the size and circulation of its newspapers due to a lack of newsprint. The situation could worsen further in coming months in view of the tightening US trade embargo, Castro warned. (The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/10/raul-castro-cuba-never-abandon-venezuela)

 

U.S. ready to take on Russia and other 'foreign powers' in Venezuela, John Bolton says

President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton has warned nations seen as obstacles to U.S. plans for Latin America that they must leave Venezuela and stop defending the socialist government opposed by the Trump administration. Responding to Tuesday's Newsweek article discussing the recent arrival of Russian, Chinese and Iranian planes intended to support Maduro and his government, Bolton told radio host Hugh Hewitt that "President Trump is determined not to see Venezuela fall under the sway of foreign powers."  "Look, our objective is a peaceful transition of power to Juan Guaidó and the opposition," Bolton said during Wednesday's program. "But let’s not forget we’ve got between 40,000 to 50,000 American citizens in Venezuela." "We’ve got countries, as you mentioned, Colombia and Brazil on the border with millions of Venezuelan refugees who have come across. We’ve got terrorist organizations like the ELN [National Liberation Army] and FARC [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] who threaten Colombia," he added. "We’re going to protect American national interest, and Maduro and his cronies ought to know that President Trump is very serious when he says all options are on the table." (Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/bolton-russia-china-iran-venezuela-powers-1392304)

 

The following brief is a synthesis of the news as reported by a variety of media sources. As such, the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Duarte Vivas & Asociados and The Selinger Group.

February 26, 2019

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)