International Trade
781 containers have arrived at La Guaira port from
Cartagena, Colombia, bearing 4,000 tons of food; 336.76 tons of personal
care products; 685.7 tons of medication and 21,000 tons of other products.
According to the Port Authority, arriving products include wheat flour, frozen
fish, cooking oil, rice, cereal, lentils, sugar, apples, pears, toilet paper,
sanitary napkins, shampoo, brushes, feeding bottles, soap, moist towels,
hemodialysis kits, intravenous solution, and supplies for medicine production.
Also, metallic structures, construction material, clothing, spare parts for
vehicles, appliances and cattle equipment. More in Spanish: (El Universal; http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/economia/ingresan-por-puerto-guaira-781-contenedores-mercancia_652022;
Bolipuertos, http://www.bolipuertos.gob.ve/noticia.aspx?id=36308;
El Mundo, http://www.elmundo.com.ve/noticias/economia/politicas-publicas/arribaron-a-la-guaira-781-contenedores-con-diverso.aspx)
Fertilizer and herbicides are offloading at Puerto
Cabello
150,000
sacks of fertilizers from Barranquilla, Colombia, aboard the ship “Manuel
Gual”, consigned to state agency AGROPATRIA. At the same time, the ship “Lion”
was offloading 7 containers of Pendimetaline, a chemical herbicide used to
control undergrowth. More in Spanish: (Bolipuertos, http://www.bolipuertos.gob.ve/noticia.aspx?id=36304; El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/economia/descargan-fertilizantes-herbicidas-puerto-cabello_651808)
Oil & Energy
Venezuela's main refineries operating at record lows
Three
of Venezuela's four refineries are working at record lows due to equipment
malfunctioning and lack of crude and spare parts, according to PDVSA internal
reports seen by Reuters on Wednesday and workers from the facilities. The
Paraguana Refining Center, which includes Venezuela's Cardon and Amuay
refineries, was processing 409,000 barrels per day (bpd) as of Monday, or 43%
of its installed capacity of 955,000 bpd, according to the data. Venezuela's
third largest refinery, the 187,000-barrel-per-day Puerto la Cruz, is operating
at minimum levels due to problems at two of its three distillation units, said
union leader Jose Bodas and a worker who asked not to be identified. The current
processing levels at the main refineries are similar to 2012, when a severe
explosion that killed more than 40 people at Amuay significantly reduced
operations at PDVSA's main facilities, forcing the company to import fuels.
(Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-refinery-operations-pdvsa-idUSKBN18630Z)
Venezuelan crude sales to the U.S. bounced in April
Venezuelan
crude sales to the United States recovered in April compared to previous months
to reach 741,000 barrels per day (bpd), its highest level since November, due
to a larger supply of diluted and upgraded oil, according to Thomson Reuters
trade flows data. Oil upgrades capable of converting Orinoco Belt's extra heavy
crude into exportable grades have increased processing in recent weeks after
working partially earlier this year, allowing more exports, sources close to
the projects said. Sales of Zuata 30, Venezuela's lightest upgraded crude, to
the United States almost doubled to 178,000 bpd in April compared with the
previous month, according to the data. Exports of diluted crude oil (DCO) made
with extra heavy oil and heavy naphtha increased 17% compared to March. (Reuters,
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa-oil-idUSKBN1862Q0)
UN reports sharp drop in Cuban exports of refined oil
products
Cuban
exports of refined oil products fell about 97% between 2013 and 2016, according
to a United Nations trade report released this week, reflecting falling
supplies from its political ally Venezuela. The UN COMTRADE annual report put
the value of Cuban fuel exports last year at US$ 15.4 million, compared to more
than US$ 500 million in 2013. The amounts for 2015 and 2014, when oil prices
collapsed, were US$ 163.5 million and US$ 336.8, respectively. The figures were
based on import data from reporting countries, which may make them incomplete.
Cuba depends on socialist-ruled Venezuela for up to 70% of its energy needs,
including re-exports. Havana gets the oil as part of an exchange that sends
thousands of Cuban doctors and other professionals to Venezuela. But a severe
economic crisis here nation has led to a decline in oil-related supplies since
2014. Cuba began rationing electricity and fuel to state companies a year ago,
and has experienced gasoline shortages more recently. Diplomats, suppliers and
joint venture partners report the government has fallen behind on some payments.
In 2016, Cuba received 87,550 barrels per day (bpd) of Venezuelan oil and
fuels, 27% less than in 2015. In 2017, shipments of fuels have declined
further, according to internal data, seen by Reuters, from Venezuelan state-run
oil firm PDVSA. Cuba, in turn, has looked to Russia and others to try to make
up the shortfall. A tanker with 249,000 barrels of refined fuel products from
Russia is due to arrive in Cuba on May 10, bringing back memories of when the
Soviet Union supplied all the island nation's energy needs. (Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/cuba-energy-trade-idUSL1N1IB09A)
Commodities
Amid chaos in Venezuela, infant deaths, malaria cases
skyrocket
Infant
and maternal deaths and cases of malaria are skyrocketing in Venezuela, which
is grappling with severe medical shortages. Confirmed malaria cases in 2016
stood at 240,000, a 76% increase over 2015. Maternal deaths rose 66% to 756.
Last year, 11,466 infants died, a 30% increase, according to new records
recently released by Venezuela's health ministry. It's the first health data
released by the government in nearly two years. The staggering increases
illustrate how badly Venezuela lacks basic medicine, equipment and supplies to
treat even the simplest of injuries at public hospitals. "If you need to have an operation, nowadays,
you must bring your own medicines to the hospital," says Eugenia
Morin, a 59-year old the housewife who protested the government last week.
"There are no supplies to attend the
most basic emergencies." According to statistics released by the
Venezuelan Pharmaceutical Federation, by June 2016, the country was already
facing a shortage of more than 80% of the medicines doctors need. And it's not
just medicine. Patients are responsible for any material needed to treat them:
needles, gauze pads, saline solution. When patients can get the money together
to purchase these items, they become targets -- hospital rooms are not safe
from thieves looking to sell medication on the black market, or fellow patients
in desperation. And more than 13,000 doctors -- about 20% of the country's
medical workforce, have left the country in recent years due to the collapse of
the health sector. The health figures only represent one of many crises in
Venezuela, which was once the richest nation in Latin America and is still home
to the world's largest oil reserves. (CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/10/health/venezuela-malaria-infant-mortality/)
Fruit and vegetable transport is paralyzed by protests
200
cities could be hit by shortages of vegetables and fruit in the Andean region
due to a halt in transportation because of protests and insecurity. Transport
operators at Seboruco, El Cobre and La Grita, who supply fruit and vegetable to
60% of the nation have stopped their trucks due to attacks in protests and road
insecurity. More in Spanish: (Noticiero Venevisión, http://www.noticierovenevision.net/noticias/economia/200-ciudades-podrian-quedar-afectadas-por-desabastecimiento-de-hortalizas-y-frutas; El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/economia/productores-hortalizas-solicitan-mayor-seguridad-vialidad_651899)
Disturbances are hurting beef distribution nationwide
Armando
Chacin, president of the Maracaibo Lake Area Cattle Federation, says beef
distribution nationwide has hurt beef distribution because transportation
operators do not want to put their personnel, cargo and units at risk due to
protests. He says cattle processing at slaughterhouses remains “totally normal”. More in Spanish: (El
Mundo, http://www.elmundo.com.ve/noticias/economia/gremios/disturbios-inciden-en-la-distribucion-de-carne-a-n.aspx#ixzz4glVPEksN)
Vegetable production could drop 95%, farmers have not
received fertilizers for 6 months
Gerson
Pabón, director general of the Agriculture Federation (FEDEAGRO) warns that
vegetable production could drop 95% this year because the government has
limited fertilizer supplies to cereal production in Barinas, Cojedes and
Portuguesa, and abandoned all the other areas. More in Spanish: (Ultima Hora
Digital, http://ultimahoradigital.com/2017/05/desde-hace-6-meses-no-despachan-fertilizantes-a-productores-de-hortalizas/)
Economy & Finance
International reserves drop down to lowest level in 15
years
FOREX
held by Venezuela’s Central Bank to fund imports, repay depts., meet
contingencies and back up exchange rates were US$ 10.137 billion as of May 5th,
a 19% drop over the past year and their lowest level in 15 years, according to
official data. The amount offers much less coverage than in 2002 because the
nation’s FOREX debt is much higher, it depends much more on imports and
currency controls allocated FOREX very inefficiently. Disposable FOREX reserves
are now only 10% of the total amount, and were 68% of it in 2002. Two thirds of
current reserves are in gold bullion, so there is scant liquidity and a very
narrow margin for maneuvering. Analysts estimate the FOREX deficit at US$ 10
billion, which means companies cannot import supplies required for production
of food and medicine. The Central Bank itself reports that the National
Stabilization Fund is down to US$ 3 million, a meaningless sum as compared to
savings in other oil producing nations. Central Bank statistics showed that
dollar debt quadrupled between Q3 2004 and Q3 2015, from US$ 27.053 billion up
to US$ 120.204 billion. Indebtedness did not improve infrastructure or
diversify the economy, and weighs heavily on public finance. Venezuela and
PDVSA still must pay up US$ 9.691 billion this year. The next large payment
comes due in October-November, for US$ 3.526 billion. Analysts say that the
only way the Maduro regime can increase imports, relieve scarcity and pull out
of recession is through financing, but investors are looking at a high risk due
to scant reserves, low oil prices, political conflict and weak institutions –
where the Supreme Tribunal has declared the National Assembly in contempt, and
the legislature – in turn – has made it clear to foreign financial institutions
that any credit operations that do not have its approval will be considered
illegal. More in Spanish: (Notiminuto: http://www.notiminuto.com/noticia/las-reservas-internacionales-caen-al-nivel-mas-bajo-en-15-anos/)
Venezuela's
99.5% Currency Plunge Shows Why Protests Rage: Chart
President
Nicolas Maduro has overseen an unprecedented depreciation in his country’s
currency since taking office, with the bolivar now down 99.5% to 5,100 per
dollar in the black market that everyday Venezuelans use. The sharp decline has
wiped out savings and made buying imported goods all but impossible, helping
fuel the anger directed at the government in street protests that have turned
deadly in recent weeks. While Maduro has raised the minimum wage almost 20
times during his tenure, it’s still the equivalent of just US$ 40 a month.
(Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-10/venezuela-s-99-5-currency-plunge-shows-why-protests-rage-chart)
"Economic
recovery in Venezuela is not viable without a political solution"
The
Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEDECÁMARAS) decided
on Tuesday not to attend the meetings called by the Presidential Commission for
the Constituent Assembly arguing that this body will be unable to solve the
country core problems. “It is not time
for a constituent assembly,” said Fedecámaras President Francisco Martínez,
accompanied by the members of the expanded board of directors. “The country calls for solutions to the
problems that afflict the people and go deeper and deeper day by day (…) The
call to a national constituent assembly in the set terms, rather than solving,
will deepen the crisis, as it lacks the legitimacy afforded by the support of
the sovereign people.” Aquiles Hopkins, incoming President of the nation’s
Agriculture Confederation (FEDEAGRO) concurs, saying: “A constituent assembly is not the solution to the nation’s problems
which are clearly specified, and will only be solved within the Constitution”.
(El Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/daily-news/economic-recovery-venezuela-unviable-without-political-solution_651974;
and more in Spanish: El Mundo, http://www.elmundo.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/fedeagro-dice-que-la-constituyente-no-solucionara-.aspx#ixzz4glUvAV4s)
Politics and International Affairs
Venezuela protesters fling feces at soldiers; unrest
takes 2 more lives
Young
Venezuelan protesters lobbed bottles and bags of feces at soldiers who fought
with tear gas on Wednesday to block the latest march in more than a month of
nationwide protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The
extraordinary scenes, in what was dubbed the "Shit March" on the main highway through Caracas, came as
thousands of opposition supporters again poured onto the streets decrying
Venezuela's economic crisis and demanding elections. Many carried stones and
so-called "Poopootov cocktails"
- feces stuffed into small glass bottles - that they threw when National Guard
troops blocked their path, firing gas and turning water cannons on the crowds.
Protesters marching in downtown Caracas chanted: "Who are we? Venezuela! What do we want? Freedom!". At
that point, militiamen approached, all dressed in dark colors with pieces of
cloth covering their faces. One masked militia member fired several shots into
the air. The militia later dispersed after officers intervened. Opposition
leaders have blamed armed pro-government groups known as "collectives" for a number of
protest deaths. At least 93 people were injured in Caracas and demonstrator
Miguel Castillo was killed. Authorities also announced that Anderson Dugarte,
32, died from a gunshot wound he suffered Monday at a protest in Merida. The
violence pushed the death toll to at least 38 in more than a month of street
protests and political turmoil. Castillo had studied communications at Santa
Marta University and friends and opposition leaders vowed to march to the site
of his death Thursday morning. Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said in
comments broadcast by state television that Dugarte was killed by a sniper
linked to the opposition's Democratic Unity coalition. The opposition are
seeking to vary tactics to keep momentum going and supporters energized. The
government accused the opposition of breaking international treaties on
biological and chemical weapons by throwing feces. In downtown Caracas,
government supporters also rallied, dancing salsa and waving pictures of
Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez who remains venerated by many, especially the
poor. Maduro and his allies appear to be
hoping the opposition will run out of steam and are banking on a rise in oil
prices to help assuage four years of recession. They are seizing on vandalism
by young opposition hotheads who burn rubbish in the streets and smash public
property, to depict the whole movement as intent on violence. The protests so
far have failed to garner massive support from poorer, traditionally pro-Chavez
sectors of Venezuela's 30 million people. But a bigger cross-section of society
has been apparent at recent marches, some of which drew hundreds of thousands.
Looting has been breaking out in some cities, especially at night. (Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKBN1862V3;
Latin American Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2436164&CategoryId=10718;
Al Jazeera:http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/venezuela-protests-170510215958054.html; CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/10/world/venezuela-victims/; CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-protests-nicolas-maduro-dead-poopootov-cocktail-feces/; ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dozens-hurt-dead-violent-day-protests-venezuela-47334107; DW: http://www.dw.com/en/pro-maduro-militia-suppress-venezuela-democracy-demos/a-38793644)
Opposition leader arrested at pre-march gathering
National
Assembly lawmakers on Wednesday denounced that Venezuela’s Bolivarian National
Police (PNB) arrested a leader in the Popular Will (VP) party, Sergio
Contreras, who was with a group of opposition members in downtown Caracas
preparing to stage a march to the Supreme Court building. Opposition lawmaker
Gaby Arellano told reporters that Contreras, an assistant to parliamentary
First Vice President Freddy Guevara, was arrested in the La Candelaria sector
of town. The police took him away “for no
reason,” she said. “We were gathering
(for the march) and comrade Sergio Contreras ... with a megaphone in his hand,
was viciously attacked with tear gas canisters and subdued by more than 15 PNB
officers commanded by Officer Duque, upon whom I threw myself to get
(Contreras) away from them, and they beat me also,” she said. Arellano said
that Contreras was beaten in a “barbaric
manner,” and that lawmakers Luis Florido, Jorge Millan and Winston Flores,
as well as Arellano herself, were also attacked by the police. (Latin American
Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2436154&CategoryId=10717)
Venezuela hauls protesters before military tribunals
to face up to 30 years behind bars
Human
rights activists say more than 250 detained protesters have been put before
military justice over the last week — a sudden upsurge in use of a practice
they say violates the constitution, which limits military courts to "offences of a military nature."
Some lawyers and opposition leaders put the number far higher. "The growing use of military tribunals to
judge civilians demonstrates the absolute determination of Venezuelan
authorities to asphyxiate the growing protests and terrorize any person who
contemplates the possibility of expressing opinions," said Erika
Guevara Rosas, Americas director for Amnesty International. President Nicolas
Maduro's administration says the courts are part of emergency measures
necessary to ensure national security against what they decry as foreign-backed
attempts to violently oust the socialist government from power. "Security agencies are deployed in Carabobo
to find those responsible for instigating rebellion and crime," wrote General
Antonio Jose Benavides Torres, commander of Venezuela's Bolivarian National
Guard, on Twitter. Many rights activists see the increasing reliance on
military tribunals to try civilian protesters as an echo of the dark days of
the 1970s and 1980s, when military dictatorships in Chile, Brazil and elsewhere
bypassed civilian jurisdictions to prosecute political opponents accused of
being national security threats tied to international communism. "The governments of Latin America have experienced
this in the past, we have fought against impunity and we have said, 'Never
again,"' said Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of
American States. "We cannot remain
silent in the face of such obvious abuse of the basic human rights of Venezuelans."
Some opposition leaders believe the use of the military tribunals reflects
Maduro's weakening grip on power and a desire to circumvent someone who's
become a surprising irritant: Venezuela's semi-autonomous chief prosecutor
Luisa Ortega, who has shown signs of unusual independence. She was the first
official to denounce a March ruling by the loyalist Supreme Court that stripped
the opposition congress of its last powers, calling it a "rupture" of the constitutional
order, helping prompt the court to back off the ruling. Nearly all of those
facing military courts face the same two charges, according to attorneys:
Inciting rebelling and vilifying military officials. Most of those cases so far
are in the northern state of Carabobo. Military officials have activated an
emergency protocol there known as Plan Zamora, few details of which have been
made public. Amnesty International said Wednesday more than 250 people have
been detained and placed in the hands of military justice. Alfredo Romero,
executive director of Foro Penal, a lawyers' co-operative that defends
activists, told National Assembly members Tuesday that 118 people in Carabobo
alone have been put before military tribunals, where he said nearly a dozen
soldiers armed with automatic weapons are posted in the courtroom as cases are
heard. (CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/venezuela-protesters-military-tribunals-1.4108988; El Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/daily-news/ngo-over-civilians-have-been-sued-military-courts_651968)
Venezuela’s anti-government protesters show no signs
of backing down
The
crisis in Venezuela is only getting worse. On Wednesday, just as on every
previous day for the past six weeks, anti-government
protests hit various parts of the country. We're almost getting inured to
the images: smoldering barricades arrayed against riot police, security forces
launching fusillades of tear gas, bloodied demonstrators being rushed
out by volunteer medics. Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is
grimly clinging to power. His opponents seek fresh elections, the release
of political prisoners and other concessions. Maduro, the unpopular inheritor
of a socialist revolution, shows no sign that he will heed those calls. “Maduro is trapped in an electoral maze of
the regime’s own making,” Phil Gunson of the International Crisis Group
wrote last month. “After years of
using elections as plebiscites, confident that oil revenue and the charisma of
the late strongman Hugo Chávez would always ensure victory, the government can
now — with Chávez gone — neither muster the electoral support nor find a
convincing reason not to hold a vote.” And so, the protests
continue. As Maduro extends the crackdown and even hauls civilians before
military tribunals, there's a growing sense that external pressure is needed to
ease the crisis. All eyes are on a meeting of the Organization of American
States, or OAS, expected this month, where Venezuela will be at the forefront
of the agenda. Maduro has threatened to pull out of the regional alliance,
which is headquartered in Washington. “Venezuela
is drowning in an economic, financial, social and humanitarian crisis of
gigantic proportions,” said Luis Almagro, the secretary-general of the OAS,
in a recent interview with Bloomberg News. “There
is a dictatorship in Venezuela, and Venezuela needs elections. The only
institutional exit for the country is a general election.” Maduro has seen
the erosion of his government's base, with many of Venezuela's poor — once
uplifted by “chavista” populism — suffering amid the wreckage of a collapsing
state. But he may now fear fractures within the ruling party and the
waning support of the security services that guarantee his power. In the meantime, protesters will keep turning
out in the streets of the country's divided cities. (The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/05/11/venezuelas-anti-government-protesters-show-no-signs-of-backing-down/?utm_term=.1f4cbbe23a9a)
IACHR lashes at repression; deplores rising death toll
in Venezuela
The
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) blasted the “repressive
measures” adopted in Venezuela, in retaliation to the wave of nationwide
protests started last April. The IACHR urged the Venezuelan government to stop
such measures and effectively discharge its international obligations in the
field of human rights, a notice stated. The IACHR specially condemned and
voiced concern over the increasing number of killings, injured people and
detentions en masse, in addition to militarization of the way of dealing with
the demonstrations. (El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/daily-news/iachr-lashes-repression-deplores-rising-death-toll-venezuela_651980)
Maduro regime allies delay OAS vote on Venezuela
The
Organization of American States (OAS) has postponed a vote on calling a meeting
of the Hemisphere’s Foreign Minister to deal with the Venezuelan crisis until
May 15th. A large group of countries wanted to vote on the matter
yesterday, but after a heated debate had to agree to postpone the vote due to
opposition by some Maduro regime allies within the organization. Venezuela did
not attend. The Permanent Council will meet next Monday, to vote on a new date,
as per a proposal by Ecuador’s representative. Canada, which had called for the
meeting, stressed that what is going on in Venezuela is “not normal”, and the situation is not improving by delays. OAS
Secretary General Luis Almagro held the Maduro regime responsible for the death
of young Miguel Castillo in Caracas the same day, and condemned “arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests by the
Venezuelan regime.” He added “there
are 38 dead to date due to the brutal repression of the Venezuelan regime
against their people” More in Spanish: (Notiminuto: http://www.notiminuto.com/noticia/en-vivo-sesion-de-la-oea-sobre-venezuela/; El
Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/oea-sin-consenso-sobre-dia-reunion-cancilleres-para-caso-venezuela_652016;
El Universal, http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/almagro-imperativo-restaurar-democracia-venezuela_652088)
US State Department calls on Venezuela to "tend humanitarian needs,"
respect Constitution & National Assembly
Francisco
Palmieri, Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, at the U.S.
Department of State, says: “The people of
Venezuela are suffering due to their government’s authoritarian repression and
poor economic management Three-quarters of Venezuelans have lost weight in the
past year because of food scarcity.We are concerned that the government of President Maduro is violating Venezuela’s own constitution and is not allowing the opposition to have their voices heard, nor allowing them to organize in a way that expresses the views of the Venezuelan people. Our hemisphere has come together, particularly through the Organization of American States in defense of democracy and human rights in the region. We have taken formal steps to address the situation in Venezuela by calling a minister-level meeting.” (Latin American Herald Tribune, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2436097&CategoryId=10717)
The armed forces will decide the fate of Venezuela’s
regime
Before
Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president, delivered his second May Day address,
spelling out plans for a new constitution, he paused to acknowledge a dozen
generals, in full ceremonial uniform, were in the audience. He asked them to
stand and be applauded. It was a telling moment. His future will be decided by
the armed forces, not directly by the people. If they withdraw support from his
beleaguered regime, change will come soon. If not, hunger and repression will
continue. So far, there is little sign of dissent in the top ranks. General
Vladimir Padrino López, the head of the armed forces and minister of defense,
hailed Maduro’s call for a new constitution as “a clear demonstration of democratic will”. The opposition is
increasingly directing its appeals to the armed forces, or to factions within
them. Julio Borges, the legislature’s president, says it is time for the men in
green to “break their silence”.
Henrique Capriles, a potential challenger to Maduro who has been banned from
seeking office for 15 years, asked ordinary soldiers to consider whether they
want to “share the fate” of the
doomed ruling party. The army is not the regime’s only prop. The National Guard
fires tear-gas at and wield truncheons against demonstrators; informal gangs
called “collectives” enforce
submission to the regime in neighborhoods and are responsible for many of the
33 deaths in protests over the past month. But the armed forces, though
constitutionally required to be apolitical, are the final arbiters of power.
Chavismo, the movement that guides the regime, has been military-led since its
inception. Officers or former officers run 11 of the 32 ministries; 11 of the
23 state governors are retired officers. Maduro has been a prolific producer of
generals. On one day, last year he promoted 195 officers to that rank, bringing
their number to more than 2,000. The United States somehow gets by with no more
than 900 generals. The Venezuelan top brass is not a monolithic group. There are
“diverse” factions, both between and
within branches of the armed forces, says Rocio San Miguel, a lawyer and
defense specialist. A group of “originals”
fought alongside Chávez in 1992. An overlapping clique helps drug-trafficking
gangs through its control of ports and airports. A bigger group of
non-ideological “opportunists”
dabbles in that and other businesses. These divisions matter less than the
generals’ shared interest in the regime’s survival. Most profit handsomely from
Maduro’s chaotic rule. Some have access to dollars at the ridiculously cheap
price in bolivars set by the government. The army oversees the lucrative
business of food distribution, a recipe for abuse. The lower ranks are less
happy, though they are better housed than most Venezuelans and some profit from
sidelines such as smuggling. DCI, an
agency that snoops on the barracks, reportedly has been hearing of “deepening disaffection”, especially in
the army’s middle ranks, since February, before the latest protests began. Much
of this appears linked “with mid-ranking
officers barely bothering to suppress their contempt for a general staff it
perceives as corrupt”. In April three lieutenants posted a video saying
they rejected Maduro as commander-in-chief. They sought asylum in Colombia. General
Raúl Baduel, a jailed former defense minister, has become an icon for
dissenters. They share a 14-second recording in which he says he is in prison
because he spurned “the scoundrels and
criminals …who give you orders”. Junior soldiers, and their families, share
the privations that drive Venezuelans onto the streets in protest. They are
angry. But that does not mean that they will stop following orders. (The
Economist: http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21721661-people-power-counts-less-armed-forces-will-decide-fate-venezuelas-regime)
Former Venezuelan general: Venezuela is on the verge
of civil war
Retired
Gen. Miguel Rodríguez Torres, 53, who served as Maduro’s interior minister in
2013 and 2014, said that large riots and protests have cropped up in every
major city, including the working-class neighborhoods that once firmly
supported Maduro’s government. When serving as Maduro’s interior minister,
Torres’s government forces quashed anti-government protests in 2014, resulting
in 43 dead including protesters and police officers. The protests
died out without any concessions from the government, demoralizing Maduro’s opposition
for years. Torres said things have gotten much worse since his time as interior
minister, leading more protesters to take to the streets. He said that
without the government getting to the economic roots of the crisis, repression
will not work. Torres said Maduro fired him in 2014 after he had criticized the
president’s handling of the economy, particularly his control over the
currency. Today, Torres is considering running for president of Venezuela as an
independent. He also founded the Wide Movement political group which
focuses on ridding itself of chavismo, the political movement of Hugo
Chavez, Maduro’s socialist predecessor. “We
can’t be thinking about saving chavismo now, we have to save the country,”
Torres said. (The Blaze: https://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/05/10/former-venezuelan-general-venezuela-is-on-the-verge-of-civil-war/)
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.
