FreeAlexSaab
U.S. Department of Justice continues its extraterritoriality in Alex Saab’s immunity case The US Department of Justice, in full disregard of Venezuela’s internal laws and processes, filed a motion which seeks to cast doubt on the appointment of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab in 2018, as a justification to disregard the order to declassify documents that prove his status and the acceptance of his mission by Iran.
Orinoco Tribune: RUNASUR Condemns Persecution of Diplomat Alex Saab The Union of the People of South American Nations (RUNASUR) spoke out against the arrest and persecution of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. “We draw attention to the two and half years of persecution and detention to which the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, who was kidnapped, has been subjected to. He is still a hostage in the US.” Among RUNASUR goals are the promotion of a plurinational America. The assembly is attended by about one thousand participants hailing from trade unions, social and political movements, and Indigenous and Afro-descendant movements, from at least 12 Latin American countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Cuba
PeoplesWorld (Tom Whitney): World condemns U.S. blockade, again, as crisis builds in Cuba Without much money to pay for imports, Cuba experiences shortages of food, spare parts, raw materials for drug manufacture, and all kinds of supplies and equipment.The blockade has aggravated difficulties caused by international crises, inflation, and lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blockade restrictions “gravely hinder our fuel purchases by making them…[up to] 50% more expensive.” Electrical power generation “is going through an extremely serious situation” because of unavailable replacement parts. Blackouts bedevil Cubans every day, and restoration of electrical power in hurricane-damaged Pinar del Rio has been slow. Eggs are $8 USD per dozen. The exchange rate is 80 CUP per USD, which is 4x higher than before COVID-19. President Díaz-Canel convoked a meeting of Cuba’s Council of Ministers to unveil a plan with “more than 40 directives aimed at confronting crime, corruption, and lack of social discipline.” Shortages of goods and money has led to stealing and lawlessness, and are sufficient to exert a destabilizing effect on society. [Corrupt activities] “take place in full view of the Party centers, the administrative institutions, and leadership bodies.”While celebrating another Cuban victory in the UN General Assembly, supporters of revolutionary Cuba must recognize that the survival of Cuba’s socialist government is now at unprecedented risk, thanks to the US blockade.
Bolivia
Internationalist 360: Bolivia: The Insurrection of the Oligarchy Step by Step This is the third week of the conflict over the Census, which reveals that the Government is no longer facing a partisan political opposition, but an insurrectionary counterrevolutionary movement seeking to seize State power beyond what can be allowed in a democratic context, having as its main instrument the use of force, including armed force. The oligarchy knows that it will never be able to win an election and that the only thing left for them is a coup d’état. What began as an apparently technical problem is now on the verge of becoming an open dispute for power.
Orinoco Tribune: Kawsachun News’ Ollie Vargas on Camacho’s New Move in Bolivia: They’re Not Worried About the Census, They’re Looking for an Excuse to Destabilize I don’t think they’re going to be successful because it’s so local, it’s only in one part of the country, and the rest of the country, even right-wing governors and authorities, are in agreement with the government on this issue,” Vargas said. “It’s only one area, Santa Cruz, which wants to cause these problems, so they’re very isolated, and when you’re isolated at a national level you’re not going to be able to overthrow a government as on this issue.” Arce has brought economic growth to Bolivia and has almost eradicated inflation while the rest of the world is suffering the inflation crisis. “Last year Bolivia had an annual inflation rate of 1%,” he added.
Venezuela
President Maduro Address to the 27th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) It is the Indigenous peoples who must teach us how to preserve and how to live with nature…The imbalance and environmental crisis created in nature are comparable to the conditions of inequality and injustice that capitalism has created against humanity. A system that normalizes the exploitation of human beings does not have the ethical basis to respect other forms of existence…The dimension of this crisis does not take us by surprise,” said Maduro. “For 30 years there have been enough indications of an early warning.” In this sense, Maduro referred to the Kyoto agreement which, in his opinion, gave good results until 2009.
Ultima Noticias: Venezuela Supports Colombia’s Proposal to Regenerate Amazon Rainforest President Maduro spoke in favor of Colombian President Petro’s proposal to create a block for the protection of the Amazon rainforest.“I want to congratulate President Gustavo Petro,” Maduro said, “for taking this initiative within the framework of this summit of 196 countries.”Maduro proposed to Petro that the initiative be executed through the already existing Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).
Orinoco Tribune: Colombia’s Ambassador in Caracas: Everything Done With Venezuela Goes ‘Hand in Hand’ With Biden’s Administration Q: But in the United States, it seems that they are not very happy with the meeting of Petro and Maduro…A: Not that I know of. They don’t get involved in that. Everything that has been done with Venezuela goes hand in hand with the United States, here we are never going to take the United States by surprise. Q:Hand in hand with the United States? A:It goes hand in hand with the United States. I have a fluid relationship with James Story, who is in charge of the United States for Venezuela. I try to tell him what can be said and inform him of what is going to be said. Q: Washington knew about that meeting? A: Of course, of everything.
Fightback News: Venezuelan activist speaks in 3 Wisconsin cities on speaking tour, “we reached 4.2 million houses built. And it is the house for the family that was very poor, and they get it for free. And they don’t have to pay taxes on those houses – we think that mortgage and taxes are a second form of slavery.“ Zurlent highlighted the overwhelming leadership of women in the development and carrying out of the revolutionary policies, particularly regarding the local control over production and resolving issues at the grassroots level. He spoke in some detail about this local structure, discussing the different units of organization from the “street council” to the “commune” to the “communal city”, and how the people in the communities have a direct say over what is produced and why.
Responsible Statecraft: COP 27: Are global leaders warming to Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro? After years of trying to isolate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the US and its European allies appear ready to change their approach. In a seemingly impromptu meeting at the COP 27 summit in Egypt, French President Emmanuel Macron told Maduro that he “would love it if we could speak at greater length.” Macron also referred to Maduro as “president,” affirming the European Union’s decision to stop recognizing opposition figure Juan Guaido as the country’s leader. Maduro also held a warm conversation with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa. Even John Kerry, the Biden administration’s climate envoy, spoke with Maduro on the sidelines of the conference
Nicaragua
NicaNotes: Another Successful Round of Elections in Nicaragua November 6, saw the latest municipal elections in Nicaragua, with mayors and councilors elected for every city hall in the country. Of the total, 1.49 million (73%) went to the Sandinista coalition, and the remainder to opposition parties. The vote of Daniel Ortega’s party was sufficient to win the mayoral vote in every case, although the makeup of each local city council will depend on the proportionate split of the vote between parties.That the governing party nationally won all 153 mayoral elections was no surprise, since it had been making steady advances over the last two decades.
Events and Delegations
Donate to help Cuba recover from Hurricane Ian
Donate to help Nicaragua recover from Hurricane Julia
Wednesdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson
November 17: Jessica Fernandez Casañas, head of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba
November 17: The Canadian Network on Cuba presents:The World Says YES to Cuba!
November 30: A Brief History of Chavismo, an Orinoco Tribune Editorial Conversation with Q&A
Travel to Cuba with Witness for Peace
Travel to Nicaragua with Casa Ben Linder Tours: Women in Nicaragua
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