Venezuela
Orinoco Tribune: Venezuela’s NGO Oversight Law to Ensure Transparency According to Deputy Diosdado Cabello, “62 NGOs operate in the country, and none of them have a social purpose, but a political one, which is contrary to the laws of the nation.” The NGO oversight law has not been received well by opposition figures, as many NGOs are financed by US institutions or are entities of the US government, such as USAID. USAID itself reported that it “has provided, since fiscal year 2017, more than $158 million in humanitarian aid in Venezuela” through “impartial” organizations, both national and local, as well as assisted the failed “interim government,” which clearly reveals the political interest of the alleged aid.
Venezuelanalysis: The Non-Stop Western Pillaging of Venezuela One of the biggest thefts committed against any country in recent history took place: the Biden government greenlighted the plunder of several Venezuelan assets: US-based oil subsidiary CITGO, millions of dollars held in US bank accounts and a state-owned aircraft. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accused Washington of committing “the theft of the century” by authorizing CITGO’s auction process in order to benefit Western economic interests represented by corporations.“This is organized crime in the most sophisticated way, directed by the Government of the United States.”
Center for Democracy in the Americas: US Representatives ask Biden to end Trump-era sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela 21 Representatives led by Veronica Escobar and Raul Grijalva sent a letter to President Biden urging the administration to reverse sanctions imposed on Cuba and Venezuela. The letter states that broad-based U.S. sanctions are “a critical contributing factor in the current increase in migration;” and have exacerbated economic hardships and exacted a high humanitarian toll on the Cuban and Venezuelan peoples.
Roger Harris: Mr. Guaidó Goes to Washington –Former “Interim President” of Venezuela Calls for Sanctions on His Own People Guaido spoke at the Wilson Center in DC, Former US Ambassador to Venezuela William Brownfield opened with remarks about the need to “compel” the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He admonished that easing the economic war on his fellow citizens would only “encourage dictatorship.”
Cuba
Granma: Cuban President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez: Human solidarity cannot be blockaded, it remains an indestructible weapon of struggle and combat His speech to some 300 US supporters in Cuba for May Day.
National Network on Cuba: May Day Brigadistas Detained, Harassed, Threatened by US Customs/Border Patrol On May 3, as delegates returned home, some were harassed and detained by US Customs and Border Patrol in multiple cities. One reported that several of them traveling with the International Peoples Assembly (IPA) and the LA Hands off Cuba Committee were forced into secondary questioning about their political motives. At least two people had their phones confiscated. All have since been released.
Nicaragua
Tortilla con Sal (John Perry, Dan Kovalik): ‘Peaceful’ protest a tool for regime change The second article in the series on what happened during the 2018 US-backed coup attempt. This focuses on the use of social media and regular media to fool the Nicaraguan population. (Part One)
NicaNotes: Nicaragua’s Law about NGOs John Perry’s article about Nicaragua’s new law cracking down on US-backed NGOs.
Events
Thursdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson (or watch here or here)
May 28: The View from the Ground: What We Experienced in Nicaragua in 2018
May 31: Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America: Arise 2023 – An Online Festival of Left Ideas
Delegations/Tours
June 19-26 delegation to Nicaragua
June 17-27 Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast Delegation with Friends of the ATC
June 26-July 6: Pastors for Peace Climate Change tour to Cuba
July 3-10 Afro-Cubanismo Hothouse People to People delegation to Santiago de Cuba
July 15-29 IFCO/ Pastors for Peace US-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan
July 21-30, Sept 8-17, December 1-10, Dec 8-17: Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
August 1-13: Code Pink and Task Force on the Americas delegation to Venezuela
Fall/winter Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
If you have events to publicize or find helpful articles for readers on the ALBA countries, please send them to [email protected], or you can post them on Facebook here: Venezuela; Nicaragua; Bolivia; Latin America in general (here or here) Or send them to [email protected]
