Venezuela
Orinoco Tribune: Portugal’s Novo Banco Ordered to Return $1.5 Billion to Venezuela Venezuelan authorities have announced that Portuguese courts have ruled in favor of Venezuela and ordered Novo Banco to return $1.5 billion illegally seized from accounts belonging to the Venezuelan government, following the failed 2019 US-led regime change operation that attempted to oust President Nicolás Maduro. The ruling, issued by the Lisbon District Court, also ordered Novo Banco “to pay the respective late payment interest, due and payable, calculated at the legal rate for commercial operations (7% per annum), from the date the first blocked transfer was reported.” Novo Banco was also further ordered to pay mandatory legal interest at the annual rate of 5% from the final and unappealable judgment until full payment, reads the ruling.

Cuban President receives PSUV leader Diosdado Cabello; Communist Party of Cuba and PSUV Sign Cooperation Agreement Both leaders discussed what both political organizations can do to articulate the left of the current era, in a context of media and communication war based on lies and smear campaigns. Cuba’s Communist Party (PCC) and Venezuela’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) strengthened on Tuesday relations after the signing of collaboration deals that formalize links between both organizations. The documents, signed by PCC Secretary Roberto Morales Ojeda and PSUV First Vice President Diosdado Cabello in Havana, reveal the excellent existing bilateral ties between the two organizations.

Ultima Noticias: Elliott Abrams criticizes Biden for “softening” Venezuela  sanctions Abrams said, “it was a very bad bet to loosen the sanctions based on the hope that Nicolás Maduro would allow a political opening in Venezuela. He added that before giving more concessions(!) to President Maduro, the Biden admin must try to “rebuild the international coalition that supported freedom in Venezuela,” tighten the blockade that affects the health and lives of Venezuelans. To Abrams, it is US business to decide who leads Venezuela. Abrams statement is here.

Orinoco Tribune:Venezuela Secures Second Highest Exports Rank Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean Venezuela ranks second in exports in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 63% growth in exports last year, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). This rank is in annual growth of exports, not total quantity, but signifies a major improvement in their economy. “ECLAC also predicts an economic growth above 5.5 % for Venezuela, the best in all of Latin America and the Caribbean,” Maduro added.

TeleSur:  President Maduro Decries Europe’s Silence on Koran Burning “I ask myself, as a Christian, what would European Christians say if a Bible was burned in front of them?” said Maduro. He condemned the silence of European leaders and media on the recent Koran burning incidents in Sweden and Denmark. “I condemn these racist acts of hatred against Muslim nations,” “the silence of European leaders on the burning of copies of the Koran is surprising, which is tantamount to their complicity in the crime.”

 

Nicaragua
Dan Kovalik, John Perry: The Nicaraguan Coup Attempt: How Peace Was Restored and What Has Happened Since Part 4 of a series. Three previous articles here (1, 2, 3) By July 2018, three months of violence—over 200 deaths on both sides, including 22 police officers, kidnappings, torture and destruction of property—had exhausted the Nicaraguan population, and they were desperate for the government to restore order. When the smoke cleared, many Sandinistas felt that the insurrection had a silver lining: enthusiasm for the party was rekindled and complacency about the dangers of counter-revolution had ended. The government also intensified its public works programs, knowing that private investment would be slow to recover. With striking hypocrisy, Washington condemned Ortega’s government when it clamped down on the NGOs which had fueled the coup attempt, by implementing a law very similar to regulations that have applied in the U.S. since the 1930s.

 

US Political Prisoner Alex Saab
Orinoco Tribune: Human Rights Organizations Urge Biden to Release Alex Saab Over 180 world social and human rights organizations sent an open letter to President Biden calling for the release of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab from US prison. The signatories include two Nobel Peace Prize winners, the Tunisian League for Human Rights, the Observatory of Human Rights of the Peoples, the National Lawyers Guild, Brazil’s Landless Rural Workers’ Movement, and Argentina’s Frente Patria Grande. Includes the full Open Letter.

 

Cuba
Resumen Latinoamericano: Full interview with Cuba President Díaz-Canel: Biden’s Administration chose to be Faithful to the Aggressive Approach Promoted by Trump against Cuba Putting Cuba on the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list “has caused us to lose our relationship with an important group of banking and financial institutions in many parts of the world and has made it difficult for us to establish links with others for the performance of our economy. This makes our commercial activity extremely difficult, hinders payments and collections, makes imports more expensive and limits credit possibilities…The designation of Cuba on the list has no real relation to the issue of terrorism. It is an instrument of economic coercion.”

 

Take Action
RootsAction.org: Tell Congress to Cease Hostility Toward Venezuela A letter you can sign on and send to your Congressperson about S.995 – Venezuelan Democracy Act. This bill would sanction Venezuela until the government is overthrown. H.R.4086 / S.1931 – AFFECT Human Rights in Venezuela Act. This bill is designed to seek negative information on the Venezuelan government. That information might be true or not, but it is not used to promote self-governance but foreign governance. Another bill is coming soon.

AFGJ: Contact your Senators! Oppose new and old sanctions on Nicaragua! The new sanctions seek to restrict loans for economic development from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) which funds roads, water and energy projects, and housing in the country. Previous sanctions stopped most loans from the IMF, World Bank and the IDB. Now the U.S. wants to stop the CABEI loans as well!

Global Health Partners: Please Help Us Send Vital Medical Supplies to Cuba! Global Health Partners is committed to ensuring that Havana’s Calixto Garcia Hospital can operate at full capacity, performing some 50 essential surgeries every day, by providing additional anesthesia machines and surgical tools the facility so desperately needs. The U.S. embargo bars Cuba from purchasing these vital machines, as well as sutures and surgical tools. Your support for GHP NOW will alleviate suffering and send a strong message of friendship and solidarity to the Cuban people.

Code Pink: Sign and Share this petition: President Biden: Lift the Venezuela sanctions! Restore diplomatic relations with Venezuela! Free Alex Saab! First, lift the cruel and senseless broad-based sanctions that have devastated Venezuela’s economy, forcing millions to flee and causing 40,000 deaths in just their first year. Second, end the charade of recognizing Juan Guaidó as “interim president”: your administration sent a team to meet with President Maduro demonstrates de facto recognition of his government. Third, Uphold the Vienna Convention and free Alex Saab!

AFGJ Alert: Biden Administration’s nomination of Elliott Abrams to the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy must be stopped! Sign on to send a letter to Biden and your Senators.

 

Events
Thursdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson (or watch here or here)
September 5: Nicaragua: Truth Versus Lies Organized by the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group. John Perry; Abigail Espinoza Muñoz, active FSLN member, former councillor in Masaya; Roger McKenzie, International Editor, Morning Star.

 

Delegations/Tours
Sept  8-17, Sept 29-Oct 8, December 1-10, Dec 8-17: Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
November 20-29: Bolivia, Food Sovereignty, Popular Democracy & Indigenous Resistance 

 

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]