US Political Prisoner Alex Saab
Stansfield Smith: Day 1 of Legal Hearing Concerning US Political Prisoner Alex Saab’s Diplomatic Status summary of day one of Saab’s legal defense.
Stansfield Smith: Day 2 of Legal Hearing Concerning US Political Prisoner Alex Saab’s Diplomatic StatusSummary of US government’s case.
Al Mayadeen: US tries Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, setting dangerous precedent A good background on the case with some of the documents that were raised in the hearing.
Venezuela
Orinoco Tribune: Why the Government of Venezuela Has Resisted While Many Leftist Presidents Could Not Each overthrow, removal, disqualification, dismissal, or murder of left-wing presidents or presidential candidates in Latin America highlight the legacies of Comandante Hugo Chávez, of President Nicolás Maduro and, in general, of the Venezuelan political process of the last 23 years. Objectively reviewing the history of our times proves that Chávez faced—and Maduro has continued to face—all the strategies, tactics, maneuvers, games, and schemes that the US empire and its satellites and lackeys have successfully used throughout the rest of the continent, among other ploys that have been used in other parts of the world.
Orinoco Tribune: ALBA-TCP Summit Declares Arrest of Pedro Castillo Coup d’État The leaders of the regional bloc expressed their solidarity with the Peruvian people, who have been affected by a “protracted serious institutional crisis that has generated a series of events that threatens the stability and well-being of the majority.” “We reject the political framework created by right-wing forces of that country against the constitutional president Pedro Castillo,” reads the ALBA-TCP joint statement, “forcing him to take measures that were later taken advantage of by his opponents in parliament to dismiss him.”
Orinoco Tribune: President Maduro on Coup in Peru: Oligarchy Did Not Let Pedro Castillo Govern “The oligarchic elites do not want to allow a simple teacher to win the presidency and try to govern for the people,” referring to the coup in Peru that ousted Castillo. Maduro added that the coup in Peru is a message sent by the extreme right wing to the social movements: “We are not going to let you govern.” However, the president asserted that the Venezuelan extreme right “will not return” to power. He added that in view of the events in Peru, the feat accomplished by the Venezuelan people is magnified, as they have defeated numerous coup attempts and imperialist attacks since the start of the Bolivarian Revolution led by Commander Hugo Chávez.
Ultima Noticias: Nicolás Maduro among the 10 most influential leaders on Twitter in 2022 The head of state ranks 6th in the world for his influence on the social network.
Latin America 2022
Dissident Voice (Roger Harris): The Volatility of US Hegemony in Latin America; Part II; Part III The present a good summary of the situation in Latin America (though, while Nicaragua and Venezuela have pro-socialist leaders, they remain capitalist countries). The recent rightwing attacks in Peru and Argentina – and Bolivia – shows we should never discount the power of the US empire.
Bianet.org: Interview with David Adler, General Coordinator of the Progressive International, on the new Latin America (Part 2) (Part 3) A November interview. A look at how the Progressive International portrays the changes in Latin America. The Progressive International has no representation from Nicaragua, Cuba or Venezuela, and it shows.
Nicaragua
Daniel Ortega:The great challenge we have now in the world is the re-founding of the United Nations, under the principle of multipolarity The biggest example of the shamelessness of the UN, the shamelessness of the Secretary General, is that, how many times has the majority voted? There has been a majority vote at the UN to suspend the sanctions against Cuba, 98%, 99% of the votes in favor. But nothing happens, rather the Sanctions are intensifying, the blockade is intensifying, the aggression against the Cuban people is intensifying. But this is a heroic People, a People with consciousness, a brave People, currently facing a battle demanding immense Solidarity and much more pressure within the UN so as to comply with what is voted. Otherwise, what is the point of being at the UN if only the decisions of the colonial, neocolonial, imperialist powers are imposed there? Imperialism must be beheaded so that Peace, democracy, stability can really reign in the World, and that the principles of the UN are then fulfilled.
Nicaragua’s statement to the UN Human Rights Council The legitimate Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Nicaragua will not tire of repeating with dignity, loudly and irrefutably, our TOTAL REJECTION of this type of mechanism, which “updates its Human Rights reports”, in a unilateral and biased manner; acting as an “instrument of pressure and interference”, using arguments that are far from the reality of our motherland, with the sole purpose of keeping us underdeveloped and undermining our achievements, keeping us submerged under the directives of foreign powers.
Events
Thursdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson
(or watch here or here)
December 17, 18: Mass Peace Action: Cuba is our Friend not our Enemy!
December 20: US/Canada Hands Off Venezuela! Free Alex Saab! Online Picket Action with Carlos Ron
January 28: Latin America Conference, London
Delegations/Tours
Travel to Cuba with African Awareness Association January 23-30
Travel to Cuba with Witness for Peace
March 2-12: Venezuela: 10 years commemorating Chávez’s Legacy
March 11-19: Nicaragua Coffee and Cooperatives Brigade
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]
