XinhuaNet: One-on-One with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Interview with President Maduro, where he contrasts the conduct of the US towards Venezuela with that of China.
XinhuaNet: Xi and Maduro announce elevation of China-Venezuela ties “China has always viewed its relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and firmly supports Venezuela’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, national dignity and social stability, as well as Venezuela’s just cause of opposing external interference,” Xi told Maduro. Maduro said Venezuela and China enjoy profound friendship and fruitful cooperation, making bilateral relations a model for relations among countries of the Global South. He added that China has become a great country committed to peace, development, and well-being of humanity and a vital engine for promoting a new multi-polar world. The Venezuelan people thank the Chinese government and people for their valuable support and assistance when Venezuela was suffering from illegal unilateral sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Sun Yanfeng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that Venezuela is the first Latin American country that China established an all-weather strategic partnership with.
Ministry of Popular Power for Information and Communication: China and Venezuela signed ten cooperation instruments Ten cooperation instruments signed include the areas of economy, geology, health (technology transfer), mining, habitat and housing (innovation in construction), electrical energy and telecommunications.
Ultima Noticias: President Maduro’s Concluding Press Conference in China “We had never achieved a document of the depth, strategic importance and consensus of this document that contains 30 items on all China-Venezuela relations and beyond….China’s economic and investment presence in Latin America and the Caribbean is the greatest force for development that the region has today….China has become a financial economic superpower, but not an imperialist superpower, not a colonialist superpower, but a superpower based on the principle of peace, cooperation and shared development.”
Breakthrough News: Kim Meets Putin, Maduro Meets Xi: A New Era of Global Politics Brian Becker is joined by Ben Norton of geopoliticaleconomy.com. Starts at minute 25.
Venezuelanalysis: President Maduro Makes ‘Historic’ Visit to China to Reinforce Alliance This is President Maduro’s fifth visit to the People’s Republic of China. In 2018 the two countries signed 28 agreements, including a $5 billion Chinese loan to boost Venezuela’s oil industry and joint plans for a fourth satellite. Venezuela has steadily met its obligations with China in long-term agreements by paying back extensive loans (with a reported $10-12 billion left) through crude shipments. China is Venezuela’s main oil buyer, importing around 390,000 barrels per day of crude between January and August this year via third-party intermediaries.
Venezuelanalysis: Maduro Approves New Campesino Fund, Sets Food Sovereignty Target President Maduro announced during the close of the Great Congress of Campesinos, Fishermen and Rural Producers, the creation of a new fund for campesinos and rural producers to help improve food production. “We are advancing… to achieve 100% food sovereignty in Venezuela and to secure Venezuela as a strong food exporter to the world by 2030.” He announced the creation of a $5 million fund for campesinos and rural producers to help improve food production.” Maduro said the money would be eligible for renewal once the initial funding is exhausted. The aim of the credit program is to increase the productive capacity of Venezuela’s countryside.
Code Pink Venezuela webinar: Questions and Answers with Carlos Ron, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America and President of the Simon Bolivar Institute Includes: the degree cooperatives contribute to national production, Cuban doctors in Venezuela today; 49,000 communal councils exist nationwide. How you can support Venezuelan communes
Orinoco Tribune: $22 Billion Worth of Venezuela’s Assets Remain Frozen by Sanctions The Venezuelan Anti-Blockade Observatory has reported that over $22 billion belonging to Venezuela remains blocked in various international financial systems, due to the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States.
Ultima Noticias: Venezuela reports new peak in oil production during 2023 Oil production reached a 2023 high of 810,000 barrels per day.
Events
Thursdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson (or watch here or here)
September 17: Alex Saab: From Venezuelan Diplomat to Political Prisoner in the US with Rogers Waters, Camilla Saab Fabri, Anya Parampil, Sara Flounders, Fred Mills
2023 Ben Linder Solidarity School, September 23 – November 18 Class topics include: Nicaragua and the Sandinista Revolution; History and current context of Latin America and US imperialism; ATC and peasant organizations / social movements; Food Sovereignty and Agroecology; Solidarity and Internationalism.
September 24: The Nicaraguan Community Policing Model Commissioner General Jaime Vanegas Vega, Inspector General of the National Police, Commissioner General Vilma Rosa Gonzalez, Head of Public Relations of the National Police. How do the Nicaraguan police sustain one of the lowest crime rates, and highest levels of citizen trust, in all of Latin America? A key answer is their much-heralded community-based model.
October 13-15: Annual Meeting of National Network on Cuba in Boston
Upcoming Delegations to Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba
December 8-17: Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
November 20-29: Bolivia, Food Sovereignty, Popular Democracy & Indigenous Resistance
Casa Ben Linder delegations to Nicaragua in January, and February (January: Rights of Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Peoples in Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions)
April 9-19: Venezuela: Celebrating Popular Sovereignty and Power
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]
