Reuters recently uncovered documents and other information disclosing how Cuba in 2008 began to assist its close ally Venezuela in suppressing dissent within the latter’s military. [1] The precipitating event for this assistance was the December 2007 Venezuelan referendum that unexpectedly defeated a proposal that would have enabled President Hugo Chavez repeatedly to run for … Continue reading Cuba Helped Venezuela Suppress Military Dissent
Last week saw the failure of an attempt to take over the Venezuelan government by the country’s opposition leader and president of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, and U.S. reactions to this development. Failed Take Over[1] On Tuesday morning (April 30), Guaidó, with the support of his mentor (Leopoldo López), the director of the regime’s … Continue reading U.S. Reactions to Failure of Juan Guaidò’s Attempt To Take Over Control of Venezuela
On April 30, 2019, Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, published a summary with selected quotations of a purported TOP SECRET U.S. plan to overthrow the Venezuelan government issued by the U.S. Southern Command.[1] According to Granma, this plan outlines “[s]teps to speed up the definite overthrow of Chavismo and the … Continue reading Cuba Reveals Purported U.S. TOP SECRET Document for Overthrow of Venezuela’s Government
On April 5, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba. The sanctions are on 34 vessels owned or operated by Venezuelan state-run oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A, or PDVSA , and also on two companies and a vessel that delivered oil to Cuba in February and March. The announcement stated, … Continue reading New U.S. Sanctions on Cuba and Venezuela
Page 1 of the Sunday New York Times for March 17 contained the start of a lengthy report that at least some of the Cuban doctors on medical missions in Venezuela had been ordered not to use oxygen for medical emergencies, but instead to use them closer to the May 2018 election as a means … Continue reading Cuban Doctors in Venezuela Provide Political Support to Maduro: New York Times
On March 7 Venezuela had a major electrical power outage that continues to this day. On March 11 this outage resulted in harsh words and actions by the United States, Cuba and Venezuela. When and how it will end, the public does not know. Secretary Pompeo’s Morning Comments [1] On the morning of March 11, … Continue reading Venezuelan Power Outage Causes New Crisis
On January 26 the U.N. Security Council met to debate action on the crisis in Venezuela.[1] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, after giving examples of the despair of ordinary Venezuelans, asserted that the U.S. was there “ to urge all nations to support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people as they try to … Continue reading U.S. Urges U.N. Security Council To Reject Venezuela’s Maduro and Embrace Guaido
On January 24 a Wall Street Journal editorial criticized Nicolas Maduro’s record in Venezuela and opined that the “crucial but underreported question now is whether dictator Nicolás Maduro’s protectors in Cuba and Russia will intervene to stop this democratic uprising.” (Emphasis added.) [1] Cuba, says the editorial, is a key player in this drama because it … Continue reading Wall Street Journal Supports U.S. Hostility Towards Cuba’s Links with Venezuela
On January 24 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a lengthy address at the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States denouncing Nicolas Maduro’s reign in Venezuela and defending the U.S. recognition of National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela.[1] Toward the end of his remarks, Pompeo said the … Continue reading Secretary of State Pompeo Criticizes Cuba for Supporting Venezuela’s Maduro
The Wall Street Journal reports that the economic ties between Cuba and Venezuela are fraying in the midst of the latter’s economic meltdown with triple-digit inflation and the country’s largest currency note (100 bolivars) worth just around 2 U.S. cents on the black market, not even enough to buy a piece of hard candy at … Continue reading Cuba’s Economic Ties with Venezuela Are Fraying
