What Happened Last Week in Venezuela? 🤝 Barbados On the Tightrope
The persecution against the Commission of Primaries continues, more radio stations are being closed and Nicolasito visits the Catholic University.
Barbados on the tightrope
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, following accusations of fraud by Chavismo and the coopted “opposition”, ordered the National Commission of Primaries to hand them all electoral material related to the opposition primaries and “suspend all effects” related to the election, although it is an internal and self-managed process of a political organization. On Monday, three members of the Commission's board –Jesús María Casal, Mildred Camero and Roberto Abdul– and the presidents of the regional boards had to show up at the Public Ministry. On Friday, Francisco Castro –a member of the Commission's technical team – also received an order to show up that same day, as an investigated subject, at the Public Ministry. The vicepresident of the Lara regional board will have to present himself again in the General Attorney’s Office this Monday.
The Unitary Platform, in any case, ratified the validity of the primaries and the victory of María Corina Machado. The judicialization of the primary could put into play the Barbados agreements, where respect for the internal selection processes of political organizations was agreed. “They are not getting a free pass,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. He said that if the agreement is not met, the sanctions could be quickly reimposed.
However, the agreements could be generating other effects. According to the NGO Coalition for Human Rights and Free Democracy in Venezuela, there was “an important visit” to the Helicoide detention center as part of the negotiations between the government of Nicolás Maduro and the United States. The agreements, informally, contemplate the release of political prisoners.
Representatives of the Carter Center arrived in Venezuela “to discuss the consideration of an invitation to deploy a technical electoral observation mission for the 2024 presidential elections, in accordance with the agreement.”
Also, according to the president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association, a delegation from the United States TSA traveled to the Maiquetía airport to review security levels: an indication that the sanction prohibiting direct flights between the United States and Venezuela may be lifted.
“The primaries are not voidable. The Court can say whatever it wants, but the factual fact is there, it is irreversible,” Machado said , “so I don't think this implies that the [Barbados] agreement has been violated, not yet. The regime is pushing the limits but it has not yet been broken.”
Nicolasito at UCAB
In the framework of the investigation of the president of the Commission of Primaries, who is also dean of the Faculty of Law of the Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB) in Caracas, the university received “the institutional visit” of Nicolás Maduro Guerra – Chavista lawmaker, vice president of Religious Affairs in the PSUV and the president’s son. The visit generated a stir on social networks and a statement from the General Council of Student Representatives of UCAB: “We firmly reject the visit of Nicolás Maduro Guerra,” it says, “It is unacceptable to tolerate the interference of the representative of a regime that censors, persecutes and torture students ”.
The UCAB, where Casal and Gerardo Blyde were the day before at an event celebrating the 70th anniversary, seems to be seeking to maneuver in an authoritarian context: not only seeking to protect Casal but to avoid an end similar to that of the Jesuit university in Nicaragua, recently closed by the regime of Daniel Ortega – an ally of Chavismo. “The UCAB is not on its knees,” tweeted a Mass Communications student, “because it was the headquarters of the debate of the opposition pre-candidates and its dean of Law, as well as other of its members, have actively collaborated in holding the opposition primary. ”
Eternal radiocide
The State’s telecommunications agency Conatel, alongside local security forces, ordered Coro radio station Stereo 94.5 FM to turn off its equipments. At least 30 workers are now left unemployed. Journalist Federico Black, on a visit to Venezuela, was also harassed and physically attacked.
Salaries in the private sector recover, those in the public sector stagnate
According to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory, private sector salaries experienced an increase of 45%. The average private salary is $202 ($405 in management positions, $267 for professionals and $189 for workers and operators). That of the public sector, on the other hand, is between $40 and $60 per month.
Disputing the Disputed Area
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) set for November 14 the hearing on the Arbitration Award of October 3, 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of the Court, to define the Essequibo dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. Meanwhile, Guyana has continued to grant new oil concessions in the territory and Venezuela has increased the rhetoric surrounding the December 3 referendum that –according to Venezuelan authorities– Guyana asked the ICJ to stop. The referendum includes questions related to rejecting the jurisdiction of the ICJ and the creation of the state of Guayana Esequiba.
Maduro, in turn, has used the referendum to attack the opposition: despite the historic insistence of its leaders, particularly María Corina Machado, to defend Venezuela's claim to the disputed territory. In fact, Gerardo Blyde –leader of the Unitary Platform negotiating delegation– criticized the OAS secretary, Luis Almagro, for taking a pro-Guyana stance in the conflict: “be impartial.” According to Maduro, without any evidence, the oil company Exxon Mobile and the United States have “financed” opposition leaders –specifically Machado, Henrique Capriles and Leopoldo López– to wage a campaign against Venezuela's claims on the Essequibo.
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