What Happened Last Week in Venezuela? 🛢️🐙 New Year, New Oil Spill
A massive oil spill, the electoral year begins and the economy contracted in 2023.
New year, new environmental destruction
An oil spill from the El Palito refinery contaminated the coasts of Puerto Cabello and Carabobo, even affecting areas such as Ocumare de la Costa and Choroní. According to images from the Sentinel-2 satellite, the spill would be 103 km2: larger than the one that affected the Morrocoy National Park in 2020. The spill, whose response –with the use of buckets to pick the oil, for example– has been criticized by experts and environmentalists, has also It affected the coasts of the San Esteban National Park. The authorities also sought to avoid journalistic coverage in the area.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ecosocialism announced a population control plan for vultures in the Las Mayas landfill in Caracas: the increase in garbage, from 1,200 tons of garbage in January to 2,100 tons today, "also speaks of the country's economic recovery," said the minister.
A 20-minute fireworks show over the Ávila National Park in Caracas was announced, but it was canceled and investigated by the Prosecutor's Office after the scandal it unleashed on social networks.
Will Maduro be PSUV’s candidate?
The 2015 National Assembly, dominated by the opposition and which manages Venezuelan assets in the United States, extended its validity for twelve more months starting January 5, 2024. María Corina Machado, meanwhile, announced the creation of “the 600K network” of 600,000 citizens “trained like never before” to defend the vote in this year's presidential elections. Will Nicolás Maduro be PSUV’s candidate in 2024? “What I can tell you is that it is still premature. The year is just beginning. Only God knows….not Diosdado, God,” Maduro told leftist journalist Ignacio Ramonet .
In 2023 the economy contracted -0.7%
Asdrúbal Oliveros, director of Ecoanalítica, presented the firm's estimates on the Venezuelan economy in 2023:
GDP contracted 0.7% compared to 2022, a year marked by growth.
Private consumption, associated with sales, fell 4%.
Inflation in bolivars around 172.6%. In dollars, only 11.1% (considerable reduction).
The variation in the exchange rate was 108% and the devaluation of the bolivar was 51.7%
Shootings and beatings in the municipalities of Zulia
On New Year's Day, a shooting left people dead and injured in Los Puertos de Altagracia in Zulio. The hitmen entered through Lake Maracaibo with the intention of shooting Chavista mayor Jorge Nava, who was wounded. A bodyguard and a mayor's director were reported to have died. Speaking of municipal politics in Zulia: the councilor of the opposition Primero Justicia party, Ricardo Atencio, agreed with councilors of PSUV to preside over the municipal council of the Cañada de Urdaneta municipality. The situation led to a physical fight between the councilors and workers of the municipal council and Atencio was expelled from the party.
The first year after sectoral sanctions begins
Finally, Venezuela granted a license to NGC and Shell for the exploration and exploitation of the Dragon gas field on the country's eastern coast. Also, the Canadian oil company New Stratus announced a joint venture with PDVSA to exploit six oil fields. In a best-case scenario, the company estimates 7,400 barrels of oil per day by the end of 2025.
Meanwhile, Avianca announced its return to Venezuela in a press release. The Bogotá-Caracas route will restart as of February 1, 2024, with four weekly frequencies. And what happened to the Petro cryptocurrency? It came to an end: the PetroApp funds will be transferred to the Patria System and the Sunacrip tower was renamed Esequibo Tower .
No country for human rights
The commander of the Miranda State Fire Department, Alonso Lizcano, was arbitrarily detained after a video was released in which he demanded better salaries and decent working conditions. Also, active personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded payment of four months of basket ticket that are owed to them.
Warao indigenous communities of Delta Amacuro doubt the alleged suicide of Kenyan priest Josiah K'Okal and demand atransparent investigation. K'Okal denounced the trafficking of aboriginals and the forced displacement of the Warao. 139 NGOs and 336 activists publicly demanded from the authorities, in a letter, a “reliable, expeditious and transparent investigation” into the death of K'Okoal. “The report [of suicide] is questioned by the Warao ,” the letter says.
The son of General Pedro Naranjo, who received asylum in the United States after his son accompanied him on the journey, was deported to Venezuela where he was arrested and jailed in Ramo Verde. “It never occurred to us that the United States, an ally of the Venezuelan opposition and the world's democracies, would do what it did to my son”, he said.
Another theater in the Esequibo
Venezuela accused the United Kingdom of “provocation” when it brought a warship to the waters of its former colony Guyana. After that, the Venezuelan government sent ships, soldiers, and planes to the east of the country. Subsequently, the United Kingdom withdrew the ship and Venezuela withdrew its troops.
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"In 2021 Cubans, previously restricted to being sole traders, were permitted to become entrepreneurs and run small- and medium-size enterprises (with up to 100 employees). There are now 10,000 of these SMEs, accounting for fully 14% of GDP", The Economist writes. But Cuba’s situation —following communism’s failure, U.S. sanctions and a reduction of Venezuelan oil concessions— is dire: high inflation, deficit of around 7% of the GDP and 4% of the population left since 2022.