Roger Harris and John Perry: What’s Left in Latin America and the Caribbean: Year 2024 in Review Boosting progressive prospects, Claudia Sheinbaum became Mexico’s first female president in October with a landslide 60% of the vote and a coalition holding a 73% parliamentary majority. Mexico represents the second largest regional economy and has been an outstanding proponent of regional unity….China is now second only to the US in terms of regional trade volume. Its Belt and Road Initiative now includes 21 of 26 of the region’s eligible countries. The China-dominated BRICS trade alliance, where Brazil is an original member, expanded this year when Bolivia and Cuba joined as “partner countries.” ….US President Biden made various attempts to restrict migration and outpaced Trump in number of deportations, according to Reuters….Against the seemingly unsurmountable US blockade, Venezuelan President Maduro has led a remarkable economic turnaround with one of the highest GDP growth rates in the hemisphere.
Resumen Latinoamericano: Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba Support Panama in the face of Trump’s Threats Interventionist statements by Trump, that the US could reclaim the Panama Canal, have generated international reactions. “At a time when Panama’s sovereignty is once again being threatened, we join the clamor and demand of that brave people, which we know very well, in solidarity and in the voice of the great fatherland, remembering their heroism and victorious struggles,” announced Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, published a message in which he referred to “the Panama Canal belongs solely to that nation,” that “the Monroe Doctrine is a neocolonial weapon against Our America” which “threatens the sovereignty of Panama and the peace and security of the hemisphere”. Venezuela stressed that Panamanian sovereignty over the canal was “conquered by the heroic effort of President Omar Torrijos”. ALBA-TCP statement
CEPR Sanctions Watch December 2024 World Bank says sanctions, asset freeze are holding back Afghan economy; Biden will not lift Cuba terror designation, despite humanitarian and migratory impacts; Trump team confirms plans for “maximum pressure 2.0” on Iran; Biden administration imposes two new rounds of sanctions on North Korea; US disburses first Ukraine loan backed by frozen Russian assets; Calls grow to lift Syria sanctions following fall of Assad government; Trump urged to lift sanctions on Venezuela in exchange for migration cooperation; Winter and famine loom in besieged Gaza.
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Venezuela
Venezuelanalysis (Clodovaldo Hernández): A recap of 2024 and a look at 2025 in which the opposition – and US imperialism – will try everything to overthrow Maduro gov Extremist opposition groups outside the country are attempting to create a climate of uncertainty and agitation. They applaud the new unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US on Venezuelan officials and pin their hopes on Trump’s return to power….The July 2024 presidential election demonstrated that a significant portion of the electorate is willing to vote literally for anyone as long as they aim to oust Chavismo, which is nearing its 26th year in power….The cozy relationship between Guyana’s government and the US Southern Command, along with Washington’s military agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, adds to the wide-reaching network of US bases in Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao, and Panamá, creating a heavily armed environment surrounding Venezuela.
TeleSur: The Trump Administration Knew That Sanctions on Venezuela Would Increase Migration Citing information revealed by The Washington Post, the newspaper El Universal pointed out that US officials warned Trump during his first term that sanctions against Venezuela could accelerate the exodus of millions of migrants to neighboring countries. Between 2017 and 2019, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis delivered at least four reports to the National Security Council detailing how the economic war against Venezuela could affect migration flows from Latin America.
United States Is Converting Guyana into a Military Enclave ExxonMobil is conducting oil and gas extraction in the disputed waters between Venezuela and Guyana. In parallel, US military exercises, the construction of military facilities in the Essequibo region, and visits from the US military elite have also increased. Venezuela has condemned the military actions carried out by the Southern Command in Guyana, branding them as threats to peace. Looking ahead to 2025, the US military deployment in Guyana could bring with it a higher level of surveillance and control of the airspace near Venezuela, as well as the execution of special operations to create scenarios of provocation.
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Cuba
Granma: 500,000 Cubans March to End US Blockade More than 500,000 people flooded Havana’s Malecon to send, as a message to the U.S. government against the blockade and the permanence of Cuba on the list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism. More pictures here. Cuban President Díaz-Canel condemned President Biden for continuing the hostility of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in January. He highlighted the arrogance to keep Cuba on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, since it comes from an administration that promotes violent actions against Cuba and has become an asylum for the members of that machinery of hatred. In the face of imperialism and its attempts to destroy our sovereignty, “we will demonstrate today, tomorrow and always,” Díaz-Canel assured. Full Speech by President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the March of the Combative People
Jacobin interview with Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío In the past five years, Cuba has undergone a very difficult situation as a result of a combination of factors. One is that the government of Donald Trump, starting in 2019, began to put in place a policy that he called “maximum economic pressure” against Cuba. Second, because of COVID, we shut down the country totally, both from foreigners — which hit one of our main sources of income, which is tourism — but also we shut down factories and workplaces, and the economy hasn’t recovered from that yet. Third is the war in Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia and Belarus have all been traditionally important commercial partners of Cuba. A fourth factor began in 2011, when we took the political decision of transforming our economy…The difference between now and the 1990s is that in the ’90s the situation was more equitable.
Donate to help Cuba in this time of need Eight different organizations sending material aid. Also Code Pink (milk), and painkillers for hospitals
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Nicaragua
Prensa Latina: Nicaragua with around 97 percent in drinking water coverage In addition, the sewerage system achieved 55% coverage this year, from 30% in 2006, when the FSLN was re-elected.
Prensa Latina: Nicaragua leads Central America in electric service coverage Nicaragua currently boasts the widest electric coverage of Central America, with 99.57%, which is considered a significant and historic achievement. This surpasses Costa Rica, with 99.50%; Honduras (85.2); Guatemala (90) and El Salvador (99.42%). Moreover, 65.53% of Nicaragua’s energy comes from renewables.
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Events
January 13: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition monthly zoom meeting, 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access.
January 28-31: Havana, Cuba: VI International Conference For World Balance This conference cultivates partnerships and formulates actionable strategies to propel us towards a more equitable and just global community. Organized by the Office of the Martí Program and co-sponsored by UNESCO and Soka Gakkai International.
February 8, London: Latin America Conference This will be the 19th annual Latin America Adelante! Conference.
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Delegations to Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua:
Bolivia
Feb 8 – Feb 17, 2025: Bolivia, 20 Years of Popular Democracy and Indigenous Self-Determination
Cuba
January 26 -February 4: Visit Cuba with the Center for Global Justice
April 17-May 3: Puerto Rico Brigada Juan Ruiz Rivera to Cuba
April 26- May 3: The Nation: Havana and Trinidad
April 27-May 9: May Day Delegation Itinerary Draft
Different Brigades and Solidarity Trips to Cuba
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder Email casabenjaminlinder@gmail.com to apply:
20 February – 1 March 2025: The Bird Brigade: Birding in Solentiname Arquipelago
6-16 March 2025: Power & Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua
May 2025: Co-ops and Communities: Cooperative Movement in Nicaragua
June 2025: Global Health: Family and Community Health in Nicaragua
July 2025: Solidarity in Action: Nicaragua’s Popular Revolution
November 2025: Salud & Solidaridad: Hands-On Healthcare in Nicaragua
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This is also available at ChicagoALBASolidarity.org. If you have events to publicize, send them to venezuelaweekly@afgj.org or stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com.
Chicago ALBA Solidarity 