USAID
Glenn Greenwald interviews Mike Benz on USAID It should be noted, as they do with a Secretary of State Marco Rubio clip, the previous work of USAID will now take place directly under the control of the State Department.
TeleSur: US mercenary Jordan Goudreau, who participated in Operation Gideon, presents information on USAID funding Juan Guaido Jordan Goudreau, who was involved in the failed Operation Gideon in Venezuela in 2020, claimed that Guaidó and other opposition leaders diverted USAID funds. According to Goudreau, $700 million in humanitarian aid was squandered between 2017 and 2019. He suggested that the CIA and FBI were aware of these activities.
Peoples Dispatch: President Maduro – USAID financed Guaidó to weaken Venezuelan government Maduro said USAID gave groups linked to Guaidó more than $700 million dollars to weaken his government: “260 million [dollars] for supposed humanitarian assistance, 247 for development, 200 million from a fund they called development fund…In the documents, they are more than $700 million.” The US government, Maduro said, withdrew funding from UN or UN-subsidized organizations to give it “to whomever [Juan Guaidó] ordered.”
TeleSur: USAID Funds Fueled Media Narratives Against Venezuela WikiLeaks revealed that the USAID has used the promotion of “democratic governance” as a subterfuge to support so-called “independent media” that aligns with Washington’s geopolitical interests. This strategy can be seen through the analysis of the document “Press Freedom Under Threat, 2023”. According to 2023 data from a USAID fact sheet that is no longer publicly available, this US agency trained 6,200 journalists, assisted 707 private media outlets, and funded 279 civil society organizations related to so-called “independent communication.” Under the guise of promoting “press freedom,” USAID has invested billions of dollars in organizations and media that propagate narratives favorable to the United States. In the 2025 foreign aid budget, $268 million was allocated to promote “independent media and the free flow of information.”
Granma: USAID and the deep pockets of the counterrevolution Against Cuba, USAID, together with the NED, have served as a front for the actions of the CIA, and as a channel for the funds that finance the counterrevolution. The Cuba Money Project website [now hijacked by a rightwing Cuban website], created by the American journalist Tracey Eaton, cited data obtained from USAID’s Foreign Aid Explorer, which indicated that the amount allocated for subversion programs against Cuba, since 1990, was $ 261,395,214.
USAID Financing in Nicaragua and of Chamorro Foundation 2014-2021 Total USAID money to Chamorro Foundation, 2014-2021, equaled $5,992,505. Total USAID money to Nicaragua 2014-2021: $315,009,297, with two of the biggest years were 2017 and 2018, the year of the US backed coup attempt.
Resumen Latinoamericano: USAID: the Empire Reinvents Itself The USAID closure was abrupt and forceful: dozens of senior officials were sent on forced leave, thousands of contractors were laid off and the USAID headquarters in Washington closed its doors without warning. As if they had never existed, the agency’s website and its X account disappeared from the digital world. The FBI is investigating Juan Guaidó, the short-lived interim president of Venezuela, and his ambassador in Washington, Carlos Vecchio, for embezzling one billion dollars, managed between 2018 and 2020 under the guise of “humanitarian aid”. These funds, channeled through USAID, vanished in a whirlwind of opaque spending. The closure of USAID and the transfer of its functions to the State Department is the prelude to a more aggressive foreign policy, more aligned with the interests of the ultra-conservative sectors of the US.
John Perry, Roger D. Harris: The Demise of USAID: Few Regrets in Latin America USAID spends around $2 billion annually in Latin America, 5% of its global budget. Jeffrey Sachs explained that USAID is “an instrument of foreign policy …a completely politicized institution.” USAID has become a “deep state institution,” which explicitly promotes regime change. Sachs notes that it encourages so-called “color revolutions” or coups, aimed at replacing governments that fail to serve US interests. USAID and National Endowment for Democracy have spent at least $300 million since 1990 trying to undermine the Cuban Revolution. In Venezuela, USAID began work after the unsuccessful US-backed coup attempt against President Hugo Chávez in 2002. By 2007, it was supporting 360 groups, some of them overtly training potential “democratic leaders.” Worldwide, USAID was funding over 6,200 journalists across 707 media outlets. Even Trump’s ally President Nayib Bukele is skeptical about USAID: “While marketed as support for development, democracy, and human rights, the majority of these funds are funneled into opposition groups, NGOs with political agendas, and destabilizing movements.”
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Granma: US Stops People Sending Remittances to Cuba Western Union declared the indefinite suspension of remittances to Cuba, following the recent U.S. Government sanctions.
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Venezuela Oil
Venezuela Oil Exports and Production in 2023 China accounted for 16.3% of Venezuela’s oil exports in 2023, making it its principal trading partner. Turkey: With 13.9% of total shipments in 2023, Turkey ranked as second-biggest oil export partner. Spain: With 12% of total exports. Brazil: With 8.3% of total exports, Brazil was fourth-largest oil export partner in 2023. Asia, excluding China: The primary destination, taking in 248,000 barrels daily on average, or 45% of Venezuela’s total exports. South America: received approximately 28,000 barrels daily. Europe: Acquired 4% of Venezuela’s oil exports. Cuba: acquired 8% of Venezuela’s oil exports
October 2024 figures: Venezuela’s oil exports hit a 4-year peak on higher output, sales to US, India Crude shipments by Chevron to the US reached a peak of 280,000 barrels per day (bpd).. PDVSA exports to India reached 141,000 bpd. China remained the main destination of Venezuela’s oil exports i with 385,300 bpd shipped. Exports to China in September averaged 451,500 bpd. Venezuela’s exports to Cuba, rose to 28,000 bpd, from 22,000 bpd in September.
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Conferences
WorldBeyondWar: Reports on the Havana, Cuba Sixth International Conference For World Balance, videos and statements Opening ceremony. Video and text on building a world beyond war. Closing statement video, and text. All conference videos.
Latin America Adelante! Conference hails the spirit of anti-imperialism and self-determination Hundreds of activists gathered at the annual “Adelante” Latin America conference. Activists took part in plenary sessions and more than 20 workshops organised by the Cuba, Venezuela, Colombian and Nicaraguan solidarity campaigns. Among the plenary speakers was Kate Hudson, the vice-president of CND, Dr Irene Velez-Torres, the consul general of the Colombia, Felix Plasencia, Venezuelan ambassador to Britain, and Cuban ambassador Ismara Vargas Walter. Dr Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che, also spoke. See also Adelante! Trump, Latin America and the world: an inspiring and empowering conference Now in its 20th year, Adelante! is the largest conference of its kind in Europe. Built up through close co-operation between campaigns in solidarity with Latin American revolutions such as Cuba’s, Venezuela’s and Nicaragua’s, its ability to platform ambassadors, political activists and academics from around the world make it uniquely informative.
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Events
Saturday February 15, 6pm ET: The Cuban 5 Victory: Its Significance 10 Years Later
Sunday February 16: Concert for Cuba a fundraiser for Cuban humanitarian aid. To buy in person or livestream tickets: https://www.seetickets.us/event/concerts-for-cuba-benefit-to-raise-humanitarian-aid/634550
February 23: Global Day of Action to #CloseBases
March 10: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition monthly zoom meeting, 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access.
March 15-16: New York City Cuba conference Includes a delegation from the Federation of Cuban Women and the National Union of Cuban Jurists.
April 13, 3 pmET: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition webinar with Sarah Woodward, on a national speaking tour
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Delegations to Cuba, Nicaragua:
Cuba
April 17-May 3: Puerto Rico Brigada Juan Ruiz Rivera to Cuba
April 24- May 3+ LA Hands off Cuba Committee: Labor and Youth Delegation
April 26- May 3: The Nation: Havana and Trinidad
April 27-May 3/9: Building Relations with Cuban Labor May Day Delegation
April 27- May 10: Ernesto “Che” Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade
Different Brigades and Solidarity Trips to Cuba (NNOC may Day, Venceremos Brigade,
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder Email casabenjaminlinder@gmail.com to apply:
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
Date TBD 2025: Co-ops and Communities: Cooperative Movement 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 
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