Resumen Latinoamericano: What the New Trump Era Means for Venezuela and Latin America Unity If Kamala Harris won, there would probably have been a broad continental alliance to isolate Venezuela, even dragging Colombia and Brazil into it. With Trump, this becomes impractical. Even if progressive governments wish to avoid conflicts with the White House, the fact is that Trump will make these conflicts inevitable because he aims to reclaim hegemony in Latin America. BRICS is the most significant economic and financial framework for a counter-hegemonic strategy, as it seeks to develop an alternative to the dominance of the US dollar and the monetary institutions controlled by central capitalist countries. Since it is not a bloc with military or even direct geopolitical ambitions and avoids imposing political or economic models, it has enough flexibility to even attract nations that are still under US influence.
FAIR.org: New York Times Advises Trump to Kill More Venezuelans In a column titled “Depose Maduro,” Bret Stephens called for US military intervention to topple Venezuela’s government. He hailed this crime of aggression as “overdue, morally right and in our national security interest.” He asserted that US “national security” requires “putting an end to a criminal regime that is a source of drugs, mass migration and Iranian influence in the Americas.”
Venezuelanalysis: Freefall and Rebound: Taking Stock of the Venezuelan Economy The economy has grown for four straight years, but is still far below its 2013 level, when oil prices dropped, followed by US sanctions, soon a blockade and the looting of foreign resources. The effective real minimum income has fallen from $300 a month (2013) to $100 a month today.
TeleSur: Venezuelan Government Reveals Details of Dismantled Terrorist Plans and Operation Aurora Continual terrorist actions by counterrevolutionary groups often coming from Colombia and Brazil, with US coordination, remain a serious problem. Venezuela disclosed details about two terrorist operations thwarted before President Maduro’s swearing-in ceremony on January 10. So far, 18 individuals have been arrested in plots, while three remain at large. Luis Somaza was also arrested for his managing funds from NGOs and collaborating with coyotes to destabilize Venezuela.
Orinoco Tribune: Venezuela Condemns False Flag Operation Orchestrated by Guyana Venezuela denounced an attack on Guyana’s soldiers as a “fake news” operation, aimed at spreading a hostile narrative to divert attention from Guyana’s violations of international law in the Essequibo. Venezuela has issued a strong rejection of the accusations made by the government of Guyana, as a “vile fabrication.” Venezuela maintains the evidence indicates that groups linked to illegal mining in the Essequibo region under the protection of the Guyanese military and police, were the ones who suffered an attack, resulting in injuries. The wounded are currently receiving medical attention in Venezuelan territory.
Nino Pagliccia: Chávez and the February 4, 1992 Uprising Established the Day of Dignity in Venezuela February 4, 2025 marked the thirty-third anniversary of the attempted seizure of power by Hugo Chávez. Lieutenant Colonel Chávez had built for years, among many of his comrades in arms, the conviction that a rebellion was not only necessary but also possible in Venezuela. His ideals were the same ones that motivated the Liberator Simón Bolívar to fight for an independent Latin America from the Spanish colonizers. Day after being imprisoned following the failed uprising, Chavez declared: “The true author of this liberation, the authentic leader of this rebellion is General Simón Bolívar.”
Venezuelanalysis: US Sends Dozens of Venezuelan Migrants to Guantánamo as Relatives Plead Innocence The US government has so far sent 126 Venezuelans to the Guantánamo Bay naval base. The US government’s non-disclosure of their identities has left relatives unable to locate them and hampered defense efforts. Legal aid groups launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration, requesting that the detainees have access to legal counsel. Trump had revoked Venezuelans’ “Temporary Protected Status,” leaving 600,000 at risk of deportation.
Al Mayadeen: Chevron to boost Venezuela oil exports to 7-year high amid US shift Exports of crude from Chevron’s Petropiar project are projected to rise 50% this month, to 143,000 barrels per day, highest level since March 2018. Petropiar’s output has increased 37% over the past year, reaching 110,000 barrels per day in January. Despite its expansion efforts, Chevron remains constrained by US sanctions, which limits drilling and operations to its 2019 contracts.
TeleSur: USAID Allocated Over $180 Million to Destabilize the Cuban Revolution (2001-2013) Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister: “Between 2007 and 2013, USAID spent over $120 million to subvert the constitutional order in Cuba.” President Diaz-Canel also denounced that USAID spent $61 million between 2001 and 2006.
Webinar video: Defending the Bolivarian Revolution: Delegates Report Back from Venezuela The US is stepping up its regime change efforts, recognising the failed opposition candidate Edmundo González as president and placing a $25 million bounty on President Maduro – inviting an act of terrorism. Nevertheless, the Bolivarian Revolution marches forward, with Venezuela making impressive progress in poverty alleviation, food sovereignty, social housing and economic growth, and continuing to work towards the construction of a multipolar system. With Camila Escalante, Dan Kovalik, Jesús Rodriguez-Espinoza, Francisco Domínguez, Arnold August, Fiona Sim.
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Events
February 28- May 13: Sarah Woodward national speaking tour: Building Sustainable Communities, Insights from Nicaragua Sarah Junkin Woodard represents the Jubilee House Community, a nonprofit she helped form in 1979. She has worked the last 31 years in Nicaragua, with the project name of the Center for Development in Central America. The JHC-CDCA continues to respond to local needs, to help the poor accomplish what they see as their priorities, particularly in the areas of sustainable economic development, organic agriculture, health care, and education. Sarah’s tour will both update supporters on the JHC-CDCA’s work in Nicaragua and educate those in the global north on the amazing realities developing within Sandinista Nicaragua where both the social and political will are focused on helping the majority of the population, the poorest of the poor.
February 23: Global Day of Action to #CloseBases Map where actions take place here
February 25 webinar: Venezuela-US Relations Under Trump 2.0 with Leonardo Flores – Venezuela Solidarity Network; Fravia Márquez – Former Venezuelan diplomat in the US during the Trump administration; Margaret Flowers – Popular Resistance; Carlos Ron – Former Chargé d’Affaires of Venezuela in the US
February 27: Webinar: Sanctions Against Cuba: Impact, Legality, and Potential for Change Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Deputy Foreign Minister, Cuba; Alfred de Zayas, Former UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order; Francisco Rodríguez, Professor, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver; Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur on Unilateral Coercive Measures; Jeffrey Sachs, Professor, Columbia University and President, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network; David Adler, General Coordinator, Progressive International
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 pm ET Nicaragua webinar with Sarah Woodard: Building Sustainable Communities: Insights from Nicaragua
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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:
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 