Far-right opposition politician Maria Corina Machado, winner of the opposition primary, has pledged not to step aside under any circumstance despite being officially disqualified from running for the presidency.

Machado expressed her position in an interview with Spanish newspaper El País published Saturday where she also signaled that she is relying on pressure from Washington, and the US Department of State in particular, in order to secure her name on the ballot.

“I’m sure you read [Secretary of State Antony] Blinken’s statement where he clearly said that enabling candidates to participate in the primaries is a core point within the agreement that was signed,” said Machado, referring to the Barbados agreement signed between the Venezuelan government and opposition on October 17.

However, the agreement does not compel the government to lift her disqualification.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-far-right-candidate-ratifies-hardline-stance-reliance-on-us-support/

US unilateral coercive measures against Venezuela were imposed with the sole purpose of causing human suffering in order to spark regime change. As usual with Washington’s human rights violations in other countries, those affected ended up at the US southern border. Meanwhile, no US-backed politician got any closer to the presidential post.

Fast forward seven years since the first US measures were imposed against the Caribbean country’s oil industry, it turns out the Venezuelan people vehemently reject sanctions and do not accept regime change, but also, US and European corporations are desperate to return to Venezuela to recover accumulated debt and supply their struggling markets.

Abracadabra, just like magic, the US government decides to begin lifting sanctions against the oil, gas and gold sectors, although temporarily. With the backdrop of US presidential elections on the horizon, the sanctions waivers included a deal with the Venezuelan government to deport (or repatriate) migrants.

A win-win situation? For the Venezuelan people, it represents an opportunity to heal some of the nation’s economic war wounds. For the US government and its corporate allies, it represents a chance to profit until foreign policy goals lead to a “snap back.”

https://venezuelanalysis.com/infographics/resistance-and-dialogue-venezuelas-temporary-sanctions-relief/

The Venezuelan government has vehemently criticized an alleged joint announcement between Guyana and the United States to increase US military presence in the Essequibo Strip amidst an ongoing territorial dispute.

On Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yván Gil issued a communique stating that Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali refuses to engage in “direct dialogue” with Venezuela while associating with “the most aggressive military power in the history of mankind.”

For his part, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd denied a military expansion in the 160,000 square kilometer Essequibo Strip and accused the Venezuelan side of spreading misinformation and fueling division in the region.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuelan-govt-warns-against-us-military-presence-in-essequibo-strip-guyana-denies-accusations/

The anti-politics, anti-party, anti-state, and anti-power ideas had become hegemonic within the left by the last decade of the 20th century and converged with the neoliberal premise that argues that a smaller state and a weaker government are better for the economy.

Hugo Chávez came to power in that context, marking the beginning of the Pink Tide. It’s incredible that so many progressive governments that are center-left or left are still in power – some in and out and in again like Lula, and some more steady. This is a unique phenomenon in the world, and it’s important to analyze and learn from these experiences.

Some academics demonize the progressive governments: a few will say that Rafael Correa of Ecuador was a sellout, but Evo Morales of Bolivia was better, while others will say that both Evo and Chávez were sellouts. These currents focus on issues such as the environment or the relationship between the left in power and social movements. In many cases, they have some interesting points, but the problem is that they end up bunching together progressive movements with neoliberal ones.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/venezuelas-critical-conjunctures-a-conversation-with-steve-ellner/

Venezuela presented its appeal before the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the court’s decision to resume an investigation into alleged human rights abuses committed during violent anti-government protests.

In June, the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court accepted Prosecutor Karim Khan’s petition to resume a formal investigation into the conduct of Venezuelan officials that could constitute crimes against humanity.

Lawyers representing Venezuela are requesting the court suspend its probe on the basis of the complementarity principle. The Hague-based tribunal is defined as a court of last resort that should only open legal proceedings in cases in which national legal institutions fail to address alleged violations.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-and-prosecutors-trade-barbs-as-icc-considers-petition-to-suspend-probe/

Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez traveled Monday to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands as part of efforts to defend her country’s claim to the Essequibo Strip amidst a longstanding territorial dispute.

The World Court recently summoned Guyana and Venezuela for hearings this week after the former asked the court to suspend a referendum in Venezuela.

“No one is going to stop the expression of our people in the consultative referendum of this [December 3rd] to defend our Guyana Essequiba,” said Rodríguez in a video shared to social media.

Calling the planned referendum an “existential threat”, Guyana is seeking urgent orders from the ICJ to halt the vote in its current form. Georgetown views the referendum as a step toward the “annexation” of the disputed territory by Venezuela.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-vp-visits-icj-in-the-hague-to-defend-essequibo-referendum/

It is not by chance that there is a notable absence of analysis on the most important political phenomenon in Venezuela these days: political disaffiliation. Confronting this phenomenon would mean, for the political class as a whole, coming to terms with its own weaknesses, shortcomings, and hardships. Consequently, it is swept under the rug, as if it were dust, in order to maintain the appearance of cleanliness and good manners.

The immediate political effect of all this is the over-representation of this same political class and the under-representation of the vast majority of the disaffiliated popular masses. Whether the former antagonizes or eventually negotiates and comes to an agreement, the crucial point is that the latter does not feel truly represented.

In the specific case of María Corina Machado, it’s not just that she doesn’t represent an alternative. In reality, she is far from representing anything significant beyond that historically minority portion of the anti-Chavista movement that longs for the complete annihilation of an enemy to whom they attribute all the evils and all the blame. As a phenomenon, there is absolutely nothing new here: she embodies a certain anti-political fervor of elites who have been disoriented and bewildered since the moment Hugo Chávez came to power through democratic and electoral means.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/politics-of-the-commons-the-problem-with-the-representation-of-the-majority/

Following an electoral accord between the Nicolás Maduro government and the US-backed opposition signed on October 18, the US Treasury Department issued time-limited licenses allowing production, investment and sale in the Venezuelan oil and gas sectors. Since then, Venezuelan oil authorities have prioritized hiring services and equipment to reactivate wells and rigs, which would expand production capabilities, while looking to export long-stored crude.

According to a July presentation by Venezuelan Oil Minister and PDVSA president Pedro Tellechea, the company is looking to revive 27,966 wells, mostly located in Venezuela’s western region, with the stated goal of reaching 1.7 million bpd by the end of 2024.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-signs-deal-with-frances-maurel-prom-amid-efforts-to-increase-oil-production/

This may be somewhat controversial, but if you’re familiar with Venezuela’s history, it’s straightforward. Our political process liberated Bolívar from the chains of an oligarchical discourse and restored him as a symbol for the pueblo. Before Chávez, Bolívar had been in the possession of the elites.

Chávez revised and rewrote history hand-in-hand with the pueblo. That’s why it’s not uncommon to accuse the Venezuelan process of rewriting history. To that, we say, why not? History is a battleground like any other, and we should not have doubts about revising a history that had been in the service of a few! We should be proud to reinterpret history!

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/venezuelan-history-is-a-battleground-a-conversation-with-pedro-calzadilla/

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro pledged to deepen economic integration and cooperation between their two countries following a presidential-level meeting Saturday.

The two leaders discussed a variety of topics, including migration, tourism, Venezuela’s support for Colombia’s ongoing peace process with the ELN guerrilla organization, economic revitalization for both countries, and energy integration.

“Excellent work meeting with Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia, with whom I spoke about the broad bilateral agenda of our nations and, above all, the map of mutual cooperation that advances with the principles of union and fraternity,” said the Venezuelan president on social media.

Petro has made a deliberate effort to mend economic and political ties with neighboring Venezuela, with the meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas marking the fifth such meeting between the two heads of state.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/colombias-petro-touts-deeper-cooperation-and-energy-integration-with-venezuela-during-visit

Got 40 minutes to spare today? You can listen to our latest podcast episode to learn about Washington's calculations regarding its sanctions relief against Venezuela to access its oil resources and how this affects the 2024 presidential election.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/podcasts/the-venezuelanalysis-podcast-episode-20-sanctions-relief/

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) has carried out a “successful” dry-run to prepare for the December 3 referendum intended to measure popular support over the country’s centuries-long claim over the Essequibo Strip.

On November 19, Venezuelans participated in an electoral simulation drill with 800 voting centers opened nationwide, which registered long queues throughout the day. The ballot had five questions regarding the country’s territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana over the 160,000 square kilometer resource-rich Essequibo region.

Venezuela and Guyana’s dispute over the Essequibo Strip dates back to colonial times and remained dormant for years until Texas-based ExxonMobil found significant oil reserves in the region in 2015. Since then, the Guyana government, presently led by President Irfaan Ali, has expanded a bidding process for oil exploration in Essequibo’s undelimited territorial waters, which Caracas argues violates the unresolved legal battle.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-maduro-warns-of-exxonmobil-interference-ahead-of-historical-essequibo-strip-vote/

In Venezuela, the expressions of solidarity with the people of Palestine have been powerful and permanent, perhaps because Venezuelans know firsthand the brutality of the US and its allies exercise in pursuing their ends. In this exclusive interview, Medea Benjamin reflects on the brutality of US policy against both the people of Palestine and Venezuela, and the mechanisms by which the “enlightened” West carries out wars and genocides.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/gaza-venezuela-and-collective-punishment-a-conversation-with-medea-benjamin/

In political gossip, it is said that Machado is debating between three options: calling for a rebellion in the streets to force the government to accept her candidacy; calling for abstention in the presidential elections; and appointing a chosen one, a candidate who represents her in the process and who, eventually, appoints her as vice president.

One of those mentioned as Machado’s “frontman” is lawyer Gerardo Blyde, who has headed the opposition delegation in the dialogue process with the government in the last few years. Meanwhile, other reports point out that Venezuelan tycoon Lorenzo Mendoza, owner of Empresas Polar (one of the largest conglomerates in the country’s food, beer and soft drinks sectors), who has appeared as a possible outsider in past presidential elections, should not be discarded.

Machado may not be able to go “all the way”, as her campaign slogan says, but there is no doubt that she will be the main disrupting factor of the 2024 presidential vote, both for President Nicolás Maduro, in his role as candidate for reelection and for whoever turns out to be the main opposition candidate.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/unusual-and-extraordinary-opposition-prospects-remain-unclear-after-primary-elections/

Venezuelanalysis was founded 20 years ago in the aftermath of the coup against Hugo Chávez.

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we look back on all the work we have done, and we also look to the challenges ahead. How can we continue to provide solidarity organizations and the general public with the tools to understand Venezuela and organize against US imperialism?

That is why we are asking for your support during our yearly fundraiser. A one-time donation or a monthly subnoscription will help us carry on expanding and improving our content. Remember no amount is too small!

https://venezuelanalysis.com/donate/

The unsolved border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana sparked renewed tensions in recent weeks. The two governments have engaged in a war of words, military presence has increased, as well as fears of US intervention.

The following infographic recaps the main chapters of the longstanding controversy over the resource-rich Essequibo Strip.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/infographics/justice-and-sovereignty-the-dispute-over-the-essequibo-strip/

The Venezuelan government has urged the US government to lift all sanctions against the country, while also denying any violations of the Barbados agreement.

The stance came in response to a November 30 deadline set by Washington for Venezuelan authorities to lift political bans on Venezuelan opposition leaders are not lifted. US officials threatened to reverse recent relief measures otherwise.

“Venezuela as a whole, by consensus, demands that all sanctions against its economy be permanently lifted and that we begin a new era of relations based on respect and collaboration between the United States and Venezuela,” voiced President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday during a meeting with representatives of different economic sectors in Caracas.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-govt-rejects-us-ultimatum-demands-permanent-sanctions-removal/

Too little attention has been paid to the dire impact of the 8-year-old US blockade on the lives of children and adolescents, who are among the most vulnerable parts of the Venezuelan population. To counter this oversight and raise awareness about the condition of Venezuela’s children, Anahi Arizmendi, a journalist and human rights advocate, has written the new book Infancia bajo asedio [Children Under Siege]. Here she talks to Venezuelanalysis about the real-life impact of the unilateral coercive measures on Venezuela’s youth.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/venezuelan-children-under-the-us-blockade-a-conversation-with-anahi-arizmendi/

The Venezuelan government and the US-backed hardline opposition have agreed to allow the country’s Supreme Court to review the cases of candidates disqualified from running for public office, the parties announced Thursday via Norwegian mediators.

“Today we have taken another step in the right direction, ratifying what was agreed in Barbados, to ensure respect for the decisions of [our] institutions, the rule of law and the Constitution of Venezuela,” said lead government negotiator Jorge Rodríguez.

The opposition and US officials argue that the political agreement signed in Barbados, which lays out conditions for upcoming presidential elections, includes a provision to allow disqualified opposition leaders to run. Meanwhile, Caracas maintains that the Barbados Accords do not provide for such a measure.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-disqualified-politicians-can-launch-supreme-court-appeal/

The Venezuelan government held a closing campaign rally ahead of a non-binding referendum that will measure popular support for a longstanding territorial claim over the Essequibo Strip.

“This Sunday, with our votes, we will defend the Guayana Esequiba,” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro told crowds in Caracas, using Venezuela’s name for the disputed territory. “I call on everyone to take part in this popular initiative.”

On December 3, around 20 million Venezuelan voters are eligible to participate in a five-question referendum centered on the controversial border between Venezuela and neighboring Guyana.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-gears-up-for-essequibo-referendum-icj-warns-against-changes-to-status-quo/