After cycling through different options to oust the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, the US settled on a weapon of choice: economic sanctions (aka unilateral coercive measures).

What are sanctions? How do they work? What has their impact been? In our latest joint production with Tatuy Tv, we go deep into Washington's collective punishment of Venezuelans as well as the surrounding corporate media coverage. WATCH 👇

https://youtu.be/8wZlLPASxwI

🇻🇪 ✊ Venezuelan feminist collectives continue the fight for the right to legal, safe and free abortion.

🔗 instagram.com/p/CdEUx71FB3O/

🇻🇪 “There were people who retired with miserable compensation,” President Nicolás Maduro said during a rally on Sunday where he announced a one-time bonus (around US $2,200) to workers who retired between Jan 1, 2018, and May 1, 2022.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15520

The United States (US) unilaterally decided to exclude Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua from the upcoming Ninth Summit of the Americas, US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols confirmed Monday.

In an interview with Colombia news channel NTN24, Nichols said that the three countries would be excluded due the US Department of State’s view that they do not abide by the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15521

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro held a meeting with Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji in Caracas to strengthen energy cooperation as the two oil producing countries ramp up efforts to offset US sanctions.

Owji expressed Iran’s commitment to continue building “routes and mechanisms to overcome the unilateral coercive measures [sanctions] imposed by the US government and its allied countries against the Venezuelan people.”

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15522

Another NATO war means a media establishment in a propaganda frenzy once again. Corporate media outlets have cheered Washington for throwing fuel to the fire in Ukraine, with some demanding that the administration escalate yet more. Be it through their choice of pundits, or their own reporters haranguing White House officials for not sending enough weaponry, one thing is clear enough: Elite media will only criticize official foreign policy for not being hawkish enough.

When it comes to Venezuela, corporate journalists have historically had little to criticize, given Washington’s “maximum pressure” regime-change efforts. However, a recent unexpected trip by a high-level US delegation to Caracas to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro opened the spectrum of opinion ever so slightly. Besides the traditional bias and dishonest coverage, a familiar pattern emerged: Just like with Russia/Ukraine, the only allowed criticism of official policy comes from the right, demanding that the US be as extreme as possible in dealing with its “enemies.”

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/15524

In Part II of this interview, the communards from Cinco Fortalezas tell us about the impact of the crisis and the blockade on their lives, and about the creative ways in which they are overcoming those obstacles.

(If you missed it, read part I here)

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15523

The upcoming Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles is poised to become a diplomatic liability for US President Joe Biden as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) alliance threatened to boycott the event over efforts by the host nation to exclude Cuba and Venezuela from participating.

"The Summit of the Americas is in danger (...) If the United States insists on not inviting Cuba to this meeting, it will immediately cause 14 CARICOM countries not to attend," said Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the US Ronald Sanders last month.

Sanders added that CARICOM members would also boycott should the US as host insists on inviting Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Guaidó in place of democratically elected President Nicolás Maduro.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15525

Now that Cold War II has set in, Steve Ellner says Caracas’ strategic alliance with Moscow has become a greater priority for Washington.

"Biden’s horse-trading strategy has much in common with Trump’s threats and actions in favor of regime change through military force. In both cases, the will of Venezuelans is ignored as is their suffering. What makes the current situation even more despicable is that the bargaining chips were formerly designed to get Venezuela to revise economic policy and now there is an added objective, namely a change in foreign policy."

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/15526