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

In recent years many honest, hardworking people have been imprisoned and charged with crimes such as leaking information and terrorism. The Committee for the Liberation of Imprisoned Workers, made up of family members and friends of imprisoned workers, fights for their liberation. Here we talk to Thaís Rodríguez, one of the committee’s founders. Rodriguez’s work as a filmmaker includes Comandante Chávez, a documentary that narrates Chávez’s life in his own voice.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15528

Venezuela has begun importing crude oil as part of a wide-reaching swap deal with Iran.

According to Reuters, at least 200,000 barrels of Iranian oil were discharged at the Cardón refinery in April. Another 400,000 arrived this week at the Jose terminal in eastern Venezuela aboard the Dino I very large crude carrier (VLCC). The Dino I will transport Venezuelan fuel oil for a unit of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

The discharged oil is reportedly of a similar quality to Venezuela’s Mesa 30 light crude and is needed by refineries to produce gasoline and diesel.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15529

The VA Podcast, EP #8: The Decommodification of Housing in Venezuela

The Great Housing Mission is one of the flagships of the Bolivarian Revolution. Since 2011 it has provided over 4M houses for low-income families and looks to reach 5M by 2025.

Listen: https://patreon.com/posts/66452175

The Trump administration openly considered a military invasion of Venezuela, going so far as to discuss the plot with opposition figures, former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper revealed in his recently released memoir.

Esper, who served as secretary of defense from July 2019 to November 2020, wrote in his book, A Sacred Oath, of meetings at the White House on February 5, 2020 between White House officials, including former US President Donald Trump, and Venezuelan opposition figures Juan Guaidó, Julio Borges and Carlos Vecchio.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15530

In this podcast episode, we go over the struggle to decommodify housing under the Bolivarian Revolution.

Listen to the full episode here: http://venezuelanalysis.com/audio/15531

Although Chevron has been the most enthusiastic lobbyist for sanctions relief, the oil giant is not the only corporation gearing for a possible comeback to Venezuela.

An anonymous source told Bloomberg that the alleged relaxation of restrictions against Venezuela’s oil sector would include allowing European oil companies “to divert Venezuelan oil bound for China to Europe” in a move to address scarce oil supplies and skyrocketing fuel costs.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15532

VA columnist Reinaldo Iturriza explains why he thinks the Bolivarian Process needs to "return" to Chávez.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/politics-commons/15533

Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations Samuel Moncada urged the immediate elimination of illegal US sanctions imposed against 1/3 of Humanity, including the Venezuelan people, in order to address rising food insecurity worldwide.

Watch all the videos here: instagram.com/p/Cd4Fd3rMjgX/

The Venezuelan government launched a new app-based initiative to address deteriorated public services that will facilitate a more direct means of communication between the citizenry and the government.

President Nicolás Maduro said the aim was to break with the bureaucracy that often serves to delay a quick resolution, adding that issues related to water, education, and healthcare would be given priority. Centers throughout the country are tasked with filtering reports and directing them to the relevant state or local institution.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/15534

🇻🇪 Aló Presidente stands today as a must-watch to advance the struggle against the imperialist media war and to understand the Bolivarian Process from the voices of Hugo Chávez and the Venezuelan people.

In this video, we remember the iconic program's debut on #23May, 1999.