July 31, 2017

Russia's plan for a potential Venezuela civil war

How Russia Could Intervene in a Venezuelan Civil War
Robert Beckhusen
July 30, 2017

-snip-

"...But because Russia’s ability to intervene is limited, unlike Syria, “it is in our best interest to assist the current leadership of the country … by carrying out feasible assistance of the broadest spectrum.”

The VPK article states the best way for the Kremlin to accomplish this is by strengthening relations with the ALBA states — a coalition of left-leaning states in the Western Hemisphere, although that alliance’s influence has waned. Secondly, Russia should provide military-intelligence aid for Venezuelan counter-insurgents.

“In addition, it is in our power to find common ground with leftist groups to use them in a proxy mode on the side of the legitimate government of Venezuela.”

An obvious collection of groups to provide such support would be colectivos, or pro-government armed militias which developed from state-backed community organizations. Well-armed, motorbike-riding colectivos have frequently attacked journalists and anti-government demonstrators. In July, colectivos beat opposition politicians with pipes in the National Assembly, openly demonstrating a willingness to use force to keep the government in power — although the militias often act independently.

“Maduro gets more desperate by the hour,” CIA director Mike Pompeo told the U.S. Senate in May 2017. “The risk of these colectivos acting in a way that is not under his control increases as time goes on as well”

To be sure, Strigunov does not mention these groups by name, and there is no evidence Russia does supports them directly — which is unlikely — or will in the future. But it’s quite feasible for Russian weapons to work their way to the paramilitaries. The Zamora Plan, a regime contingency operation, authorizes the Venezuelan government to arm militias in case of a coup or civil war. Russia has sold tens of thousands of Kalashnikov rifles to the Venezuelan military in recent years...."

-snip-

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/how-russia-could-intervene-venezuelan-civil-war-21724

Funny thing... Maduro insists that colectivos "do not exist". They are a "fiction created by the Imperialist United States"

July 31, 2017

Election (fraud) Day in Venezuela

Colectivos (armed Chavista thugs) using public transportation to "enforce" Chavismo (Maduro calls it, "Get out the vote!)

https://twitter.com/eliana_toscano/status/891774030545653760

Incendiary device attack on GNB (Maduro's brownshirts) Injuries only. 4 damaged motorcycles.

Warrants? We don't need no stinking warrants!

https://twitter.com/leoperiodista/status/891734722317078528

July 28, 2017

Canada joins US, advises citizens to leave Venezuela immediately

Canada warns against non-essential travel to Venezuela
Thursday, July 27, 2017
MONTREAL, Canada (AFP)

Canada on Thursday urged its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to crisis-hit Venezuela, where the government of embattled President Nicolas Maduro and Opposition activists are on a collision course.

The Canadian government said its updated travel advisory was in response to 'the significant level of violent crime, the unstable political and economic situations and the decline in basic living conditions" including shortages of food and medicine.

"If you are currently in Venezuela and your presence is not essential, you should consider leaving by commercial means," the Canadian government said.

Earlier, US authorities ordered the relatives of staff at the American embassy in Caracas to leave Venezuela.

-snip-

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Canada_warns_against_non-essential_travel_to_Venezuela

July 28, 2017

Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol suspends Constitutional rights

"Interior minister Néstor Reverol offered on Thursday a balance for Plan República and, as part of security actions, he banned all public assemblies and protests nationwide, “or any other similar action that could disturb the electoral process” from this Friday until Tuesday, August 1st, claiming that anyone who disturbs the electoral process will be sentenced with five to ten years in prison.

The only thing is that according to the Constitution, the exercise of constitutional rights or guarantees can’t ever be suspended..."

-snip-

https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2017/07/28/nicolas-didnt-stop/

July 28, 2017

U.S. oil refiners pare exposure to Venezuelan crude imports

JULY 27, 2017 / 3:55 PM / 19 HOURS AGO
Erwin Seba and Marianna Parraga

(Reuters) - U.S. refiners are shifting away from processing heavy crude, lessening the potential impact on their businesses and motorists of any supply disruptions from Venezuela as the Trump administration considers new sanctions on the country.

Refiners Valero Energy Corp and Marathon Petroleum Corp on Thursday said they plan to run more light and sweet crudes this quarter, continuing a trend away from heavy, sour crudes supplied by Venezuela and other OPEC producers.

Deliveries of Venezuelan crude to Citgo Petroleum, the U.S. refining arm of state-run Petroleos de Venezuela [PDVSAC.UL], slipped to about 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) last month from an average of some 200,000 bpd earlier this year. Phillips 66, the fourth-largest importer of Venezuelan crude this year, received about half its expected supply in June.

U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude fell 32 percent in June to a 13-year low of 491,000 bpd, according to Reuters data. PDVSA's exports have declined this year as production and shipping problems cut its ability to meet commitments.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on 13 current or former Venezuela officials to pressure its president to scrap plans for a Constituent Assembly, which would have power to rewrite the constitution. Additional financial or import sanctions that would choke off the country's access to U.S. dollars for its oil also are being weighed.

-snip-

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-refiners-venezuela-idUSKBN1AC36M

July 28, 2017

U.S. Orders Family Members of Caracas Embassy Staff to Leave Venezuela

U.S. Orders Family Members of Caracas Embassy Staff to Leave Venezuela
July 27, 2017, at 7:57 p.m.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Thursday ordered family members of U.S. government employees at the American embassy in Caracas to leave Venezuela ahead of a weekend vote that has sparked violent protests.

The department said in a statement it also authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees at the Caracas embassy.

(Reporting by Eric Beech)

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-07-27/us-orders-family-members-of-caracas-embassy-staff-to-leave-venezuela

July 28, 2017

Delta is getting out of Venezuela

Delta is pulling out of Venezuela as the country sinks deeper into crisis.
by Patrick Gillespie @CNNMoney
July 27, 2017: 2:52 PM ET

The last Delta flight will leave Caracas on September 17. The airline drastically cut service to Venezuela three years ago because of a currency dispute with the government. It was down to a single weekly flight each way between Atlanta and Caracas.

Delta (DAL) is the latest airline to end or dramatically reduce service to Venezuela, where political, humanitarian and economic turmoil is getting worse.

-snip-

http://money.cnn.com/2017/07/27/investing/delta-venezuela/index.html

Maybe the Chavista apologists can fly into Caracas on the wings of Pegasus?

July 27, 2017

Avianca suspends flights to Venezuela due to operational, security issues

BOGOTA, July 26 (Reuters) - Avianca said on Wednesday it will suspend flights to and from Venezuela beginning on Aug. 16, amid operational and security difficulties, the latest commercial carrier to pull out of the crisis-hit socialist country.

(update: They cancelled all flights effective today)

The Colombian airline will cancel its Bogota-Caracas-Bogota and Lima-Caracas-Lima routes, a total of three daily flights, beginning Aug. 16, it said in a statement. Customers who have already bought tickets for after that date will be fully reimbursed.

The Colombian flagship carrier is the latest airline to leave the country, further isolating Venezuelans amid widespread unrest and protests. Companies have cited everything from payment disputes to safety concerns.

United canceled its services to the country in June. Lufthansa and Air Canada have also pulled out.

Many airlines have been in protracted disputes with the government over billions of dollars of ticket sales made in the beleaguered local currency. They say President Nicolas Maduro's administration has failed to reimburse them per strict currency controls.

The International Air Transport Association said last month that Venezuela owes airlines more than $3.8 billion.

-snip-

http://www.reuters.com/article/avianca-holding-venezuela-idUSL1N1KH19S

July 27, 2017

More photo proof that Maduro is augmenting his "National Guard" with colectivo thugs

https://twitter.com/JuanRequesens/status/890294596437258240

Note lack of boots and GNB motorcycle.

The GNB (Bolivarian National Guard) are the Maduro's "Brown Shirts", who are recruited from the dregs of society and given a badge, a uniform and a gun. They are not sworn to protect the people of Venezuela, but to protect the Bolivarian Revolution. Typically, these uniforms come complete with boots and official GNB motorcycles.

Colectivos, on the other hand, have no such luxury of badges and uniforms. But they are given guns, motorcycles and a nice monthly stipend. These are el defensores de chavismo, whose sole purpose is to do the dirty work that the GNB (or the PNB) cannot be seen doing. These thugs are recruited from the local jails, prisons and youth detention programs, and when they are not harassing local women or threatening non-Chavistas, they are kidnapping anyone who they think they can shake down and extorting businesses. Maduro has taken to supplementing his Brown Shirts with colectivos as things spiral downward. (Maduro dismisses this as imperialist propaganda.)

July 26, 2017

TeleSur's propaganda on Venezuela

Everything You Need to Know About Elections for the Constituent Assembly

Venezuelans will head to the polls July 30 to elect representatives for the National Constituent Assembly, an initiative from President Nicolas Maduro to further develop the country's democracy and to help ease tensions with the opposition.

In the lead-up to the election, teleSUR takes a closer look at the voting process, how representatives will be chosen and what the new constituent assembly will mean for the future of Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro presented the National Electoral Council, with his proposal for structuring the electoral bases through which constituent representatives will be elected. This will open the way for 540 constituent parliamentarians to be elected by the Venezuelan people in a manner that is "direct, secret, universal, territorial and sectoral."

-snip-

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/multimedia/Venezuelas-Constituent-Assembly-20170704-0037.html

How is the ANC (translation: giving Maduro dictatorial powers) going to "ease tensions" and "develop democracy"? Wouldn't recognizing the fair elections of 2015 and having local elections (Maduro cancelled them last year) "develop democracy" and "ease tensions"?