A Dinosaur Called Tachiraptor & more –31st Aug 2023

Buenos días from BA! This is the Rorshok Venezuela Update from the 31st of August twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Venezuela.

The Museo de Ciencias in Caracas showcased an exhibition on Saturday, the 26th, featuring a dinosaur named Tachiraptor. This dinosaur lived in Venezuela's Táchira state about 200 million years ago.

According to the Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology, the Tachiraptor had more than fifty sharp teeth, a face that was yellow and orange, and multi-colored patterned fur. It walked on two legs and had claws for hunting prey.

This discovery was made in twenty thirteen, and it changed what the paleontologists thought before - that there were no dinosaurs in this part of the world. An artist named Gerardo Guillén put up The Tachiraptor exhibition, which will be open to the public every week from Thursday to Sunday at the newly renovated Museo de Ciencias.

In international news, on Thursday the 24th, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (or ICC) instructed the Victims Participation and Reparations Section of the ICC to gather information and testimonials from victims of crimes against humanity in Venezuela. This follows the Maduro administration's appeal to stop the investigation.

According to the Maduro government, the preliminary examination did not adhere to the standards of international law and the provisions of the Rome Statute, which states that the ICC should prosecute individuals responsible for severe international crimes. The appeal also raises concerns about the lack of defense rights.

The Appeals Chamber is expected to present its arguments in October. Despite the opposition from the Venezuelan government, the ICC's investigation against Maduro which began in twenty eighteen is ongoing.

Moving on, on Monday, the 28th, Bloomberg reported the Biden and Maduro administrations are talking about lifting economic sanctions against Venezuela. Bloomberg stated that this could potentially help the country recover its oil reserves, which would also benefit international companies such as Eni SpA, and Repsol SA because they might be able to begin drilling projects in Venezuela.

However, the decision to lift sanctions ultimately depends on Maduro's agreement to hold competitive presidential elections in twenty twenty-four and release political prisoners, something he has been hesitant to do in the past.

So far, Chevron is the only US company allowed to operate in Venezuela. It was able to increase its production to 135,000 barrels per day by utilizing a U.S.-issued license, which enabled it to establish operational agreements with Petroleos de Venezuela (or PDVSA).

Speaking of PDVSA, some good know regarding Lake Maracaibo In Zulia state. On Thursday the 24th, Nestor Reverol, who leads the Presidential Commission for Lake Maracaibo's rescue, announced that PDVSA has replaced 166 kilometers of steel pipelines used for transporting hydrocarbons in Lake Maracaibo with flexible pipes to prevent oil spills.

He stated that another sixty-six kilometers of pipeline will be replaced, and their aim is to replace a total of 700 kilometers by the end of the year. Reverol also highlighted that they are working towards producing these flexible pipes locally.

On the political front, this Thursday the 24th, during the BRICS group Summit, Maduro called for the de-dollarization of the global economy.

In his speech, Maduro highlighted the need to reduce reliance on the US dollar as a tool for “economic warfare,” given the changing global geopolitical landscape and concerns about the dominance of the dollar in international transactions.

Maduro put forward the idea of establishing a fresh financial framework for transactions involving various national currencies, both physical and digital, and underscored the importance of financing sustainable development in developing nations.

Additionally, he proposed leveraging Venezuela's natural resources as support for a new financial architecture.


New face in the driver's seat at CNE! On Thursday, the 24th, the National Electoral Council (or CNE) appointed Elvis Amoroso, a Chavista lawyer previously sanctioned by the US, as their president. Amoroso will oversee the organization of the upcoming presidential elections set for twenty twenty-four. He will hold this position for the next seven years.

Amoroso has served as the general comptroller since twenty eighteen, appointed by the Chavista-dominated Constituent National Assembly. However, his leadership has drawn criticism for barring opposition leaders from holding public office. The newly formed CNE leadership includes two other Chavista leaders, Carlos Quintero and Rosalba Gil.


Moving on, on Thursday the 24th, members of the National Guard arrested workers who had supplied a truck and audio equipment for presidential pre-candidate María Corina Machado's political event in Nueva Esparta. Machado deemed the occurrence as "unusual" and pledged to persist with her campaign despite this incident.

A video circulating on social media depicted a military officer present at the incident instructing the removal of the platform, citing a lack of permission. This development drew criticism toward the regime, as it might be a violation of freedom of speech and political participation in the midst of heightened political tensions.

Now it’s time to talk about healthcare. And it won’t be pretty.

On Thursday the 24th, the Venezuelan Medical Federation (or FMV) reported that over 97% of hospitals in Venezuela lack supplies, forcing patients' families to provide resources for medical care. Douglas Natera, The FMV's president, urged the Venezuelan government to declare a nationwide health emergency and establish a recovery plan for hospitals.

Natera requested a meeting with Maduro to discuss the healthcare supply shortage and the improvement in wages and labor rights for healthcare professionals. Additionally, he has spoken out against the sale of medical supplies on the black market.

Health and safety have become quite the talking points in Venezuela.

On Monday, the 28th, Rafael Ramírez Colina, the mayor of Maracaibo, reported that twenty-two officers of the Municipal Police had left the force to emigrate to the US through the Darien Jungle. This has resulted in a serious shortage of personnel, with only 10% of the required agents for the city's protection. 


The lack of police presence has led to an increase in insecurity and traffic accidents. Drivers are ignoring traffic lights and speed limits, which is causing more accidents.

To address this issue, the mayor stated that they are working to motivate more people to join the police school. They plan on increasing the number of officials and improving surveillance in the eighteen parishes of the city. Additionally, they will increase the number of mobile units such as patrol cars and motorcycles.


 It's not just police packing their bags in Venezuela – seems like citizens are also hitting the road, but those who've jetted off are nowhere to be found.

On Saturday, the 26th, relatives of individuals who disappeared on Venezuelan boats raised concerns. Some of these boats set sail years ago without re-establishing contact, leading to suspicions of human trafficking. This crime is on the rise in the country, and the families are urging Venezuelan authorities to conduct investigations.

According to the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, in the past five years, at least 150 migrants have gone missing at sea while trying to leave Venezuela on basic vessels in search of better opportunities due to the country's economic challenges.

The National Committee of Victims of Forced Disappearances on the Coasts of Venezuela believes that these incidents could be linked to human trafficking.



And to end this edition on a lighter note, on Friday the 25th, Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas secured her fourth world title in the triple jump at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. This achievement adds to her gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics and her track record of victories in major competitions since twenty seventeen.

The competition was intense, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk from Ukraine took second place, while Cuban athlete Leyanis Pérez Hernández won the bronze medal.

Despite the initial difficulties, Rojas showcased her skill by executing an impressive leap in her final attempt, securing her victory.

But before we leave, we have an important announcement.

As we told you last week, we care about Venezuela and have been doing these updates for a while. But, unfortunately, the number of listeners is low and isn't going up. If the number of listeners doesn’t increase, we'll have to stop doing the show.

Generally, the audience is bigger when listeners bring in friends and contacts. Tell your friends about us. Tell foreigners living in Venezuela, English-speaking Venezuelans living abroad, Venezuelans who want to improve their English, and even diplomats and analysts who want to keep up with what's happening inside Venezuela about us.

You can also post about us on social media with some encouraging words and the link to the Venezuelan Update, it would really help.

Please, if you have any other ideas on how to get more listeners email us at venezuela@rorshok.com or contact us via Instagram @rorshokvenezuela or Twitter @rorshok_VEN.

Sorry for the bad news, hope we can stay with you!

Adios.