Trinidad and Tobago Deported Venezuelan Migrants & more –17th Aug 2023

Buenos días from BA! This is the Rorshok Venezuela Update from the 17th of August twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Venezuela.

On Saturday the 12th, Trinidad and Tobago deported ninety-eight Venezuelan migrants due to a court ruling.

The coastguards took the migrants to a base in Stuable Bay and transported them to Güiria, Venezuela. This action was taken in response to the state's appeal to deport a group of Venezuelan migrants who had been detained.

Among the roughly one hundred deported Venezuelans, who were reportedly asylum seekers registered with the UN Refugee Agency, the Trinidadian authorities allowed nine women and their children to stay in Trinidad.

There has been no official response from the Venezuelan government regarding this deportation yet.

In more international news, on Thursday the 10th, a Portuguese court issued an order to release $1.5 billion dollars in Venezuelan funds held in Bank Novo.

While the bank has acknowledged the court's decision, it's currently unable to proceed. Originally the funds were in accounts of different Venezuelan state-owned companies under Maduro's control. However, in twenty nineteen, Novo froze these funds when opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela.

The bank is holding off on conducting transfers until these uncertainties are addressed.

As expected the opposition did not remain quiet and requested to allocate the release funds to the social fund previously agreed upon with Maduro and to have the fund managed by the UN.

The opposition wants to ensure that these funds don't end up in Maduro's hands, given his past accusations of fund misappropriation. They have also proposed working with the US Office of Foreign Assets Control to channel the funds towards the UN, rather than allowing them to be managed by the Maduro government.

Moving on, on Friday the 11th, Maduro once again cast doubt on the date of the presidential elections in Venezuela.

In a national broadcast, Maduro discussed with Diosdado Cabello, a Chavista leader, the possibility of moving the presidential elections of twenty twenty-four to this year. Cabello had previously mentioned the idea of moving forward the elections’ date in the weeks prior.

The opposition is getting ready to hold a primary election on the 22nd of October to choose a candidate to challenge Maduro. However, the primary faces obstacles due to the disqualification of some leaders and logistical challenges after the resignation of the directors of the National Electoral Council.

Having mentioned Cabello, on Monday the 14th, he announced in a press conference that chavismo intends to stay in power for 200 years, urging the opposition to get ready.

He criticized the opposition for using violence due to their lack of convincing arguments.

Cabello also reiterated that disqualified pre-candidates won't take part in the upcoming presidential elections.

Speaking of elections, on Thursday the 10th, the Electoral Nominations Committee unveiled a roster of one hundred and four eligible candidates that the chavista National Assembly has to revise in order to choose the new National Electoral Council (or CNE) leaders.

The lineup encompasses military personnel, members of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (or PSUV), parliamentarians, and public officials.

Presidential candidates from the opposition ranks threatened and assaulted once again.

On Thursday, the 10th, PSUV supporters assaulted the presidential pre-candidate Henrique Capriles during a tour in the Delta Amacuro state.

Capriles shared a video on his social media accounts, hinting that this attack might be linked to the events in Ecuador, where a presidential candidate was assassinated after a political rally.

Capriles concludes the video by emphasizing the urgent need for a solution to the harassment that politicians endure in Venezuela.

On Saturday the 12th, Delsa Solórzano, the candidate from Encuentro Ciudadano in the opposition's primary election, revealed that she had received death threats on social media and shared them in her accounts. She said she would report them to international organizations citing Venezuela's lack of rule of law.

She shared a screenshot of a threat that read "Fernando Villavicencio has fallen, and now it's Delsa Solórzano's turn". Recent events in Ecuador and evident political motives prompted her to speak out, revealing the Facebook account of the threatener and noting that the harassment had already started in July.

In other news, on Thursday the 10th, Maduro took action to promote economic growth and attract investments by signing decrees that establish Special Economic Zones, including La Tortuga, Paraguaná, and Aragua.

During a nationwide broadcast, Maduro praised Venezuela's economic approach, stating that it is tailored to the nation’s resources. He also discussed the potential expansion of Special Economic Zones, saying that he might include Táchira and Maracaibo.

Additionally, Maduro underscored the importance of preserving peace and stability within Venezuela. He showed solidarity with Ecuador in the midst of its political turmoil and cautioned against potential outbreaks of violence in Venezuela.

Next up, on Saturday the 12th, Maduro took control of the Communist Party of Venezuela (or PCV) without authorization by utilizing the Supreme Court. He established a provisional board, with its head being Henry Parra.

The PCV said this was an infringement on their political liberties and underscores the authoritarian inclinations of both the government and the dominant PSUV party.

This development follows the PCV's decision to cut ties with the Maduro regime, citing its authoritarian trajectory.

In economic news, on Friday the 11th, the state’s central bank reported that Venezuela's yearly inflation had surpassed 120% in July, with goods and services experiencing an average price increase of 6%, matching June's rate.

Housing services experienced the largest surge at 10.5%, followed by communications at 8%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages saw a 5% increase last month.

Experts predict a faster inflation rate in August due to a 6% appreciation of the US dollar against the bolivar.

Although Venezuela emerged from hyperinflation in twenty twenty-one, it continues to grapple with ongoing economic challenges.

Moving on, on Tuesday the 15th, a sudden and powerful wave surprised residents along the Pampatar coast in Nueva Esparta state. Videos captured the impact, causing boats to overturn.

Following the impact, the sea withdrew, briefly leaving the coast dry. Authorities are still to offer an explanation for this uncommon event. While not verified, there are speculations that the sea can retreat during substantial earthquakes, despite no tsunami being reported in this instance.

Click on the link in the show notes to check out the video!

Another natural event made headlines this week.

On Monday the 14th, Luis Varga, renowned Venezuelan meteorologist, announced that a Saharan dust cloud is heading toward the northern region of Venezuela. Originating from the Atlantic Ocean, this natural phenomenon will continue throughout the week and won’t affect rainfalls.

Saharan dust comprises dry air carrying sand, minerals, and dirt particles. When concentrated in populated areas, it can transport harmful contaminants, triggering allergies, asthma, and respiratory issues. The WHO suggests precautionary measures, including mask usage for vulnerable groups and maintaining water source hygiene.

Let’s talk about Venezuelan talent.

On Thursday the 10th, Rolling Stone magazine revealed the nominees for the first Rolling Stone en Español Awards.

The ceremony, set for the 26th of October in Miami, seeks to honor artists' contributions to music, film, television, and digital content.

Venezuela boasts two representatives: Arca, a singer, and model born in Caracas, is a nominee for Music Producer of the Year, while Leonardo Padrón, a writer, journalist, screenwriter, and poet, is acknowledged for his Netflix series Pálpito in the Series of the Year category.

Best of luck to both!

And to wrap up this week, we're sharing some happy news.

On Wednesday the 16th, a group of Venezuelan residents in Budapest warmly welcomed athlete Yulimar Rojas, the world and Olympic champion.

At the airport in the Hungarian capital, the multi-time winner of both outdoor and indoor tournaments received greetings with songs and music. In response, she enthusiastically engaged with jumps and dance moves, contributing to a friendly and lively atmosphere.

Once again, Rojas is considered the favorite to secure the top spot on the podium in the Athletics World Championships scheduled to take place between the 19th and 27th of this month.

Aaaaand that’s it for this week! Thanks for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!