Venezuela Update –Maduro Meets with Latin American Presidents & more –1st June 2023

st of June: 2023

On Monday the 29th, Maduro touched down in Brazil to join the meeting that Brazilian President Lula Da Silva organized for South American leaders.

not traveled to Brazil since: 2015

Throughout the meeting, both leaders discussed normalizing relations, reopening embassies and addressing topics such as trade, culture, and science. Additionally, Maduro also offered electricity supply to Brazil, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Venezuela has been plagued by persistent blackouts the last ten years.

But it doesn't end there. On the same day, Da Silva claimed that political adversaries are constructing a narrative of authoritarianism in Venezuela.

He found it inexplicable that Venezuela faces over nine hundred sanctions "just because another country doesn't like it," referring to the United States sanctions

However, on Tuesday the 30th, the human rights organization PROVEA did not remain silent and expressed their discontent. They issued a statement countering Da Silva's remarks, asserting that the situation is not a made up narrative but rather a result of a systematic plan against the civilian and dissenting population.

The organization demanded respect for all victims of crimes against humanity, who deserve justice and reparations that the “Venezuelan state fails to provide.”

Meeting after meeting.

On Tuesday the 30th, the Argentine president, Alberto Fernández, also met with Maduro in Brazil.

Fernández urged Maduro to ensure that Venezuela regains its representation in international forums and mechanisms, particularly in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

for the electoral process in: 2024

Now, let's talk about what happened during a controversial meeting between presidents.

th, during the: 2023

In response, President Maduro expressed his willingness to engage in debates about his country. He firmly rejected interventionism and called for unity in South America, urging leaders to put aside differences.

Speaking of Chile, on Thursday, the 25th, the country appointed Jaime Gazmuri as the new ambassador to Venezuela, filling a five year vacant position. The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the aim of this appointment is to normalize diplomatic relations between both countries amidst the ongoing migration crisis in Venezuela.

bassador to Caracas after the: 2018

In more international news, on Friday, the 26th, Venezuela called for the resumption of negotiations on Essequibo with Guyana.

In commemoration of Guyana's fifty-seven years of independence, the Venezuelan government extended its congratulations .

,: 1966

Moving on, on Friday the 26th, the Venezuelan opposition approved a list of eighty cities in thirty-one countries where Venezuelans residing abroad will have the opportunity to take part in the opposition elections.

To participate, individuals must ensure their personal information is updated and register in the Electoral Registry.

ing presidential elections of: 2024

Speaking of the elections, let's talk about what happened to one of their candidates last week.

On Monday the 29th, Henrique Capriles Radonski, the candidate of the political party Primero Justicia in the opposition elections, denounced that alleged workers of the Miranda Governorate harassed him in his visit to the Guaicaipuro municipality.

Videos shared on his social media show how groups of Chavista followers insulted and pushed him while he was attempting to engage with residents of the El Cují sector in the El Nacional neighborhood. One of the attackers was even seen carrying a machete.

Despite facing insults and threats, Capriles continued his community tour.

From the opposition leaders to chavismo supporters.

In an unusual and viral news story, on Saturday the 27th, the Chavista mayor of Vargas, José Manuel Suárez, ordered the arrest of a woman for selling the refrigerator she had received as a gift from Maduro's regime.

Moreover, he publicly exposed the woman in a video on social media, but he later deleted it due to the backlash it caused.

On Tuesday the 30th, the Communist Party of Venezuela (or PCV) denounced the arrest of Franklin González, a prominent leader within their organization and a supporter of chavismo.

The Apure Police detained González while he was attempting to recover animals that had been illegally taken.

The PCV described the arrest as arbitrary and demanded immediate release of González.

Speaking of arrests, on Saturday the 27th, the Bolivarian National Guard (or GNB) arrested Jessica Terán, the director of the Rodeo III Judicial Internment in the Miranda state, along with the prison's deputy director. This arrest followed an inspection conducted by the GNB in response to orders from Celsa Bautista, the Minister of Penitentiary Service.

During the inspection, the authorities discovered more than three hundred grams of cocaine and three hundred grams of marijuana within the facility.

Bautista took to social media to announce the appointment of Oscar Briceño as the new director of the institution.

In other news, on Wednesday the 31st, heavy rains, resulting from the sixty-five tropical waves, left more than one hundred and twenty families in two states homeless.

In the state of Táchira, near the border with Colombia, river overflows and landslides rendered at least one hundred families homeless. Additionally, around twenty families in the state of Cojedes were affected as well.

To mitigate the impact of the rainfall-induced disasters nationwide, authorities have deployed over sixteen thousand officials.

As of now, three fatalities have been reported.

But the tragedies don't end there. On Saturday the 27th, an accident occurred at the José Tadeo Monagas International Airport in the state of Monagas, resulting in the loss of lives of two individuals after a plane belonging to a pilot school crashed.

The victims, identified as Dagoberto Valdez, a flight instructor, and York Alejandro Romero, a student, tragically lost their lives while performing a maneuver in the air.

Currently, the authorities are actively investigating the incident.

In better news, on Friday the 26th, the state of Amazonas released 20,000 hatchlings of arrau turtles as part of a conservation plan. A team from the Ministry of Ecosocialism, led by Governor Miguel Rodríguez of Amazonas, facilitated the release event, taking the turtles to "Isla de Cuba," a wildlife refuge.

The ministry explained that their conservation efforts have resulted in the reproduction of arrau turtles in shelters, where they grow to a size that ensures their survival against potential natural predators. Once they reach this size, the turtles are returned to their natural habitats.

The species faces danger due to the illegal trafficking of their meat and shells.

More good news! On Saturday the 27th, Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, the world's oldest man, celebrated his 114th birthday in Táchira, Venezuela.

The governor, Freddy Bernal, shared a video on Twitter showing Pérez Mora's joyful celebration.

Maduro expressed his pride, and the Guinness World Records congratulated Pérez Mora.

In sports, on Saturday, the 27th, Andrés Madera, a Venezuelan karateka, claimed the title of the Pan American karate champion for the third consecutive time at the tournament held in Costa Rica. The Venezuelan team also excelled, earning gold and bronze medals in the team competition.

participation in the October: 2023

Aaaaaand that's it for this week! You may not know it but we do updates for some other countries too. If you know anybody who might be interested, let them know. Ready? Here they are, West to East: Argentina, Spain, Nigeria, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, Malawi, Ethiopia, Georgia, Japan. Think of anybody?

¡Hasta la próxima!