Isaías Rodríguez says US sanctions against Caracas means he cannot afford to carry out his duties
The Venezuelan ambassador to Italy has resigned, saying his government’s financial difficulties have made his job impossible.
In a letter addressed directly to President Nicolás Maduro and posted on Twitter, Ambassador Isaías Rodríguez reiterated his “immense respect for Maduro’s battle” but insisted the sanctions imposed by the US mean he cannot carry out his duties.
Continue reading...Conflict in Syria, shocking pink fashion at Cannes, and a seal pup making a splash – the last seven days, as captured by the world’s best photojournalists
Continue reading...Donald Trump’s national security adviser is stoking tensions with North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, in line with decades of taking the most hawkish position on any given issue
The US is now engaged in three major confrontations around the world that have the potential to degrade into war. And in the driving seat on all three fronts is John Bolton, one of the most fervent believers in American military power ever to work in the White House.
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Continue reading...Risk to oil market of three simultaneous disruptions becomes lobbying point for Iran and Libya
In November 2018, Donald Trump tweeted: “Oil prices getting lower … a tax cut for America and the world! Enjoy! $54 … Thank you to Saudi Arabia.”
Five months on, with oil prices more than $70, Trump will be in a less celebratory mood as Opec’s oil ministers and their allies gather in Jeddah on Friday, without Iran. The main agenda item will be the implications for oil of three interconnected American foreign policy crises – in Venezuela, Iran, and Libya. Together these crises, being played out simultaneously, have the potential to scrub as much as 3.5m barrels of oil per day from the markets.
Continue reading...Nicolás Maduro appeared on the brink of being forced from power in an uprising plotted by the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó. But key figures stayed loyal, allowing the president to begin reprisals. Tom Phillips in Caracas has watched it play out. Plus: Owen Jones on public schools and who gets to go to Britain’s elite universities
Juan Guaidó described his attempted uprising last month as the “final phase” of his plan to oust Nicolás Maduro. But after a day of chaos and confusion in which Guaidó’s mentor, Leopoldo López, was sprung from house arrest, the Venezuelan president was still in power and many of the plotters had gone into hiding.
The Guardian’s Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, is in Caracas and describes to Anushka Asthana the sense of defiance among supporters of Maduro, and Guaidó’s mood of optimism in an exclusive Guardian interview.
Continue reading...Formal request for a meeting is the closest the Guaidó camp has come to requesting US military intervention to help oust Maduro
The head of Venezuela’s national assembly, Juan Guaidó, has asked for a meeting with the US military for “strategic and operational planning” in the power struggle between the Guaidó camp and the government of Nicolás Maduro.
In a letter to the head of US Southern Command (SouthCom), Guaidó’s representative in Washingon, Carlos Vecchio, pointed to worsening conditions in Venezuela as the standoff continues and “the impact of the presence of uninvited foreign forces that place our country and others at risk”.
Continue reading...General Manuel Cristopher Figuera, who has fled the country, calls on Venezuelans to rise up and ‘build a new state’
Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, has accused his former spy chief of being a CIA infiltrator who helped mastermind last week’s botched coup attempt.
In a televised address, Maduro claimed General Manuel Cristopher Figuera – the most powerful figure to join Juan Guaidó’s failed 30 April uprising – had been recruited by US intelligence services in 2018.
Continue reading...Political chaos leaves country’s artists playing catch-up just days before art event begins
Switzerland is partying, sequin-clad dancers whirling on a vast screen. Russia is staging an elaborate homage to Rembrandt. But between them – or rather between their national pavilions in the public gardens of Venice – Venezuela is deserted and padlocked shut.
The Venice Biennale, the art world’s most celebrated international event, is due to open to the public on Saturday, and the venues have already thrown open their doors to curators, artists, museum directors, press and collectors. But not Venezuela’s pavilion. Winter leaves are piled up in the courtyard; discarded building materials and rubbish are heaped at the side.
Continue reading...At least nine lawmakers face detention after Edgar Zambrano was arrested on Wednesday, signalling the start of a crackdown
Opposition politicians battling to bring down Venezuela’s strongman leader, Nicolás Maduro, have vowed to continue their struggle after the detention of one of their movement’s key figures signalled the start of a major crackdown.
Edgar Zambrano, the vice-president of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled parliament, was seized by intelligence agents on Wednesday night, and at least nine other lawmakers members are also facing detention on charges relating to last week’s failed uprising.
Continue reading...Intelligence agents surrounded Edgar Zambrano and towed away the car he was in as crackdown widens
The crackdown against politicians involved in last week’s failed uprising against Nicolás Maduro has intensified with secret police seizing the vice president of Venezuela’s opposition-run parliament in Caracas.
“The dictatorship has kidnapped [Edgar Zambrano],” Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader who commanded that botched revolt, tweeted, attacking what he called political persecution typical of authoritarian regimes.
Continue reading...Secretary of state meanwhile slammed Russian meddling in the country: ‘We don’t want anyone messing around with Venezuela’
Washington and Moscow traded barbs over Venezuela on Sunday with Russia’s foreign minister urging the United States to abandon its “irresponsible” plan to depose Nicolás Maduro and his US counterpart slamming Russian meddling in the South American country.
Sergey Lavrov made the comments during a visit to Moscow by Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza – an apparent bid to stress international support for Maduro following last week’s abortive uprising against him in Caracas.
Continue reading...Despite clarion calls for Venezuelan ‘freedom’ the US has resisted offering Temporary Protected Status to those fearing persecution
As Venezuela slumps further into crisis, White House officials from Donald Trump down have made repeated expressions of support for the country’s people.
But such comments stand in stark contrast to the meager help the US government is giving Venezuelans seeking refuge in the US.
Continue reading...When the coup was hurriedly launched a day early, defections from the regime failed to materialise, Maduro remained in power and the US government looked like it had badly miscalculated
The video that appeared on Tuesday morning had the appearance of history in the making. In the purple light of dawn, it showed a group of armed men and a military vehicle on a road leading to La Carlota airbase in eastern Caracas.
In the foreground, stood Juan Guaidó – the head of the national assembly recognised by most western countries as the rightful leader of Venezuela – declaring the “final phase of Operation Freedom” with oratory seemingly destined for legend.
Continue reading...The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, has said 'the time to fight has come', in a televised address surrounded by his military high command. Maduro gave the warning following clashes in the past two days after the opposition attempted a military insurrection
Continue reading...After a botched attempt to overthrow him, Maduro holds ‘march to reaffirm the absolute loyalty of the armed forces’
Nicolás Maduro has thanked Venezuela’s military for resisting what he branded a treacherous “imperial” plot to topple him this week by sparking a conflict that would justify foreign military intervention.
“Loyalty is a value that you either have or you don’t … I know you will not fail the homeland,” Maduro told troops during an early-morning parade in Caracas that was broadcast on state television.
Continue reading...Tens of thousands of protesters hit the streets again on Wednesday and clashed with security forces after fruitless bid to oust Maduro
Clashes have broken out between protesters and Venezuelan security forces as tens of thousands of protesters returned to the streets one day after a dramatic but so far fruitless bid to force Nicolás Maduro from power by triggering a massive military rebellion.
Juan Guaidó, the young opposition leader who led that attempted mutiny on Tuesday morning, told demonstrators in the capital, Caracas, they needed to intensify their “peaceful rebellion” against Maduro.
Continue reading...Nicolás Maduro retains power and support from country’s military top brass but the opposition challenge is not dead
When Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó appeared outside one of the most important military installations in Caracas on Tuesday flanked by defecting soldiers toting assault rifles, many supporters hoped the game was finally up for Nicolás Maduro and his embattled regime.
“The time is now,” Guaidó announced in his dramatic pre-dawn declaration, calling on Venezuela’s armed forces to turn on their Chavista commander-in-chief.
Continue reading...The Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, have both taken to the airwaves to claim the advantage after a day of violence and political turmoil. Portraying the events of Tuesday as a US-backed military coup, Maduro insisted his opponent had already been defeated, while Guaidó called for Venezuelans to take to the streets again
Continue reading...In an hour-long speech, Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, said he had defeated what he called a military coup attempt by Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader.
He also scotched claims from the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, that he had been preparing to flee Venezuela for Cuba on Tuesday morning, until he was told to stay put by his Russian backers.
‘Señor Pompeo, please,’ Maduro said.
Continue reading...President blames Trump imperialists and ‘coup-mongering far right’ for plot put down by military
Nicolás Maduro claimed his troops have thwarted a botched attempt to topple him masterminded by Venezuela’s “coup-mongering far right” and Donald Trump’s deranged imperialist “gang”.
In an hour-long address to the nation on Tuesday night – his first since the pre-dawn uprising began – Maduro accused opposition leader Juan Guaidó and his political mentor Leopoldo López of seeking to spark an armed confrontation that might be used as a pretext for a foreign military intervention.
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