Europe, the US, and other places around the globe have serious energy concerns, primarily due to their disastrous “green energy” policies exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Well, we can all rest easy…it’s Nico to the rescue!

 La Prensa Latina reports that Nicolas Maduro, alongside the OPEC (Oil Producing and Exporting Countries) Secretary General, announced Venezuela is ready to supply the global oil and gas markets. (Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, although most of it is extra-heavy crude that most countries aren’t equipped to refine, and is fifth in gas reserves.

 He added that Venezuela is ready to “progressively and rapidly increase” production of refined products and fertilizers. He claimed that the “irrational, unjustified, and illogical sanctions against Russia have driven the world to madness”. I guess we should all be comforted by the sanity and stability offered by the regime of Nicolas Maduro.

 What he didn’t mention was that the Chavistas already backed of a deal to supply oil to the EU (European Union) saying shipments on an oil for debt relief basis (as we’ve told you, the Chavistas owe pretty much everybody and their brother a whole lotta’ money) were not acceptable, even though they agreed to the deal to get sanctions relief. Future deliveries must be paid, in cash, in advance.

 This is another example of the Chavista mindset (FYI, screwing every company and every country on basically every deal they ever made). It’s similar to their stance that forced Air Canada to halt service to Caracas after flying there for decades. The Chavistas owed Air Canada a lot of money (just like they did Eni, Italy, and Repsol, Spain, in the recent “oil deal for Europe”) but they required Air Canada to pay in cash, and in dollars, when refueling their jets in Caracas. In a last ditch effort to continue service to Caracas, Air Canada asked that they be allowed to pay for their fuel with some of the funds the Chavistas were holding in bolivares (local currency) in Venezuelan banks, as required by the Chavistas. The Chavistas said NO! They wouldn’t accept their own currency for payment! This signaled the end for Air Canada.

 Now, they’re “ready to supply global oil needs”…but under what conditions? As we’ve previously reported, the Maduro regime has no spare production capacity so if anybody wants oil from Venezuela they’ll have to come to Venezuela and produce it themselves since PDVSA (Venezuela government-owned oil company) is incapable of any significant increase in production (despite Maduro’s prediction of tripling production by the end of the year).

 Venezuela’s oil infrastructure has to be completely rebuilt, after many years of neglect by the Chavistas, which will take a lot of time (years) and money (billions of dollars a year) so I guess the deal would be something like this : Foreign oil companies make major investments (billions) in Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, increase Venezuela’s production capacity, then pay Venezuela for the oil and hope the Chavistas don’t expropriate everything like they already did in the past (like Conoco Phillips trying to recover the $8.5 billion already awarded them by the court for expropriated assets)…Gee…What a good deal! Where do I sign?

 And in a related piece we have Rio Times reporting that Nicolas Maduro says Venezuela has a portfolio of 50 gas projects for which all seismic surveys have been carried out and which offer all legal guarantees for investors. Would those be the same legal guarantees you offered the last time before you expropriated all the assets of the various oil companies?

 Then we have Fox News telling us that Malia Cohen, looking to be California’s State Controller (the person in charge of the purse strings) traveled to Venezuela in 2006 with a pro-socialist group called Global Exchange to study socialism and specifically Chavismo (21st Century Bolivarian Socialism).

 The group’s stance mirrored what most socialists (including celebrities, politicians, and the media) felt at the time (and unfortunately many still do). “Something remarkable is happening in Venezuela…Now, for the first time, millions of Venezuelans have access to education, job training, housing, land, clean water, healthcare, and something maybe even more precious, dignity”. These sentiments are still held today by her like-minded associates at Democratic Socialists of America (AOC and friends), who recently declared Nicolas Maduro as “A nice man who cares deeply about his people”.

 So, what is the reality in today’s Venezuela? Chavismo (21st Century Bolivarian Socialism) , in about two decades in power, has destroyed basically every aspect of life in Venezuela with 96% of the population living in poverty, 75%  in extreme poverty (the UN metric for extreme poverty is earning less than a dollar a day…most Venezuelans don’t make 1/2 that with the minimum wage at under $14 A MONTH!). There are constant blackouts and a critical shortage of fresh water. The healthcare system has totally collapsed as has the education system. Their “dignity” today is digging in the back of garbage trucks for food. Almost 7 million Venezuelan migrants  have fled the horrors of 21st Century Bolivarian Socialism and I haven’t even addressed the widespread Human Rights violations and possible crimes against humanity currently under investigation by the ICC (International Criminal Court). This is a man-made disaster, a Chavista- made disaster. What more proof do you need? Socialism doesn’t work…period!

 Then we have La Prensa Latina reporting that the Federation of Venezuelan Psychologists made clear it’s rejection of so called “conversion therapies” saying “homosexuality cannot be ‘cured'” They also say the inappropriately named procedures constitute a clear Human Rights violation. According to FVP, 1/4 of all people who seek psychiatric counseling in Venezuela are openly LGBTQ+

 My question is, why haven’t we heard from the new “Woke Nicolas”? He says he supports the LGBTQ+ community but is silent when there is actually an issue. This is pretty much Maduro’s MO. Just like saying how much he supports Indigenous peoples while his “Mining Arc” exploits them and destroys their way of life…or for that matter the Venezuelan people in general. He constantly professes his love for “the people” as his regime starves them to death. (and don’t forget those 1,400 extrajudicial killings per year)

 More tomorrow….