First up today we have Argus media reporting that Russia has completed it’s exit from onetime Russia/Venezuela oil joint venture, Petrozamora. In 2020 Russia created Roszarubezhuneft to take over Russian oil giant Rosneft’s Venezuela business (sanctions concerns) and has been slowly unwinding partnerships.

 This follows the same pattern as what happened with all the China/Venezuela joint ventures in the oil business and various industries in Venezuela including agriculture. Every one of them failed and after reaching their pain threshold China eventually shut them all down. We’ve said it before and will say it again, the Chavistas have screwed basically every company and every country on basically every deal they have ever been involved with. Their combination of ineptness, greed, and corruption is unmatched anywhere.

 In a series of messages PdV (Venezuela) workers were told to keep Russia’s withdrawing from Petrozamora a secret or risk being disciplined. Do you think the Iranians are paying attention? They are Chavismo’s latest benefactors (partners). If Russia and China couldn’t make a go of it in joint ventures with the Chavistas what chance do the Iranians have?

 Then we have the Daily caller telling us that the US-DHS (United States Department of Homeland Security) is warning of a surge of Venezuelan migrants at the US southern border and indicates the trend will continue…No kidding?

 And we have Mehr News telling us that Venezuela Foreign Minister, Carlos Faria, says Nicolas Maduro is willing to negotiate with the US to normalize relations…No kidding?

 Then we have NTD telling us that Venezuelan economist, Daniel Di Martino, says there’s the same reason behind inflation in Venezuela (until recently in an over four year bout of hyperinflation) and the US, that being too much government spending… No kidding?

 And we have AviacionLine reporting that Venezuela government-owned airline Conviasa has been replaced by Turpial Airlines for the Caracas – Bogota route due to sanctions concerns. Flights between the two still have not resumed although the border has reopened after being closed since 2019.

 Then we have Bitcoin.com with the headline, “Nicolas Maduro Tempts West With an Abundance of Oil and Gas, Venezuela President Wants Sanctions Lifted”. They went on to say that Venezuela isn’t the only country asking that sanctions be lifted citing both Russia and Iran. (Humm…what do these three countries have in common?  That would be that they’re all brutal authoritarian regimes that hate the US)

 Then we have something that I don’t know how everyone else missed, or maybe they didn’t think it was important, as far as the content of the UN-FFM (United Nations Fact Finding Mission) on the Maduro regime and it’s Human Rights violations. The item that nobody else mentioned in their reporting is, Havana Times tells us that the FFM  indicates that even Cilia Flores, Nicolas Maduro’s wife, has ordered actions from the intelligence bodies. Let that sink in for a second…That would be like Jill Biden siccing the CIA or FBI on someone.

 Anyone who has followed Nico and Cilia as closely as we have wouldn’t be surprised by this. Cilia, along with Nico, is good friends with convicted murderer, Maikel Moreno, who they (yes “they”) appointed as the head of Venezuela’s TSJ (Supreme Court). His term has since expired but he’s still in a position of power on the court. It’s been said that there is no greater affront to a people than to put a criminal in charge of dispensing justice. Oh, and two of her nephews are currently serving time, having been convicted of cocaine trafficking to fund her political aspirations. Good reporting Havana Times!

 Then we have RFI reporting that heavy rains caused flash flooding in Tachira state, Venezuela. A group of religious worshipers were bathing in an area river and were swept away. The death toll currently stands at eight with some group members still missing.

 And we have Rio Times reporting that Venezuela Foreign Minister, Carlos Faria, (he seems to be everywhere these days) indicated that Russia is making efforts to take the use of the ruble (Russia’s local currency) to other destinations, and stressed that in the case of Venezuela, tourism would be favored by the visit of Russian tourists. What a great idea! Then we can add the failed Russian ruble to the failed Venezuelan bolivar as currencies Venezuelans don’t want to use.

 Then we have a totally unsurprising report by NBC News who tells us that Venezuela’s Ambassador in Geneva, Hector Constant Rosales, rejected the UN-FFM report detailing Human Rights abuses committed by the Maduro regime and implicating high officials in the government, including Maduro himself. He characterized it as a “…pseudo report…masked obscure interests…terrible politicization…beyond the limits of unspeakable, incorporating direct accusations against the president and other high officials of my country.” As “The Bard” said, “Methinks thou doth protest too much”.

 And as long as we’re talking about the FFM we have La Prensa Latina telling us that Chile’s Francisco Cox, a member of the UN-FFM, called on Venezuela’s Attorney General and judicial branch to fulfill their obligations and investigate the people in the report. If not the ICC could take on that role. Remember, the UNHCHR (United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights), Michele Bachelet, said this over two years ago. So far the regime has done nothing to address these systemic Human Rights violations, possible crimes against humanity, and total lack of an independent judiciary.

 And we have Human Rights Watch calling for the mandate of the UN-FFM to be extended for another two years. We concur…and do it now!

 Then we have East Bay Times reporting that the fugitive defense contractor, Leonard Glenn Francis, a.k.a. “Fat Leonard”, arrested in Venezuela on an INTERPOL warrant, has requested asylum (no surprise here). By law, Venezuela must consider all asylum requests. He is wanted after failure to appear in court for sentencing relating to his conviction for involvement in a $35 million bribery scheme. He was under house arrest, cut off his ankle monitor, and subsequently fled the country. The US has 30 days to officially request extradition.

 And we have India Times telling us that India External Affairs Minister, S Jaishanka, is dismayed by the geopolitics of oil and gas. “If you put Iran out of the market, Venezuela out of the market, and you want Russia out of the market, what is the world supposed to do?” Uhh…get it from somebody else?…Maybe tell Joe Biden to “Drill baby drill!” The US has plenty of oil and gas.

 Then we have CGTN telling us that a Chinese representative (unnamed) voiced Beijing’s opposition to intervention in Venezuela’s domestic affairs by outside forces and urged the US to immediately cancel it’s unilateral sanctions. After a lot of the usual CCP (Chinese Communist Party) rhetoric they also rejected the UN-FFM report.

 And we have Splash 247 reporting that Russia is utilizing an ever-larger portion of the so-called “dark tanker fleet” that previously shipped Iranian and Venezuelan cargoes to Asia, primarily China and India. The “dark tankers” are those willing to skirt sanctions by transporting oil using ship to ship transfers and turning off transponders so they can’t be tracked. Export volumes for Iran and Venezuela have slid in recent months while Russia’s exports to China have risen.

 That will do it for the week. We’ll be back Monday. Until then…Have a great weekend everybody!!!!