Chevron, Wall Street, and Venezuela Sanctions

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Chevron-Getting-Ready-For-New-Oil-Drilling-In-Venezuela.html

https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-11-23/us-offers-life-support-to-venezuelas-economy.html

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-shipping-fuels-venezuelas-pdvsa-expansion-oil-swap-2023-11-16/

One is left wondering if the decision by the White House to slack up a little on Venezuela sanctions is about foreign policy strategy or simply to help out Chevron – and thus the markets. It's probably a bit of both.

A Pastor in Venezuela

https://evangelicalfocus.com/world/22997/pastor-sentenced-by-the-venezuelan-authorities

I wouldn't for a moment wish to defend the Maduro-led government of Venezuela. I would not want to justify, support, or defend anything that government says or does – especially when it comes to its relations with the Church.

That said, there are some questions that need to be asked.

A Ukraine Miscellany (IV): GOP Traps, MiG's, and Russian Oil

Putin fell for a geopolitical trap in the invasion of Ukraine, and US president Joe Biden has fallen for a series of traps set by his domestic political opposition. 

Venezuela, China, and Hypocritical Linkages

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Venezuela-embraces-'Made-in-China'-while-its-workers-are-exploited-by-Chinese-companies-52444.html

The hypocrisy of this story beggars belief. While this Vatican-connected website is sometimes the source of interesting news, at others time it becomes nigh on ridiculous – and this is one of those times.

Covid-19 and Project Venezuela

https://original.antiwar.com/Dave_DeCamp/2020/03/29/william-barr-greenlit-bushs-invasion-of-panama-is-venezuela-next/

The US seems to have shifted its posture with regard to Venezuela's Juan Guaido. Though touted by Trump and given a profile boost by his invitation to the State of the Union in February of 2020, the truth is he has failed to oust Nicolas Maduro and his campaign has effectively lost its momentum.