Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro is keeping up its assault on civil society, this time focusing its attacks on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and threatening to put an end to nonprofit organizations, which continuously question the actions of the regime. In mid-January, the Venezuelan National Assembly, with a pro-regime majority, approved the Law [ … ]
Venezuela
Maduro Adds Conspiracy Theories to Guyana Conflict
In a desperate effort to maintain cohesion of his political base, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro once again bemoaned alleged plots against him. Presenting his annual address before the ruling party-dominated National Assembly in mid-January, Maduro claimed that intelligence bodies had uncovered “four conspiracies with foreign components, planned from Miami and Colombia.” [ … ]
Maduro Holds on to Power and Expands Crackdown on Opposition
In a move seen as expanding the crackdown on the opposition, the regime of Nicolás Maduro detained human rights activist Rocío San Miguel, accusing her of plotting to kill Maduro, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said via X. San Miguel was arrested February 9 at an airport in Caracas in [ … ]
Brazil Beefs Up Border amid Venezuela-Guyana Tension
Seeking to increase its presence on its border with Venezuela and Guyana, and amid the escalating tension over the Essequibo, the Brazilian Army (EB) sent more troops to the north, keeping up with a strategic deployment initiated in early December. On January 13, some 14 Guaicurus armored vehicles, 18 other [ … ]
Russia’s Influence in the Essequibo Conflict
Nicolás Maduro’s revival of Venezuelan claims over two thirds of Guyana has placed this old dispute in the spotlight of South American geopolitics. More than a territorial disagreement, Maduro’s stance over the Essequibo threatens the security of the region, creating a potential risk of regional conflict. The shadow of Russia, [ … ]
Maduro Stick to His Guns on Essequibo Claim
Following the consultative referendum of December 3, the Nicolás Maduro regime is moving forward with its claim over the Essequibo region that belongs to neighbor Guyana. On January 13, the National Assembly began a second discussion on the Organic Law for the Defense of the Guayana Esequiba, which provides for [ … ]
Prison Interventions in Venezuela: Theatricality and Disinformation
The most important milestone in terms of citizen security in 2023 for Venezuela began on September 20, with the intervention of police and military forces in the Torocón Judicial Prison, in the state of Aragua. According to InSight Crime, an organization that studies organized crime in Latin America, this prison [ … ]
Investigation Lays Out Deep Involvement of Maduro Regime in Drug Trade
The latest transnational journalistic investigation, led by the international investigative journalism organization Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), in partnership with the Latin American Center of Investigative Journalism (CLIP) and various other Latin American organizations, highlights the deep involvement of the Venezuelan regime and its military in the drug [ … ]
Maduro Earns Worldwide Criticism over the Essequibo
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has embarked on an aggressive campaign to annex some 160,000 square kilometers of territory belonging to Guyana, following the December 3 consultative referendum. The referendum sought to gauge the opinions of voters on five issues relating to a long-standing dispute between Venezuela and its eastern border neighbor. [ … ]
Maduro Returns from China with Little More than Promises
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro traveled to the People’s Republic of China hoping to get fresh cash to advance his populist agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping received him during his five-day stay in September, signing 31 documents including pledges, agreements, and memorandums of understanding. Upon his return, Maduro could only offer the [ … ]
Venezuelan Criminal Leader Escape Sparks International Manhunt
In the early morning hours of September 20, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro sent thousands of police officers and service members to the Judicial Prison of Aragua state. Better known as Tocorón, the prison, located 100 kilometers west of Caracas, has become the main center of operations of international mega-gang Tren de [ … ]
Guyana, Venezuela Essequibo Dispute Exacerbates
As the territorial dispute over the Essequibo intensifies, Guyana, is putting its foot down, rejecting negotiations with Venezuela. “The time for negotiation is over. There will be no need for talks with Nicolás Maduro,” Guyanese Prime Minister Mark Phillips said during an extraordinary session of the Guyanese Legislature in early [ … ]