2020-01-21: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-21). Australian Open 2020: Rafael Nadal makes storming start, then hails fans for Australian bushfire fundraiser (VIDEO). rt.com Rafael Nadal kicked off his Australian Open campaign in dominant fashion as he thrashed unseeded Bolivian Hugo Dellien in straight sets, then thanked the fans for their fundraising efforts to help fight the Australian bushfires. | The Spanish star and No. 1 seed is bidding to capture his 20th Grand Slam title to draw level with Roger Federer's record, but said that equalling the Swiss ace's record isn't a target he's specifically pursuing. | Instead, he says, all he is interested in is playing at his very best. If he does that, the titles will take care of themselves. | "If I am able to reach my highest level,…

RT (2020-01-21). BRICS open to new member states joining the club, says Russia's deputy FM. rt.com The BRICS group of emerging economies, which is comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is open to welcoming new member countries, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. | Russia is focused on activities on the BRICS+ platform, which "makes it possible for interested countries to find ways to cooperate with the group's members," said Ryabkov, adding: "This is why it is possible to talk about the expansion of BRICS as a goal for the future." | According to Ryabkov, the Russian Sherpa in the five-nation trade bloc, "BRICS' existence is important in terms of creating new…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-01-21). Attempts to Remove Morales' Memory from Bolivia Will Likely Reinvigorate an Anti-Imperialist Struggle. globalresearch.ca Last Wednesday, the coup government of Bolivia launched a massive military operation claiming to be a pre-emptive strike against the expected violence to occur this Wednesday during Plurinational State Foundation Day celebrations that memorializes the change in the name of …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-21). Evo Morales announces MAS candidates for general elections in May. peoplesdispatch.org Former Bolivian President Evo Morales on January 19 announced the presidential ticket of his party, the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), for the upcoming general elections in the country. Speaking at a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Morales is living as a political refugee, he announced that former Minister of Economy Luis Arce and former Minister of Foreign Affairs David Choquehuanca would run for president and vice president, respectively, in the elections scheduled for May 3. | The decision was taken after two days of intense discussion and contemplation between Morales, the MAS leaders of…

WSWS (2020-01-21). Venezuela's Maduro offers Trump a "win-win" bargain. wsws.org In an interview with the Washington Post, the Venezuelan president "suggested that a bonanza could be waiting for U.S. oil companies" if the White House ends sanctions.

Susan Price (2020-01-21). Bolivia: New election date announced amidst persecution and threats. greenleft.org.au

Justin Podur (2020-01-20). The people of Colombia are cracking up the walls of war and authoritarianism. mronline.org The protests that started with the national strike called by Colombia's central union on November 21 to protest pension reforms and the broken promises of the peace accords have persisted for two months and grown into a protest against the whole establishment. And the protests have continued into the new year and show no signs […] |

Ben Norton (2020-01-20). Brazil's far-right government backed terror plot against Venezuela, top newspaper reveals. mronline.org Brazil's extreme Bolsonaro government backed an attack on Venezuela in a plot to overthrow its elected president. The shocking terror operation has received no coverage in mainstream U.S. media. |

Fight Back (2020-01-20). Embassy Protectors speak out in Fort Lauderdale. fightbacknews.org Fort Lauderdale, FL — Over 60 people from South Florida's tri-county area gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church of Fort Lauderdale to hear a panel and question-and-answer session featuring anti-war activists Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Zeese and Flowers are two of the four Embassy Protector activists who spent 37 days protecting international law and peace within the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They are currently facing bogus federal charges brought by the Trump administration that, if convicted, would mean up to one year in prison and $100,000 fines each. | Also on th…

Orlenys Ortiz (2020-01-20). Cómo Juan Guaidó perdió el control de la Asamblea Nacional en Venezuela. thegrayzone.com øNo entiendes lo sucedido el 5 de enero en la Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela? Echemos un vistazo cronológico al fracaso…

Alan Macleod (2020-01-20). Bolivia: As Elections Near, US-Backed Interim Gov't Mobilizes Military, Arrests Opposition Leaders. mintpressnews.com Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Añez has ordered troops to the streets and forced opposition candidates to organize abroad for fear of arrest ahead of the country's first elections since a US-backed coup last November.

teleSUR (2020-01-20). Brazilians March in Memory of 272 People Killed Last Year. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of people are participating in a march on Monday that will begin in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte and end in the municipality of Brumadinho. This march is being conducted in memory of the 272 people that died as a result of the collapsed dam in Córrego do Feijao, on January 25, 2019. | RELATED: | The march in honor of the victims of that tragedy will last six days, as the participants intend to arrive…

Paul Dobson (2020-01-20). Venezuela Strengthens Cuba, China, Iran Ties Despite Guatemala Rupture. venezuelanalysis.com Cuba and Venezuela have reportedly signed more than 1,400 agreements since 2000.

teleSUR (2020-01-20). Venezuelan FM Makes Official Visit to Iran to Boost Relations. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza met on Monday with his counterpart from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javad Zarif, to discuss a number of topics, including the strengthening of bilateral relations. | RELATED: | Heading a high-ranking delegation, Arreaza, arrived in Tehran on Sunday night for a three-day visit. Arreaza's visit to Iran comes just a week after he made his first official visit to China. | "The Minister o…

teleSUR, jg (2020-01-20). Venezuelan President Proposes Respectful Dialogue With US Gov't. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed once again that he welcomes dialogue with the United States as long as it is based on mutual respect between both governments. | In an exclusive interview with The Washington Post, published this weekend, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed dialogue with the United States, which would establish a different relationship between both countri…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-20). Peruvian Constitutional Court validates the dissolution of congress. peoplesdispatch.org The Peruvian Constitutional Court (TC) on January 14 ruled in support of President Martín Vizcarra's decision to dissolve Congress and declared unfounded the claim from the former president of the legislative body, Pedro Olaechea. After debating for more than three hours, with four votes in favor and three against, the magistrates declared Vizcarra's decision constitutionally and legally valid, dismissing Olaechea's complaint. | Last year, on

teleSUR (2020-01-19). One More Social Leader Killed In Colombia, 21 So Far in 2020. telesurenglish.net The Cordobexia Social Foundation denounced Saturday the assassination of social leader Luis Dario Rodriguez, the second activist killed in the northwestern department of Cordoba this week and the 21st so far in Colombia this year. | RELATED: | According to the statement released by the foundation, the social leader was murdered on Friday afternoon as he was returning home from a fishing trip in the municipality of Tierr…

teleSUR (2020-01-19). Bolivia: MAS Presents Official Presidential Ticket. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Movement Towards Socialism, headed by exiled President Evo Morales, announced Sunday that former Minister of Economy Luis Arce and former Minister of Foreign Affairs David Choquehuanca will run for president and vice president, respectively, for the country's May 3 general elections. | RELATED: | Arce, 57, was Morales' Minister of Economy from 2006 to 2017 and then from January 2019 until the coup, leading…

John Catalinotto (2020-01-17). In Venezuela, reactionary Guaidó humiliated by assembly defeat. workers.org The self-appointed "interim president" of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, received a humiliating setback in that country's National Assembly vote on Jan. 5. He was deposed as leader of the parliamentary body. Throughout 2019, Guaidó served as the designated puppet of U.S. imperialism in Venezuela. He made five attempts with a reactionary, . . . |

Staff (2020-01-17). What Really Happened With Venezuela's Parallel President? therealnews.com Media reports and the Trump administration presented a very one-sided version of the election of Venezuela's National Assembly leadership, presenting it as a coup. But who is trying to overthrow whom?

news.un (2020-01-17). Tackling femicide in Argentina: a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org Tackling violence against women is crucial to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In January, the United Nations launched a Decade of Action to support meeting the 17 goals by 2030.

Ajamu Baraka and Bahman Azad (2020-01-15). Trump Prosecutors Make Move to Ensure that Embassy Protectors are Convicted. dissidentvoice.org As the trial approaches, the lawyers for the Trump Administration's prosecution of the four Venezuelan Embassy Protectors who were arrested last May are asking the court to make sure the jury is kept ignorant about the facts and circumstances surrounding the actions of the protectors. In a recently filed motion by government lawyers, state prosecutors …

Ricardo Vaz (2020-01-15). Venezuela: Oil Output Stabilizes as Government Eyes Foreign Investment. venezuelanalysis.com The Maduro government is reportedly looking to offer greater advantages to private companies in joint oil ventures.

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-14). US Sanctions Venezuela's New Parliament Leader, Senior Opposition Lawmakers. venezuelanalysis.com The legislature's new opposition leadership "categorically" rejected the sanctions.

news.un (2020-01-14). Colombia: 'Staggering number' of human rights defenders killed in 2019. news.un.org The UN human rights office, OHCHR, is "deeply troubled by the staggering number of human rights defenders killed in Colombia" last year, its spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Ben Norton (2020-01-13). Under US pressure, social media companies censor critical content and suspend Venezuelan, Iranian, and Syrian accounts. thegrayzone.com As the US escalates its hybrid wars, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are suspending accounts and censoring content that conflicts with…

Paul Dobson (2020-01-13). Venezuela Blames Sanctions After UN Voting Right Suspended. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuela, which has one of the highest UN contribution rates in the region, has not paid its dues since 2018.

Anya Parampil (2020-01-11). Juan Guaidó's top 5 fails. thegrayzone.com Anya Parampil reflects on Juan Guaidó's greatest failures throughout his first year as wannabe president of Venezuela along with Diego…

pip.hinman (2020-01-10). Venezuela: Guaido installs parallel parliament, US threatens more sanctions. greenleft.org.au The…

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-10). For Western Press, the Only Coup in Venezuela Is Against Guaidó. fair.org The Washington Post ( The international corporate media have entered crisis mode following the replacement of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as head of the country's National Assembly. | In headline after headline, Venezue…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-01-08). Venezuela: Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After Washington Threatens More Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Trump administration is reportedly mulling sanctions against opposition deputies who voted against Guaido.

Paul Dobson (2020-01-06). Venezuelan Government and Opposition Fraction Announce Release of 14 'Political Prisoners'. venezuelanalysis.com The National Roundtable for Peaceful Dialogue also offered its backing to the new National Assembly president, Luis Parra.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2020-01-05). Venezuela: Guaido Replaced as Parliament Head in Disputed Vote. venezuelanalysis.com Pro-Guaido opposition lawmakers have rejected the vote, forming a parallel parliament with US and international right-wing support.

Luiz ignacio lula Da silva (2019-12-28). Prison gave me a greater will to fight. zcomm.org Interview on the reality that Brazil is experiencing and the social protests that have occurred in several Latin American countries…

The Real News (2019-12-28). Chileans Demand New Constitution as Protests Continue. zcomm.org For two months, Chileans have been protesting all over the country on a daily basis…

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-23). Venezuela Repels 'Terrorist' Attack on Military Bases, 1 Soldier Dead. venezuelanalysis.com The assailants stormed several military installations before being engaged by the Venezuelan army.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-20). Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day. zcomm.org In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-18). Venezuela: Guaido Introduces Remote Voting in Bid to Secure Reelection. venezuelanalysis.com The opposition leader has been under fire amid recent scandals.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-16). Francisco Rodriguez answers some questions I asked about Venezuela. zcomm.org Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodriguez, formerly of Torino Economics, answered a few questions of mine about his country. He was the economic adviser to Henri Falcon, the second place finisher in the May 2018 presidential election. His updated estimate for 2019 is that Venezuela's real GDP will contract by 25% . That's horrific, but less severe

Paul Dobson (2019-12-16). ALBA Summit: Venezuela Promises to Relaunch PetroCaribe in 2020. venezuelanalysis.com Heads of state also pledged to bolster various regional social programs including the Miracle Mission and Latin American Medical Schools.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-15). 128 Reuters articles on Bolivia since October 20, 2019 election with no mention of expert criticism of OAS audit UPDATED. zcomm.org Bolivia ¥s foreign minister says Mexico appeal to International Court 'a mistake' Bolivia's YPFB strikes transition deal with Petrobras to extend natural gas exports Bolivia is not a Mexican colony, acting foreign minister Longaric tells El Pais Mexico says Spanish diplomats' cars blocked by Bolivia at La Paz embassy Mexico appeals to international court as diplomatic

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-11). Venezuela Oil Production Continues Slow Recovery. venezuelanalysis.com According to state oil company PDVSA, production is again approaching one million barrels per day.

Paul Dobson (2019-12-09). Venezuela's Civilian Militia Surpasses Target, Reaches 3.3 Million Members. venezuelanalysis.com The body is due to be legally incorporated into the Armed Forces as a "combat unit."

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-05). Venezuela: Guaido Embattled as Opposition Splits over New Corruption Scandal. venezuelanalysis.com The latest scandal has further called into doubt Guaido's credibility as leader of the opposition.

Lucas Koerner (2019-12-04). TIAR Countries Blacklist Top Venezuelan Officials as US Slaps New Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Venezuela of "hijacking" mass anti-neoliberal protests in "our own backyard."

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-04). Red Cross Chief: Venezuela Aid Being Politicized to 'Destabilize the Country'. venezuelanalysis.com Francesco Rocca slammed the underfunding of aid programs as a problem of "political will."

Boaventura de Sousa Santos (2019-12-02). Ecuador: From the middle of the world to the end of the world. zcomm.org Demonstration in Quito Ecuador, by Fabiana Lando/Shutterstock.com As its very name suggests, Ecuador is geographically located in the middle of the world. And now, from all appearances, neoliberalism has decided to carry out its end-of-the-world maneuvers in this country. That is perhaps the reason it is coming to the realization that the Ecuadorean people are

Paul Dobson (2019-12-02). Venezuela's PDVSA Secures Temporary Lease Extension for Curacao Refinery. venezuelanalysis.com Despite the extension, refinery owners are looking to end the 34-year cooperation under pressure from US sanctions.

Lucas Koerner (2019-11-28). US Vows to 'Reinforce' Sanctions, Accuses Venezuela and Cuba of Stirring Regional 'Strife'. venezuelanalysis.com Elliott Abrams reiterated support for Guaido and denied that sanctions are damaging the Venezuelan economy.

Paul Dobson (2019-11-25). Venezuela Unveils First Gold Processing Complex in Mining Arc. venezuelanalysis.com While already operational, the complex will reportedly be the 5th largest in the continent upon completion.