2020-05-23: News Headlines

Federico Fuentes (2020-05-23). Mercenaries, pandemic and riots in Venezuela: A grassroots perspective. mronline.org Venezuela is confronting COVID-19 amid foreign sanctions and mercenary incursions. Complicating matters further is the explosive combination of deep recession and a nationwide lockdown, which has triggered incidents of looting and riots.

WSWS (2020-05-23). South America a "new epicenter" of COVID-19 pandemic, WHO warns. wsws.org The number of new deaths on the continent is surpassing Europe, and Brazil is rapidly overtaking Russia as the country with the second most infections after the US.

Eds. (2020-05-22). Venezuelan Army to escort Iranian tankers bringing gasoline to Venezuelans blockaded by U.S. sanctions. mronline.org This was announced by the Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, this Wednesday. "We have established contact with the Minister of Defense of Iran. All these ships, when they enter our exclusive economic zone (370Km), will be escorted by ships and planes of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), to welcome them and say to …

Marwa Osman (2020-05-22). Palestine — Quds Day 2020: Marwa Osman. thealtworld.com TeleSur English- Political Commentator Dr. Marwa Osman joins Camila on From the Lebanon to discuss the history and significance of Quds Day and analyzes today's geopolitical context. Dr. Osman discusses the U.S. and Israeli regime's intensifying threats against the Palestinian people within the context of the "deal of the century" saying the 'deal' constitutes the imprisonment of Palestinians. Blockaded Palestine has much in common with other blockaded nations included Iran and Venezuela.

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-22). Trump Claims to Have Venezuela 'Surrounded' as Iranian Tankers Approach. globalresearch.ca US President Donald Trump issued new threats against Venezuela on Wednesday. | "We've got it [Venezuela] surrounded, it's surrounded at a level that nobody even knows but they know. We are watching to see what happens," he …

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-22). Bolivians continue their struggle against the coup regime. peoplesdispatch.org Since May 11, thousands of Bolivians have been mobilizing, against hunger and to demand the resignation of self-appointed president Jeanine àÅñez and for democratic elections in the country…

Luciana Tellez-Chavez (2020-05-22). This Year's Forest Fire Season Could Be Even Deadlier. commondreams.org In addition to contributing to climate change, forest fires present a more immediate and very grave threat to public health. (Photo: Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amazon-fires-walmart-cargill-blackrock-brazil-bolsonaro.jpg

Vyshakh T (2020-05-22). The human toll of COVID-19 in Brazil. peoplesdispatch.org The corona crisis has also brought to the forefront the crisis in Brazil's healthcare system. The Sistema àönico de Saúde – SUS -, Brazil's publicly funded health system has been facing dire budget cuts over the past several years while the private system has been steadily growing.

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-05-22). US Militarizes the Caribbean Sea to Surround Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Recently, the number of American ships and planes in the Caribbean Sea has increased exponentially. The most likely hypothesis so far is that there will be an attempt to block Venezuela, as the military flow in the region began to …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-22). Venezuela sends military to escort Iranian fuel tankers over US threats. peoplesdispatch.org Officials in the Trump administration have told the press that the US will consider mobilizing its forces in the Caribbean against Iranian shipment of petrol en route to Venezuela…

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2020-05-21). COVID-19 Hits Hard, but Challenges BRICS. globalresearch.ca By and large, the coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) since it was declared late January by the World Health Organization (WHO). It allegedly originated (yet to be proved) from …

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-21). Ecuadorians vow to resist Moreno's latest neoliberal economic measures. peoplesdispatch.org On May 20, several Ecuadorian social movements, Indigenous organizations and trade unions called for a national mobilization on May 25, against the neoliberal economic policies imposed by President Lenín Moreno in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The People's Front, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC), the Unitary Front of Workers (FUT), among others, are the organizations behind the call for national mobilization. | On May 19, Moreno announced a new set of austerity measures, involving a budget cut of 4 billion USD in public…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-21). US Blocks UNSC Draft Resolution Denouncing Paramilitary Incursion into Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com Russia, China and other countries criticized violations of Venezuelan sovereignty.

World Socialist Web Site (2020-05-22). Trump issues new threats as Iranian tankers approach Venezuela. iranian.com In a telephone conference with right-wing Hispanic supporters in the United States Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued new threats against Venezuela, bragging about the US military siege that has been mounted against the embattled South American country. Referring to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump declared,"We have surrounded him at a level that no one knows, …

Zero Hedge (2020-05-21). Regime Change Back In Focus: Pompeo Targets Iran, Cuba & Venezuela In Epic Tweet Thread. iranian.com Given the very noticeable rise in threatening rhetoric focused on Iran over the past week, it seems thoughts of regime change in Tehran are once again top of the agenda. Or perhaps simultaneously the administration needs a significant distraction of sorts amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the persistent national reopening question and agenda. On Wednesday, Secretary …

Sputnik News (2020-05-21). Venezuelan Military to Escort Iranian Tankers Delivering Fuel — Defense Minister. iranian.com Venezuela's military will escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel to the country when they enter Venezuela's exclusive economic zone, the country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino revealed Wednesday. In a state television interview, Padrino said the escort would "welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation," Reuters reported. Padrino also said that …

Staff (2020-05-22). Headlines for May 22, 2020. democracynow.org Unemployment Claims Reach 38.6 Million in Worst U.S. Economic Crisis Since Depression, As Millions Lose Jobs, the Billionaire Class Sees Wealth Soar by $434 Billion During Pandemic, COVID Cases Spike in Brazil, Mexico, India & Indonesia as Outbreak Grows in Global South, World Bank: 3 Billion People Don't Have Access to Clean Water & Soap, U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 95,000, Trump Refuses to Wear Mask in Front of Media at Ford Plant in Michigan, Report: Striking Racial Divide Found in Nursing Homes Impacted by COVID Outbreak, COVID Racial Data Tracker Documents How Pandemic Is Devastating Communities of Color, Pol…

Staff (2020-05-21). Headlines for May 21, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Cases Top 5 Million as WHO Records Record One-Day Spike, Brazilian Mayor Fears "Genocide" from COVID-19, Accuses Bolsonaro of "Crime Against Humanity", Disease Modelers Say Delays in U.S. Lockdowns Cost Tens of Thousands of Lives, Pro-Trump Doctors to Promote Reopening States Despite CDC Warnings, Millions Flee as Cyclone Batters India and Bangladesh, Dam Disaster in Michigan Threatens to Flood Toxic Sites, Trump Threatens to Cut Funding to Michigan, Nevada over Mail-in Voting, McDonald's Workers Strike to Demand Personal Protective Equipment, Striking New Orleans Sanitation Workers Replaced by…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-23). Iranian fuel tankers approach Caribbean: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 23 (MNA) — A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first vessel expected to reach the South American country's waters on Sunday.

Eds. (2020-05-22). The role of the state in Venezuela. mronline.org Venezuelan former Vice President Elias Jaua calls for the government to rebuild the state and retake the reins of the economy.

Brasil de Fato (2020-05-22). Brazilian President Bolsonaro confesses to intervening in Police in order to protect his family. peoplesdispatch.org A video that surfaced today Friday May 22 revealed that far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro intervened in the Federal Police in order to protect his and his families' interests. In the video, which was released during a court proceeding against the president in the Supreme Court, Bolsonaro, in a meeting of ministers, expresses his attempt to intervene in the Federal Police (PF) in order to protect his family. | "We have not had the strategic aspect. And forgive me, but the information service is ours, everyone, it is a…they are an embarrassment, an embarrassment. They don't tell me anything! And I cann…

Fight Back (2020-05-22). UNAC denounces any attempts by the US to stop shipments of Iranian fuel to Venezuela. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). | Last week, an Iran-flagged tanker passed the Suez Canal, reportedly bound for Venezuela with a shipment of refined fuel. Despite having the largest proven oil reserves in the world, Venezuela's refining capacity has been damaged by the U.S. embargo, greatly hindering its economy US officials have claimed that Venezuela has begun to purchase fuel from Iran directly with gold, thereby bypassing U.S. controlled imperialist trade mechanisms. | Four additional Iran-flagged tankers loaded with refined fue…