2020-05-24: News Headlines

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-24). Trump Claims to Have Venezuela 'Surrounded' as Iranian Tankers Approach. zcomm.org Venezuela's armed forces will escort the vessels upon reaching territorial waters.

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.

Common Dreams staff (2020-05-23). Iran Warns US Not to Interfere with Venezuelan Oil Flotilla. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/iranian-oil-tanker.jpg

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 …

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…

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.

Venezuela Analysis (2020-02-06). Embassy Protection Collective: "We Are Not the Ones Who Violated the Law" theantimedia.com In this exclusive interview, VA talks to the activists who defended the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC ahead of their trial.

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…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-23). To Understand Iran's 150-Year Fight, Follow the Trail of Blood and Oil. strategic-culture.org This past Sunday, April 17th, a dispute between Iran and the U.S. occurred over the U.S.' decision to increase its military presence in Caribbean and Eastern Pacific waters, with the purported reason being a counter-narcotics campaign. | Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this past Sunday, that the real purpose for this move by the U.S. is to "intervene and create disruption in the transfer of Iran's fuel to Venezuela." In the same letter, Zarif expressed concern over "the United States' intention to consider dangerous, unlawful and provocative measure…

RT (2020-05-24). First Iranian tanker crosses into Venezuela's economic zone as US ships spotted nearby – tracking data. rt.com The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has entered the nation's exclusive economic zone, tracking data shows. Earlier, Tehran threatened the US with retaliation for interfering with the vessels' passage.
| The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has entered the nation's exclusive economic zone, tracking data shows. Earlier, Tehran threatened the US with retaliation for interfering with the vessels' passage. | Iranian-flagged oil tanker 'F…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-24). Tehran-Caracas ties stronger than ever, says Iranian diplomat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 24 (MNA) — Iranian ambassador to Venezuela Hojatollah Soltani hailed on Sunday the growing friendly ties between Tehran and Caracas.

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…

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.