Crisis is generated in extremism. USS Gerald Ford is being ordered to abandon Caribbean waters and return to Mediterranean: in preparations for Middle East and Iran war. Location of USS Gerald Ford is an indicator of where hot spots worldwide are at any given time. USS Gerald Ford was previously at Adriatic Sea, then was moved into Morocco. It was stranded near Morocco and then it left to Cabo Verde, south of Puerto Rico, north of Puerto Rico and finally southern Caribbean: where it quickly launched Operation Absolute Resolve that concluded in successful extraction of former Venezuelan deposed dictator Nicolás Maduro, leading way to wonderful interim presidency of Delcy Rodríguez: which is distinguished by efficiency.
Venezuela is no longer a threat to United States. United States military is no longer a threat to Venezuela’s unique definition of democracy, human rights and other such technicalities recurrently abused in extremist narrative. María Machado’s assumption that maximum pressure would be exerted until she is deposited at Miraflores Palace, for a new chapter on illegitimate presidencies is over. Pedro Urruchurtu’s negotiations with Democrats in opposition to Donald Trump’s plan for making Venezuela great again are not favorable for extremists: who were counting on capturing high level officials of Venezuelan interim government led by acting president Delcy Rodriguez.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright continued his Venezuelan visit at José Antonio Anzoátegui and Petropiar Upgrader near Barcelona, Anzoátegui state. Pdvsa and Chevron workers were identified by red or blue uniforms respectively. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and United States Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu wore white helmets, while acting president Delcy Rodríguez wore a red helmet with Pdvsa logo. Chris Wright declared that Chevron Corporation is expected to inject extra billions of dollars: needed for doubling or tripling amount of petroleum produced and upgraded at Orinoco Belt Fields, within a couple of years.
A number of petroleum fields in Zulia, Anzoátegui and Monagas states are already being allocated for further development by Chevron, Repsol and other Western companies that are in process of securing OFAC licenses geared to specific requirements. Such licenses will be issued within next few days, in addition to already existing general license 46A, general license 47, general license 48, and license 3B. Chevron refiners in the state of Mississippi, speaking on behalf of other refineries in Louisiana and Texas, confirms that Venezuelan heavy crude is sorely needed all over coast of Gulf of Mexico. Heavy crude is particularly suited for asphalt and jet fuel. Increased imports of petroleum will decrease the price of gasoline at pumps, which is an argument that Delcy Rodríguez has consistently made during her career as vice president last year, and even before.
Secretary Wright has been absolutely cautious in not interfering with Venezuela’s domestic affairs. It looks like he has got a better understanding of country. He no longer speaks as he did recently: when he proposed time frames for elections and other non-energy matters. Chris Wright expressed while in Anzoátegui that Venezuelans will ultimately define their future, while United States will use its leverage for suggesting a general direction that should be shared with rest of Western Hemisphere: which Delcy Rodríguez is complying to perfection. Chief of United States Embassy, Laura Dogu is also increasing statements on energetic partnership of United States and Venezuela. She is no longer mentioning transition, or at least she did not mention it yesterday, which is a first because in previous occasions she recurred consistently in an unneeded topic that is instantly considered by Venezuelans as foreign interference in our domestic affairs.
President Delcy Rodríguez was interviewed by NBC News. She confirmed her intention of traveling to Washington DC to meet President Trump within next few months. However, she clearly pointed out that extremist María Machado: who is charged for treason to homeland charges, who has been celebrating foreign military incursion, and who has consistently supported blockades and economic hardship to Venezuela, would be liable to responding such charges on Venezuelan judicial system should she dare to come back. Therefore, extremists are advised to choose an alternative presidential candidate for elections that would be held in year 2030.
Maximum pressure is gone. Military threats against Venezuela has decreased and Venezuela has more leverage to honor time remaining to this regime led by efficient acting president Delcy Rodríguez. No opposition candidate is known to boast same level of preparation and negotiation skills as Delcy Rodríguez. Few countries on planet earth have distinction of counting with heads of state that can freely and charmingly speak with Donald Trump’s administration. Venezuela cannot risk deposing President Delcy Rodríguez in order to impose a traditional politician: who likes to speak a lot and perform little. Delcy Rodríguez is a workaholic and she gets things done. Most hints of hope that were present in Venezuela within last few years, when we were harassed by sanctions, always counted with limited but effective business decisions made by PDVSA, under guidance of Delcy Rodríguez. She was able to increase petroleum production output and her work of many years has permitted PDVSA gas to export first gas molecules.
Recently, Venezuela’s National Assembly has deferred discussion of article 7 of Venezuela’s amnesty law. Opposition and officialism have unanimously approved articles 1 through 6 of Amnesty Law. However, article 7 is tricky because it defines whether political prisoners are liable, convicted, or innocent. Philosophical debates were heard: on amnesty as an eraser of prior crimes, or as a confirmation that crimes never existed. An impasse has been reached between officialist and opposition points of view. Therefore, deputies will take carnival holidays to continue discussing, along with civil society, details on amnesty law. They are expected to concur at National Assembly, Thursday next week, in order to continue debating articles 7 through 13 of Amnesty law. Once amnesty law is passed, political prisoners are expected to be released.
Level of political debates at National Assembly, however, is courteous. There are no fights between deputies as there used to be in the past, only elaborate and high level discussions. Deputy Antonio Ecarri incurred again on his tactic of using his right of speech to generalize random thoughts, instead of judiciously pointing out details of specific articles being discussed. Therefore, Jorge Rodríguez had to point out to him again that his address was out of order, and consequently a waste of time for rest of National Assembly and outside viewers.
Article 7, according to deputy Varela, should be left intact. According to deputy Luis Florido it should be divided in two paragraphs: so that second paragraph is significantly amended or taken out. Anyone who thought that Venezuela’s National Assembly was a protocolary institution, where people just go to sign laws and applaud in an express fashion, have been deceived. Everybody is recognizing that amnesty law is highly important. It should reflect a national consensus. Therefore, further debate is needed. Those in a hurry expecting immediate results are kindly requested to wait an extra week.
Student protests were confined to Central University of Venezuela, while officialist student protest was confined to Caracas downtown. Venezuela’s development will probably be measured whenever there is no need to waste so much time of our youth in organizing protests one side or the other. Dialogue, debate, and a sincere reconciliation strategy of reaching consensus is far more useful to economic growth, than suggesting that militants of political parties should rally in support of extremes proposed by their radical leadership. For time being, Venezuelans must celebrate that a second wave of air strikes against Caracas has decreased in probability: as United States ship Gerald Ford is being diverted back into Mediterranean Sea.
Conflict in Iran would be beneficial for Venezuela’s economy: if price of petroleum increases, geopolitical issues away from Venezuela are excellent economic opportunities for us to receive extra income, as a result of highly priced oil sales due to geopolitical risk that tends to increase price of crude oil. Venezuela is still getting used of receiving significant greater income per barrel: as we no longer sell petroleum with discount. Russia continues to be disappointing. Russia is leaving Cuba alone. Russia is only deploring at diplomatic level that United States should not be blocking oil exports into Cuba. Beyond diplomatic criticism, Russia is unable to fight United States in Western Hemisphere. Russia has not deplored militaries. Russia has not deployed warships to combat United States blockade of oil that should not enter Cuba.
It is necessary that Donald Trump, Secretary of Energy Wright, Secretary of Treasury Bessent and Secretary of State Rubio quickly conclude arrangements of how new relationships will be going with Venezuela, so that work teams along with United States embassy in Caracas can freely work on specific projects, while high level officials may urgently address situations in Cuba and Iran. Cuba is enduring a horrible regime that has been in place over sixty-seven years. People are miserable there, while Iran is enduring a horrible religious dictatorship that has killed a lot of protesters recently. They infiltrate countries in Middle East and Latin America, with sole purpose of promoting anti-American propaganda.
United States is imposing sanctions against Iran and blockade against Cuba. Aircraft carrier George H. Bush is near Cuba and aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is being deployed near Iran to continue pressure against their regimes: so that in all of these countries, they can find a new Delcy Rodríguez or similar kind of politician that would work along United States guidelines. United Nations has failed. United Nations doesn’t do anything, while Donald Trump in contrast has announced a forthcoming meeting of Board of Peace: which will solve Gaza through massive investment of billions of dollars, raised by several countries that signed up with Donald Trump to be part of the Board of Peace.
Renewal of Gaza and renewal of Venezuela will occur at approximately same time: as Gaza from now on will be governed by a friendly regime with no violence and clearly geared against terrorism. As Venezuela historically has supported Palestine and Gaza will be rebuilt for the benefit of Palestine people, it will be necessary that Venezuela restores its relationship with state of Israel. Venezuela should strive not to have enemies anywhere in world. Foreign Minister of Venezuela Yván Gil continues with a hardline Cuban oriented approach of foreign policy, while President Delcy Rodríguez is firmly aligned with United States interests. This contradiction is mentioned and noticed every day.
It is necessary that interim president Rodríguez removes Iván Gil from foreign ministry of Venezuela. Our country needs a new foreign minister that will improve relations with countries of Western Hemisphere such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Dominican Republic. All countries of Latin America that were just mentioned have issues with Venezuela, including Chile which was left out, as Antonio Kast prepares to initiate a hardline presidency against traditional Venezuelan regime.
A suggestion for Department of State and Embassy of United States in Caracas should be to pressure Venezuelan authorities to make Americas great again: by facilitating gracious relationships with countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica as well. Venezuela’s relationship with most countries in Americas, including Canada, are deficient. Venezuela needs to return back to Western Hemisphere, but current foreign minister Yván Gil is not suited for job: as he is only interested in attending parties of embassy of regime of Iran, and useless diplomatic talks with Russian diplomats which really haven’t done anything: militarily or commercially, for benefit of Venezuela.
United States is quickly showing they are actually friends. Friendly relationship scene between Delcy Rodríguez and Chris Wright at petroleum facilities at José Antonio Anzoátegui upgrader destroys narrative that Americans are called business partners, incapable of making any friends. Perhaps Americans have discovered that they were losing some friends as they make their best effort to regain longtime friendship with Venezuela. Such relationship was temporarily destroyed during a few decades by regimes of Hugo Chávez and Nicols Maduro. Next step would be for Delcy Rodríguez to continue her treason to traditional chavista values, impose free markets, and help out Donald Trump in Pan-American dream of hemispheric greatness.
Rubén Rivero