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The non-governmental organization criticized Israel in a statement for restricting the entry of aid, “amid power outages, access closures, and repeated rejections of essential supplies.”

Oxfam also warned of the near-total collapse of the water and sanitation infrastructure in that territory, devastated after two years of conflict.

It underscored that the total cost to rebuild all the water and sanitation facilities, systems, and infrastructure that were destroyed or damaged during the conflict will be around 800 million dollars.

However, it added, the figure could be even higher because parts of Gaza Strip remain inaccessible and construction costs have doubled due to a lack of materials.

Oxfam said the situation will worsen if the collective punishment and illegal blockade imposed by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continue.

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On his social media account, the minister emphasized that, as a matter of principle, Cuba does not oppose assistance from governments or organizations, provided it benefits the people and does not exploit the suffering of those affected for political gain under the guise of solidarity.

Rodriguez said that “the State Department can continue lying about Cuba, but it cannot alter the facts.” In a statement, the Cuban Foreign Ministry explained that despite Washington’s proclaimed intention to send aid, there was never any official communication between the two governments to coordinate it.

It was the Cuban Catholic Church that informed national authorities about the initiative of their US counterparts.

The text reiterates that Cuba is not opposed to foreign assistance, provided it benefits the people and the needs of the victims are not exploited for political gain under the guise of solidarity.

All contributions received will be organized and distributed by the relevant authorities, with the participation of social actors such as the Catholic Church.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this donation represents a fraction of the effort undertaken by the Cuban state and people, as well as the cooperation received from numerous countries and organizations, including U.S. entities not affiliated with the U.S. government.

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The National Electoral Council (CNE), the authority in charge of organizing the elections, plans to declare the official start of the electoral period one year before election day, on February 7, a key planning stage prior to the vote.

Ecuadorian law defines this phase as encompassing the logistical, budgetary, and regulatory preparations for the elections.

The electoral body will also resolve matters related to the registration of political organizations and the updating of citizens’ electoral addresses, a procedure that determines the polling place and serves as the basis for the electoral register.

Currently, 232 political parties and movements are authorized to participate in elections in Ecuador, including organizations at the national, provincial, cantonal, and parish levels.

According to the planned schedule, the official call for elections and the registration of candidates will take place in August of this year, the campaign in January 2027, and the vote in February of the same year.

The elections will include the election of local government officials, such as prefects, mayors, and council members, as well as the seven members of the CPCCS, the body responsible for oversight and the appointment of authorities.

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According to reports from local authorities, some 228 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, while the area burned exceeds 400,000 hectares.

Firefighters say that 11 fires are still active, fueled by the extreme heat wave hitting the region.

BThis event, unprecedented since 2020, is causing temperatures close to 45 degrees Celsius, which pose a serious risk to human health and the environment.

The tragedy has already claimed one life and forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes.

To address the emergency, the federal and state governments announced an aid package of 19.5 million Australian dollars—equivalent to about 13 million US dollars—for those affected.

The wildfires in the south of the country began on January 5 and quickly spread in multiple directions.

Faced with “catastrophic conditions,” several residents were ordered to evacuate, and schools and businesses had to close.

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The economic, commercial, and financial embargo has caused the island more than 164 billion dollars in damages over six decades and has impacted all sectors of the population’s lives.

Despite this unjust policy, Cuba has achievements to show, for example, in education and health, noted psychologist and social scientist Elisa Neumann, a member of the Network.

“We must redouble our solidarity with the Cuban people,” she said.

Speakers at the meeting recalled recent campaigns carried out here in support of the island, including the delivery of anesthesia machines, medicines, and supplies to hospitals such as Miguel Enriquez, Diez de Octubre, and Salvador Allende.

The Cuban ambassador to Chile, Oscar Cornelio Oliva, stated that the blockade against his country continues despite the fact that for 33 years the vast majority of the world’s nations have spoken out against this unjust policy at the UN.

He denounced that the blockade is clearly an act of genocide against the Cuban people and that its objective is to provoke hunger and desperation.

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The committee, which typically investigates corruption cases, addressed the issue and agreed to debate a proposal to invite Jeri to appear before the committee, whose members, representing diverse political leanings, concurred in demanding greater clarity.

The president has faced harsh criticism, the strongest coming from Congressman Segundo Montalvo, who recently announced he will promote the impeachment of the interim president, who assumed office just three months ago, replacing the ousted and unpopular Dina Boluarte.

Montalvo lashed out at the president, accusing him of criminal activity for meeting with the businessman at a restaurant after 10 p.m. on December 26th, arriving in the presidential car, hooded and wearing dark glasses.

Former Chief Clerk of Parliament, Cesar Delgado-Guembes, described the clandestine meeting, revealed by a television station, as a covert action by the president that “borders on criminality and is not the most laudable, notable, or decent way to act.”

Press commentary, on the other hand, suggests that the president contradicted himself by declaring the meeting private, despite stating, after its revelation, that it had protocol objectives.

Jeri insisted that there was nothing wrong with his meeting with the businessman, that he has nothing to hide or fear, and that he is willing to appear before the Oversight Committee.

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The union also announced that the main demonstration will take place in the capital, in front of the US Embassy.

Organizations such as the National Assembly for Social Reforms, Peace, and Unity; the General Confederation of Labor; the Confederation of Workers of Colombia; the National Coordinator for Change; the Central Union of Education Workers; and members of progressive political parties are expected to join the call.

VPosters circulating on social media urge citizens to support the initiative, whose central objective is “to raise our voices against interference, interventionism, and imperialist policies that violate the sovereignty of our people.”

The organizers requested that the marches and events take place peacefully, consciously, and in solidarity, in defense of self-determination and dignity.

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Netanyahu’s objective is to perpetuate the humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave and deepen the suffering of the population, denounced Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza.

Israel announces in the media its preparations or intentions to reopen the Rafah crossing, but on the ground there is no real commitment or clear timetable, he stressed.

Such conduct reflects a deliberate policy of deception, aimed at minimizing international pressure without producing any real change, he emphasized.

Al-Thawabta insisted that the intransigence of keeping the crossing closed is “part of a systematic policy aimed at imposing a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip.”

He noted that more than 22,000 sick and injured people are waiting for authorization to travel abroad to receive adequate medical treatment.

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“Since the start of the special military operation, 4,338 criminal cases have been opened related to Ukrainian artillery and missile attacks and drone strikes in the territory of 44 constituent entities of the Russian Federation located outside the area of ​​the special military operation,” Bastrykin stated.

The official, who gave an interview to the TASS news agency, noted that, not counting the invasion of Russian territory (the Kursk region) in August 2014, investigators have recorded more than 11,000 bombings and terrorist attacks in these territories.

As a result of these criminal acts, 1,074 civilians have died, including 39 children. Furthermore, 5,181 people, including 328 children, suffered injuries of varying severity, the source added.

During the investigation into these crimes, the Russian side is taking steps to identify all those involved, including the commanders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units who gave the orders to carry out the attacks, Bastrykin asserted.

“They gave illegal orders to their subordinates to launch missile attacks against Russian territory. We are continuing to identify other individuals involved in these crimes,” the interviewee concluded.

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In the demonstration, participants also condemned the United States’ aggression against Venezuela and demanded the immediate release of the Venezuelan president and his wife, according to a report to Prensa Latina by Jahangir Khan, president of the Tricontinental Campaign for Venezuela in Bangladesh.

Khan, who also leads the Simon Bolivar Grand Global Rehabilitation and Training Center for the Ultra-Poor in Goal Bathan, Madhabpasha, Barisal, Bangladesh, stated in a letter that numerous campaigns are underway there to support the South American country in defending its sovereignty.

Khan expressed his organization’s dismay at seeing Venezuelans passionately demanding the return of their president. “Our response and urgent appeal to the world must be to raise our voices against Yankee aggression against Venezuela,” he demanded.

He asserted that they have joined campaigns with Germany in Europe, Tunisia in Africa, and Jamaica in the Caribbean for the Bolivarian world, for peace and development, and urged the global spread of the Bolivarian Revolution to free President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

In that regard, the Bangladeshi peasant leader reaffirmed that 40,000 signatures from farmers in Barisal have been added to a global petition with that objective.

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AMEXCID Executive Director Alejandra del Moral led the meeting with Brandon P. Yoder, vice president for the Americas at Tent Partnership for Refugees, at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs.

Del Moral affirmed, “This step consolidates a collaboration that, from its inception, has been strategic and profoundly humane, focused on expanding employment and economic integration opportunities for refugees in Mexico.”

Yoder, in turn, pointed out that, in the last three months, Tent Mexico managed to increase hiring by more than 400 percent, which would not have been possible without the collaboration of AMEXCID, which he considered its leading implementing partner in the country.

The Foreign Secretariat stated that both organizations work in a coordinated manner within the framework of the Humanitarian Model for Human Mobility and the Employment Linkage Strategy for Refugees.

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The events held nationwide highlighted the Army’s operational readiness and its connection with the public, the official press stated.

Concerning the celebration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the Indian Army, whose soldiers he described as a symbol of selfless service, protecting the country with unwavering determination, sometimes under the most challenging conditions.

Defense Minister Ragnath Singh, in turn, noted that the day marks the nation’s tribute to the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of Indian soldiers to safeguarding the sovereignty and integrity of their country.

Indian Army Day dates back to January 15, 1949, when Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa assumed the post of the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the National Army, replacing British General Francis Roy Bucher.

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The Sri Lankan digital newspaper also condemned in a recent article the repeated statements by high-ranking officials of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, regarding the alleged success of the criminal airstrike on Venezuela, which could push Cuba to the brink.

It noted that the US rhetoric toward Havana has intensified in the last few weeks.

The Lanka Leader denounced the United States for maintaining a broad economic, commercial, and financial blockade against Cuba for more than 60 years and the unjust inclusion of the Caribbean nation in Washington’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list.

The publication also highlighted President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s response to the current threats from the White House to his nation, where he affirmed that Washington lacked the moral authority to impose an agreement on Havana.

Diaz-Canel said Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation, and it will not tolerate being told what to do.

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“Let us raise our fists in a sign of eternal respect!” for those who “with their supreme sacrifice, showed the courage of those who do not fear to confront the enemy,” the members of this association, representing the Italian people who support the Cuban Revolution, stated in this release of condolence.

“With profound sorrow and immense admiration, we express our deepest condolences for the death of 32 heroic Cuban internationalists during the criminal attack perpetrated by the United States government on the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela” on January 3.

“Their death has not been in vain: it is a beacon illuminating the path of the anti-imperialist struggle,” and “internationalism, the glorious result of the Cuban Revolution”.

And added that “we reiterate our unwavering solidarity,” states ANAIC, founded in 1961, which has thousands of members, grouped into hundreds of circles distributed throughout Italy.

“Honor and eternal glory to the fallen,” they express, and assure that “other combatants will take their place, continuing the battle for sovereignty and justice,” faithful to the principles embodied in the revolutionary slogan “Homeland or Death! We shall overcome!,” the message concludes.

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The Palestinian Center for Prisoner Studies criticized the use of this controversial law in a statement. Human rights groups reject it because it allows authorities to withhold evidence against detainees while they remain imprisoned for extended periods without being charged, tried, or convicted.

The statement specified that the figure includes both new orders and renewals for additional periods.

Israel practices a policy of collective punishment against Palestinians by detaining thousands of them without knowing the charges and based solely on suspicions, doubts, and security reports, the Center emphasized.

The Center’s director, Riyad Al-Ashqar, stated that since the beginning of the current cycle of violence on October 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have intensified this measure against Palestinians in a very dangerous and unprecedented manner.

The researcher detailed that currently some 3,400 Palestinians, including 80 minors, are locked up under that regulation, which represents 35 percent of the total of 9,500.

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An official statement noted that “Cuban collaborators who were injured during the recent acts of violence against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros, his wife, lawmaker Cilia Flores, and the people of that sister nation arrived in Cuban soil,” accompanied by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

A high-level commission led by members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) welcomed the internationalists at the airport.

The text states, “The people and the leadership of the Revolution conveyed to all of them the recognition of their courage in the face of imperialist actions.”

Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) Minister, Army Corps Generals Alvaro Lopez Miera, and Interior Minister Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas, “conveyed to them the greetings, recognition, and affection of the entire nation for their courage and fortitude in the face of imperialist aggression and for refusing to be defeated by threats,” the statement adds.

The return of these compatriots represents the unity between both nations, built on the example of Commander Hugo Chavez and the Historical Leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, and forged in the struggle for peace, sovereignty, and the dignity of Our America, the statement underscored.

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The US officially starts selling its first shipment of Venezuelan oil.

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This interview by Alejandro Páez Varela and Álvaro Delgado Gómez originally appeared in the January 14, 2026 edition of Sin Embargo. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those ofMexico Solidarity Mediaor theMexico Solidarity Project*.*

**Mexico City.**Enrique Dussel Peters, coordinator of the China-Mexico Studies Center at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), stated that our country must strengthen its trade ties with the Asian giant to expand its strategic links with other countries and not depend solely on the United States.

In an interview with Alejandro Páez and Álvaro Delgado on the program Los Periodistas, which is broadcast on SinEmbargo Al Aire, Dussel Peters pointed out that the discussion about strengthening ties with China should no longer be theoretical, but urgent and concrete.

“What’s at stake is how strategic or profound our relationship with the United States will be—will it be our only one, or do we have the capacity to create a space with a certain degree of independence with third countries, specifically the People’s Republic of China? What’s at stake is what we’re going to do in the coming decades in our relationship, not only in terms of tariffs, but also technology.”

The researcher stressed that China does not intend to compete head-on with the historical relationship between Mexico and the United States, but rather to coexist with it.

“China fully understands that Mexico has a priority relationship with the United States, and China fully understands that Mexico’s relationship with the United States is different from what it might be with Brazil, Argentina, or Colombia. China is not raising its hand and trying to claim it wants to be first or most important in the relationship; that would be naive. China does not intend to do that.”

Enrique Dussel Peters with Ambassador Jesús Seade Kuri at the Embassy of Mexico in China.

Enrique Dussel stated that the main problem lies not in Beijing or Washington, but at home. In his view, the national political and economic elite has failed to assume its responsibility to design a strategy toward China and Asia.

“There are two issues that we haven’t fully grasped in Mexico. One, the elites in Mexico—political parties, the legislature, and such important institutions as the Presidency, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Economy itself—all these elites have failed to fulfill their responsibilities regarding China.”

The specialist noted that this omission translates into the absence of parliamentary debate, a lack of diagnoses, and improvised policies.

“It has been 12 years since the main institution between Mexico and China met, which exemplifies that neither the Mexican nor the Chinese side has cared about the bilateral relationship.”

My fear is that if there isn’t a genuine interest from the elites in holding bilateral meetings, there will always be excuses not to. It requires an effort from both sides [and] there must be a willingness on Mexico’s part to resume this relationship.

Dussel stressed that a shift in the relationship with China is essential, not just reactivating bilateral channels. Furthermore, he warned that without political will, the relationship will remain marginal and episodic, dominated by crises and trade disputes.

“The goal is to rebuild the relationship as soon as possible in a proactive manner, with some monitoring and evaluation of issues that have arisen historically, and looking ahead. My fear is that if there isn’t a genuine interest from the elites in holding bilateral meetings, there will always be excuses not to. It requires an effort from both sides; there are no sole responsibilities here. If both sides don’t make an effort to rebuild the relationship, it won’t happen. There must be a willingness on Mexico’s part to resume this relationship.”

Despite China being the world’s second largest economy and Mexico’s second largest trading partner, Dussel indicated that the issue barely exists in public discussion.

“No effort has been made regarding the world’s largest economy and our second largest trading partner, the People’s Republic of China. We have simply forgotten about the issue, and it seems as if it is not a topic at all. We don’t want to talk about it or discuss it in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate.”

Finally, he argued that the lack of debate prevents the design of state policies and leaves the relationship at the mercy of corporate inertia. If nothing changes, he warned, Mexico will remain in the same situation in a couple of years.

“If we don’t take the initiative as soon as possible, we’ll be talking about the same thing in January 2027, and guess what? Nothing will have happened.” In contrast, he points to the Canadian example: “Canada shows us that they have room for this dialogue.” That case, he affirms, demonstrates that it is possible to maintain a close relationship with the United States and, at the same time, build serious and stable channels with China.

• 

  Analysis

  If Mexico distances itself further from China, it will be left alone against the US: Enrique Dussel

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  In his view, Mexico’s national political and economic elite has failed to assume its responsibility to design a strategy toward China and Asia.

• 

  Analysis | Uncategorized

  The US War on Latin America & The Caribbean

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  When the world can watch a genocide unfold in real time, when the empire brazenly kidnaps a head of state, when multilateral institutions only muster mealy-mouthed statements in response, it becomes undeniable that only the people save the people.

• 

  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera January 14

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on the fight for peace & sovereignty, social housing projects, 2026 USMCA Review, and yes, there is an antidote for scorpion stings.

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By Alan MacLeod  –  Jan 9, 2026

While it has undoubtedly shocked the world, the Trump administration’s abduction of President Nicolás Maduro fits into a long history of United States kidnapping of foreign leaders.

On January 3, U.S. Special Forces entered Venezuela by air, captured Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, killing around 80 people in the process. They were flown to the United States, where Maduro was put on trial on spurious drug trafficking and possession of firearms charges.

Despite President Trump himself declaring that “kidnapping” was an appropriate term for what happened, corporate media around the world have refrained from using the obvious word for what transpired, preferring to use “capturing” or “seizing.” These terms reframe the incident and cast doubt on its illegality, helping to manufacture public consent for a grave breach of international law. Indeed, managers at the BBC sent out a memo to its staff, instructing them in no uncertain terms to “avoid using ‘kidnapped’” when reporting on the news.

Targeting VenezuelaMaduro is not the first Venezuelan official Washington has helped kidnap. In 2002, the Bush administration planned and executed a coup d’état that briefly ousted Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, from power.

The U.S. government had been organizing and financing the ringleaders of the coup for months, flying the key players back and forth to Washington, D.C. for meetings with top officials. On the day of the coup, American Ambassador Charles Shapiro was at the mansion of local media magnate, Gustavo Cisneros, the headquarters of the coup.

Two U.S. warships entered Venezuelan waters, moving towards the remote island of La Orchila, where Chavez was helicoptered to. Chavez himself stated that senior American personnel were present with him during his abduction. Unsurprisingly, the Bush administration immediately endorsed the proceedings, describing them as a return to democracy.

Chavez was only saved the same fate as Maduro after millions of Venezuelans flocked into the streets, demanding a return of their president. Their actions spurred loyal military units who retook the presidential palace, and the project fell apart. After the coup, the United States quadrupled its funding to the coup leaders (including Maria Corina Machado) through vehicles such as USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy.

A further kidnapping of a Venezuelan official occurred in June 2020, when the United States downed the plane of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. Saab was in Cabo Verde at the time, traveling back from a diplomatic mission to Iran, where he has been helping break American sanctions. He was only released in 2023, after Venezuela negotiated a prisoner swap which included a number of CIA agents captured in Venezuela in the act of carrying out terror attacks against the country’s infrastructure.

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez Announces Cabinet Changes, Meets With European Officials

Backyard BulliesThe actions against Maduro come exactly 36 years to the day after the United States abducted Panamanian president, Manuel Noriega. Like Maduro, Noriega was charged with narcotics offenses. Unlike Maduro, however, there is little doubt of his guilt, as he was on the CIA payroll when these crimes took place.

The U.S. invaded Panama with 27,000 troops in December 1989, and shot their way to the presidential palace, killing hundreds of Panamanians in the process. Noriega surrendered to the Americans on January 3, 1990, and spent the rest of his life in prison. He died in 2017.

Panama itself was carved out of Colombia by the administration of Theodore Roosevelt, so that the United States could directly control the Panama Canal, that was in the process of construction at the time. Likewise, Haiti has consistently suffered at the hands of direct U.S. intervention. The United States invaded the island nation in 1915, occupying it for 19 years, before installing a series of brutal dictatorships that repressed the population.

A glimmer of light in a long dark history occurred in 1990, when the country’s first democratic election brought populist priest, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to power. Aristide beat U.S.-backed candidate Marc Bazin (a former World Bank official) in a 68% to 14% landslide. The U.S. refused to accept the results, and worked to depose Aristide, and Bazin eventually became president anyway.

Remarkably, Aristide’s political career was not over, and he was elected again in 2000. He refused to accept Haiti’s role as a source of cheap labor for the U.S., and insisted on trying to build a just, equitable, and prosperous country.

Once again, this put him on a crash course with Washington, who, in February 2004, organized a coup against him. U.S. personnel invaded Haiti and surrounded the presidential palace, abducting Aristide and plunging the country into another period of dictatorship, from which it has not emerged.

“During the night of 28 February, there was a coup d’état. One could say that it was terrorism disguised as diplomacy,” Aristide said, noting that heavily armed “foreign white men” pointed their guns at him, forced him to resign, and whisked him away to an enforced exile in the Central African Republic and South Africa.

During his ouster, Aristide was frantically attempting to contact Hugo Chavez for help. Chavez, however, was at a conference, and not checking his phone. “I feel incredibly upset. He was trying to ring me, and we were busy with the conference. By the time I got the message, it was too late. He’d already been sent off to South Africa, and I regret it,” Chavez said, noting that he would have attempted to help Aristide survive his kidnapping.

In 2013, the United States downed the presidential plane of Bolivia’s Evo Morales over Austria, and demanded to board the aircraft, leading to a tense standoff that Vice-President Álvaro García Linera described as Morales being “kidnapped by imperialism.”

Morales was on his way back from Moscow, and U.S. officials believed that whistleblower Edward Snowden was aboard the jet. Thus, rather than potentially allow Snowden to escape to freedom, Washington decided to spark a major diplomatic incident. Morales was later allowed to return to his home country. Snowden was not on board.

The same fate, however, will not befall American officials, thanks to a little-known act passed into law in 2002 by the Bush administration. The Hague Invasion Act stipulates that if any American official or military serviceman is ever detained abroad by the International Criminal Court, the United States will invade the Netherlands (its NATO ally) in order to prevent them from facing trial.

**Who’s Next?**Maduro’s kidnapping may prove to be only the first in a succession of aggressive American actions planned by the Trump/Rubio State Department. After he condemned U.S. actions against Venezuela, Trump warned that Colombian president, Gustavo Petro is “next” in line for regime change. “Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And he’s not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you,” he stated, adding that a military operation against Petro “sounds good” to him. In recent days, Trump has also noted that Cuba looks “ready to fall,” and that the United States intends to annex Greenland.

Thus, while the United States actions in kidnapping a foreign head of state and placing him on trial on dubious charges may have shocked the world, it fits in with a long history of American imperial actions designed to remove leaders and movements that do not serve Washington’s agenda. And it may be only the first of many to come.

(MintPress News)

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Caracas, January 14, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Two Venezuela-bound China-flagged oil supertankers have made U-turns in the Atlantic amidst a US-imposed naval blockade against the Caribbean country.

According to Reuters, the very large crude carriers (VLCC) Xingye and Thousand Sunny were headed Venezuela to load crude cargoes. The ships, which had made several trips to Venezuela in recent years, were anchored for weeks before turning back. China was the main destination of Venezuelan crude in recent years, with part of the cargoes used to offset debt.

The aborted shipments came in the wake of the Trump administration’s claims to take control of Venezuelan oil sales. US forces bombed Caracas and surrounding areas on January 3 and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Since December, the US has also seized five oil tankers for allegedly carrying Venezuelan crude as its navy set up a blockade aimed at strangling Venezuela’s most important revenue source and strong-arming the government.

US officials have reportedly filed “dozens” of court warrants to seize tankers allegedly involved in transporting Venezuelan oil.

Senior Trump administration officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have claimed that revenues from Venezuelan oil sales will be deposited in accounts run by the US government.

The agreement is set to begin with 30-50 million barrels that Venezuela had in storage as a result of the naval blockade, though White House officials have claimed it will extend for an indefinite period. Washington issued an executive order last week shielding Venezuelan oil proceeds in US accounts from creditors.

US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Western oil executives on Friday, urging investment in Venezuela’s oil sector and vowing that corporations will “deal” with the US directly, rather than Venezuelan authorities. Energy companies have been reluctant to pledge any major commitments to Venezuela.

Commodities traders Vitol and Trafigura have received licenses to transport Venezuelan crude and have reportedly begun moving it to Caribbean storage hubs ahead of exports to final destinations. According to reports, the two firms have transported a combined 4.8 million barrels of Venezuela’s Merey 16 blend and have offered them to customers in the US, India and China with an $8.50 discount per barrel compared to ICE Brent.

US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have claimed that US-controlled Venezuelan oil revenues will only be used for imports from US manufacturers, including inputs for the energy sector and the electric grid. Vitol is set to deliver 460,000 barrels of US-sourced naphtha to Venezuela in the coming days, as reported by Argus Media. Caracas requires diluents such as naphtha to turn its extra-heavy crude into exportable blends, and the first Trump administration imposed sanctions on their purchase from US suppliers in 2019.

The Venezuelan government has not commented on the specifics of the new arrangement for oil sales. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said the country remains committed to “diversified economic and geopolitical relations.” Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA has confirmed “negotiations” to ship crude cargoes to the US.

For its part, Russia’s Roszarubezhneft stated that it will not relinquish its assets in Venezuela. The state-owned company is a minority partner in multiple joint ventures with PDVSA, including crude upgrader Petromonagas. Roszarubezhneft took over from Rosneft after the latter was hit with US secondary sanctions in 2020.

Venezuela’s oil industry has been under US unilateral coercive measures since 2017. The US Treasury Department has targeted the oil sector with financial sanctions, an export embargo, secondary sanctions, and a bevy of other measures that aimed to choke off Venezuela’s most important income source.

Washington’s recent naval blockade likewise had an immediate impact on production as PDVSA began to run out of storage space, including offshore. The latest OPEC monthly report recorded Venezuela’s December output at 896,000 barrels per day (bpd), as measured by secondary sources. The figure is 60,000 bpd lower than the previous month’s.

For its part, PDVSA reported a smaller decline, from 1.14 to 1.12 million bpd. Direct and secondary data have slightly differed over the years due to disagreements over the inclusion of natural gas liquids and condensates.

The Venezuelan state oil company has begun reactivating wells that were shut down as a consequence of the US blockade, according to Reuters.

The post Chinese Supertankers Turn Back as US Moves Ahead to Extort Venezuelan Crude appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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The first bombs have fallen. The US war on Latin America and the Caribbean has begun, and only the organized peoples of this hemisphere will save us from the US’s genocidal empire.

International law won’t protect us, marching won’t be enough. The invasion of Venezuela and the subsequent kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3 is a watershed moment: either we get organized, or we’ll perish.

This isn’t about Donald Trump; he’s only a more vulgar expression of the imperialist logic underpinning our world system. Since the criminal kidnapping of Maduro, the White House has already threatened Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia and Mexico.

Here in Mexico, we need to abandon this notion that peaceful coexistence with US imperialism is possible — a clash is coming.

This is imperialism manifest, and they’re coming for all of us Latin Americans. It isn’t a question of what they want to do; that much is clear — dominate the entire hemisphere. Rather, it’s a question of what we will do to stop them.

The US displayed its overwhelming power and technology that fateful morning when it attacked Venezuela, a crime of crimes. But the US isn’t invincible. When the sounds of bombs rang out, the organized peoples of Venezuela didn’t cower; they ran to get their guns. That the US didn’t attempt to occupy the country is a testament to the armed, organized working class in Venezuela the Pentagon fears.

When the world can watch a genocide unfold in real time, when the empire brazenly kidnaps a head of state, when multilateral institutions only muster mealy-mouthed statements in response, it becomes undeniable that only the people save the people. The Palestinian armed resistance understands this, President Maduro understands this, and it’s time the peoples of this hemisphere understand this too.

Here in Mexico, we need to abandon this notion that peaceful coexistence with US imperialism is possible — a clash is coming. The late Hugo Chávez learned this lesson early on.

“The Venezuelan oligarchy and the American empire will never accept us; they will always be plotting schemes to try to remove us from power, unless we change and surrender to them. But that is not going to happen here. Here we say: Homeland, Socialism, or Death!”

Hugo Chavez, 11-04-2007

José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist and political analyst based in Mexico City. He is co-host of the Mexican public television show Sin Muros, and currently covers Latin America for Drop Site News, and writes a monthly opinion column for the Mexico Solidarity Project and also co-hosts the weekly podcast, Soberanía.

• 

  Analysis | Uncategorized

  The US War on Latin America & The Caribbean

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  When the world can watch a genocide unfold in real time, when the empire brazenly kidnaps a head of state, when multilateral institutions only muster mealy-mouthed statements in response, it becomes undeniable that only the people save the people.

• 

  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera January 14

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on the fight for peace & sovereignty, social housing projects, 2026 USMCA Review, and yes, there is an antidote for scorpion stings.

• 

  News Briefs

  Record Corn Imports for Third Year in a Row

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  Mexico’s food sovereignty is being rapidly eroded thanks to the dumping of heavily subsidized US corn and the USMCA, which is an erroneously named “trade” agreement to subjugate, not develop, the Mexican nation.

The post The US War on Latin America & The Caribbean appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the position was created to deepen exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and member countries.

Mao indicated that Yan has extensive diplomatic experience and knowledge of SCO affairs and will therefore maintain close coordination with his counterparts in the SCO member states.

The spokesperson affirmed that the new representative will work to implement the consensus reached by the leaders, strengthen institutional development, and promote regional cooperation.

Mao noted that these efforts aim to contribute to security, stability, and shared development, as well as to building a closer community with a shared future within the organization.

abo/iff/mem/idm

The post China appoints special representative on SCO affairs first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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By Matías Bosch Carcuro – Jan 11, 2026

It’s not that the “rules-based world order” has collapsed. No one who remembers Patrice Lumumba’s kidnapping and subsequent acid dissolution in the Congo in 1961 can believe that such an “order” ever existed beyond a myth. What can be said with certainty today is that there has been a full-throttle acceleration.

This wasn’t about democracy or drug trafficking. The support for electoral fraud by Noboa in Ecuador and Asfura in Honduras, the backing of Bukele’s dictatorship in El Salvador, the pardon of narco-dictator Juan Orlando Hernández—who placed more than 400 tons of cocaine “right under the noses of the gringos,” as he declared in court—the direct intervention in Argentina’s parliamentary elections to ensure Milei’s victory, all while 80% of the cocaine flows into the U.S. via the Pacific and land borders, make it clear this was never about the “liberation” of countries, popular sovereignty, ballot counting, credible elections, or controlling illicit drug trafficking.

This wasn’t about democracy or drug trafficking. The support for electoral fraud by Noboa in Ecuador and Asfura in Honduras, the backing of Bukele’s dictatorship in El Salvador, the pardon of narco-dictator Juan Orlando Hernández—who placed more than 400 tons of cocaine “right under the noses of the gringos,” as he declared in court—the direct intervention in Argentina’s parliamentary elections to ensure Milei’s victory, all while 80% of the cocaine flows into the U.S. via the Pacific and land borders, make it clear this was never about the “liberation” of countries, popular sovereignty, ballot counting, credible elections, or controlling illicit drug trafficking.

Trump announced that the U.S. would “run Venezuela” and put its infrastructure to work producing oil—even to sell it to China or Russia. The data speaks for itself: by 2023, the United States was already importing about 9 million barrels of crude oil per day, almost half from Canada, and its dependence on heavy crude reached 60% by 2024. Venezuela holds the world’s largest oil reserves—more than 300 billion barrels—with 80% primarily sold to China. Under the pretext of recovering “stolen” infrastructure and technology, they aim to secure a reliable oil source to offset dependence and become the supplier to the world’s main competitor.

‘Don’t play games’
If Trump escaped conviction for the Capitol storming in January 2021 thanks to the immunity granted by the presidency, on January 3 history repeated itself, with congressmen posting heatedly about how all legality had been violated to authorize an act of war that the Executive cannot carry out on its own.

“Don’t play games,” Marco Rubio said repeatedly, warning live on air that the threat remains in place for anyone who stands in their way of not handing over what they demand, be it Colombia, Mexico, or any of the Caribbean countries they currently use as bases of operation under subservient governments. Meanwhile, María Corina Machado, the “opposition leader” and self-important Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was publicly vilified, just as Trump and Vance did to Zelensky in the Oval Office in February 2025, warning her that her “peace” was in exchange for surrender, land, and resources, and that next time she should dress better.

It’s not that the “rules-based world order” has been broken. No one who recalls Lumumba’s fate—or the phantom “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq—can believe such an “order” ever truly existed. What we see today is a full-throttle acceleration.

‘Home region’
If the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 barred decadent European powers from the Americas, and the Roosevelt Corollary of 1904 legitimized U.S. economic and military intervention to protect its interests, then 121 years later, the Trump Corollary enshrines what Luciano Anzelini calls “informal imperialism”: Latin America is not merely a zone of influence—it is territory where the U.S. admits no competitors.

Trump called it his “home region,” the closest thing to the Nazi concept of “Lebensraum”—the “living space” that fascism claimed as racially legitimate. Here, Southern Command can now deploy, extort, and threaten governments without UN or Congressional approval—and, officially, will “reward and encourage the region’s governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy,” per the 2025 National Security Strategy.

The praise for Kast and Milei—one promising an “Emergency Government,” the other vowing to “drive the final nail into the coffin of Kirchnerism”—as their “good guys” in the Southern Cone reflects this logic: the Venezuela invasion seeks direct possession and administration of its riches, undisguised, alongside a broader offensive to install the far-right international across every corner of the region—with the most fanatical, functional, and servile factions in power.

Step by step, the goal has been territorial and economic dominance—and the reversal of nearly three decades of transformative governments and popular resistance to neoliberalism and plunder. The January 3 action struck precisely where, in 1998, the wave of regional transformation began—ultimately leading to progressive rule across much of Latin America.

Celebrate the punisher
The obscenity spilled onto screens with the “celebration” of Caracas bombed and Nicolás Maduro and his wife kidnapped. Never in Latin American history have so-called “opposition leaders against tyranny” openly clamored for foreign invasion as the path to “freedom”—let alone offered their nation’s riches in public. Nor have “democratic” allies—politicians, journalists, intellectuals, or public figures—so eagerly framed themselves as part of an epic moment, even under the flimsy guise of “there was no other way.” Something this brazen only occurs when fascism triumphs.

Never before have exiled communities celebrated a foreign power bombing their capital as if it were a World Cup victory. On the contrary, the Venezuelan diaspora—regardless of their views on the government—has every reason to condemn the interference of the Obama, Biden, and Trump administrations (I and II) in Venezuela’s economy and politics.

According to a CEPR report (2025), between 2012 and 2020 Venezuela suffered a 71% collapse in GDP per capita—the largest peacetime economic contraction in modern history, equivalent to three Great Depressions. More than half of this decline stems directly from U.S. sanctions, worsened by falling oil prices. In this context, 4.1 million of the 7 million Venezuelans who emigrated did so as a direct result of these measures under the “maximum pressure” strategy.

An earlier study by Mark Weisbrot and Jeffrey Sachs (2019) showed that sanctions imposed since August 2017 reduced caloric intake, increased illness and death, and deepened depression and hyperinflation—fueling mass exodus. The authors estimate these policies contributed to over 40,000 deaths between 2017 and 2018, amounting to systematic harm that fits the definition of “collective punishment”—prohibited by the Geneva and Hague Conventions and contrary to both international law and U.S. legislation.

Caesar Crossed the Rubicon; So Did Trump

The wait
Far from condemning this illegal collective punishment, media portrayals highlight the most right-wing segment of Venezuelan migrants—those supportive of foreign intervention—and quickly showcase their celebrations. The utility of this crisis is clear: for a decade, no Latin American election—and even contests in Spain and the U.S.—has gone unmarked by “the Venezuela threat,” with mass migration enabling radical right-wing rhetoric that would otherwise lack foundation.

What will become of María Corina Machado’s call for Venezuelans to await her orders—”we need you mobilized”? Will they take to the streets to “celebrate” and enact regime change as urged, or remain anxious about the next bombing? Are violent protests being primed for a “final assault,” echoing Baghdad in 2003?
Meanwhile, this Sunday—with Maduro reportedly kidnapped by the DEA in Brooklyn and citizens protesting in Times Square—a veteran doctor wrote to me from Caracas: “Yesterday, the master of the North uttered words that take your breath away—words that seek to erase our existence and turn it into a chapter of his history. When Trump mentions Venezuela, he speaks of plunder; he doesn’t come to ask permission—he comes to decree ownership not only of our land, rivers, and seas, but of our very existence. For him, we are not a people, let alone dignified beings; we are simply a space to be exploited. The magnitude of what he said yesterday is horrifying. Difficult times lie ahead. We must prepare not only to survive—but to resist with dignity.”

(Diario Red)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JB/SH

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Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Mexico’s Approach to World Politics: Sovereignty, Peace, and Global Responsibility

President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that the world is experiencing a growing dispute for control of resources, and maintained that Mexico must continue to fight for the peace and sovereignty of nations, as mandated by its Constitution and the UN Charter.

Sheinbaum emphasized that the only way out of conflicts is through the collective defense of sovereignty and peace, and affirmed that Mexico is an important actor on the global stage.

SEDATU 2025: Housing, Deeds, and Credit

The Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (SEDATU) reported that 393,686 homes have been assigned in 2025, distributed through 470 projects in 31 states, benefiting 1.4 million people. In addition, 270,000 property deeds were delivered (for 970,000 beneficiaries) and credit conditions were improved for 4.8 million loan holders. For 2026, the goal is 400,000 homes, with land reserves already available for 900,000 units.

Housing for Wellbeing: Priority for Low Income families

The President emphasized that the program is aimed at families earning between 1 and 2 times the minimum wage, with access for both those enrolled in the government housing agency (Infonavit) and those not enrolled (Conavi), focusing on sectors of the population historically excluded from the formal housing market.

CONAVI and FOVISSSTE: Construction and Social Justice

The National Housing Commission (CONAVI) projects 86,000 new homes and 100,000 home improvements, with a rental program for young people. It has 381 lots and over 82,000 homes in various stages of development. Meanwhile, the FOVISSSTE housing agency closed 2025 with 845,000 active loans, has benefited 247,000 families, and is advancing its social justice program, with a of 100,000 new homes before the close of the current presidential administration in 2030.

Public Education Competing in the World

Sheinbaum congratulated Valeria Palacios Cruz, a National College of Technical Professional Education (CONALEP) graduate, for winning the HP Foundation’s World Education Medal, thanks to social and environmental proposals developed with artificial intelligence. The President highlighted the role of public education in the country’s transformation.

USMCA: Integration and Mutual Benefit

The President explained that the USMCA benefits Mexico and the United States, based on decades of economic integration. Sheinbaum noted that U.S. companies are the most interested in maintaining the trade agreement, and indicated that for every job created in Mexico, three are generated in the U.S. Ahead of the 2026 USMCA review, she stressed that trade relations will continue, with possible adjustments, and that a united North America is key to competing with China.

Lie Detector: Disinformation Debunked

• It is not true that health services collapsed in Nayarit.
• It is not true that there is no antidote for scorpion stings.
• It is not true that Farmacias del Bienestar pharmacies in San Ignacio de Loyola, Metepec, lack pharmaceuticals.
• It is not true that in 2015 a higher budget was allocated to security than in 2026.
• It is not true that telephone line registration is unconstitutional or a tool for spying.
• It is not true that the Federal Electricity Commission “hinders or threatens” companies.
• It is not true that there is a new economic support program for people from 30 to 64 years of age.
• It is not true that a supposed “Women’s Wellbeing Bonus” will be delivered.

• 

  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera January 14

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on the fight for peace & sovereignty, social housing projects, 2026 USMCA Review, and yes, there is an antidote for scorpion stings.

• 

  News Briefs

  Record Corn Imports for Third Year in a Row

  January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

  Mexico’s food sovereignty is being rapidly eroded thanks to the dumping of heavily subsidized US corn and the USMCA, which is an erroneously named “trade” agreement to subjugate, not develop, the Mexican nation.

• 

  Analysis

  A Renewed Opportunity for Indigenous Justice in Mexico

  January 14, 2026

  It is crucial to move from rhetoric to action and initiate a genuine transformative process that begins at the federal level and extends across the board to state and local governments, which are directly responsible for ensuring compliance.

The post People’s Mañanera January 14 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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The Russian state-owned company Roszarubezhneft, the primary manager of Moscow’s oil assets in Venezuela, issued an official statement reaffirming its commitment to remaining in the country and advancing its operations.

The corporation emphasized that it will maintain strict compliance with its contractual obligations in close coordination with its international partners. This stance aims to ensure operational continuity and the stability of previously established agreements within the framework of its activities in the country.

Regarding its operational strategy, the company will focus on the sustainable development of joint oil production projects with the Venezuelan side. The statement also underscores the importance of strengthening the infrastructure associated with these initiatives.

Additionally, Roszarubezhneft noted that its work plan includes an effective response to emerging challenges. The company seeks to expand industrial and technological cooperation based on principles of equality, mutual respect for property rights, and investment protection.

This statement follows recent events beginning on January 3, which included military actions against Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, as well as the reported kidnapping and transfer of Venezuela’s constitutional president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, to U.S. territory to face legal proceedings on alleged drug trafficking charges.

Trump Cannot Reach Consensus on Venezuela With US Oil Corporations While Helping PDVSA Recover an Oil Tanker

Despite this scenario, and in accordance with the interpretative authority granted by Article 335 of the Constitution, which guarantees institutional continuity and the integral defense of the nation, Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Acting President of Venezuela on January 5.

During her swearing-in ceremony, presided over by National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, the Acting President reaffirmed her commitment to preserving Venezuela as a free, sovereign, and independent nation.

She further asserted that the absolute unity of the Revolution constitutes the cornerstone of the current struggle, emphasizing that the country possesses a “moral and historical superiority” that inspires national resistance.

(Telesur)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JB/SH

From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.