A week after the US Department of the Interior said it was immediately halting five offshore wind projects in the interest of "national security," a watchdog group told congressional committees Monday that the move is "not legally defensible" and raises "significant" questions about conflicts of interest concerning a top DOI official's investments in fossil gas.
Timothy Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), wrote to the top members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding the pause on projects off the coasts of Virginia, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts—projects that account for billions of dollars in investment, employ thousands of people, and generate sustainable energy for roughly 2.5 million homes and businesses.
The announcement made by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last week pertained to "five vague, perfunctory, cookie-cutter orders" halting the projects, wrote Whitehouse, but PEER is concerned that the orders were issued to evade the Congressional Review Act (CRA), under which the action to halt the projects likely constitutes a "major rule."
Whitehouse explained:
Under the CRA, a rule that meets any one of three criteria (an annual effect on the economy of $100,000,000 or more; a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; or in pertinent part significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, or innovation) is a major rule. Interior’s pause likely meets all three.
As a major rule under the CRA, the pause cannot take effect until at least 60 days after BOEM provides Congress the requisite notification and report under the CRA, which, according to GAO’s database, has not yet occurred. Congress must use its oversight authority to unveil the truth and, as appropriate, and to enforce the rule of law.
He said in a statement that “Burgum’s move is designed to bypass all congressional and public input."
The CRA states that a rule is "the whole or a part of an agency statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or describing the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of an agency.”
Press statements by the DOI and by Burgum last week were "statements of general applicability and imminent future effect, designed to implement policy," wrote Whitehouse, who also said the interior secretary embarked on "a coordinated rollout with Fox News entities."
On December 22, Fox anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Burgum at 8:00 am Eastern, “What next action did you want to tell us about this morning?” Five minutes later, FoxNews.com published its first story on Burgum's orders, citing a press release that had not yet been made public and including a quote from the secretary about the "emerging national security risk" posed by the offshore wind projects.
"If last week’s actions are allowed to stand, future presidents will have unchecked authority under the guise of national security to target federal leases related to entire disfavored energy industries for political purposes."
Burgum's announcement to Fox came at least one to two hours before Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) acting Director Matthew Giacona provided the orders to the lessees running the five wind projects.
Further, wrote Whitehouse, "Burgum’s voluminous public comments in the hours and days since the pause further show the true purpose of Interior’s singular action."
"The national security pretext quickly gives way to broad and spurious talking points about the 'Green New Scam,' how 'wind doesn’t blow 24-7' (evincing Burgum’s seeming unfamiliarity with energy storage technologies), and unyielding promotion of liquified natural gas projects," wrote Whitehouse.
Aside from the alleged illegality of Burgum's order, PEER pointed to Giacona's potential conflicts of interest with BOEM operations and specifically with halting wind projects. Giacona is a "diligent filer" of financial disclosure forms required by the Ethics in Government Act, noted Whitehouse—but those forms point to potential benefits he may reap from shutting down offshore wind infrastructure.
Giacona reported his purchase of interests in the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) on September 16. The fund tracks daily price movements of "natural" gas delivered at the Henry Hub in Louisiana and is subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
"Accordingly, a government employee who has an interest in UNG also has a potential conflict of interest with the underlying holdings of UNG (currently primarily natural gas futures contracts at the Henry Hub)," wrote Whitehouse.
PEER does not know whether Giacona continues to hold a financial interest in UNG or whether the offshore wind pause will have a "direct and predictable effect on a financial interest in UNG," but Whitehouse noted that Burgum and DIO have entwined the pause with the promotion of liquefied natural gas.
"It is disconcerting that Mr. Giacona temporarily had even a de minimis financial interest in natural gas futures while also leading the agency that manages the development of natural gas resources on the outer continental shelf," wrote Whitehouse, adding that Giacona also sold interests in the United States Oil Fund on September 3, while overseeing BOEM.
Based on Giacona's investments, said Whitehouse, “Burgum’s actions on offshore wind appear to be motivated by the personal financial interests of those in the administration, not our collective national interests. This is another misguided step in transforming the federal government into a franchise of the fossil fuel industry.”
“On public lands across the United States, the Department of the Interior has tens of thousands of additional active leases related to oil, gas, wind, solar, and geothermal production and mining for energy-related minerals," he added. "If last week’s actions are allowed to stand, future presidents will have unchecked authority under the guise of national security to target federal leases related to entire disfavored energy industries for political purposes."
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The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expressed its full solidarity with the people and government of the United Mexican States following the tragic train accident that occurred this Tuesday on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
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On behalf of President Nicolás Maduro Moros and the Venezuelan people, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil issued a message on his social media account, stating, “We express our full solidarity with the people and government of the United Mexican States in light of the tragic accident that occurred today, involving a train on the Interoceanic Corridor.”
The official statement also noted, “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and offer our prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.”
The Interoceanic Corridor, a strategic project of the Mexican government, connects the ports of Coatzacoalcos, on the Gulf of Mexico, with Salina Cruz, on the Pacific, and is key to boosting the logistics and economy of southern Mexico. The accident has generated regional concern and numerous expressions of international support.
Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to Latin American solidarity and its support in times of adversity.
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Over 670 farmers gathered in Morogoro, Tanzania, on December 4-5 to chart a course for the future of MVIWATA (National Network of Farmers Groups in Tanzania), one of Africa’s most unique farmers’ organizations. The occasion was MVIWATA’s 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which serves as the highest democratic platform for members to voice their aspirations for the organization’s future.
As the powerful slogan, “Mviwata, Sauti ya Mkulima” (MVIWATA is the voice of the farmer) and “Mtetezi wa Mkulima, Mkulima Mwenyewe” (The defender of the farmer is the farmer), rang through the hall time and again, the farmers debated and arrived at conclusions on strengthening their networks in concrete ways.
The AGM opened with a vibrant performance by local MVIWATA cultural groups, featuring energetic dance and powerful lyrics that called for the unity of farmers. This was followed by an acknowledgement of those who had recently lost their lives in the aftermath of the disrupted elections. A collective occasion, the event aimed to define strategies, reinforce solidarity, and reclaim the farmer’s role as the protagonist of Tanzania and the backbone of the national economy.
Read more: From the “Island of Peace” myth to massacre
On the opening day, National Chairperson Apollo Chamwela and Executive Director Stephen Ruvuga stressed the urgent need for solutions rooted in farmer-to-farmer solidarity and a clear understanding of the peasants’ role in Tanzania. Ruvuga highlighted how the global “value chain” marginalizes peasants: they are the primary food producers, yet earn a pittance from valuable cash crops like coffee and cashews. At the same time, agribusiness and middlemen reap huge profits. He concluded: “We are producing a lot of wealth but getting only a slice of it while the benefits only go to those who don’t even know how to farm.”
The crisis is not restricted to markets and prices. Every phase of agriculture is affected. Whether it be synthetic fertilizers or seeds, four to five companies control the market. “A dependence on inputs we don’t produce by ourselves enriches the system that benefits a few and reduces the peasant to a mere buyer,” Ruvuga said, linking MVIWATA’s core concept of self-reliance to the everyday needs of farmers.
MVIWATA Chairperson Apollo Chamwela emphasized that the commitment of delegates – many of whom traveled vast distances (over 2,000 kilometers from regions like Kagera) and financed their own attendance – was a key organizational milestone. This commitment, where farmers use their own resources and do not depend on the organization for travel, signifies genuine self-reliance and a deep sense of ownership: “This organization is ours!” Chamwela added that by actively engaging in the AGM, farmers reinforce MVIWATA as a vital platform used “like a weapon to fight for their rights.”
For over 30 years, MVIWATA has organized farmers to practice self-reliance, especially through agro-ecological farming techniques that enable higher quality production with fewer dependencies. MVIWATA’s foundational philosophy is deeply rooted in the principles of Julius Nyerere’s Ujamaa and self-reliance. By organizing farmers into cohesive, democratic networks to mutually aid one another in production, marketing, and savings, MVIWATA embodies the spirit of self-determination articulated by Nyerere in the 1967 Arusha Declaration. This focus on local, collective ownership and the deliberate resistance to external capitalist dependencies directly reflects the Ujamaa ideal of building an equitable, independent society in which the people – specifically the peasantry – are the protagonists of their own path forward.
However, MVIWATA’s mission does not end there.
Networks of farmers aid and assist each other in seed development, getting better prices for their crops, building markets, enabling savings schemes, and organizing to prevent and resist efforts to take away their land. From farmers cultivating rice and maize to pineapples, bananas and mangos, and spices like cinnamon and cloves, MVIWATA has, through a process of popular consultation, come up with strategies for all.
Vibrant debates and concrete pillars for a stronger 2026
Intense discussion among delegates, in both group and plenary sessions, was the highlight of the AGM, resulting in concrete strategic pillars for organizational growth and increasing members’ abilities in several key areas in 2026. The consensus focused on strengthening self-reliance, both in farming techniques and organizational management.
Members of MVIWATA participate in the AGM. Photo: MVIWATA
Hundreds of farmers from across the country participated and contributed concrete proposals such as developing natural herbicides and pesticides, and expanding training programmes to increase awareness of agro-ecological practices. A dedicated discussion focused on the question of reconciling traditional landholding patterns to contemporary legal requirements.
The AGM featured a rigorous debate on establishing the organization’s own financial institution. Building on existing local-level capital access schemes, delegates emphasized the urgent need for a more sophisticated, wide-reaching instrument capable of providing loans at reasonable rates and at the necessary junctures to fully serve farmers.
Read more: Land as a source of life: a continental reckoning with dispossession and struggle
The discussions also stressed the need for training and education, both through farmer-led sessions and MVIWATA FM, the organization’s radio station that serves as a vital tool for highlighting farmers’ voices, unlike mainstream media, which ignores the peasant agenda. Many of the ideas presented by farmers formed key pillars of the organization’s plan for the coming year, announced on December 5.
For Odilia J. Bernad, who has been a member of MVIWATA for nine years, the AGM was “like a school.” She added, “We divided ourselves into groups. There were young people, women, and the elderly, and we sat and discussed our activities and explained the challenges we faced in our regions with a focus on solving them.” The farmer is the bread-winner of the country, she noted, saying that it was essential that farmers have a strategic plan for the coming year. “Farmers must evaluate themselves to see where they came from, where they are, and where they are heading. And if there are mistakes made in the previous year in the strategic plans, they should see what they can do to achieve their goals for the next year.”
Michael Mbago, a farmer who cultivates maize, cassava and yams and has been a veteran of MVIWATA for over 15 years, echoed the sentiment. For him, MVIWATA’s success lay not just in addressing agricultural issues but in educating people about the political, economic, and social aspects. MVIWATA has become a refuge for many small farmers, he said, adding that it will be vital in helping them “achieve victory” in various aspects of farming.
The unity forged at the 30th MVIWATA AGM gave farmers the confidence to meet the demands of the struggle in 2026 and to continue building a stronger farmers’ movement in Tanzania. As summarized by Chairperson Apollo Chamwela: “The struggle we are in needs unity of farmers, across Tanzania, Africa and the world. The defender of the farmer is the farmer.”
The post MVIWATA’s 30th AGM: Forging a stronger farmers’ movement in Tanzania appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.
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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, on behalf of the island’s government, sent a message on his Facebook profile offering deepest condolences to the Mexican people and government following the tragic derailment of the Interoceanic Train in southern Mexico, which left numerous dead and injured.
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In his message, he stated: “We have learned of the tragic derailment of an Interoceanic Train in southern Mexico, which has caused numerous deaths and injuries. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Mexican people and government. Our full solidarity.”
The accident, which occurred on one of the key railway lines in the south of the country, has generated a wave of shock both nationally and throughout the Latin American region. Cuba reiterates its commitment to the brotherhood among the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, expressing its support in this time of tragedy.
This show of solidarity is part of a long diplomatic and humanitarian tradition of the Caribbean island, which has been internationally recognized on numerous occasions.
The Cuban Head of State’s message underscores the value of unity among sister nations in emergency situations.
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Palestinians are in a political crisis. With Palestinian society divided, and no unified national leadership to represent it, regional and global powers are drawing up plans for the future of Gaza and Palestine - without any say from Palestinians.
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Venezuela is poised to become the fastest-growing economy in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2025, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth projected at 6% by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), following a 9% increase in 2024. These figures place the South American country well above the regional average, estimated at 2.4%, and mark eighteen consecutive quarters of sustained economic growth.
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This economic performance is based on a structural transformation driven by the Bolivarian Economic Agenda, whose central pillars include food sovereignty, industrial diversification, and regional integration. President Nicolás Maduro stated that this progress is due to the collective mobilization of millions of Venezuelans—workers, business owners, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, and community members—amidst a context of unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies for more than a decade.
Economic growth in Venezuela no longer depends exclusively on the oil sector. In the second quarter of 2025, non-oil GDP expanded by 4.41%, reflecting progress in multiple sectors. Livestock production increased by 7% year-on-year in the first half of the year, while the pharmaceutical industry registered growth of 27.32%. Furthermore, iron production surged by 223%, and commercial transactions expanded by 30%, demonstrating a revitalization of domestic demand.
Mining has also shown outstanding performance: gold production grew by 158% in the public sector and 52% in the private sector. At the same time, the country has achieved unprecedented fiscal discipline, with tax revenues in the first half of 2025 reflecting responsible management, according to data from the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (SENIAT) and the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).
Food sovereignty has become a central pillar of economic resilience. Thanks to state support for cooperatives and the activation of agricultural land, Venezuela achieved 98% domestic food coverage, with 90% of products of national origin.
More than 1,085 new food products were introduced to the market. Rice production grew by 70%—driven by the planting of 25,000 new hectares—while vegetable cultivation increased by 63%, cereals by 60%, tubers by 58%, fruits by 51%, and legumes by 9%.
In the state of Guárico, 150,000 hectares of corn were planted, a historic record. Strategic reserves exceed 100 days of national coverage.
In the energy sector, Venezuela maintained stable crude oil production at 1.084 million barrels per day in July 2025, with an average of 1.053 million bpd in the first seven months of the year, representing an 18.4% increase compared to 2024, according to the OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report (August 2025).
Venezuela is also strengthening its integration into a multipolar world order, forging closer energy and trade ties with China, Russia, Iran, and Colombia.
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