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Analysis: Oil and Gas

Steve Ellner Part II: Is the Bolivarian Revolution a Populist Failure?

Steve Ellner addresses a forum in 2014 on Chavismo in Caracas, Venezuela. (Archive)

Universidad de Oriente Professor Steve Ellner discusses a range of key issues in Venezuela, including the efficacy of state social programs such as the CLAPs, the Maduro government’s controversial Mining Arc, and the role of international solidarity. 

 

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Special Report: Hunger in Venezuela? A Look Beyond the Spin

Local and national vendors sell vegetables, fruits and prepared foods at a festival in Caracas. (Christina Schiavoni)

Cristina Schiavoni and William Camacaro go in-depth to report on Venezuela and the state of its food and agricultural system.

 

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‘Democracy, as Usual,’ in Venezuela

Supporters of the Mesa de la Unidad (MUD) political party cheer during a closing campaign rally in Caracas, December 2, 2015. (A

Contrary to the mainstream media narratives, the conflict in Venezuela is not over democracy, but over the distribution of oil wealth. 

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Overwhelmed NSA Surprised to Discover its own Surveillance "Goldmine" on Venezuela's Oil Executives

(Reuters)

This newest revelation of NSA spying, reported as part of The Intercept’s partnership with teleSUR, comes just weeks after the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government has launched “a series of wide-ranging investigations” into alleged corruption at Petróleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA.

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NSA Taps into Venezuela's State Oil Company with Help from US Embassy, Snowden Leak Reveals

(TeleSUR English)

U.S. intelligence agents posing as diplomats in Caracas helped an NSA analyst try to crack open PDVSA’s computer network.

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The Secret Agenda Behind the Venezuela-Guyana Conflict

Guyana has approved drilling by Exxon Mobil in the disputed Esquibo region. (Reuters)

Eva Gollinger traces the neocolonial roots of the current Esquibo border dispute, arguing that the US and Exxon Mobil are backing Guyanese annexation of the contested territory in a bid to weaken Venezuela and shore up US influence in the Caribbean.

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US Targets Venezuela Using Border Dispute as Pretext

Map indicating disputed area. (teleSUR)

Draitser argues that Venezuela and Guyana’s despute over the Essequibo region is a new front in the destabilization of Venezuela

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Raising the Price of Gasoline: An Inflationary Measure for No One’s Benefit

It is estimated that 100,000 barrels of oil and gasoline are smuggled out of Venezuela daily (Credit teleSur)

Deivi Peña argues that increasing the price of gasoline will give the Venezuelan oligarchy an excuse to intenify the economic war by setting off a further spiral of inflation that will harm working class people. 

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Venezuela in Financial Difficulty; will PetroCaribe Survive?

Graphic art depicting the sunrise over the Caribbean, with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) as the

Guyanese- Antiguan scholar Sir Ronald Sanders examines the vulnerabilities of Venezuela-backed alliance Petrocaribe in the face of last week’s OPEC summit and a perceived oil glut on the horizon. Petrocaribe has provided singular economic support for over a dozen Caribbean nation’s economies, including hundreds of millions of dollars in developmental funds.

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The Limits of Changes – Venezuela: Terminal Crisis of the Rentier Petro-State?

Caracas, Venezuela (archive)

Venezuelan author Edgardo Landar reviews recent and long term developments in the country’s politics and economy, and argues that the Bolivarian project must move beyond the “petro-state” in order to make further progress toward its transformative goals.

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Venezuelan Voices, Part II: An Inflammatory Question

A PDVSA [state] truck transporting gasoline in Caracas (AVN)

As Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro combats corruption, reassigns half of ministry positions, launches “a new stage of the revolution,” and even hints at a minimum wage increase for November, the question remains what economic steps will be taken to reverse the high inflation that critics are quick to associate with his leadership.

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The Truth about Halliburton in Venezuela

(archive)

Franco Vielma, a Venezuelan radio talk show host and development worker with a public company, responds to the accusation that the Venezuelan government has signed a “pact” with Halliburton and that the U.S. oil company is now “coming” to operate in the country. He explains that Halliburton has operated in Venezuela for many decades, and agreements in recent years have actually reduced the scope of company’s operations in Venezuela’s oil industry.

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Halliburton in Venezuela: Smells like Sulfur

halliburton

Venezuelan writer and analyst Clodovaldo Hernandez discusses the rumored deal struck up between Venezuela’s national petroleum industry, PDVSA, and U.S. based multinational corporation Halliburton.

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Venezuela Protests are Sign that US Wants our Oil, Says Nicolás Maduro [Interview, video]

Nicolas Maduro

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Venezuela's president claims the Obama administration is fomenting unrest with the aim of provoking a Ukraine-style 'slow-motion' coup.

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Natural Resources as the Dynamic Axis of UNASUR strategy

oil field in Venezuela's Orinoco region

Alí Rodriguez Araque, general secretary of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) details the core values of the UNASUR trade bloc, noting the paradox between the extensive reserves of valuable natural resources and the 130 million living in poverty throughout represented nations. Last week UNSAUR sent a delegation to discuss recent conflict and possible resolution in petroleum-rich Venezuela- this statement provides a basis of understanding for UNSAUR's position on Venezuela and their rejection of possible U.S. sanctions.

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