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rssPeople’s Mañanera May 14
People’s Mañanera May 14 - Abolish Capital!
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. Previous press conference summaries are available here [https://mexicosolidarity.com/mananera/]. The Fourth Transformation Speeds Up Flood Prevention Projects and Reaffirms Water as a Right of the PeoplePresident Claudia Sheinbaum announced record water infrastructure projects to prevent flooding and guarantee water for the population in Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Veracruz, Tabasco, Hidalgo, Chiapas, and Guerrero. She also announced that nearly 12 billion pesos (US$690 million) have been invested in hydraulic infrastructure and that 33 billion pesos (US$1.88 billion) will be allocated to 2,300 municipalities through the FAIS water infrastructure fund for drinking water projects. Sheinbaum also denounced the “water theft” inherited from the previous administrations. This involved companies and real estate developers that illegally altered water concessions while communities experienced shortages of the vital liquid. The President confirmed that the National Water Commission (Conagua) has already filed criminal charges against those who plundered water. Profeco and PACIC: The 4T Curbing Prices and Protecting the Popular EconomyThe Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) reported that it continues to strengthen the PACIC anti-inflation pact to keep the price of the basic basket of goods stable, with the goal that 24 products do not exceed 910 pesos (US$52.83). In addition, price tags have begun to be placed in supermarkets so that families can locate products with controlled prices. President Sheinbaum defended the model promoted by López Obrador to curb inflation without harming the population and rejected the neoliberal narrative that blames wage increases for price hikes. She reiterated that raising the minimum wage means greater well-being and better wealth redistribution. “No extraditions without evidence”: Sheinbaum defends sovereignty and the rule of lawThe President refused to act under media pressure or foreign influence in the Rocha Moya case and stated that there is an option the pundits overlook, namely, demanding evidence. Sheinbaum noted that the United States has also rejected extradition requests due to lack of evidence and argued that the same applies to Mexico. “Defending the Constitution and national sovereignty is not a political decision; it is an obligation of the State,” she said, criticizing those who only demand the rule of law when it suits their political interests. Strong economy, energy sovereignty, and openness to the worldThe President noted that Mexico maintains economic stability thanks to the domestic market, public investment, and energy sovereignty. Sheinbaum emphasized that inflation continues to fall, the interest rate hovers around 6%, and the peso remains stable at 17.22 per dollar. Mexico responds to Díaz Ayuso and asserts Mexico’s cultural greatnessRegarding statements by Spanish far-right leader Díaz Ayuso, the President quipped that she should “come to Mexico more often to learn from its cultural greatness.” Sheinbaum argued that the debate sparked by the Spanish leader’s visit allowed for a renewed discussion of the atrocities of the Conquest and a vindication of the history and dignity of Indigenous peoples. — * People’s Mañanera May 14 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sheinbaum-may-14-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-may-14-2/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera May 14 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-may-14-2/] May 14, 2026May 14, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on flood prevention projects, fighting food inflation, extradition controversy, and Díaz Ayuso and Mexico’s cultural greatness. * Confiscate What Was Looted [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Emilio-Lozoya-large-1024x684.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/confiscate-what-was-looted/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Confiscate What Was Looted [https://mexicosolidarity.com/confiscate-what-was-looted/] May 14, 2026 Our country’s history is a recurring one of officials illegally enriching themselves while in office, who, in addition to remaining unpunished, almost always maintain the wealth that was the product of the public resources they plundered. * San Antonio Abad Residents Demand Expropriation of Collapsed Building for Social Housing [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/san-antonio-abad-residents-large-1024x575.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/san-antonio-abad-residents-demand-expropriation-of-collapsed-building-for-social-housing/ News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### San Antonio Abad Residents Demand Expropriation of Collapsed Building for Social Housing [https://mexicosolidarity.com/san-antonio-abad-residents-demand-expropriation-of-collapsed-building-for-social-housing/] May 14, 2026May 14, 2026 Two months after the collapse, Mexico City authorities have yet to clarify the condition of the site or the investigation into the negligent homicide of the three construction workers. The post People’s Mañanera May 14 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-may-14-2/] appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media [https://mexicosolidarity.com/]. — From Mexico Solidarity Media [https://mexicosolidarity.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://mexicosolidarity.com/feed/].
After Provoking Their Rupture, Chile Suggests Restoration of Diplomatic Relations With Venezuela
After Provoking Their Rupture, Chile Suggests Restoration of Diplomatic Relations With Venezuela - Abolish Capital!
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com [https://OrinocoTribune.com])—Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna told [https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/chile-prioriza-restablecer-las-relaciones-consulares-con-venezuela%2C-dice-el-canciller/91415315] EFE that restoring consular services with Venezuela is a current “priority.” The move is allegedly intended to assist hundreds of thousands of citizens affected by the diplomatic rupture between the two countries, which was provoked by Chilean interference in Venezuelan internal affairs. During an official visit to New Delhi, Pérez explained that while there are over 700,000 Venezuelan migrants in Chile and approximately 25,000 Chileans in Venezuela, there currently is no administrative assistance or any official communication channels between the two nations. Diplomatic ties were severed following the 2024 Venezuelan presidential elections following interventionist statements from the Chilean government regarding the transparency of the electoral process. At the time, Chile echoed US allegations of irregularities involving the alleged victory of Edmundo González, the surrogate presidential candidate for far-right leader María Corina Machado. Ironically, this US “regime”-change strategy was apparently abandoned months later when US President Trump noted Machado’s lack of support within Venezuela following the US abduction of President Maduro. In response to Chile’s hostility, Venezuela suspended [https://orinocotribune.com/venezuela-suspends-commercial-flights-with-chile/] passenger air operations with Chile in September 2024, withdrew its diplomatic personnel from Chile, and demanded the immediate departure of Chilean diplomatic officials from Venezuela. This followed a speech at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly by Chile’s president at the time, Gabriel Boric, who denigrated Venezuelan institutions and questioned the results of the July 28 presidential elections. The political climate in Chile shifted further to the right in December 2025, when José Antonio Kast won the presidency by linking migration to public insecurity. Kast enthusiastically welcomed the US invasion of Venezuela on January 3—an operation that led to the abduction of President Maduro and during which the US killed more than 100 people—describing the act of imperialist aggression as “great news.” Despite this record of hostilities, Pérez Mackenna confirmed discussions with his Venezuelan counterpart during the recent CELAC summit in Colombia. “We need to normalize the transfer of information between Chile and Venezuela so we can provide consular services to those who need them,” he stated. Pérez Mackenna is a Chilean economist who, before being appointed as foreign minister, served as president of the Chilean Association of Pension Fund Administrators (Asociación de AFP), which represents the financial corporations that manage the country’s private pension system. His most recent post was bord member of the US-Chile Chamber of Commerce. The Chilean foreign minister noted that the lack of institutional cooperation not only harms civilians but also complicates security mechanisms and the execution of more than 75,000 pending deportation orders in Chile, nearly half of which involve Venezuelan citizens. Analysts have noted that Chile’s true motivation may be related to this factor. Pérez Mackenna argued that consular operations should be treated as an urgent technical necessity that transcends political differences to ensure the rights of migrant communities. Regarding Venezuelan domestic politics, Pérez Mackenna advocated for sovereign solutions, seemingly distancing the administration from the interventionist approach of recent years. “Hopefully, Venezuelans can move forward in this direction, according to their own rules and decisions,” he said, adding that differences must be resolved through the democratic system. > Chile’s Failure to Bury Neoliberalism Led to an Overtly Pinochetista President [https://orinocotribune.com/chiles-failure-to-bury-neoliberalism-led-to-an-overtly-pinochetista-president/] According to analysts, a decade of Chilean meddling in Venezuelan affairs—often intended to please Washington’s “regime”-change operations against successive Chavista governments—has created deep skepticism. Many remain doubtful regarding the real intentions of Chilean institutions and the prospects for a stable resumption of diplomatic relations given the history of Chile acting as a tool for regional destabilization. Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff OT/JRE/SL — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].
Venezuela Registers 33% Increase in International Flights
Venezuela Registers 33% Increase in International Flights - Abolish Capital!
Marisela de Loaiza, president of ALAV, confirmed the arrival of Qatar Airways in August and highlighted the importance of the Caracas–Houston route. Venezuela’s aviation sector is undergoing a rapid revitalization after recording a 33% increase in international flights and 27% in domestic frequencies between March and May 2026. This upturn translates into an offering of 157 weekly international flights to 13 global destinations and a total of 535 domestic operations connecting the country’s various regions. The executive president of the Association of Airlines in Venezuela (ALAV), Marisela de Loaiza, highlighted that this upward trend reflects a strengthening market driven by the opening of new routes and the return of major global operators such as American Airlines, which resumed direct operations between Miami and Caracas after a seven-year interruption. The ALAV president underlined that growth in the interior of the country has been significant thanks to Panama’s Copa Airlines expanding into cities such as Barquisimeto, Valencia, and Maracaibo—a development that has injected new energy into regional economies. De Loaiza noted the recent addition of United Airlines with its Houston route, describing it as a natural connection for the oil business, and announced the arrival of Qatar Airways in August and the possibility of the Italian ITA airline by the end of the year. She stated that connectivity is fundamental to all areas of the economy, especially the oil industry and its entire productive supply chain, and that the inclusion of an airline such as Qatar Airways represents major news for Venezuela’s reinsertion into global air traffic routes. Operational modernization at Maiquetía and new strategic routesDe Loaiza noted that while the infrastructure possesses the physical capacity, progress is needed in terms of upgrading the check-in counters in the west wing and completing maintenance on the main runway, which is currently operating with an auxiliary strip. The air-conditioning system at the Simón Bolívar National and International Airport in Maiquetía remains a primary concern for both domestic and international travelers. The lack of functional climate control has become a critical issue for the facility, which serves as the main gateway to Venezuela. The intense tropical heat that is characteristic of the coastal town of Maiquetía, combined with the absence of a proper cooling system, creates a harsh environment for arriving passengers. The “thermal shock” experienced when moving from the climate-controlled environment of an aircraft to the sweltering terminal has resulted in numerous reports of travelers fainting while waiting in immigration lines. Failures in the airport’s HVAC infrastructure have been documented since at least 2017, with major peaks in 2019 and 2024. These periods of crisis were triggered by extreme electrical failures that damaged significant portions of the cooling system. Notably, these technical collapses occurred alongside the intensification of illegal US sanctions against Venezuela. These coercive measures have severely restricted the state’s ability to maintain public infrastructure by blocking access to international credit, specialized spare parts, and the technical service required for large-scale industrial equipment. De Loaiza also noted that on domestic flights, the increase from 421 flight routes in March to 535 in May reflects a 27% recovery driven by 113 new local routes. Caracas leads in terms of national connections, with priority destinations including Porlamar, with 54 weekly flights, followed by Los Roques with 43, Puerto Ordaz with 38, and Maracaibo with 33 frequencies. The ALAV presiden acknowledged a notable improvement in the punctuality of domestic airlines—a factor that increases passenger confidence and optimizes intercity travel, which today accounts for 47.7% of the country’s total operations. International services from Maiquetía terminal are concentrated on strategic hubs that facilitate the transit of passengers and cargo to the rest of the world. Bogotá, Colombia, currently leads the list with 41 weekly flights, followed by Panama with 25 frequencies, Madrid with 17, and Miami, USA, with 14 direct flights. De Loaiza noted that the reactivation of these routes benefits not only tourism but is an indispensable driver of national economic development. > Colombia & Mexico Maintain Regular Flights to Cuba [https://orinocotribune.com/colombia-mexico-maintain-regular-flights-to-cuba/] (Últimas Noticias [https://ultimasnoticias.com.ve/economia/venezuela-registra-un-crecimiento-del-33-en-vuelos-internacionales/]) with Orinoco Tribune content Translation: Orinoco Tribune OT/CB/SL — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].
Delcy Rodríguez: Venezuela Will Not Become 51st State of the US
Delcy Rodríguez: Venezuela Will Not Become 51st State of the US - Abolish Capital!
“We will continue to defend [territorial] integrity, sovereignty, and independence. Our history is a history of glory, of men and women who gave their lives to make us not a colony but a free country,” said Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez in reponse to Trump’s threat to make Venezuela “the 51st state” of the US. Upon leaving the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, where she defended Venezuela’s historical and legal rights [https://diariovea.com.ve/quedo-en-evidencia-verdad-de-venezuela-sobre-el-esequibo/] over Guayana Esequiba, she noted that Venezuela had attended that forum precisely to “defend sovereignty, to defend our process of independence.” > Venezuela Condemns UN Secretary-General’s Lack of Impartiality in Statements About US Invasion [https://orinocotribune.com/venezuela-condemns-un-secretary-generals-lack-of-impartiality-in-statements-about-us-invasion/] In response to a question about Trump’s threat, she aid “That is not on the table, it will never be on the table, because if there is one thing about Venezuelans, it is that we love our independence process; we love our heroes and heroines of the Independence.” “President Trump knows. We have been working on a diplomatic agenda of cooperation. That is the course, that is the path,” she added. “Venezuela, certainly, is the country with the largest oil reserves on the planet and also one of the largest gas reserves. The path is cooperation for understanding between countries,” she concluded. On Monday, statements that Trump made to a journalist from FOX, John Robert, went viral, in which Trump claimed that he is “seriously considering” making Venezuela the 51st state of the US. The disgraced leader of the US regime also mentioned the country’s enormous oil reserves, saying that there is “$40 trillion in oil there.” (Resumen Latinoamericano – English [https://resumen-english.org/2026/05/delcy-rodriguez-there-are-no-plans-for-venezuela-becoming-the-51st-state-of-the-u-s/]) by Yuleidys Hernandez Toledo — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].
The Israeli Bad Cop’s Rebranding and the Guilty Scapegoat Theater
The Israeli Bad Cop’s Rebranding and the Guilty Scapegoat Theater - Abolish Capital!
By Garsha Vazirian – May 11, 2026 Netanyahu’s vow to end U.S. subsidies is a strategic gaslight designed to hide a deeper fusion When Benjamin Netanyahu sat for his interview with CBS News, now essentially an Israeli propaganda vehicle following Ellison’s acquisition, he delivered a performance meticulously engineered for an audience increasingly exhausted by his cycle of endless warfare and political maneuvering. With American gas prices climbing as a direct result of the widening war on Iran, Netanyahu pitched a supposedly self-reliant roadmap: a ten-year phase-out of U.S. military aid to zero. He spoke of a “reset,” a transition from a client-state relationship to a partnership of equals. While some headlines treated it as a historic pivot, the reality is far more deceptive. This is a masterstroke of geopolitical gaslighting designed to rebrand an unholy alliance just as public revulsion threatens to dismantle it. By stripping away the visible line item of “aid,” the two partners are attempting to bury the subsidy stigma. The theater of mutual convenience Netanyahu is not acting alone in this performance. He has a silent choir of American establishment figures tuning the theater to suit a skeptical public. The pro-Israel Rahm Emanuel, the former Obama fixer and current strategic voice, has been vocal about the need for Israel to pay “market price” for its F-35s, much like Japan or other wealthy allies. This is a smart rebranding of the empire. By turning the client into a “partner,” Washington can partly quiet domestic budget gripes. It allows the American government to maintain the appearance of some fiscal responsibility while the actual machinery of war remains fully funded through more opaque channels. The pressure is coming from all sides of the American political spectrum. On the right, nationalist figures like Tucker Carlson have begun describing Trump as a “hostage” of Israel. Former counterterrorism official Joe Kent and former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene have similarly blasted the “Israel First” policy, arguing that American interests are being sacrificed for a foreign power. These voices tap into a deep and growing rage. A Pew poll from March 2026 showed that 60 percent of Americans now view Israel unfavorably. For the American right, the goal of this sudden anti-Israel pivot is not to end the empire, but to refine it. By blaming the junior partner for regional catastrophes, they provide the deep state with a limited hangout. It functions as a performative decoupling, enabling the empire to outwardly signal a move away from Israeli interests while maintaining the U.S.-Israeli war machine’s essential trajectory. The invisible web of transnational capital The $3.8 billion annual aid package that Netanyahu claims he wants to “draw down” is merely the visible marquee. It is peanuts compared to the actual flood of resources. Last year alone, emergency arms surges topped $22 billion, much of it vanishing into a fog of classified deliveries. But the real hooks run much deeper than government checks. The relationship is now anchored in the borderless interests of transnational capital. Microsoft’s Azure cloud provides the backbone for Unit 8200’s cyber operations, while Google’s $1.2 billion Project Nimbus provides the digital infrastructure for the occupation. When Google acquired the Israeli firm Wiz for $32 billion earlier this year, it effectively laundered Israeli military technology back into the heart of the American corporate ecosystem. This is the birth of the Technology Alliance 2.0. The move to “zero aid” is actually a move toward joint ventures in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and high-tech surveillance that are mostly off the books and harder for the public to track. Wall Street now bankrolls 75 percent of the Israeli tech boom, with over a hundred firms riding the Nasdaq waves. This fusion ensures that even if the public subsidy wilts, the corporate veins pulse stronger than ever. The empire is going private, and in doing so, it makes itself nearly immune to democratic protest or congressional oversight. > Netanyahu Stresses The Need For More Propaganda As Israel’s Hasbara Budget Soars [https://orinocotribune.com/netanyahu-stresses-the-need-for-more-propaganda-as-israels-hasbara-budget-soars/] The guilty scapegoat A crucial part of this “reset” is the use of Israel as a strategic scapegoat. A key element of this rebranding is the calculated use of Israel as a strategic scapegoat. Throughout history, empires have used specific groups, such as what has been referred to as “the Jews,” as buffers or enforcers, only to sacrifice them when public anger boils over. Britain did it with Jewish communities during the Mandate era, using them as both vanguard enforcers and convenient buffers when costs rose. The United States has been using this playbook. By framing the war on Iran as something Netanyahu “tricked” Washington into, the American state gains plausible deniability. Recent reports in The New York Times suggesting that a single Netanyahu slide deck was the catalyst for the February strikes on Iran are part of this deception. They turn American aggression into something done to America, rather than by America. However, we must be clear: the scapegoat in this scenario is not an innocent victim, quite the opposite. Israel is a willing, brutal, genocidal, and enthusiastic executioner of the imperial blueprint. The genocide in Gaza and the wars on Lebanon and Iran are crimes that Israel owns fully. The deceptive game being played is one where the junior partner absorbs the moral flak for the boss’s long-term plan. The war on Iran has been a fixture of U.S. foreign policy for decades, a mandate sustained by the financial elites who profit from global primacy. A continuous line of U.S. presidents has relentlessly tightened the grip via economic warfare and sabotage, leading to the current kinetic reality. In this dynamic, Israel serves as the tactical proxy, but the initiative and the weaponry remain distinctly American, fulfilling a strategy long ago established by the centers of power in D.C. and Western financial districts around the world. A bipartisan machine without an exit The “hostage” narrative pushed by Carlson and others is a seductive fiction. Regardless of any leveraged secrets intelligence agencies might hold over him, Donald Trump shows no sign of being a coerced participant in the current crisis; instead, he revels in his strikes and promises nothing short of total annihilation. The sudden turn against Israel by certain American right-wingers is a tactical disclosure of some truth to protect a deeper agenda. Their goal is to prune the empire of its most unpopular liabilities so that the core mission of global dominance can survive. They want to sacrifice the “bad cop” to save the precinct. The reality is that Israel cannot exist in its current expansionist form without constant and complete American support. It requires American aircraft, satellite eyes, air-refueling tankers, and the vast network of U.S. bases all around the Middle East. Without the American forge, the Israeli blade would shatter in weeks. The mission remains the same: the preservation of an empire that refuses to die, using a partner that refuses to stop. (Tehran Times [https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/526325/The-Israeli-bad-cop-s-rebranding-and-the-guilty-scapegoat-theater]) — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].
Trump Boasts ‘We’re Like Pirates’, Seizing Iran’s Ships, as China Challenges US Sanctions
Trump Boasts ‘We’re Like Pirates’, Seizing Iran’s Ships, as China Challenges US Sanctions - Abolish Capital!
By Ben Norton – May 9, 2026 Donald Trump boasted the US government acts “like pirates”, seizing Iran’s ships and oil. Meanwhile, Beijing ordered all domestic companies to ignore US sanctions, after Washington hit Chinese firms for buying Iranian oil. It’s not often that the leader of a country boasts that he and other government officials act as pirates. But that is exactly what happened this May. Donald Trump gave a speech [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e43eMTACfdM] in West Palm Beach, Florida in which he bragged about the blockade that the US military has imposed in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Iran. Trump proudly stated that the US military is seizing cargo ships full of Iranian oil. “We took over the cargo, took over the oil”, Trump gloated. “It’s a very profitable business. Who would have thought we were doing that? We’re like pirates!” This is how the US president described the operation: We have such a great military and great navy. And they were going straight through, and they said, “Turn your ship around!”. And there was no response. “Turn your ship around! Evacuate your engine room immediately!” And you see all these guys running out of there. Now, they’re five miles away — in one shot, into the engine room, blew up the engine room; the ship stopped, and they used tugboats. And then we landed on top of it — on top of everything else — we then land on top of it. And we took over the ship; we took over the cargo, took over the oil. It’s a very profitable business. Who would have thought we were doing that? We’re like pirates. We’re sort of like pirates. But we’re not playing games. Iran had initially condemned these US attacks as “acts of armed piracy [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c239500dx8ro]”. Al Jazeera debated whether or not they constituted piracy [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/22/iran-calls-us-ship-seizure-piracy-is-it]. But then Trump came out and admitted it. Previous acts of US government piracy targeting Iran and Venezuela This US government piracy is not new, either. Washington has engaged in these acts for many years, and not just under Donald Trump. In fact, in 2023, the Joe Biden administration confirmed that it seized another cargo ship [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/8/us-confirms-seizing-iranian-oil-cargo-earlier-this-year], full of nearly 1 million barrels of Iranian oil. Moreover, in 2020, during Trump’s first term, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) boasted [https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/largest-us-seizure-iranian-fuel-four-tankers] that it commandeered a “multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)”, which “was bound for Venezuela”. “These actions represent the government’s largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran”, the DOJ wrote at the time. The fact that this previous US seizure impacted not only Iran but also Venezuela is important, because Caracas has also been a target of Washington’s piracy. In late December 2025 — just a few days before the US government invaded Venezuela and kidnapped its internationally recognized President Nicolas Maduro — Trump proudly stated that the US military was taking control of ships full of Venezuelan oil, and that Washington would steal both the crude and the vessels themselves. At a press conference, a reporter asked Trump what the US government would do with the Venezuelan oil seized [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87lnn09yj8o] in previous acts of piracy. “We’re going to keep it”, the US president chirped. He added, “We’re keeping the ships also”. Critics on social media made AI memes depicting Trump and his top cabinet officials as “pirates of the Caribbean [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G8sa5f3WgAADZ_P?format=jpg&name=large]”. Iran’s embassy in South Africa also dubbed US officials the “miserable pirates of the Persian Gulf [https://x.com/IraninSA/status/2043766917802889618] and the Strait of Hormuz”. [https://i0.wp.com/substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_%21gPhh%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8ccbb373-0155-457e-b9f8-4cecf656c481_975x1195.png?resize=634%2C777&ssl=1] US war unleashes energy, economic, and food crises Trump’s war of aggression against Iran has caused serious geopolitical repercussions for the global economy. The Strait of Hormuz, which is blockaded by the US military, was described by the US government’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) as “the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint [https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61002]”. Approximately 20% of globally traded oil transited the narrow strait on a daily basis before the US and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on 28 February. EIA Strait of Hormuz oil chokepoint [https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EIA-Strait-of-Hormuz-oil-chokepoint.png?resize=880%2C618&ssl=1] This US-Israeli war has unleashed the largest oil crisis in history, according to the International Energy Agency. This is threatening not only economic crisis, but also a food crisis, because many of the chemicals used in fertilizers come from the Persian Gulf region, and farmers around the world now find it difficult to purchase fertilizer. China orders domestic companies to ignore US sanctions In addition to that, the Trump administration has targeted China as part of its war on Iran. China is the largest trading partner of Iran. China is also the number one importer of oil on Earth, and it buys more than 80% of Iranian oil exports [https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-heavy-reliance-iranian-oil-imports-2026-03-21/]. The US Treasury announced on 24 April that it was imposing sanctions on Chinese companies [https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0472] that purchase Iranian oil, as part of what it called Operation “Economic Fury” (a reference to the Pentagon’s name for its war on Iran: Operation Epic Fury). Then, on 1 May, the US State Department said it had also levied sanctions against Chinese firms. “U.S. Sanctions Tighten Grip on Iran-China Oil Trade [https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/u-s-sanctions-tighten-grip-on-iran-china-oil-trade]”, the State Department declared in a press release. Washington wrote that it is “taking decisive action to disrupt Iran’s illicit oil trade”. In reality, Iran’s oil trade is not “illicit”. Iran is allowed to sell oil to whomever it wants. The US sanctions against Iran are illegal, according to international law. They are known as unilateral coercive measures, as they do not have the approval of the UN Security Council. > Why Has China Remained Stable Amid Soaring Global Oil Prices?: People’s Daily Rui Ping [https://orinocotribune.com/why-has-china-remained-stable-amid-soaring-global-oil-prices-peoples-daily-rui-ping/] This means it is actually the US government that it is engaged in illicit activity (like piracy). But what was important about the press releases from the Treasury and State Department was that they identified several different Chinese companies that were being hit by US sanctions. In particular, the US government sanctioned Hengli Group, a Chinese petrochemical giant. Washington targeted Hengli’s massive petrochemical plant in Dalian [https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/hengli-petrochemical-to-finish-dalian-plant-start-20-million-ton-production-], which refines 20 million tons of crude oil every year. This facility is very important for the Chinese economy. Dalian is a coastal city in the northeast. It plays a crucial role in the petrochemical industry. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Dalian-location-MAP-in-Liaoning-Province-China.jpg [https://i0.wp.com/substackcdn.com/image/fetch/%24s_%212I1y%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff4874670-6a86-4aba-a743-ae6bb89d85d2_1092x851.jpeg?resize=723%2C563&ssl=1] Therefore, China was compelled to defend itself against these unilateral US sanctions. In response, Beijing ordered all Chinese companies not to comply with US sanctions [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-02/beijing-tells-chinese-firms-to-ignore-us-sanctions-on-refiners]. This was a very significant geopolitical development. The Chinese government has always opposed unilateral US sanctions, and Beijing has never abided by them. However, in this case, the Chinese government went a step further. Henry Gao, a professor of law at Singapore Management University (and a critic of the Chinese government who is often quoted favorably by US corporate media outlets), explained the significance of Beijing’s decision. China’s Ministry of Commerce “just invoked the blocking statute for the first time [https://x.com/henrysgao/status/2050565272030097658], ordering all firms not to recognise, enforce, or comply with US sanctions”, he wrote. Gao argued that this is an example of how an economic “decoupling is coming”. While the Chinese government had never recognized US sanctions, many Chinese companies would still abide by such sanctions, because they were afraid of being hit by US secondary sanctions. The Chinese government has now told domestic firms that this is illegal. It is legally mandating that US sanctions be ignored. In April, the US Treasury sent letters to Chinese banks [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-15/bessent-says-chinese-banks-warned-about-secondary-sanctions-risk], threatening to hit them with secondary sanctions for facilitating financial transactions with Iran. However, with the Trump administration’s sanctions on the petrochemical giant Hengli Group, the US government crossed a red line. Chinese analyst TP Huang noted, “Hengli is a huge deal [https://x.com/tphuang/status/2050704008088559867]. China is entirely willing to fight economic war over this from what I can see”. The “Trump admin stepped over the line” on this issue, he wrote. Huang explained [https://x.com/tphuang/status/2050704015533449454]: Dalian Changxing island is the end point and export terminal for northeast provinces’ entire green hydrogen strategy, where green chemicals get shipped here for shipping, bunkering, and chemical production. Hengli is a huge deal here, other Chinese companies can’t avoid working with them. Western sanctions kill half a million people per year on average China’s response is very significant, and demonstrates how the US government’s constant abuse of sanctions has increasingly backfired [https://cup.columbia.edu/book/backfire/9780231199902/], while fueling even more geopolitical conflict. The US government has imposed sanctions on approximately one-third of the countries on Earth [https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2024/08/28/economic-world-war-us-sanctions-countries/], including more than 60% of low-income nations, according to a 2024 report in the Washington Post [https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/us-sanction-countries-work/]. Washington’s incessant global economic warfare has caused tens of millions of deaths. A peer-reviewed academic article published in 2025 in the leading medical journal The Lancet concluded “that sanctions do kill [https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00278-5/fulltext]: economic sanctions imposed by the USA or the EU were associated with 564,258 deaths … annually from 1971 to 2021, higher than the annual number of battle-related casualties (106,000 deaths)”. That means Western sanctions killed roughly 38 million people [https://jasonhickel.substack.com/p/the-staggering-death-toll-of-western] over 50 years. death toll western US EU sanctions 38 million [https://i0.wp.com/geopoliticaleconomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/death-toll-western-US-EU-sanctions-38-million.webp?resize=880%2C717&ssl=1] (Geopolitical Economy [https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2026/05/09/trump-pirates-iran-ships-china-us-sanctions/]) — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].
Venezuela’s Oil Production Rises 23% Since January
Venezuela’s Oil Production Rises 23% Since January - Abolish Capital!
Venezuelan oil production continues to increase, rising from 1,095,000 barrels per day in March to 1,136,000 barrels per day in April—an increase of 40,000 barrels, or 3.7%. This emerges from official figures contained in a report published this Wednesday, 13 May, by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). So far this year, production in the country—which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves—has risen by 22.9%, up from 924,000 bpd in January. In February, output rose to 1,021,000 barrels per day, and in March to 1,095,000 bpd. The average price of Venezuela’s Merey 16 crude reached 90.47 US dollars per barrel. The report, covering May with April figures, shows that Venezuelan crude recorded an increase of 4.55 US dollars compared to the close of March, in contrast to the OPEC basket, whose value fell by 7.57 US dollars to 108.79 US dollars per barrel. According to specialized economic media, this is the first time in more than a decade that Merey has reached 90 US dollars per barrel. In 2016, it closed at 35.15 US dollars. Merey crude is one of the main varieties of heavy oil produced in Venezuela and serves as one of the benchmark markers for Venezuelan oil pricing. Following the events of January 3, 2026, the Trump administration has issued a series of licences partially lifting restrictions that it had itself unilaterally imposed over more than a decade against Venezuela’s hydrocarbon sector. Most of these licences provide authorizations for US industries while maintaining restrictions on countries the US considers adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. Selling oil to the US was consistent Venezuelan foreign policy during the presidency of Hugo Chávez and was subsequently continued by constitutional head of state Nicolás Maduro. > OPEC Oil Production Falls to 36-Year Low due to US-Israeli War on Iran [https://orinocotribune.com/opec-oil-production-falls-to-36-year-low-due-to-us-israeli-war-on-iran/] Featured image: Oil wells over the Venezuelan national flag. Internet photo via DiarioVEA. (DiarioVEA [https://diariovea.com.ve/produccion-petrolera-de-venezuela-sigue-aumentando/]) Translation: Orinoco Tribune OT/CB/SL — From Orinoco Tribune [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].