Mastodawn

People’s Mañanera March 25

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37771

People’s Mañanera March 25 - 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/]. Democracy without privileges: substance vs. politickingPresident Claudia Sheinbaum called for awaiting the vote on the “Plan B” Electoral Reform in the Senate, making it clear that the goal is to eradicate privileges and strengthen participatory democracy. She emphasized that, while the Fourth Transformation (4T) seeks to eliminate privileges, the opposition maintains a systematic rejection of such proposals. Wellbeing becoming a rightIn Sinaloa, the “Housing for Wellbeing” program expanded its goal to build and distribute over 56,000 homes, with an investment of 33.73 billion pesos (US$1.89 billion), benefiting more than 202,000 people. Through the Infonavit housing agency, there are 15,000 homes under construction, solidifying housing as a social right. Popular support and government consolidationSheinbaum thanked the people for their trust, as she ranks first among presidents in Latin America with approval ratings around 70%. The President noted that this support is based on a stage of consolidation of the 4T, driven by infrastructure development, strengthening of Wellbeing programs, and progress in building and equipping hospitals, schools, high schools, and rural roads. Protection for migrants: Active state role and dignified defenseThe “My Consulate” consular network is being strengthened, with 24/7 assistance, processing over 6 million paperwork procedures. Following the detention of 177,192 Mexican migrants in the United States, 12,866 visits have been conducted, along with more than 20,000 legal consultations and assistance to over 152,000 Mexican nationals. Following the death of 13 Mexican nationals in custody or during operations —incidents characterized as unacceptable— legal claims, lawsuits, and support are being provided, in addition to demanding investigations by U.S. authorities and respect for human rights. Lie Detector• It is not true that there was a fire inside the “Dos Bocas” refinery as a result of a terrorist attack. • It is not true that under the “Plan B” electoral reform, President Sheinbaum “will be able to campaign in favor of Morena.” • It is not true that the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) suspended electrical service in the Cancun hotel zone due to the Banking Convention. • A video showing mistreatment and deficiencies at an IMSS-Bienestar medical unit in Campeche is fake. • It is not true that under the Valeria Law, “it is illegal to speak to a woman” and to establish any type of contact. • It is not true that under the Valeria Law, “simply by looking at a woman, you will be sent to prison.” • It is not true that under the “Valeria Law,” “involuntary brushing up against a woman” or “a misunderstanding” can automatically land you in prison. — * People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/claudia-sheinbaum-press-conference-october-16-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/] March 25, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on Plan B electoral reform, Housing for Wellbeing and housing as a social right, polls, and consular protection for Mexican migrants in the US. * Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/abby-martin-jay-watts-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 If citizens in Western democracies were asked whether their militaries should build public infrastructure instead of waging war, they would almost certainly choose the latter. Abby Martin’s newest film “The Greatest Enemy of the Earth,” documents the environmental cost of the American empire. * UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/uaw-shawn-fain-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/ Labor [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/labor/] | News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 The US-based autoworkers union called for immediate protection for Tornel workers and their families, as well as a public condemnation of the attack by Mexican authorities and industry leaders. The post People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/] 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/].

rss 4h ago

Ecocidal Militarism

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37754

Ecocidal Militarism - Abolish Capital!

This article by Étienne von Bertrab originally appeared at Diario Red [https://www.diario-red.com/opinion/etienne-von-bertrab/militarismo-ecocida/20260316225416065936.html] on March 17, 2026 [https://www.diario-red.com/opinion/etienne-von-bertrab/militarismo-ecocida/20260316225416065936.html] and has been translated and republished with the permission of the author. We encourage you to follow Étienne at @etiennista [https://x.com/etiennista]. Author’s note: Here is information [https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/booking.php] on how to screen Earth’s Greatest Enemy in theaters or universities (although it seems that for now the effort is focused on the United States); it is expected to be available on streaming platforms by May. As a Mexican, I’m amazed when people in Europe express concern about ‘militarism’ in Mexico or the alleged ecocide of the Maya Train. Indeed, both militarism and ecocide form a recurring narrative used by the opposition in Mexico, a story that has been effectively disseminated in international media. Let’s break it down a bit. On the one hand, we, the awakened Mexicans, know that since 2018 the growing role of the armed forces, which led to a larger budget for the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA) , has nothing to do with the acquisition of weapons for war, with facilitating the repression of social movements or undermining the right to protest. > The environmental impact of the construction of the Maya Train in Mexico pales in comparison to the numerous ecocides that local communities have witnessed over the years. In contrast, in addition to performing security functions, the Mexican armed forces, during the Fourth Transformation, have built airports and railways (such as the Maya Train), modernized ports, created the Banco del Bienestar (Welfare Bank) network that allows the disbursement of funds from social programs and offers banking services to those who did not have them, among other tasks. Air, airport and train services are also operated —including those being built by the current administration— within the public company group Grupo Mundo Maya. While there are issues to consider in order to maintain a real balance between civilian and military actors in this ‘civilian militarism’, as the scholar in the field Sebastián Raphael calls it, these are far removed from the concerns that humanity has regarding true militarism, that of destruction and death, and the role it plays in the suffering of entire portions of the world’s population and the destruction of life on the planet. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-102.png] Israeli bombing of Tehran. Photo: Avash Media (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0) Regarding the Maya Train, whose construction inevitably had environmental impacts including the deforestation of 6,659 hectares of jungle (according to the Mexican Center for Environmental Law), the national and foreign media overlooked the fact that simultaneously more than 400,000 hectares in the region were reforested as part of Sembrando Vida [https://www.diario-red.com/opinion/etienne-von-bertrab/estambres-salir-laberinto-siete-anos-sembrando-vida/20260202225101063176.html] and that the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, the most important in the Maya Jungle, second in importance on our continent after the Amazon, not only increased its area by 5,000 hectares but its core zones – those with the strictest conservation measures – went from 200,000 to 519,000 hectares. > Europe is beginning to rearmament and with it the formation of war economies, which, despite a rhetoric of sovereignty, will primarily benefit the US military-industrial-digital complex. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the construction of the Maya Train pales in comparison to the multiple ecocides that local communities have witnessed over the years , which were—and still are—little discussed from the center of the country and abroad. In contrast to what is happening in Mexico, Europe is beginning to rearmam and with it the formation of war economies, which despite discourses around sovereignty will primarily benefit the US military-industrial-digital complex. To finance it, NATO member countries are making adjustments primarily to their social spending, with a ten-year horizon to ‘achieve’ dedicating 5% of their respective GDP to national security. None of these countries will escape the social impact of this rearmament; not Germany, which since the Second World War abandoned militarism, first by force and then by choice; nor Sweden, which for a long time not only rejected militarism but even financed social movements for peace [https://jacobin.com/2025/08/sweden-peace-movement-nato-militarization]; for the Netherlands it will mean doubling its defense spending in the next ten years, which will mean austerity for its people. Not even Spain will be spared, despite Pedro Sánchez’s recent ‘No to war’ speech. What is uniquely pathetic is that this is happening at the insistence of Donald Trump, a convicted criminal and dangerous narcissist who, along with the psychopath Netanyahu, is willing to lead the world into World War III or a nuclear debacle, which experts consider increasingly possible [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e9NhLfPNKU&t=1073s] given the humiliation suffered by the United States and Israel two weeks after their military aggression against Iran. > Today, Europe lacks leadership that looks after the interests of its people and the future of humanity; its masks regarding respect for international law or the environment have fallen. It is increasingly clear that Europe today lacks leadership that safeguards the interests of its people and the future of humanity. Its masks regarding respect for international law and the environment have fallen, and its true nature is visible to the global majority. All wars cause destruction and human suffering—that is their purpose—and bring with them local, regional, and global environmental impacts. But the destructive capacity of our time is far greater than in previous decades, and the cruelty of those who instigate them also seems to be greater, as demonstrated by the attack on Tehran’s oil depots, in effect a chemical weapon that will have repercussions on the health of millions of people. As reported by the Conflict and Environment Observatory [https://ceobs.org/operation-epic-fury-emerging-environmental-harm-and-risks-in-iran-and-the-region/], pollution incidents in the Middle East since the United States started this war are putting people and ecosystems at risk of serious and long-term damage, and trends point to considerable regional environmental damage as the war continues. However, it is not necessary to wage war for true militarism to cause immense and irreversible damage to the systems that support life on the planet. In alternative spaces in the United States, the film Earth’s Greatest Enemy [https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/] is already being shown, documenting the environmental cost of the American empire —the greatest in history. — The documentary is the result of five years of work by American investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker Abby Martin, who, along with her partner Michael Prysner, a veteran of the Iraq War, have set out to help the citizens of their country open their eyes, and the global environmental movement to review its causes and slogans. Of course, they are not the first to connect climate collapse and the environmental crisis with capitalism and its imperial instruments such as continuous war, and prominent figures in the global environmental movement have suffered the consequences of this shift in understanding the problem and of a more radical activism. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-101.png] Abby Martin & Mike Prysner Photo: Jay Watts [https://jay-watts.com/] This can be seen in the young Swedish woman Greta Thunberg, who ceased to be a star for the Western media and politicians as soon as she became active against the genocide in Gaza. What the state of Israel is doing there with the backing of the United States and European powers has divided the youth climate movement on that continent, as other prominent leaders, such as the German Luisa Neubauer, find Greta’s position uncomfortable. Thus, the genocide against the Palestinian people turned Thunberg into an enemy of the powerful, such as the technology billionaire and founder of Palantir Technologies Peter Thiel, who in a recent series of lectures on the antichrist said that it could very well be “someone like Greta” [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2025/oct/10/peter-thiel-antichrist-lectures]. > Abby Martin seeks to spread anger and rage against the monster of imperialism, but also inspiration and hope, as more and more people connect the dots of different crises and mobilize. The documentary seeks to tell the full story of the existential crises brought about by US militarism and presents staggering statistics. Its military consumes (even when not engaged in war) around 270,000 barrels of oil every day, equivalent to 55 million cubic meters of greenhouse gases annually. That military alone is the world’s largest polluter, consuming more fossil fuels than 150 countries. It should come as no surprise that its government has managed to keep military emissions out of the accounting reported to the international community. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-105.png] Former president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and the Tren Maya Photo: Jessica Ramírez The film also narrates the impacts caused by military installations inside and outside the United States (it has between 800 and 1,000 worldwide) as well as local resistance to expel them, whether in Hawaii or Okinawa in Japan, and gives voice to the veterans’ movement who, affected physically and psychologically, are abandoned by their government and treated as human waste from wars. In this way, Abby Martin seeks to spread anger and rage against the monster of imperialism, but also inspiration and hope, as more and more people, inside and outside her country, connect the dots of different crises and mobilize to confront the greatest enemy of humanity and the planet. If citizens in Western democracies were asked whether their armies should build public infrastructure instead of waging war, they would surely choose that option, but their governments and media are not ready for that conversation. Étienne von Bertrab is a lecturer in political ecology and communication for social change at the Development Planning Unit of University College London and the author of Más allá: una historia del Tren Maya [https://mexicosolidarity.com/tren-maya-on-the-tracks-of-history/]. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-103-1024x768.png] * People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/claudia-sheinbaum-press-conference-october-16-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/] March 25, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on Plan B electoral reform, Housing for Wellbeing and housing as a social right, polls, and consular protection for Mexican migrants in the US. * Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/abby-martin-jay-watts-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 If citizens in Western democracies were asked whether their militaries should build public infrastructure instead of waging war, they would almost certainly choose the latter. Abby Martin’s newest film “The Greatest Enemy of the Earth,” documents the environmental cost of the American empire. * UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/uaw-shawn-fain-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/ Labor [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/labor/] | News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 The US-based autoworkers union called for immediate protection for Tornel workers and their families, as well as a public condemnation of the attack by Mexican authorities and industry leaders. The post Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/] 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/].

rss 4h ago

Cuba Is Not Afraid

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37751

Cuba Is Not Afraid - Abolish Capital!

By Vijay Prasad – Mar 19, 2026 On 13 March 2026, President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez gave a press conference in Havana, Cuba. The country has been wracked by a worsening fuel and electricity crisis produced by the long-standing illegal US blockade, which the Trump administration tightened further in early 2026 by effectively cutting off oil shipments to the island. On 29 January, Trump issued an executive order [https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/addressing-threats-to-the-united-states-by-the-government-of-cuba/] filled with the bluster of falsehoods – including the claim that Cuba ‘welcomes transnational terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas’ – and threatened tariffs against any country that tried to send oil to Cuba. Cuba produces about a 40% of the fuel it needs and imports the rest – mostly from Mexico and Venezuela. After the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela was forced to stop shipments to Cuba, while Mexico halted shipments under the threat of US tariffs. Cuba has not received oil since the first week of January. In early February, Deputy Prime Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said that the Cuban government would direct the remaining fuel to essential services – education, healthcare, and the supply of water and food. It was in this context that Díaz-Canel announced [https://www.granma.cu/cuba/2026-03-13/manana-comparecencia-del-primer-secretario-del-comite-central-del-partido-y-presidente-de-la-republica-12-03-2026-18-03-42] that Cuba and the United States had begun ‘a very sensitive process’ of talks aimed at addressing bilateral problems and taking ‘concrete actions for the benefit of the people of both countries’. A few days before the press conference, a delegation from the International Peoples’ Assembly met [https://peoplesdispatch.org/2026/03/15/cuba-will-survive-a-diary/] with Díaz-Canel, who told us that the situation in Cuba is very difficult but that his government is doing everything it can to alleviate the hardship faced by the Cuban people. At the same time, he said, the revolution would not abandon its socialist principles of sovereignty and dignity. The quiet conviction with which Díaz-Canel spoke comforted us, and his words reflected what we heard from the people we spoke to across Havana (we could not travel beyond the capital because of the fuel crisis created by the oil blockade). Trump’s latest assault on Cuba is a continuation of the illegal US blockade that began on 7 February 1962, when US President John F. Kennedy signed Proclamation 3447 under Section 620(a) of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act, and was later consolidated in July 1963 under the authority of the 1917 Trading with the Enemy Act. Kennedy’s move expanded the earlier trade restrictions imposed in 1960 and transformed them into a comprehensive ban on nearly all commercial and financial relations between the United States and Cuba. The blockade’s extraterritorial reach deepened over time, especially after 1991: the 1992 Torricelli Act barred foreign subsidiaries of US companies from trading with Cuba and imposed a 180-day restriction on vessels involved in trade with the island, and the 1996 Helms-Burton Act further – and illegally – extended the blockade’s reach to third countries and foreign companies. The policy, then as now, is explicitly designed to weaken a Cuba that had sought to chart a sovereign path out of subordination, first to Europe and then, after 1898, to the United States. The United States used the blockade to punish Cuba for its defiance of US control and for the example that Cuba had begun to represent for other countries of the Third World. From the outset, the blockade’s intent went beyond diplomacy: internal US government documents reveal a strategy explicitly aimed [https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v06/d499] at generating ‘economic dissatisfaction and hardship’ in Cuba to provoke political change. The blockade grew more complex and punitive over time. Rather than easing pressure during Cuba’s Special Period, which followed the fall of the Soviet Union when the island had lost its principal trading partner, the United States tightened its policy still further. Such extraterritorial enforcement directly conflicts with international trade norms and the sovereign rights of other states. The US blockade of Cuba is widely accepted to be illegal under international law because it violates core principles of state sovereignty, non-intervention, and the right of other states to engage in lawful trade. These principles are enshrined in the United Nations system and, most importantly, in the 1945 Charter of the United Nations, which affirms the sovereign equality of states, prohibits the threat or use of force against their territorial integrity or political independence, and forbids intervention in matters essentially within their domestic jurisdiction. For the sake of clarity, it is worth referring to the main legal principles and instruments that the United States has flouted since 1962: * The 1945 Charter of the United Nations Articles 2(1), 2(4), and 2(7) affirm state sovereignty, prohibit the threat or use of force against territorial integrity or political independence, and forbid interference in domestic affairs. * The 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-Operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations declares that no state may use economic, political, or any other measures to coerce another government in order to subordinate the exercise of its sovereign rights. * The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted in 1966 and entered into force in 1976) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (adopted in 1966 and entered into force in 1976) recognise the right of peoples to self-determination, including control over their economic systems. Apart from these explicit treaties in the United Nations system, there is also an older tradition of customary international law [https://thetricontinental.org/newsletterissue/venezuela-us-attack/] that protects freedom of international trade and that prohibits extraterritorial jurisdiction over third states. The blockade violates the principles of sovereign equality by attempting to dictate Cuba’s internal political and economic system. Its explicit intent to cause economic hardship constitutes unlawful intervention and coercion. The extraterritorial enforcement of US sanctions unlawfully interferes with the sovereign rights of third countries and their nationals. The absence of any United Nations Security Council authorisation further underscores the unilateral and coercive character of the blockade. > ‘This Is Our Moncada, Our Bay of Pigs,’ Says Young Cuban Communist Leader [https://orinocotribune.com/this-is-our-moncada-our-bay-of-pigs-says-young-cuban-communist-leader/] Every year since 1992 (except for 2020 when Covid prevented a vote), the United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to condemn the blockade of Cuba, describing it as contrary to international law and the UN Charter. These resolutions emphasise that the policy violates Cuba’s right to self-determination and obstructs normal economic relations between states. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, their consistency and near-universal support demonstrate a strong international consensus on the illegality of the measure. When the General Assembly held its most recent vote in October 2025, 165 out of 193 member states voted to end the blockade. Among them were some of the world’s most populous countries, such as Brazil, China, Nigeria, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Taken together, the countries that voted in favour represent approximately 92% [https://www.populationpyramid.net/world/2025/] of the world’s population. By any measure, the bulk of the world’s peoples oppose this illegal blockade. A nurse at the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Havana told me that it takes her over two hours to get to work from her home, but that she sees this inconvenience as part of her mission within the Cuban Revolution. It made me want to cry to hear the staff at the hospital talk about their commitment to their patients and to the Cuban revolutionary process. Because of the oil blockade and the resulting power fluctuations, the surgeons and nurses worry about performing delicate brain surgery. Their patients – some suffering from epilepsy or brain tumours – simply must wait. Dr. Orestes López Piloto, the director of the hospital, walks me through the main ward. “I come from the southern part of Oriente [in eastern Cuba]. My family are workers and farmers, Black people who worked the soil,” he told me. “I am a doctor and a surgeon because of the revolution. And because of it, I am at one of the main medical centres of the country.” He looked directly into my eyes and said, “There are people who are against the revolution. But there are many more of us who are for it. And we are not afraid.” (Tricontinental [https://thetricontinental.org/newsletterissue/us-blockade-cuba/]) — From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].

rss 4h ago

How the US-Israeli Aggression Against Iran Is Affecting the War in Ukraine

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37747

How the US-Israeli Aggression Against Iran Is Affecting the War in Ukraine - Abolish Capital!

By Dmitri Kovalevich – Mar 22, 2026 In the second half of March, the US and Israeli aggression against Iran is taking its toll on Ukraine. Retail stores are updating their prices daily, while the government is unable to keep gasoline prices in check through threats against sellers, as operators simply hide their product, creating artificial shortages. Following the rapid deindustrialization that accompanied ‘independent’ Ukraine’s secession from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the only remaining productive industry in the country is agriculture, specifically, the production of grain and corn for export. Ukrainian authorities now face a harsh choice: supply fuel to agrarians at the start of this year’s planting season, or divert dwindling fuel supplies to meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine remains the priority, in order that the proxy war by Western powers against the Russian Federation may continue. He stated on March 1 [https://t.me/Politnavigator/174608]: “The war in Iran has triggered a global fuel crisis. Our key task is to supply the army. Sowing is the second priority. After that come businesses and people.” European fuel suppliers have reduced [https://unn.ua/ru/news/sokrashchenie-importa-topliva-iz-yevropeiskikh-stran-chem-eto-grozit-ukraine] their supplies to Ukraine in order to meet demand in their own markets. Fuel shipments from Poland have been suspended for one week, while Romania and Moldova have also temporarily halted fuel exports. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán already halted sales of diesel fuel and gasoline [https://24tv.ua/economy/ru/vengrija-prekrashhaet-postavki-pochemu-ukraina-ostanetsja-bez_n3012144] to Ukraine in February due to Ukraine’s disruption of natural gas supply to the country through the Druzhba pipeline from Russia. As a result, Ukraine may be forced to seek fuel in more distant markets… and pay much higher prices for it. It is becoming increasingly clear that the Western imperialist powers cannot sustain two wars at once—one against Russia, the other against Iran. Danylo Getmantsev, head of Ukraine’s legislative committee on tax policy, says that Ukraine could face serious fuel shortages as early as April if the war with Iran drags on. “According to analysts of the Ukrainian fuel market, the situation with a shortage of fuel and lubricants may arise in our country in April,” he said in early March [https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/defitsit-benzina-v-ukraine-vozmozhen-uzhe-v-aprele-getmantsev-3036383.html]. To counter this, Getmantsev proposes exploring opportunities to establish a strategic reserve of petroleum products in partner countries. Andriy Gerus, head of the energy committee of the Ukrainian legislature, noted earlier in March [https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tsini-k-polshchi-chomu-palne-ukrayini-strimko-1773136102.html] that due to Russia’s shelling of oil depots, Ukraine has no remaining strategic fuel reserves. “Everything is operating on a just-in-time basis; there are no remaining stocks of cheaper resources, so any price change in Europe quickly translates into a price change in Ukraine.” He explains that fuel in Ukraine will always be more expensive than in Europe. Legislator Oleksandr Dubinsky, currently in jail accused of treason, believes [https://t.me/dubinskypro/29736] that due to the war against Iran, the economic situation in Ukraine has become critical, much like it was in February 2022 at the start of the war. “Society and the army are exhausted. Exchange rates, energy costs, and prices have risen. The budget deficit is widening. At the same time, uncertainty is growing,” Dubinsky explains. Nevertheless, according to Dubinsky, officials in Kiev believe that Ukraine is seen as too important in the global game to be allowed to fail, so money for its survival as a Western vassal will be found regardless of the widespread corruption that has further overwhelmed the Ukrainian economy beginning in 2022. Legislator Yuriy Boyko says [https://t.me/first_political/97782] that if oil reaches $200 per barrel, everyone will feel the impact. “In that case, the planting season will be at risk, and prices for goods will rise sharply. Ukrainians aren’t well-off to begin with, so we can’t let that happen,” the lawmaker says. Another legislator, Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk, has stated [https://lenta.ru/news/2026/03/06/na-ukraine-vzletevshiy-v-tsene-benzin-povliyal-na-vsu/] that high gasoline prices are already affecting the country’s military capabilities. According to him, the fuel being allocated by the Ministry of Defense is insufficient for the armed forces, causing grave problems. Even evacuations of wounded soldiers are being compromised. “The skyrocketing price of gasoline has become a serious warning sign for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the lawmaker warns. Ukraine’s European supporters will continue for some time to divert fuel resources away from their own needs in order to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces with gasoline, even at the expense of their own citizens. However, with every passing week and month that the war with Iran continues, the cost of such assistance will rise sharply for them. In March, Ukrainian lawmakers told Ukrainian media that European governments are urging them to assure Ukraine keeps fighting Russia for another year-and-a-half to two years. “The Europeans have told us ‘Keep fighting for another year and a half to two years; we’ll provide the money you need,’” reports the publication Zerkalo Nedeli [https://zn.ua/POLITICS/evropejtsy-prosjat-ukrainu-povoevat-eshche-poltora-dva-hoda-smi.html] on March 12. Under such pressure, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy has tasked the political leadership in the national legislature to continue functioning for several more years without an electoral mandate. The last national election Ukraine took place in April 2019, with a five-year mandate. It featured the banning of political parties deemed to be sympathetic to dialogue and good relations with Russia, a feature of the system that took power in February 2014 following a violent coup spearheaded by neo-Nazi paramilitaries. To so many Ukrainians, the urgings and hidden threats by the leaders of ‘civilized Europe’ mean they will continue to be abducted from their own streets for two more years by the recruiters of Kiev’s compulsory military service. None of the possible scenarios cited by Ukrainian military experts envisage a Russian defeat or the recapture of territories lost by Ukraine. In other words, the sole result of scenarios for continued war being urged is continued destruction of the Ukrainian population, all politely funded by European/NATO-member governments. This approach speaks volumes about the overall strategy of Kiev and its Western allies. Theirs is a ‘strategy’ of holding out for a while longer without any long-term expectation of peace, hoping for some ‘black swan’ event (‘extremely rare and unpredictable’) that will drastically change the geopolitical situation. In other words, Western imperialism and its Ukrainian stooges are pinning their hopes on a miracle that might save them all. Ukraine’s European ‘allies’, in truth, currently lack the funds to continue the war in Ukraine. They are negotiating [https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4863287-es-sohlasoval-reshenye-o-90-mlrd-dlia-ukrayny-smy] a €90 billion loan for the country, but as mentioned above, European Union member Hungary is currently blocking this proposal. Meanwhile, on March 18, Ukrainian media, citing a US State Department report, reported [https://t.me/stranaua/229761] that USAID auditors have uncovered irregularities in the oversight of the more than $30 billion in direct budget support to Kiev since February 2022. There are a great many corruption scandals festering in Ukraine, but none have acted as grounds for refusing further loans and financial aid, despite the evidence that much of that could be embezzled. Zelenskyy told the BBC [https://t.me/stranaua/229752] during a visit to Britain on March 17 (which included a warm welcome by the British monarchy [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/king-charles-zelensky-ukraine-uk-visit-b2940313.html]) that the war in Iran raises ominous forebodings about Ukraine’s future. Yet as Ukrainian media has noted [https://t.me/stranaua/229265], Zelensky is a firm supporter of that war. In a speech to the annual Munich Security Conference on February 14 [https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/vistup-prezidenta-ukrayini-na-myunhenskij-bezpekovij-konfere-102861], Zelensky called for measures to “immediately stop” Iran, without any delay. “Regimes like the one in Iran must not be given time. When they have time, they only kill more. They must be stopped immediately.” Then, on February 27, he told an interview with Sky News that he supported an operation to depose the Iranian leadership. Ukraine’s European allies are currently concerned with how to win back Donald Trump’s favor and persuade him to continue funding the Zelensky-led government in Kiev. Finnish President Alexander Stubb fears [https://t.me/stranaua/229763] that negotiations on Ukraine are approaching a “moment of truth” that could force Kiev to formally cede territory in the Donbass region to Moscow. (Populations there voted in 2022 and before that to secede from coup Ukraine and join the Russian Federation.) > American/Ukrainians Caught Arming Militants in Myanmar and the US Dirty War on China [https://orinocotribune.com/american-ukrainians-caught-arming-militants-in-myanmar-and-the-us-dirty-war-on-china/] Europe, Stubb says, finds itself in a difficult position due to reductions in direct US aid to Ukraine. He proposes an odd trade-off to resolve this dilemma, namely, an ‘exchange’ of military assistance by Ukraine to the US and “Israel” in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for continued assistance to Kiev’s war. That includes a proposal that the European Union agree to provide the US with military assistance to unblock the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for increases in direct US supplies to Ukraine. But this is wishful thinking. The European Union member-countries of NATO lack the military capabilities required to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. They do have experience (gained during the Ukrainian crisis) in buying time and ‘bogging down’ the crisis in the Middle East through numerous rounds of fruitless negotiations with Iran. The essence of the EU approach would see the Iranian side fulfilling certain conditions in the here and now, while the West and its allies promise to ‘do something’ to normalize relations, but at a later time. During the war in Ukraine, we witnessed endless negotiations in this vein under the ‘Minsk-1’ and ‘Minsk-2’ agreements in 2014 and early 2015. Then there was the ‘grain deal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_Grain_Initiative]’ of July 2022, whereby the Russian navy would allow Ukraine to export grain from Black Sea ports. In all these cases, Ukraine and the West failed to fulfill their part of the commitments. Oleg Yasinsky, a Ukrainian political analyst now living in Chile, commented on March 19 [https://t.me/olegyasynsky/2314] about the resistance of the Iranian people to aggression and the tradition of deception to which the West has consistently resorted during negotiations following military failures. “Once upon a time, the ancestors of today’s democratic world leaders negotiated with Indigenous peoples as they plundered and conquered them. At peace-signing ceremonies with the indigenous peoples of Patagonia, poison-laced whale carcasses were served at the table, while in the cold mountains of North America, smallpox-infected blankets and clothing were given as gifts to original peoples. “Today, from Minsk for Russia to Geneva for Iran, the peacemaking traditions of the ‘civilized world’ have not changed one bit in all this time. Therefore and unfortunately,” he concludes, “missiles are the only real negotiators today.” Zelensky is now desperately traveling around the world seeking to regain attention for his government as Iran becomes the main topic of global media. He is ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ of war against Iran in efforts to render some valuable service to Western imperialism and prove his continued usefulness. He has offered Ukrainian troops to guard “Israel [https://ua.news/en/ukraine/ukrana-gotova-do-peregovoriv-z-izrayilem-zelenskii]” and Western military bases [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/18/over-200-ukrainian-military-experts-in-gulf-region-to-counter-irans-drones] in the Gulf and in Cyprus [https://ru.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1152416.html#%3A%7E%3Atext=%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82+%D0%A3%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8B+%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80+%D0%97%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA]. Alas for him, Trump has dismissed his obsequious ‘servant,’ going so far as to say [https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/rus/news/2026/03/15/7233233/] that “Zelensky is the last person from whom we would need help.” According [https://t.me/slav_azaroff/3857] to Odessa-based anarchist Vyacheslav Azarov, Ukraine is scrambling to align itself with the dominant theme in international politics and position itself as a useful part of the crisis exploding in the Middle East. Demands for additional support to Kiev are being delivered from this new vantage point. However, in the end, Kiev may simply end up with “additional airstrikes accompanied by the friendly shrieking of minor allies who have no real influence” and a large, new adversary in the form of Iran.” Zelensky’s humiliating traveling and messaging does not go unnoticed in Ukraine. But the pompous president, who sees himself as a sage colonialist in the style of Winston Churchill and is continuously applauded by the governments of European countries, turns out to be a frightened servant, fearing that his ‘masters’ may abandon him. The war waged by Western imperialism against the Iranian people has once again underscored the weakness and dubious value of Zelensky’s government, whose image the West has artificially inflated for years through its media. (Al-Mayadeen English [https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/analysis/how-the-us-israeli-aggression-against-iran-is-affecting-the]) — From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].

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https://www.walknews.com/1244023/ メキシコＣＰＩ、3月前半は24年末以来の高水準　金利据え置きの見方 | ロイター #AMERS #BMXO #CAMER #CEN #DEST:NOJPTPM #DEST:NOJPWDM #DEST:NOJPZTM #ECI #ECO #EMRG #INFL #INT #JFOR #JLN #LATAM #MCE #Mexico #MX #NAMER #PLCY #TOPCMB #TOPNWS #TRN #メキシコ

rss 4h ago

The Economic Relationship Between Sanctions, Recovery, and Growth

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37699

The Economic Relationship Between Sanctions, Recovery, and Growth - Abolish Capital!

By Misión Verdad – Mar 24, 2026 The Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) published [https://www.bcv.org.ve/notas-de-prensa/superavit-de-us-2222-millones-registro-la-balanza-de-pagos] updated data on the country’s balance of payments. The institution had not published these figures since 2019. The balance of payments is the statistical record of all economic transactions (goods, services, and capital) carried out between all residents and businesses of a country and the rest of the world during a specific period. This figure illustrates how the country’s import/export trade performed. The published data corresponds to the end of 2025. According to the main national banking institution, total exports amounted to approximately 26.785 billion US dollars (USD). Oil exports totaled USD 18.212 billion. This represents 67.9% of the country’s total revenue from exports. The data suggest that while oil exports remain the essential basis of foreign exchange earnings for the country, the percentage of other, non-oil activities, has become more relevant. This is largely explained by the number of barrels of crude oil that have been exported. While Venezuela has revived its oil and fuel exports, these remain considerably lower compared to the years prior to 2019. BCV data also indicate that oil import expenditures totaled USD 2.521 billion, a reduction of 3.74% compared to 2024. This data is clearly linked to the import of goods and services intended for the development of hydrocarbon activity, which suggests that the reduction was associated with the restrictions imposed by hostile foreign trade measures such as the illegal US sanctions. Detailed analysis of the economic damage The figures released by the BCV illustrate a widespread and profound damage to hydrocarbon activities, which are the fundamental basis of the Venezuelan economy. The amounts obtained from oil exports in 2023, 2024, and 2025 are remarkably similar to those of 1997, 1998, and 1999, a time of very low oil prices when barrels of crude were priced between USD 10 and 15 internationally. The data indicates that similar amounts were received from oil exports during the years 2024 and 2025, this being an income in the lowest range, compared to the records from 2000 to 2019. Regarding the data released, economist Luis Oliveros indicated on social media [https://x.com/luisoliveros13/status/2036276917603606964] that Venezuela received, between 2019 and 2025 (seven years), an income similar to that which the country obtained in 2012 alone. Oliveros described the data for 2020 as “alarming”: “In 2012, the country received USD 93.097 billion; in 2020, it was USD 4.815 billion, a decrease of 95%,” the economist stated. The data shows a clear restriction of Venezuelan exports in terms of barrels due to the cycle of illegal sanctions. The drop in revenue over the past seven years meant that Venezuela did not obtain substantial benefits, for example, in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 cycles, when crude oils reached 100, 82, and 81 USD/barrel (Brent), respectively. This is significant. The impact of hostile trade measures must be estimated beyond net losses. It is also necessary to consider “lost profits”—or what the country failed to earn during those years. Considering the last cycle of high crude oil prices (2022, 2023, and 2024) and assuming that no sanctions had been issued against the national economy and that the country maintained the level of barrel production of 2013 (just before the first sanctions), Venezuela would have received about USD 250 billion. According to the record, non-oil activities last experienced a recession in 2021, registering -3.47%, thus reflecting the relationship of sanctions on hydrocarbons with the behavior of other sectors of the Venezuelan economy. Other relevant data The financial institution has disclosed other additional and complementary data. Throughout 2025, a balance of payments surplus (positive) of USD 2.2 billion was recorded [https://www.bcv.org.ve/notas-de-prensa/superavit-de-us-2222-millones-registro-la-balanza-de-pagos], reflecting a favorable external position. The institution also noted a recovery in the national gross domestic product (GDP). The economy completed 19 consecutive quarters of growth, expanding by 8.66% by the end of 2025. After a brutal drop in GDP, the Venezuelan economy began a path of year-on-year growth that slowed in 2025 with the end of some oil licenses. Photo: Banca y Negocios. [https://misionverdad.com/sites/default/files/BCV%202026%201.jpg] After a brutal drop in GDP, the Venezuelan economy began a path of year-on-year growth that slowed in 2025 with the end of some oil licenses. Photo: Banca y Negocios. Oil activity was the main driver of growth in 2025: it showed a significant growth of 13.41% in the fourth quarter of last year. Non-oil activity has grown since 2022, by 13.8% in 2022; 4.3% in 2023; 5.6% in 2024; and 6.3% in 2025, this sustained growth was clearly linked to the dynamics imposed by sanctions and licenses. The year of greatest growth in the non-oil sector is precisely the point of the Biden administration’s licensing policies. According to the Venezuelan media outlet specializing in economics, Banca y Negocios [https://www.bancaynegocios.com/datos-del-pib-recien-publicados-muestran-una-recuperacion-sostenida-y-dificil-tras-una-crisis-historica/] (Banking and Business), between 2021 and 2025, some sectors have stood out, such as construction, which shows high levels of sustained growth in the period, with a maximum of 86.19% in 2021 and a specific minimum of 0.54% in 2023, which can be described as very volatile behavior. “In 2024 and 2025, construction led the non-oil sectors with annualized increases of 20.17% and 30.72%. However, this is a sector that has suffered from a historical lag between 2013 and 2019, with drops exceeding 50% annually in 2017 and 2018,” the media outlet indicated. The growth of the non-oil sector in recent years was bolstered by the growth of the Construction, Mining, Financial Activities and Manufacturing sectors. Photo: Banca y Negocios. [https://misionverdad.com/sites/default/files/BCV%202026%202.jpg] The growth of the non-oil sector in recent years was bolstered by the growth in construction, mining, financial activities, and the manufacturing sectors. Photo: Banca y Negocios. They also highlight “financial activities” and “insurance”—despite the sharp drop of -21.14% in 2021—which has been offset by the expansions of 20.17% and 30.72% reported in 2024 and 2025, due to the dynamism of the digitization of payments and the growth of credit. “Mining” has also stood out in the last two annual periods, with above-average expansions of 14.85% in 2024 and 10.92% in 2025. “Growth has also been conditioned by a complex geopolitical situation due to the sanctions imposed by the United States on vital Venezuelan oil operations, which have hampered the possibilities of a more accelerated expansion,” the Banca y Negocios publication stated. Undoubtedly, the data illustrate a direct relationship between the dynamics of sanctions and oil licenses with other sectors of the economy. The impact of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade has been undeniable. (Misión Verdad [https://misionverdad.com/venezuela/la-relacion-economica-entre-sanciones-recuperacion-y-crecimiento]) Translation: Orinoco Tribune OT/JB/SL — From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].

rss 4h ago

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez Says Sanctions Must Be Lifted to Develop Economy & Provide Security for Investors

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37693

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez Says Sanctions Must Be Lifted to Develop Economy & Provide Security for Investors - Abolish Capital!

In order to facilitate the development of Venezuela’s economy and to provide security for investors, Venezuela has again demanded that the United States lift the illegal sanctions and blockade that it has maintained against the country since 2014. The request was made this Tuesday, March 24, by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez. “Politics also speaks, and we have asked President Trump, for the benefit of investors, not only for Venezuela, which needs it, that there be no sanctions against Venezuela or its economy, but also for investors,” she stated during a meeting with national and international investors. “A license does not provide the necessary certainty for a long-term investment.” From Miraflores Palace, the seat of the national government in Caracas, she cited as an example the case of the US transnational Chevron, which at one point was granted a license by the US regime. The license was then taken away [https://diariovea.com.ve/arrecia-ataque-imperial-cancelada-licencia-a-chevron/] by the US regime, and then it was granted again [https://diariovea.com.ve/maduro-chevron-fue-informada-de-la-concesion-de-licencias-para-seguir-sus-operaciones-en-venezuela/]. In that context, she emphasized that both the United States and Venezuelan governments must create “real conditions for investments in the country to develop in the short, medium, and long term. That’s why I speak about building real long-term bilateral relations; solid, with solid political and economic foundations.” She added that there must be “a clear cooperation agenda, and that is where I call for the legal environment of both countries to provide security to the investor.” “That is why we have insisted that the sanctions against Venezuela must cease, both as a matter of law but also so that investors feel confident that their investments here have a legislative and legal framework that provides them with that security,” she said. After launching a military attack on Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, and abducting the Constitutional and legitimate president, Nicolás Maduro [https://diariovea.com.ve/visita-consular-a-maduro-y-cilia-flores-confirmada-por-diosdado-cabello/], the Trump regime has issued licenses lifting a series of restrictions that they themselves unilaterally imposed [https://diariovea.com.ve/trump-amenaza-con-imponer-aranceles-de-25-a-paises-que-compren-petroleo-venezolano/] for 12 years against the Venezuelan hydrocarbon sector in their eagerness to destroy the Venezuelan economy and overthrow the national government. It is worth noting that most of these “licenses” cover authorizations for US industries; however, they also include restrictions on countries that the US considers its enemies [https://diariovea.com.ve/licencia-46-que-si-que-no-analisis-de-william-castillo/]: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, or Cuba. On February 18, the US regime extended [https://diariovea.com.ve/eeuu-y-su-constante-arremetida-prorrogo-bloqueo-contra-venezuela/] for another year the sanctions imposed on March 8, 2015, by then-President Barack Obama, in Executive Order 13692, which laughably declared Venezuela as an “unusual and extraordinary threat [https://diariovea.com.ve/hallazgo-informes-publicos-de-inteligencia-gringa-demuestran-que-venezuela-nunca-ha-sido-amenaza-para-eeuu/].” Since 2015, both Obama and the presidents who succeeded him, namely Donald Trump in his first term (2017-2021) and in his second (2025-) [https://diariovea.com.ve/venezuela-denuncia-uso-de-sanciones-como-instrumento-de-transnacionales/], as well as Joe Biden (2021-2025), have imposed more than a thousand sanctions [https://diariovea.com.ve/eeuu-y-su-constante-arremetida-prorrogo-bloqueo-contra-venezuela/] on Venezuela. This is the fifth time in the last two months that the acting president has asked the Trump administration to lift the sanctions against Venezuela [https://diariovea.com.ve/delcy-rodriguez-a-petro-no-se-puede-aranceles-cero-porque-venezuela-esta-sancionada/]. One of those requests was on March 14, when she rejected Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s proposal for zero tariffs on all bilateral trade, citing the inequality caused by US sanctions against the nation. “President Trump, this is the sentiment of our people, but it is also the way for Latin America, which you have referred to, to move forward together with balanced and equitable growth, where Venezuela also contributes to regional growth,” Rodríguez stated on March 14. “From here, Venezuela, in national unity, calls for the lifting of sanctions, the end of the blockade, and the establishment of cooperative, friendly, and collaborative relationships based on equality and respect.” On February 26, 2026, 48 hours after Donald Trump referred to Venezuela as a “new partner and friend,” Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed a message to the US president requesting that he end the blockade and sanctions against the nation [https://diariovea.com.ve/delcy-rodriguez-a-trump-como-amigo-y-socios-de-eeuu-que-somos-cese-el-bloqueo-y-las-sanciones/]. That was the first appeal. The following day, February 27, the acting president of Venezuela again demanded an end to the economic blockade imposed by the US [https://diariovea.com.ve/presidenta-encargada-reitera-exigencia-a-eeuu-ya-no-mas-bloqueos-contra-nuestro-pais/] against the country, calling for a reminder that it has significantly affected the local economy due to the restrictions placed on industries in the hydrocarbon sector. On March 2, Rodríguez again asked the US president to lift the blockade and the unilateral coercive measures that his country maintains against Venezuela. Guaranteed investments This Tuesday, March 24, after expressing her satisfaction with the presence of a delegation of international and national investors, the acting president highlighted that this sector has guarantees so that its investments can develop extensively. She affirmed to investors that “those who think, believe, based on the numbers and the analyses, that this is a good time and that Venezuela is a good place to invest, should know that they have guarantees, legal security, political security, stability, and peace of mind so that their investments can develop extensively, not only in the hydrocarbon sector, where there are many opportunities, but also in the mining sector.” She noted that Venezuela, in addition to having the largest oil reserves on the planet, also has “one of the largest gold reserves in the world,” as well as reserves of bauxite and diamonds—”gigantic reserves that undoubtedly become a space for investment and development. ” She recalled that these large resources should have an impact on the development of the national economy and on Venezuelan industry. “That’s why I am so pleased that you can have meetings with Venezuelan businesspeople, because it allows you to know that there are business chambers here for each sector and that you can talk with your counterparts in the country and form alliances that will boost the national industry and the Venezuelan productive sectors,” she added. She emphasized that the meetings between international investors and productive sectors, entrepreneurs, and businesspeople in Venezuela allow the parties to follow a joint path “so that we can move forward and so that you can see firsthand the progress we have made in the economic sphere and environment.” The event was attended by the Vice President of Economy and Finance Calixto Ortegam the Minister of Ecological Mining Development Héctor Silva, the Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao, and the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Foreign Trade Anabel Pereira. The Mining Law will be approved within hoursThe acting president informed investors that the Organic Law of Mines, currently being debated in the National Assembly, is expected to be approved this week. She stated that the law “makes significant progress in international standards and protocols for investment and mining and in business models for the mining sector.” In that regard, she noted, “There is tax relief being introduced” in the legislation, which will be approved between Wednesday and Thursday of this week. She indicated that this “is very good news for sectors that want to invest in this area.” The National Parliament approved, in its first discussion, on Monday, March 9 [https://diariovea.com.ve/an-aprobo-en-primera-discusion-ley-organica-de-minas/], the Organic Law of Mines Bill, whose objective is to promote national and international investment in the country’s mining sector. Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela is making progress in important legislative reforms that can provide greater legal certainty to investors in the country. In that context, she recalled that the first law that was reformed was the Organic Hydrocarbons Law, “which took very important steps, based on experience that we had, in the last two years, established within the framework of the economic blockade and sanctions, a legislative framework that allowed for creative forms of association with both national and international investment sectors, one of which became very famous, which is the CPP, Productive Participation Contract in Hydrocarbons.” > “We’re Playing the Caribbean Game”: Franco Vielma on Venezuela’s Hydrocarbons Law and Strategic Resistance [https://orinocotribune.com/were-playing-the-caribbean-game-franco-vielma-on-venezuelas-hydrocarbons-law-and-strategic-resistance/] Regarding the CPPs, she said on Tuesday that the contract allowed the investment of nearly one billion dollars in 2025 to “allow us to recover 200,000 barrels of oil,” that is, to increase production. “This type of business partnership is incorporated into the new Hydrocarbons Law,” she explained. “The reform also includes a new tax regime, with special incentives for investment in green fields, which were not previously considered but rather treated the same as type A fields, the brown fields. Now they have a practically new system, a tax regime for investments that allows for a faster recovery of the investment made in the country in these green fields.” On Thursday, January 29, before an audience of oil sector workers and deputies to the National Assembly, the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, promulgated the partial reform of the Hydrocarbons Law [https://diariovea.com.ve/promulgada-reforma-de-la-ley-de-hidrocarburos-evidencia-unidad-de-venezuela-por-la-felicidad-del-pueblo/], which was unanimously approved hours earlier [https://diariovea.com.ve/an-sanciona-por-unanimidad-reforma-de-ley-organica-de-hidrocarburos/] by the National Assembly. On March 24, Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela, in addition to having the largest crude oil reserves on the planet, wants to be an oil-producing powerhouse. Finally, she added that the national government maintains a working agenda with companies that are arriving in the country. (Diario VEA [https://diariovea.com.ve/bajarle-dos-a-las-licencias-asomo-venezuela-a-trump/]) by Yuleidys Hernández Toledo Translation: Orinoco Tribune OT/JB/SL — From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/] via This RSS Feed [https://orinocotribune.com/feed/].

rss 4h ago

UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37691

UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action - Abolish Capital!

Statement released by the United Autoworkers union on March 24, 2026. The UAW today condemned the shooting of striking workers at the Tornel Rubber Company in Tultitlán, Mexico [https://mexicosolidarity.com/striking-workers-attacked-at-tornel-rubbers-tultitlan-plant-4-workers-shot/], calling it a grave attack on fundamental labor and human rights and urging swift action by Mexican authorities and USMCA partners. On March 18, four workers were injured when armed assailants opened fire on workers on night duty as they lawfully exercised their right to strike. The strike at Tornel Rubber Company stems from alleged violations of the Mexican Rubber Industry Contract-Law, including: * Non-implementation of a 40-hour workweek * Unpaid 44-day year-end bonus * Denial of proper vacation premium (25–31 days) * Failure to pay social security contributions * Non-recognition of official paid holidays (Feb. 5, Mar. 21) The UAW is calling on Mexican authorities to ensure the safety of workers and to carry out a transparent investigation to hold those responsible accountable. The situation reflects broader concerns about efforts within the rubber industry to weaken established labor standards and collective bargaining agreements. The UAW is urging the governments of the United States and Canada to take immediate action under the USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. Specifically, the UAW is calling for USTR to immediately self-initiate a complaint under the USMCA’s Rapid Response Mechanism. “What happened at Tornel Rubber is an outrage. It’s an attack on human rights, on labor rights, and on the basic democratic freedoms of workers. The right to strike, to organize, and to bargain collectively are non-negotiable. When workers are met with gunfire for exercising those rights, the UAW will not tolerate it. We’re committed to fighting like hell to make sure every worker can stand up, organize, and demand what they’re owed without facing violence,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. The UAW emphasized that failure to respond decisively risks undermining labor reforms and trade commitments across North America. UAW Demands: * Immediate protection for Tornel workers and their families * Full enforcement of the Rubber Industry Contract-Law * Public condemnation of the attack by Mexican authorities and industry leaders * Independent USMCA complaint initiated by the U.S. The UAW reaffirmed its solidarity with Tornel workers, who voted on March 22 to continue their strike. * People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/claudia-sheinbaum-press-conference-october-16-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/] March 25, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on Plan B electoral reform, Housing for Wellbeing and housing as a social right, polls, and consular protection for Mexican migrants in the US. * Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/abby-martin-jay-watts-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 If citizens in Western democracies were asked whether their militaries should build public infrastructure instead of waging war, they would almost certainly choose the latter. Abby Martin’s newest film “The Greatest Enemy of the Earth,” documents the environmental cost of the American empire. * UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/uaw-shawn-fain-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/ Labor [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/labor/] | News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 The US-based autoworkers union called for immediate protection for Tornel workers and their families, as well as a public condemnation of the attack by Mexican authorities and industry leaders. The post UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/] 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/].

rss 4h ago

Strike Ends at Colegio de Bachilleres After Agreement with Workers

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37684

Strike Ends at Colegio de Bachilleres After Agreement with Workers - Abolish Capital!

This article by Gloria López originally appeared in the March 24, 2026 edition of [https://oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/metropoli/termina-paro-laboral-en-colegio-de-bachilleres-tras-acuerdo-con-trabajadores-29152685] El Sol de México [https://oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/metropoli/termina-paro-laboral-en-colegio-de-bachilleres-tras-acuerdo-con-trabajadores-29152685]. After several days of the work stoppage that kept thousands of students without classes, the Colegio de Bachilleres (COLBACH) announced the resumption of its academic and administrative activities starting tomorrow, March 25, after reaching an agreement with the workers’ union. In a statement, it was reported that the agreement was reached through dialogue between system authorities and the National Independent Union of Workers of the Colegio de Bachilleres (SINTCB), which allowed the strike that affected 20 schools in Mexico City and the State of Mexico since March 19 to be lifted. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-100.png] Following the agreement reached, classes and administrative work will officially resume at all campuses and offices. Authorities emphasized that dialogue was key to building consensus and addressing labour demands in accordance with the legal framework. The Colegio de Bachilleres reported that it will implement academic strategies to recover learning and regularize school trajectories, with the aim of avoiding negative impacts on the educational development of students. Finally, the institution called on the student community, teachers, and administrative staff to return to activities, reiterating its commitment to the right to education. * People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/claudia-sheinbaum-press-conference-october-16-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera March 25 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-25/] March 25, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on Plan B electoral reform, Housing for Wellbeing and housing as a social right, polls, and consular protection for Mexican migrants in the US. * Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/abby-martin-jay-watts-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Ecocidal Militarism [https://mexicosolidarity.com/ecocidal-militarism/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 If citizens in Western democracies were asked whether their militaries should build public infrastructure instead of waging war, they would almost certainly choose the latter. Abby Martin’s newest film “The Greatest Enemy of the Earth,” documents the environmental cost of the American empire. * UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/uaw-shawn-fain-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/ Labor [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/labor/] | News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### UAW Condemns Violent Attack on Tornel Rubber Workers in Mexico, Urges Action [https://mexicosolidarity.com/uaw-condemns-violet-attack-on-tornel-rubber-workers-in-mexico-urges-action/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 The US-based autoworkers union called for immediate protection for Tornel workers and their families, as well as a public condemnation of the attack by Mexican authorities and industry leaders. The post Strike Ends at Colegio de Bachilleres After Agreement with Workers [https://mexicosolidarity.com/strike-ends-at-colegio-de-bachilleres-after-agreement-with-workers/] 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/].

rss 11h ago

Hit & Run: Tornel Rubber Company Didn’t Attend Labour Conciliation Hearing

https://news.abolish.capital/post/37652

Hit & Run: Tornel Rubber Company Didn’t Attend Labour Conciliation Hearing - Abolish Capital!

This article by Silvia Chávez originally appeared in the March 24, 2026 edition of [https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2026/03/24/estados/representacion-de-hulera-tornel-no-asiste-a-audiencia-de-conciliacion-con-trabajadores] La Jornada [https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2026/03/24/estados/representacion-de-hulera-tornel-no-asiste-a-audiencia-de-conciliacion-con-trabajadores], Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper. Tultitlán, Mexico. Representatives of the Hulera Tornel company did not appear at the conciliation hearing scheduled by the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labour Registration of Mexico City for this Tuesday, reported union leader Gerardo Alberto Meneses Ávila, who said that 1,051 workers are maintaining the strike movement that began on February 23. “The National Union of Workers of the Tornel Company attended the meeting, but the employers did not attend, although they were not obligated to attend, they should have been present because it is a matter of interest to their workers,” stated the union’s general secretary, Meneses Ávila, who said that he went to the Federal Center at ten in the morning accompanied by a lawyer. He commented that the company was duly notified four days ago and the union representatives promptly attended the call from the labour authority with the objective of enforcing and protecting the labour rights of the 1,051 workers of the Tornel company; he stressed that in these times of transformation the working class expects actions with labour justice. [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-99.png] Representatives from the Hulera Tornel company failed to appear at the conciliation hearing scheduled by the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labour Registration in Mexico City for Tuesday, reported union leader Gerardo Alberto Meneses Ávila. Photo: Silvia Chávez González Gerardo Alberto Meneses stated that the union filed a formal complaint at the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labour Registration in Mexico City, through which the union requests the intervention of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the Secretary of Labour and Social Welfare, Marath Baruch Bolaños López, the Governor of the State of Mexico, Delfina Gómez Álvarez, and the Head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada Molina. He emphasized that the intervention of the aforementioned authorities is for a solution to the labour conflict, in which the employer is not complying with the legal framework in labour matters, affecting 1,051 workers and their families. He stated that the resistance continues and that the path will be followed in the Labour Court, that the union went to a conciliation, but there was no response. It is worth remembering that last Sunday, the union base, by majority vote, with 883 votes in favor and 113 against, endorsed the outbreak of the strike that began on February 23 in its four plants located in the municipalities of Azcapotzalco (two), Miguel Hidalgo (one), in Mexico City and in the municipality of Tultitlán (one), State of Mexico. * Hit & Run: Tornel Rubber Company Didn’t Attend Labour Conciliation Hearing [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/turnel-workers-strike-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/hit-run-tornel-rubber-company-didnt-attend-labour-conciliation-hearing/ Labor [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/labor/] | News Briefs [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/news-brief/] #### Hit & Run: Tornel Rubber Company Didn’t Attend Labour Conciliation Hearing [https://mexicosolidarity.com/hit-run-tornel-rubber-company-didnt-attend-labour-conciliation-hearing/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 On March 18, striking workers on the picket line at a Tornel Rubber plant were attacked by an armed shock group of over sixty men. Four workers were shot. * Failing the Stress Test: What the Measles Resurgence in Mexico Reveals About a Fragmented Health System [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/imss-centro-medico-cdmx-large-1024x683.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/failing-the-stress-test-what-the-measles-resurgence-in-mexico-reveals-about-a-fragmented-health-system/ Analysis [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/analysis/] #### Failing the Stress Test: What the Measles Resurgence in Mexico Reveals About a Fragmented Health System [https://mexicosolidarity.com/failing-the-stress-test-what-the-measles-resurgence-in-mexico-reveals-about-a-fragmented-health-system/] March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 Surveying the land, 13 months into Mexico’s most recent outbreak. * People’s Mañanera March 24 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/claudia-sheinbaum-press-conference-september-26-large-1024x682.jpg]https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-24/ Mañanera [https://mexicosolidarity.com/category/mananera/] #### People’s Mañanera March 24 [https://mexicosolidarity.com/peoples-mananera-march-24/] March 24, 2026 President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on electoral reform, PAN, femicide, and diesel prices. The post Hit & Run: Tornel Rubber Company Didn’t Attend Labour Conciliation Hearing [https://mexicosolidarity.com/hit-run-tornel-rubber-company-didnt-attend-labour-conciliation-hearing/] 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/].