Caracas Chronicles

For Tuesday, November 29, 2016. Translated by Javier Liendo.

Nicolás thinks that only oil exporting countries can be rentier states, that an economy dependant on coltan or titanium dioxyde, isn’t rentierism. As he played with a gold bar, he spoke of the film “Blood Diamond,” but he said nothing about the massacres committed by the military. He signed 39 job permits for mining exploitation in Nacupae (El Callao, Bolívar state) and a foreign exchange agreement that allows touristic operators to offer their services in dollars. Claiming that we’ll soon become the first or second gold reserve in the world and that we have enough gold reserves for the next 100 years, he predicted that 2017 will be the “first year of the new history of the new Venezuelan economy,” because 2016 “marked the last year of the rentier capitalist dependant model”; which makes the dollar at Bs. 3,700 a clear consequence of that end.

Earlier he decorated ambassador Bernardo Álvarez posthumously with the Orden Francisco de Miranda, suggesting to President Obama that it would be an act of respect for him to repeal the executive order that penalized some corrupt members of his government, because he doesn’t like the fact that Venezuela’s considered an unusual and extraordinary threat for the United States. That’s why he’ll create the Misión Bernardo Álvarez, to “reveal the truth about Venezuela to the world,” meaning, more propaganda! He leaves for Cuba tomorrow to pay his respects to Fidel Castro.

But, how’s inflation?

Right now, the highest denomination bill in Venezuela is worth $0.02. (…) Our daily inflation is as high as the yearly inflation in other countries.

Right now, the highest denomination bill in Venezuela is worth $0.02. The bolívar suffered a 60% depreciation in the black market in a month. The head of Cendas, Oscar Meza, reported that inflation increases by 1.5% daily and that it could reach 450% in November. Our daily inflation is as high as the yearly inflation in other countries. The minimum wage’s purchasing power fell by 5.3% and salaries aren’t even enough to eat. For November, Meza predicts that the hike on the Basic Food Basket’s price -which reached Bs. 429,626 in October- could be equal to a minimum wage. The evidence says that in 2017, Venezuela will experience an even more voracious inflation than we’ve endured in 2016, but you know, the end of capitalism.

An so, we must trust the OPEC

Oil minister and head of PDVSA, Eulogio Del Pino, met with his Argelian counterpart, Noureddine Boutarfa, and said that “what’s going to happen in the next two days will not only be important for oil prices, but also for the future of world economy,” adding that he feels optimistic. This Wednesday in Vienna, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to provide details of the application of the agreement to reduce production in a range between 32.5 and 33 million daily barrels in an attempt to stabilize oil prices.

Some analysts are less optimistic than Del Pino about these negotiations, for several reasons: Trump’s election completely changes the scenario, the agreement is demanded by the more oil-dependant countries (such as Venezuela and Nigeria,) the important rivalries between some member states (Saudi Arabia and Irán) and the delicate situation of production in countries at wear (such as Libya and Iraq.) On the other side of the scales we have Russia and their willingness to sign, but several member countries of the OPEC asked to be exempted from any measure that could affect their production.

Serious

it’s necessary to establish responsibilities for the actions taking place in social media, but mind you: censorship won’t be different than the one applied in other countries

Andrés Eloy Médez, head of the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL,) said yesterday during a TV interview: “In CONATEL, with a study of comparative international law, adapted to our constitutional and revolutionary premises, we’re adjusting the rules and provisions for internet use and all of these new technologies,” because according to him, they can’t allow social networks to be the scenario for violence and instigation, that it’s necessary to establish responsibilities for the actions taking place in social media, but mind you: censorship won’t be different than the one applied in other countries. Sadly, he didn’t clarify if they got their inspiration from China, Iran or Russia.

Much more serious

Human Rights activist Inti Rodríguez said that the Operation for People’s Liberation (OLP) has committed 850 extrajudicial executions, which means that there are institutionalized death squads that murder people in poor sectors

Journalist Javier Ignacio Mayorca offered this information on Twitter: “At least 47 police/military officers were arrested for different crimes all over the country last week.” This Monday, lawmaker Delsa Solórzano reported that according to testimonies of families of the people that disappeared in Barlovento, they’re yet to find Freddy Hernández and Gilmar Rengifo. Solórzano also reported tortures and cruel treatment took place before extrajudicial executions, a pattern identified by UCAB’s Human Rights Center in 2014. Human Rights activist Inti Rodríguez said that the Operation for People’s Liberation (OLP) has committed 850 extrajudicial executions, which means that there are institutionalized death squads that murder people in poor sectors. The crimes committed by these officers aren’t isolated events, unlike the statements issued by the Prosecutor’s Office.

Mercosur according to Delcy

During the 21st Social Summit of the Common Market, the Foreign Affairs minister expressed her indignation for the founding countries’ political intolerance, claiming that Venezuela provided the bloc with a social dimension, that the country has demonstrated its system’s efficiency with its temporary presidency -which one?- and remarking that they will neither leave the bloc nor be suspended. Delcy asked Venezuelans currently living in the bloc’s member countries to protest on December 1st before the embassies to express their support to the nation. So you, who are part of the diaspora, go and demand the inclusion of this deplorable regime in a bloc where it’s not wanted. And Nicolás accuses Ramos Allup of being mad as hell.

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There are also good news: Inés Quintero, member of the National Academy of History, was awarded the Mujer Analítica 2016 prize, granted by the Center of Studies for Citizen Participation and the Civil Association for Women and Citizenship. Inés Mercedes, the wise one -as her sister Valentina calls her- is a great teacher and writer, and she’s also created wonderful scripts for her micro radio show “No es cuento, es historia.” She deserves 30 awards more. Read the speech she prepared for Ramón J. Velásquez’s hundredth year on Prodavinci!