Caracas Chronicles

• Chavismo imposed Freddy Bernal as the protector of Táchira after losing a regional election, and his son Tamani Bernal beat and threatened citizens in a food court in San Cristóbal on January 22nd, just because they witnessed another beating. Nicola Di Gioia, the owner of a store, his employees and customers, endured degrading and cruel treatment by FAES. Tamani asked Di Gioa to hand over his phone; and when he refused Bernal hit him and an officer choked him while the other officers hit employees and clients. He was handcuffed and the security guard held at gunpoint. The guard sustained fractures because he fell from the second floor. Di Gioa was taken to FAES headquarters. While he was moved, Bernal played with a grenade and said “fucker, you’re going to explode”. Di Gioa was forced to sign a fake statement. “I’m the devil, I’m the law here. Unblock your phone or the beating will be worse,” was part of Bernal’s threat. The case has already been taken to the Public Ministry. Laura Virginia Hurtado, another victim. 
• Tamani’s father appeared on Tuesday to accuse Juan Guaidó of being part of a terrorist operation called “Red October” to stop the election on December 6th. It’s a name they’ve used before but two people have been detained already. 
• Maduro’s Assembly wants to detain Guaidó. Jorge Rodríguez authorized requesting the governments of  Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Colombia, Panama and the U.S. Congress to investigate Guaidó for allegedly trying to steal Venezuelan assets. 
• Eneida Laya, Maduro’s Commerce minister, reported that the regime will decide the fees for Simple TV, what’s left after DirecTV left the country and its assets were bought by another company. 
• Maduro appointed Carmen Meléndez as vice president of Citizen Security.
• Deputy José Manuel Olivares said that the improvised management of the pandemic in Venezuela has caused the deaths of over 2,000 people. He assured that the management has been erratic and disorganized, and now there’s a 60% occupancy rate in ICUs and 65% of ER beds. 
• Six healthcare workers have died of coronavirus between January 22nd and 25th, reported NGO Médicos Unidos por Venezuela, for a total of 322 deaths. 
• Every speech from Maduro is now a mandatory broadcast. And in one of them, Maduro admitted that vaccination has been difficult but that he didn’t know of the rest of the system’s problems. He read a report about deteriorating infrastructure in hospitals, equipment, lack of supplies, and risk of infections. He appointed a military officer to lead this. 
• The AN Delegate Commission appointed Guillermo Rodríguez Laprea as general manager of  Monómeros Colombo Venezolanos S.A. 
• Deputy Williams Dávila said that the Treasury Department  authorized the use of part of the frozen funds to alleviate the coronavirus emergency, “but the regime hasn’t used them because they want to stick to their story blaming other people.” 
• PDVSA paralyzed El Palito and Cardón refineries, which were among the few producing gas. FUTPV’s executive secretary Freddy Alvarado explained that El Palito has been paralyzed for a month and could stay that way for another month and a half.
• PDVSA inventory dropped this week to the lowest level since the end of November, said Reuters. The inventory of Merey 16 dropped to  4.85 million barrels on January 25th, because the exports have increased despite the sanctions with “unknown companies that have replaced traditional buyers.” 
• On Monday, Colombian citizen Alex Saab left the prison for house arrest in Cape Verde.
• Maduro was upset because YouTube censored VTV’s account because they posted about their medicine, Carvativir. 
• Joe Biden’s administration warned Maduro that they won’t let corruption or human rights violations slide. “The government’s goal is to support a peaceful, democratic transition in Venezuela, through free and fair elections,” said Jen Psaki. She added that the new government will seek to reinforce diplomatic pressure and emphasized that the Biden administration will focus on the humanitarian crisis. 
• The Czech Foreign Minister ratified that their position hasn’t changed, that they recognize caretaker President Juan Guaidó and don’t recognize the election on December 6th. 
• Former Colombian Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo died of coronavirus. He was an important ally of the democratic cause for Venezuela. Rest in peace. 

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Azul Positivo workers were taken back to DGCIM cells, where they’ll continue their treatment after being hospitalized for COVID-19 for a couple of days. The team has been detained for 14 days, for working with humanitarian aid programs.