Briefing

The Diesel Shortage Is a Governmental Decision

“Fuel in Venezuela isn’t a matter of production, it’s a political strategy”; FEDENAGA president Armando Chacín warned about the low operative levels of the milk and cattle sectors; Violating their own decree on labor immovability, at least 800 workers of the National Assembly have been fired by Jorge Rodríguez, said Juan Carlos García, leader of the Assembly Guild.

Naky Soto
  • Iván Freites, from the Federation of Oil Workers, rejected the notion of the diesel fuel crisis being caused by sanctions that block production: “Fuel in Venezuela isn’t a matter of production, it’s a political strategy,” he said. “Today we produce 65,000 barrels of diesel fuel and 50,000 barrels of gas (…) But Cuba is the priority, then contraband and Venezuela comes third,” he said. 
    • FEDENAGA president Armando Chacín warned about the low operative levels of the milk and cattle sectors, working at 10% of their installed capacity for lack of diesel fuel. He explained that the productive sector needs an average of 20,000 barrels per day for harvest and production. 
  • Since the ILO will devote one day to Venezuela on March 20th because of all the protocols, recommendations and agreements that the government has ignored, Maduro’s Assembly created on Thursday its own version of what has happened and quickly approved an agreement to review and evaluate the international agreements protecting workers rights. 
  • The PSUV majority rejected Fedecámaras communique to the ILO accusing the Venezuelan State of harassing the business sector. Jorge Rodríguez said they were hypocritical and called it a perverse strategy because it causes damage to the dialogue process. 
  • The combined activity of the Commerce Ministry and SUNDDE, in addition to threatening to apply price controls again, could unleash tragic shortages amid a complex humanitarian emergency, already pretty serious because of the fuel shortage, hyperinflation, de facto dollarization and the pandemic. 
  • Violating their own decree on labor immovability, at least 800 workers of the National Assembly have been fired by Jorge Rodríguez, said Juan Carlos García, leader of the Assembly Guild. 
    • These workers were hired in 2016, when the AN had an opposition majority. Education system Fe y Alegría reported that over 73.54% of their workers haven’t been paid their salaries since the payroll was migrated to the Patria system. 
  • PAHO announced that Venezuela ran 21,583 antigen tests since October 2020, after receiving 340,000 antigen tests and 35 readers. 
  • PAHO also announced the arrival of 55 tons of personal protection gear, medicine and supplies for ORs, as stated in the agreement signed by the Health Ministry and the AN elected in 2015. 
  • Juan Guaidó assured that they’ll approve an agreement to finance Venezuela’s access to COVAX vaccines. In theory, they’ll commit to a neutral vaccination campaign and sanitary criteria. 
  • Táchira governor Laidy Gómez condemned the politicization of the vaccination plan in the state, since only Cuban doctors and Barrio Adentro Mission personnel were vaccinated in some municipalities. 
  • Chairman of the Electoral Nomination Committee Giusseppe Alessandrello reported that the period for nominations ends this Friday, March 19th. 
    • Alessandrello didn’t specify how many nominations are being contested but said the candidates are being notified of the objections against them so they can present their defense arguments. There are 13 nominations being contested in a list of 74 candidates. 
  • NGO Control Ciudadano published a report on the Armed Forces’ most influential officers and politicians, revealing how Maduro and Diosdado Cabello have lost their influence. Current Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López is the individual with the most influence, he’s responsible for developing the strategy to use the Armed Forces to control power in Venezuela, among other things. 
  • Students announced that they’ll mobilize starting April 19th to demand the end of the crisis and dignified life for every Venezuelan. They asked UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to pay attention and guarantee that the authorities will allow them to carry on with their actions. 
  • A Laser Airlines plane leaving for Mexico had a gas leak during take-off in Maiquetía. Everyone who evaluated the event said that the airport and the crew’s protocols were terrible. 
  • Julio Borges protested Maduro’s participation in the 27th Ibero American Summit that will take place on April, 21st. He said that Nicolás’s attendance would contradict the event’s democratic principles and an insult to victims of severe human rights violations in Venezuela.
  • The EU issued new sanctions against 19 chavista officials and eight European countries decided to sanction too: North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, which the EU “satisfactorily welcomed”.

Naky Soto

Naky gets called Naibet at home and at the bank. She coordinates training programs for an NGO. She collects moments and turns them into words. She has more stories than freckles.

Related