Caracas Chronicles

• We, the Migrants
  • Chile started digging a ditch on the border separating Colchane and Bolivia, in an effort to prevent migrants from crossing into the country.
  • Fabiola Zavarce asked for empathy and solidarity for Venezuelan migrants, after the death of Mariné Castellano when she was crossing the Tapón de Darién.
  • A Venezuelan migrant was killed with a machete in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
  • Kelvin Zambrano, member of the Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy, demanded a fair process in the case of Moisés Cordero, a student who lost an eye when he was shot pellets by a GNB officer.
• Four explosions were registered at the start of the “armed strike” declared by the ELN in Colombia. Nine people died in Santander and Jelly, a K9 officer, died when it found an explosive in Cucuta. During these “armed strikes” guerillas subject the population to several days of confinement and terror, restricting transportation and threatening with more attacks. There was graffiti with messages against the criminal gang Tren de Aragua on some houses in Táchira and Santander. As always, even though the ELN’s impositions impact Venezuelan citizens living on the border, chavismo remains silent.
• NGO SOS Orinoco warned that the environmental impact of illegal mining in Canaima has gotten worse since 2015. Since 2000, we’ve lost an average of 1,483 hct. per year, but it increased to 3,600 hct. per year since 2015. “In the last five years, we’ve lost vegetation twice as fast as in the previous 15 years. Illegal mining in Canaima National Park has expanded 8.4 times since 2000.” Illegal mining, threats on the Pemon people and mercury contamination of rivers and Indigenous communities has increased. SOS Orinoco included non-sustainable tourism in Canaima, from illegal buildings and using the top of a tepuy as a place for parties. 

• We, the Migrants
  • Chile started digging a ditch on the border separating Colchane and Bolivia, in an effort to prevent migrants from crossing into the country.
  • Fabiola Zavarce asked for empathy and solidarity for Venezuelan migrants, after the death of Mariné Castellano when she was crossing the Tapón de Darién.
  • A Venezuelan migrant was killed with a machete in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
  • Kelvin Zambrano, member of the Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy, demanded a fair process in the case of Moisés Cordero, a student who lost an eye when he was shot pellets by a GNB officer.
• Rocío San Miguel, president of Control Ciudadano, denounced that there have been seven accidents with MI-17 helicopters in 13 years, which have left 46 deaths and five injured. The helicopters were bought from Russia by the late Hugo Chávez.

University professors started migrating in 2015 because of the political crisis and precarious work conditions. In Lara, they reported that there are only 1,200 professors left out of 2,900, 200 out of 500 professors in Unexpo, and 265 out of 373 in UPEL.

• Carlos Kauffmann Ramírez, sentenced in the U.S. for his role in the case of the briefcase full of cash carried by Antonini Wilson, opened an account with Credit Suisse in 2004. Two years later, he had accumulated 8.9 million francs. He was in jail for 13 months, stayed in Florida and then devoted himself to racing cars.
• There was a 5.6 magnitude earthquake in the Bolívar department of Colombia, which was felt in several states in Venezuela. There were no victims and no buildings suffered damages.
• The Salvemos Venezuela movement announced they’ll hold events of political activism in every capital in the country. Delsa Solórzano called for a pancartazo all across the nation on February 24th.
• The Venezuelan national female soccer team won second place at the Turkish Women’s Cup. Ukraine won the first place and Uzbekistan was third. Deyna Castellanos won the best forward player in the championship, awarded by the Evima Football organization.