Caracas Chronicles

• Centro Gumilla and Provea presented their report on extrajudicial killings in Venezuela in 2021, where 1,414 people have been murdered by state security officers. 
  • Alfredo Infante, director of Lupa por la Vida, said that the CICPC was the most lethal agency, 347 victims which represent 25% of killings. The National Bolivarian Police (PNB) officers murdered 198 people and the National Guard (GNB) 152 cases. 98.96% of cases were men and most of them live in poor areas, 13 victims were underage. Provea’s Marino Alvarado talked about the State’s paralysis before such a pattern of violence, because they don’t investigate the alleged extrajudicial executions and don’t open cases against suspects. 

• Franklin Rondón, deputy of Maduro’s National Assembly, said that the new minimum wage will remain at half a petro ($30) but emphasized that it won’t increase when the petro increases. It’s the same promise they made in 2018 and it will come into force on March, 30th. 
• Deputy José Gregorio Correa assured that elected leaders are the only ones who can represent the country in a dialogue process between the regime and the opposition. 
• Venezuelan exports to the U.S. increased 80% during 2021 compared to 2020, reported VENAMCHAM. $301 million of non-oil exports (99.74% of total exports), were food, organic chemicals, machinery and appliances, beverages, cocoa, coffee and spices. 
• U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki assured that they are not in contact or activating any plan to import Venezuelan oil for now. 

FEDENAGA denounced again several irregularities affecting the sector in at least four states, like military checkpoints, fuel shortages, invasions, extortions, among others. They demanded the regime investigate these crimes that affect operability and production. 

• The Industry, Services and Commerce Chamber asked the regime and its parliament to reconsider the tax on payments in foreign currency because it blocks the recovery and economic stability after four years of hyperinflation and eight years of recession. 
• The 2015 Assembly said that deputy Juan Requesens has been in prison and under house arrest for 1315 days by the regime. They demanded his freedom. 
• At least 336,000 Colombian citizens residing in Venezuela couldn’t vote in the election on Sunday because all consulates are closed. After they broke diplomatic relations in 2019, all 14 consulates were closed. 
• Olympic medalist Stefany Hernández denounced an attack at a restaurant over the weekend. After the news went viral, ANC-imposed prosecutor general Tarek William Saab announced that they’ve arrested one person and he ordered an investigation. 
• After the parliamentary election in Colombia, Gustavo Petro, Sergio Fajardo and Federico Gutiérrez will be the candidates that will try to win the first round of the presidential election in May. The second round would be on June 19th. 
• At least nine people died and nine were injured during an attack in Antopil. Four more people died because of the bombing around Kyiv. Jarkov mayor Igor Terejov assured that they were being bombed by the Russians at all times. A Ukrainian and Russian delegation tried to reach an agreement yesterday. They are scheduled to meet today. The U.S. warned its allies that China is willing to provide military aid to Russia. The European Air Safety Agency (EASA) suspended the license of dozens of Russian airlines. The Ukrainian Army denounced that the Russians are violating international law and bombing civilians. Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor for Russia’s Channel One, interrupted the broadcast to protest the war with a sign that read “No war. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you. Russians against war.” She was arrested.