Caracas Chronicles

• The PLataforma Unitaria Democrática, or PUEDE (a sort of inexact acronym meaning CAN, the actual one would be PUDE which translates to I COULD’VE), the new opposition branding after G4 and MUD, started a consultation process on the best way to hold the primaries. Omar Barboza, newly appointed head of PUEDE, said they created six commissions that will operate within the platform, a schedule has been agreed on, and the general rules have been approved. Dinorah Figuera tweeted that PUEDE decided that those leaders that were part of schemes to illegalize political parties can’t be part of the platform or a negotiation. Voluntad Popular announced their internal process to relegitimize and restructure has begun in all states. 
• The Central Bank (BCV) is selling 120 million dollars this week, in line with their foreign currency intervention policy to try to stop the increase of the price of the dollar. The exchange rate is over 5 bolivars per euro, the highest since January 24th. The BCV has liquidated a total of $1,7 billion towards the same cause in 2022 and the official dollar has increased 7.57% so far this year. 

The basic food basket costs 117.14 bolivars, or 21.85 dollars, according to the Venezuelan Observatory of Finance. A family of four would need 469 bolivars or 87 dollars to afford the minimum calorie intake for survival. The minimum wage is 130 bolivars or 27 dollars. 

• The law on large financial transactions (IGTF) has been harder than what experts could foresee, since businesses can’t afford the new machines and it’s still unclear who pays the tax and when. Consecomercio reports that half the sector doesn’t charge the tax yet. 
• Oil union leader Manuel Páez said that operational readiness in the industry is fluctuating, it hasn’t been resolved and won’t be until things “do a 180.” He said that the problems with diesel fuel supply are because of truck availability and that El Palito hasn’t managed to remain stable. 
• A group of victims of human rights violations was heard at the ICC, according to exiled political leader Willmer Azuaje, who added that they presented documents on the cases to the court. 
• Amnesty International asked chavista governor Rafael Lacava to withdraw the suit against human rights activists Marino Alvarado (Provea) and Father Alfredo Infante (Centro Gumilla). They said that demanding accountability by the chain of command in extrajudicial executions isn’t a crime. They also issued an urgent action for the release of photographer Carlos Debiais.

The Platform for Inter-Agency Cooperation for Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees said that there’s 6,133,473 Venezuelan refugees and migrants. The number keeps growing, despite what the regime’s propaganda says. 

• Venezuelan inmates in Curacao’s “Barak Di Ilegal” jail did a hunger strike to protest the conditions they’re in, human rights violations and for the relocation of eight female inmates. 
• Almost 8,000 Venezuelan professionals are part of the formal employment system in Peru, doctors, bioanalysts, psychologists, managers, and journalists among them. 
• The INEA reported a Venezuelan boat with seven passengers sank in Colombian waters. 
• Carlos Urbano Fermín, accused of bribing former Prosecutor General Luisa Ortega Díaz, got five years on parole for his efforts to reveal acts of corruption in the Venezuelan justice system. 
• Jorge Nóbrega apologized for providing services to the Venezuelan Air Force in violation of U.S. sanctions. He was sentenced to 40 months, much less than the prosecutors were asking for.