Workers are fed up with the elites and are organizing on their own: No one gets a blank check

Dr. Juan Barreto, Director of The Daily Journal for Venezuela and Latin America This weekend, workers from across the country gathered in Caracas. Curiously, neither influencers nor journalists paid by the rival opposition factions said a word about it. They look the other way and clear their throats uncomfortably. Representatives from the main branches of […]

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No shortcuts, no illusions: the political game returns to the negotiating table

By José Gregorio Yépez A new round of talks between the opposition and the government is about to begin. What can we expect? Judging by what Dinorah Figuera said over the weekend, this new dialogue seemed to begin with a phone call. Yet Jorge Rodríguez’s August 1 statement made one thing unmistakably clear: the talks […]

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Opacity and endless debt

By Dr. Juan Barreto, Director of The Daily Journal for Venezuela and Latin America Many are talking—or choosing not to talk—about Venezuela’s external debt. International agencies such as Reuters, Bloomberg, and several British financial publications place the country’s debt at an astronomical $240 billion, while other voices in the economic community, such as Miguel Rodríguez, […]

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Editorial | August 1: Will it fade away?

By Dr. Juan Barreto, Venezuela and Latin America Bureau Chief This week brings an important meeting that may—or may not—become a historic event. History remembers events that leave a lasting impact and transform reality. Some events generate plenty of noise only to fade away, while others permanently shape the course of a nation. For example, […]

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Editorial | What will Uncle Sam think of us?

Dr. Juan Barreto, Director for Venezuela and Latin America “Bochinche, bochinche!” Francisco de Miranda cried out when a group of patriots handed him over to the Spanish in exchange for a peace armistice. What must Uncle Sam, Venezuela’s guardian, think today when he sees a group of enraged protesters burning American flags and kicking the […]

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Who chooses and decides in Venezuela today?

By Héctor Sánchez The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela leaves no room for doubt: sovereignty belongs exclusively and permanently to the people. That principle, which in 1999 promised a transition from representative democracy to a participatory and leading democracy, now appears to have surrendered. As sociologist and Central University of Venezuela (UCV) professor […]

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What will we do?

By Héctor Sánchez, Sociologist — Let us imagine, for a moment, the following scenario: the U.S. midterm elections arrive, and Donald Trump suffers a crushing defeat, just as opinion polls suggest amid dissatisfaction from six out of every 10 Americans. Under those circumstances, the president would most likely face immediate impeachment proceedings. Given Washington’s status […]

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