OAS Chief Asks for Tougher Sanctions against Venezuela Regime
laht.com
Octubre 2, 2017
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said on Monday that sanctions against Venezuela should be tougher and more widespread to make sure the country gets back on the path of democracy, but more internal pressure is also needed and that will require a stronger Venezuelan opposition.
That was Almagro’s response to a question asked to him at the 2017 Latin American Summit organized by Florida Gov. Rick Scott and attended by representatives of the US and Latin American public and private sectors.
In the opinion of the OAS chief, the sanctions must include the totality of the Venezuelan regime, which “has completely abandoned the rule of law.”Read more
Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil Are The Least Free Economies in Latin America: Fraser Institute
REUTERS I reuters.com
September 20, 2017
Venezuela has once again topped the list of the world’s worst economies, beating out 159 countries in 2017.
Canada’s Fraser Institute presented a report this month with the world’s best and worst economies, as well as which had the most economic freedom on each continent. While Venezuela received its usual dismal ranking, Hong Kong and Singapore took the top spots for best economies, using Doing Business, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum and other figures from similar institutions to make the evaluation.
Forty-four different factors were used to construct the index, government size, legal system and property rights, currency strength and inflation, freedom of international trade and regulations being among them. Read more
The Faces of Venezuelan Hunger
FABIOLA ZERPA and NORIS SOTO I bloomberg.com
September 27, 2017
Much has been written about Venezuelan hunger since the oil-rich country sank into economic chaos a few years ago. The strict food rationing, surging malnutrition and, in some extreme cases, starvation.
But if you’re not there on the ground, it’s difficult to comprehend what it truly looks and feels like up close—to see an old neighbor’s round face slowly hollow out or notice how your father’s favorite T-shirt hangs loosely on his shrinking frame.
So we photographed five Venezuelans—predominantly from the blue-collar neighborhoods that have been hit the hardest—and asked them to share pictures of their old, fuller selves. The changes in their physiques are stark. One person has lost 63 pounds. Another 78.Read more
Venezuela humanitarian aid bill advances in US House
caribbeannews.com
September 29, 2017
Representative Eliot Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and a former chair of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chair emeritus of the Committee on Thursday announced the Committee’s unanimous approval of their legislation to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela.
The Committee’s action on their Venezuela Humanitarian Assistance and Defense of Democratic Governance Act (HR2658), originally offered in the Senate by Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), clears the way for consideration by the House. Read more
