Interim Venezuelan president Delcy Rodriguez has passed a new law opening the country’s oil production to privatisation. For the first time in nearly 30 years…
The US eased sanctions at the same time. American firms can now sell, buy, refine, and transport crude. Sanctions on production persist for now. So ends the PDVSA nightmare…
Venezuelan oil is of poor quality and the sector has been decimated to such an extent that it will take a huge amount of investment to get it back on its feet. Expansive new legislation is intended to wrestle control of the sector from the state and allow for independent legal dispute arbitration – so the courts can’t expropriate assets again. Rubio added this week that China will still be able to buy Venezuelan oil – but only at market prices…
Rubio added that he wants opposition leader María Corina Machado to be part of a transition process and run for elections eventually. The long road to liberal democracy…
This week the left’s associations with Venezuela have been under the spotlight. The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, organisers of the derided “Emergency Online Rally: No War on Venezuela,” counts trade unions – and Labour-linked lefty law firm Thompsons Solicitors – among its backers. Birds of a feather…
Thompsons proudly supports the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign – founded in 2005 – by “highlighting and correcting inaccuracies and distortions made about Venezuela.” At the TUC Conference in last September, Thompsons sponsored an event “¡Viva la Solidaridad! Stand with Latin America Against Trump.” Phil Liptrot – a Thompson’s solicitor – spoke at the event. Liptrot then spoke at a similar ‘Arise’ event during Labour Conference…
It’s worth noting Thompsons’ connections to the wider Labour movement. Lefty MPs Richard Burgon (who’s spoken at several recent Venezuela Solidarity Campaign events), Andy McDonald and Warinder Juss previously worked at Thompsons. Yvette Cooper, Emily Thornberry and John Healey have also received donations from the firm…
Yesterday Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith slammed Thompson’s Scottish arm, Thompson’s Scotland, over its plans to sue M&S over last year’s cyber attack: “Thompsons’ model – backed by Labour through its close ties and political pipeline – isn’t just about helping workers. It’s about fuelling an industry machine that sucks billions out of the economy, penalises firms for taking risks, and kills the growth and innovation we need to thrive.” The left’s mission to financially ruin us all continues…
Reuters is reporting that the US is boarding the sanctioned oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella-1) after tracking it for two weeks across the Atlantic. The Iranian vessel was previously under the flag of Guyana but switched to Russia mid-journey. It is currently 124 miles south of Iceland and executing strange manoeuvres…
US forces launched from British soil. There is no oil on the vessel. The Russians are very interested in keeping it in their hands…
Reports said that Russia had dispatched a submarine to defend it. The tanker got through a US blockade off Venezuela. Things coming to a head now…
UPDATE: The RAF was involved in the operation. The US also says it has seized a second tanker – A “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker” was taken before dawn.
Donald Trump rinsed ‘Free Maduro’ protesters this afternoon at the House GOP Member Retreat. Co-conspirators will have noticed that none of them are Venezuelan…
Trump alleged leftist protesters are paid because they have such well-made signs which were no doubt produced before Maduro was even captured. Commie shills of the world unite…
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is in the Commons to lay out the government’s response to the US’ capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. Expect some references to ‘international law’…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”
