IMF Refuses Aid to Venezuela in the Midst of the Coronavirus Crisis
Vijay Prashad, Paola Estrada, Ana Maldonado, and Zoe PC | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-19
On March 16, 2020, the chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva wrote a blog post on the Fund's website; it represents the kind of generosity necessary in the midst of a global pandemic. "The IMF stands ready to mobilize its $1 trillion lending capacity to help our membership," she wrote. Countries with…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/19/imf-refuses-aid-to-venezuela-in-the-midst-of-the-coronavirus-crisis/

IMF Refuses Aid to Venezuela in the Midst of the Coronavirus Crisis
Vijay Prashad | zcomm.org | 2020-03-19
The IMF denial of the $5 billion request from Venezuela follows Pence's sentiment. It is a violation of the spirit of international cooperation that is at the heart of the UN Charter…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/imf-refuses-aid-to-venezuela-in-the-midst-of-the-coronavirus-crisis/

Covid-19 Updates: First Death in Peru, First NFL Case + More
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-19
Update 5: 30 AM: | More than 200 Argentines and Chileans trapped in Colombia by the coronavirus: Argentine and Chilean travelers are protesting at the El Dorado airport this Thursday in Bogotá (Colombia). More than 200 foreigners, between Argentines and Chileans, denounced this Thursday at Bogotá's El Dorado International Airport that they have been trapped for several days in the Colombian capital because their flights have been canceled due to the crisis by COVID-19. | Peru reports the first death in the country from the coronavirus: A 78-year-old man, who suffered from hypertension, became the first person t…
telesurenglish.net/news/Covid-19-Updates-First-Death-in-Peru-First-NFL-Case–More-20200319-0002.html

IMF denies loan to Venezuela as it braces for COVID-19
wsws.org | 2020-03-19
The loan request is only the latest appeal by the Maduro government for foreign finance and signal to world finance capital that it will defend profit interests.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/19/vene-m19.html

Cargo Arrives in Venezuela With Medical Aid From China
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-19
A special medicine and medical supplies shipment arrived in Venezuela from China on Thursday, March 19th, as the Asian nation continues to provide assistance to the Bolivarian Republic. . | RELATED: | Twitter Restricts Profiles of Venezuelan Officials | Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, announced that the cargo arrived and assured it would allow thousands to be tested for possible Covid-19 cases and diagnose the positive ones. | The mandatary explained that so f…
telesurenglish.net/news/cargo-arrives-in-venezuela-with-medical-aid-from-china-20200319-0014.html

IMF denies loan to Venezuela as it braces for COVID-19
wsws.org | 2020-03-19
The loan request is only the latest appeal by the Maduro government for foreign finance and signal to world finance capital that it will defend profit interests.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/19/vene-m19.html

Colombia: Senators Ask Duque for More Decision to Halt Covid-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-19
More than 60 Colombian lawmakers and senators Thursday asked President Ivan Duque to take more forceful measures in the face of the health emergency caused by the Covid-19. | RELATED: | Colombian and Venezuelan Ombudsmen Unite Against COVID-19 | They argued that while reconnecting water to thousands of homes is fine, Colombians need four things that the government is not doing. | Mandatory isolation is the most effective measure. However, for people to stay at home, the government mu…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Senators-Ask-Duque-for-More-Decision-to-Halt-Covid-19-20200319-0008.html

Economists Demand Trump Immediately Lift Iran, Cuba, Venezuela Sanctions
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-19
A group of economists and policy experts on Wednesday called on President Donald Trump to immediately lift the United States' crippling sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and other countries, warning that the economic warfare

Economists Demand Trump Immediately Lift Iran, Cuba, Venezuela Sanctions
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-03-19
A group of economists and policy experts on Wednesday called on President Donald Trump to immediately lift the United States' crippling sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and other countries, warning that the economic warfare

"Maximum-pressure March": US hybrid war on Venezuela heats up
Leonardo Flores | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-19
The first quarter of 2020 has seen the Trump administration escalate its rhetoric against Venezuela. At the State of the Union, President Trump promised to "smash" and destroy the Venezuelan government. This was followed by a renewed threat of a naval blockade on the country, which is an act of war under U.S. and international…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/19/maximum-pressure-march-us-hybrid-war-on-venezuela-heats-up/

'Inhumane & reckless': Twitter silences Venezuela's anti-coronavirus chief as IMF denies emergency loan
rt.com | 2020-03-19
Amid crushing US sanctions and IMF rejection already making Venezuela's struggle with Covid-19 difficult, Twitter now seems to have hobbled the country's vice-president and head of coronavirus response, Delcy Rodriguez. | Both the personal and the official Twitter account belonging to Rodriguez were "temporarily restricted" on Thursday over "unusual activity," with old tweets still visible to those who choose to view them, but no new tweets available after Wednesday. | Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called it an "i…
rt.com/news/483563-twitter-venezuela-coronavirus-sanctions/

In Ecuador, Coronavirus Threatens the Survival of Street Vendors
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
Indigenous women with their children in tow or Venezuelan migrants whose livelihood is as street vendors, cannot follow the measures adopted in Ecuador to tackle the novel coronavirus as they do not have other means of support. | RELATED: | US Should Lift Sanctions to Avoid More Deaths From COVID-19 | Among them is Jairo Arteaga, who offers a parking service arranged by the city council, and has to go out every day to look for cars that want to park on the street. | "O…
telesurenglish.net/news/In-Ecuador-Coronavirus-Threatens-the-Survival-of-Street-Vendors-20200318-0022.html

In Ecuador, Coronavirus Threatens the Survival of Street Vendors
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
Indigenous women with their children in tow or Venezuelan migrants whose livelihood is as street vendors, cannot follow the measures adopted in Ecuador to tackle the novel coronavirus as they do not have other means of support. | RELATED: | US Should Lift Sanctions to Avoid More Deaths From COVID-19 | Among them is Jairo Arteaga, who offers a parking service arranged by the city council, and has to go out every day to look for cars that want to park on the street. | "O…
telesurenglish.net/news/In-Ecuador-Coronavirus-Threatens-the-Survival-of-Street-Vendors-20200318-0022.html

Why sanctions against Iran and Venezuela during a pandemic are cruel
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2020-03-18
The numbers of those infected rises, as do the numbers of those who have died. Hands are being washed, tests are being done, and social distance has become a new phrase. It is unclear how devastating this pandemic will be. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/03/18/why-sanctions-against-iran-and-venezuela-during-a-pandemic-are-cruel-2/

IMF rejects Venezuela coronavirus loan request over U.S. claims Maduro isn't president
Morning Star | peoplesworld.org | 2020-03-18
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has rejected Venezuela's request for a $5 billion emergency support package to help strengthen the country's health system in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. President Nicolas Maduro wrote to the global financial organization earlier this week asking for support as the country struggles to cope with crippling U.S. economic …
peoplesworld.org/article/imf-rejects-venezuela-coronavirus-loan-request-over-u-s-claims-maduro-isnt-president/

Colombian and Venezuelan Ombudsmen Unite Against COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
The Ombudsman offices of both Colombia and Venezuela announced on March 17 a collaborative working project to restrain the Covid-19 from spreading in both South American nations. | RELATED: | IMF Rejects Venezuela's Request for $5B in Virus Aid | Both popular institutions confirmed their commitment to "promote fluid and constant dialogue with the purpose of watching over their common border, to prevent the virus from spreading and assume in an appropriate way the protection of people." In…
telesurenglish.net/news/colombian-and-venezuelan-ombudsmen-unite-against-covid19-20200318-0003.html

Twitter Restricts Profiles of Venezuelan Officials
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
Venezuelan VIce President Delcy Rodriguez denounced the restriction of the executive vice-presidency's official profile on Twitter this week. According to Rodríguez, the aforementioned account was used for informing citizens about the measures and actions against COVID-19. | RELATED: | Colombian and Venezuelan Ombudsmen Unite Against COVID-19 | "In the midst of the worst global pandemic, they are canceling an account where we are informing the population," Venezuelan Vice President…
telesurenglish.net/news/venezuela-government-functionaries-denounced-their-twitter-profiles-ban-20200318-0009.html

Colombia: 2 More Ex-FARC Members Killed, 18 so Far in 2020
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
Two former combatants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – Army of the People (FARC-EP), Belle Carrillo and Irnel Florez were killed Tuesday in the department of Caqueta, in southwestern Colombia, marking 18 deaths so far in 2020. | RELATED: | Colombia: Another Ex-FARC Member Killed | "The extermination does not stop…The number of former combatants killed rises every day," Colombian Senator and former FARC leader Pablo Catatumbo said on Twitter. | Florez and Carrillo were signatories…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-2-More-Ex-FARC-Members-Killed-18-so-Far-in-2020-20200318-0020.html

US ramps up sanctions devastating Venezuela's health sector as coronavirus spreads
Leonardo Flores | thegrayzone.com | 2020-03-17
Promising to "smash" Venezuela's government during a "maximum pressure March," Trump has imposed crushing sanctions that force Venezuela to spend…
thegrayzone.com/2020/03/17/us-sanctions-venezuelas-health-sector-coronavirus/

Venezuela: American Teamsters tour printing factory
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-17
Maracay, Venezuela

Corporate Media Condone Destruction of Venezuela's Voting Machines
Lucas Koerner | fair.org | 2020-03-15
The vast majority of Venezuela's voting machines were incinerated on March 7 in a fire that engulfed the main warehouse of the National Electoral Council. Corporate outlets followed the familiar script of blaming the victim, repeating the US State Department talking point that the Venezuelan electoral system is "rigged" and floating outlandish conspiracy theories.
fair.org/home/corporate-media-condone-destruction-of-venezuelas-voting-machines/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=corporate-media-condone-destruction-of-venezuelas-voting-machines

Accomplishments of Venezuela hailed on International Women's Day
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-03-15
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following speech by Sarah Martin. Martin is a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). | Happy Women's Day everyone. Our sisters in Venezuela have a lot to celebrate. Just over 20 years ago Hugo Chavez was swept into power on the backs of powerful movements fighting for a better way of life for the vast majority of Venezuelans. The wealth from this oil and mineral rich country was lining the pockets of the oligarchs inside and outside the country while the vast majority of people, mostly black and brown were desperately poor. | Venezuelan women fought in tha…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/3/15/accomplishments-venezuela-hailed-international-women-s-day

No, Venezuela does not have a six child per family policy
Joe Emersberger | zcomm.org | 2020-03-13
I respect UK journalist Andrew Buncombe. As I noted for FAIR last year, he was one of the few corporate journalists who reported on a study linking Trump's financial sanctions on Venezuela to thousands of deaths by the end of 2018. Since 2018, Trump has repeatedly intensified the sanctions and threatened Venezuela with military action, Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/no-venezuela-does-not-have-a-six-child-per-family-policy/