Venezuelanlaysis.com has been a widely acclaimed source of news and analysis of Venezuelan politics since 2003. It provides a critical look at the nation鈥檚 pro-poor Bolivarian Revolution and the mainstream media鈥檚 often highly distorted reporting of it. The site鈥檚 collective released slightly abridged the statement below about the temporary suspension of its Facebook page on August 16.
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Venezuela was rocked on August 5 by an attempt to聽聽President Nicolas Maduro during a public event, using drones armed with explosives.
Venezuela鈥檚 campesino marchers achieved their immediate聽on August 2 by holding a public meeting with President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas that was nationally televised. They presented proposals for far-reaching reforms to state agrarian policies and institutions.
The fourth national congress of Venezuela鈥檚 largest political party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), wound up on July 30 following three days of intense activities. The congress was inaugurated on July 28, on the 64th birthday of the party鈥檚 late founder, Hugo Chavez.
The PSUV congress took place in an increasingly complicated context, amidst a collapsing economy, hyperinflation, international financial sanctions and an upcoming.
A large contingent of Venezuelan campesinos marched across the country for almost three weeks in what they called the 鈥淎dmirable Campesino March鈥 to raise awareness about the many problems faced by small farmers, including evictions, harassment and general neglect at the hands of government institutions.
The marchers, who first set off on July 12 from the city of Guanare, Portuguesa state, arrived in Caracas on August 1 with the plan to deliver a collective document that presents both their complaints and proposals to President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela鈥檚 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community held their annual pride march in Caracas on July 1.
This year鈥檚 march was larger than last year鈥檚 event and formed part of continental gay pride activities with large demonstrations held in Colombia, Argentina and Brazil.
Women鈥檚 and LGBTI rights activists presented Venezuela鈥檚 National Constituent Assembly (ANC) with a series of proposals to legalise abortion and expand sexual and reproductive rights on June 20. This comes in the wake of the vote in Argentina鈥檚 Congress to legalise abortion, and at a time when the issue of abortion has gained added importance given the impact Venezuela鈥檚 economic crisis has had on women.
The refusal by presidential candidate Henri Falc贸n to recognise the results bodes poorly for Nicolas Maduro鈥檚 new term as president. The consolidation of a moderate bloc within the opposition that Falc贸n represented 鈥 which recognises the government鈥檚 legitimacy 鈥 would have significantly cut into the strength of the more intransigent or radical parties on the right and provided Venezuelan politics with much needed stability.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro responded rapidly to the European Union鈥檚 proposal to impose further sanctions on top government officials following the May 20 presidential and state council elections. The 28-country bloc alleges the vote failed to comply with "minimal democratic standards".
Maduro, who won the presidential election by a landslide despite low voter participation, said on May 28: "This is the European Union that arrogantly wants to put its nose in Venezuela's business." He added, "Enough of this old colonialism."
Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza to the latest round of US sanctions, which follow hard on the heels of socialist candidate Nicolas Maduro鈥檚 electoral on May 20.
鈥淭here is no unilateral measure, no pressure from any foreign power that can intimidate the Venezuelan people,鈥 the top diplomat stated.
Even before Venezuela鈥檚 May 20 presidential vote had taken place, the United States 鈥攈eaded by a president who lost the popular vote in an electoral system that systematically disenfranchises millions of poor and non-white voters 鈥 rejected the elections as 鈥渘either free nor fair鈥.
The Lima Group, a coalition of 13 right-wing Latin American countries plus Canada, also refused to recognise the results. Among its members are:
More than 300 international representatives from organisations such as the聽African Union, the聽Caribbean Community聽and the聽Electoral Experts Council of Latin America, as well as former heads of states, parliamentarians, trade unionists and solidarity activists, were present for Venezuela鈥檚 May 20 presidential vote. Among them was Eulalia Reyes de Whitney, a Venezuelan-born activist with the Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN).