Venezuela
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Latin America's development gains under threat as one in four live in poverty, UN report finds
UNDP warns of stagnation and rising vulnerability across the region amid "overlapping crises".
US kills three in second strike on alleged Venezuelan drug vessel
The United States has conducted a second military strike against what it claims was a drug-trafficking vessel from Venezuela, killing three people and further straining already fraught relations between Washington and Caracas.
Extreme poverty falling steadily – OWID
To track progress towards ending extreme poverty, the United Nations relies on World Bank estimates of the number of people living below a poverty threshold called the “International Poverty Line” (IPL), Our World in Data (OWID) reports.
Ban on oil extraction and legalised cocaine could save the Amazon, says Colombia’s president
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for ending petroleum extraction in the Amazon region and legalising cocaine production to preserve the world's largest tropical rainforest
Venezuela's Maduro moves up Christmas… again
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced on September 8 that Christmas celebrations in the country would start on October 1, advancing the traditional holiday season by nearly two months for the second year in a row.
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Trump revives Cold War-era gunboat diplomacy with massive Venezuela deployment
Tensions in the Caribbean deepened last week after US President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with Venezuela, accusing President Nicolás Maduro of collusion with Latin American cartels designated as terrorist groups.
Trump orders deadly strike on Venezuelan vessel in Caribbean waters
President Trump has confirmed that US forces killed 11 people in a strike against a vessel from Venezuela in international waters of the southern Caribbean, the first known military operation since Washington deployed warships to the region.
Guyana election on September 1 set to shape oil and gas future
Guyanese voters head to the polls on September 1 in a pivotal general election that will determine whether President Irfaan Ali's People's Progressive Party/Civic maintains its parliamentary majority amid the country's rapid oil drive.
LATAM BLOG: China will let Maduro sink rather than confront US warships
As US warships circle Venezuela, China's muffled response reveals the limits of its 'all-weather' friendship with Caracas.
US EPA’s controversial Climate Crisis report is full of lies and mistakes
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a controversial report in July claiming the effects of the Climate Crisis were overblown. A fact check by Carbon Brief found it is full of lies and errors.
Mapping global drought risk - Statista
By 2050, more than 1.6bn people, including almost 20% of the African population, will be exposed to severe and extreme droughts, if a pessimistic scenario plays out, according to a report by INFORM Climate Change.
Forest carbon credits are facing a reckoning over albedo risks
Planting trees should reduce the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere right? Well, its not so easy as that. Trees also provide shade and prevent sunlight from reaching the ground that could reflect it back into space, cooling the plant.
Panama exposed as hub for Venezuelan corruption and money laundering
Panama’s financial and property sectors have once again come under scrutiny, as anti-corruption watchdogs revealed the extent to which Venezuelan corruption schemes have penetrated the country.
US seizes $700mn in Maduro assets as military presence rises in Caribbean
Move is part of a broader crackdown as three US Navy ships and 4,000 marines are deployed to Caribbean waters.
Venezuela clears way for Russian extradition of Ukraine supporter held in Caracas
Venezuela's Supreme Court will consider extraditing a Russian national and prominent Ukraine supporter to Moscow on terrorism charges, in yet another case that illustrates the deepening ties between Maduro's regime and the Kremlin.
ECLAC raises Latin America growth forecast to 2.2% but warns of prolonged slowdown
The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has lifted its 2025 regional growth estimate to 2.2% from a previous 2.0% projection, whilst acknowledging that economic expansion remains constrained by global volatility
US DoE muddies the ClimateCrisis waters with report downplaying the emissions problem
As part of the Trump administration’s attempts to take the Climate Crisis off the agenda, the US Department of Energy has released a report downplaying the impact of fossil fuels on global warming.
IMF corrects growth forecast upwards – Statista
Despite uncertain market conditions amid the Trump administration's tariff regime and major global conflicts, the International Monetary Fund has upped its global economic growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 slightly, Statista reported on July 30.
COMMENT: Trump’s new Venezuela oil waiver raises more questions than answers
The Trump administration quietly granted Chevron a new oil licence in Venezuela, just after a major prisoner swap. But the deal may enrich regime insiders and boost China’s oil access, raising questions about the coherence of US sanctions policy.
Venezuela democracy in tatters one year after rigged poll as Trump policies aid Maduro
Venezuela's democracy collapsed after Nicolás Maduro's disputed July 2024 election victory, despite clear evidence of fraud. A year later, systematic repression has crushed the opposition, while Trump's policies seem to help Maduro's survival.