Paul Dobson

As Venezuela Prepares to Dump Dollar, Caracas Moves to Repatriate Gold from Bank of England

The reported initiative follows a recent trend by Venezuela to take back control of its national reserves and move away from US- and dollar-controlled financial institutions.

Paul Dobson
By Paul Dobson
Venezuela Gold Sanctions

Venezuela is looking to repatriate 14 tonnes of gold from the Bank of England as US-led sanctions target their international assets, Reuters has reported. The move, which will bring around US $550 million of international reserves back under Caracas’ control, was initiated two months ago by the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV), according to an

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Venezuela Launches Media Response Plan to Fake News Attacks

Venezuelan authorities claim that US-led media outlets, as well as important European outlets such as El Pais in Spain, look to damage the reputation of the nation and create spin which justifies coercive measures against the country.

Paul Dobson
By Paul Dobson
Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles speaks to the media following his meeting with Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Luis Almagro, at the OAS building in Washington, March 31, 2017. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The Venezuelan government has announced the creation of a media-based task force to address fake or misleading international news stories about the Caribbean nation. The ‘Zero Tolerance Media Plan’ was announced by Vice Minister for International Communication William Castillo Monday, and will run through the Foreign Office and its network of

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Venezuela Opposition Invites Newly Elected Brazilian President to Intervene in Venezuela

The result sparked deep concern among Chavista sectors fearing a possible military escalation from the ex-military man, whom they describe as a “neo-fascist.”

Paul Dobson
By Paul Dobson
Brazil Elections

Venezuela’s opposition has welcomed the victory of ultra-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential elections Sunday, calling on the new president-elect to intervene in Venezuela in line with their political goals. Bolsonaro won the second round with 55 percent despite nearly 10 percent of ballots being marked null or void.

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Journalists Dismiss “Completely Ridiculous” Claims by Mike Pence that Venezuela is funding the Migrant Caravan

On-the-ground journalists have classed the accusations as “completely ridiculous” and a lie, showing that the migrants “don’t have a dollar to even pay for a bottle of water.”

Paul Dobson
By Paul Dobson
Central America Migrant Caravan

Journalists have joined Venezuela officials in ridiculing allegations made on Tuesday by US Vice President Mike Pence that Venezuela is financing the migrant caravan traversing Central America en route to the Mexican-US border. Pence, in an interview with the Washington Post, claimed that US-allied Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez had

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Venezuela Hits Back Following New Sanctions over Alleged Funding of WMD and Terrorism

The new sanctions were imposed due to a “high risk in the area of money laundering, financing terrorism, and financing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”

Paul Dobson
By Paul Dobson
Panama's Foreign Minister Isabel Saint Malo takes part in the meeting to discuss the Venezuelan political crisis, in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. Peru's president has been vocal in rejecting the new Venezuelan constitutional assembly, but the region has had trouble agreeing on collective actions. Foreign Ministers from more than a dozen Latin American governments were gathering in Lima to discuss how to force President Nicolas Maduro to back down. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Venezuelan authorities hit back at their counterparts in Panama and Switzerland this week after they approved new measures targeting Caracas. Panama’s Economic and Finance Ministry announced this past March 27 that a warning was being issued to the Central American country’s banks advising them to limit and “diligently” supervise financial

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