Briefing

Putin and Maduro Discuss Increasing Strategic Partnership

Among other news, Vladimir Putin and Maduro spoke about increasing their “strategic partnership” in a phone call. About the war in Ukraine, Maduro expressed his support for Russia.

Naky Soto
  • On the sixth day of the Russian attacks on Ukraine, attacks against civilian targets got worse. In Jarkov, a missile destroyed 90 residential buildings. “Today proved that this isn’t just a war, it’s the murder of our people, the Ukrainian people,” said the mayor,” Zelensky demanded halting the attacks, that Russia is expelled from the UN and that no country buys anything from Putin’s government. He also asked NATO for a no-fly zone decree and said that they can’t make any progress in the ceasefire agreement while Putin bombs his people. Russia attacked Babyn Yar, a Holocaust memorial site. Zelinsky spoke before the European Parliament and Ukraine’s EU membership received great support at the Eurochamber. 
  • Vladimir Putin and Maduro spoke about increasing their “strategic partnership” in a phone call. About the war in Ukraine, Maduro expressed his support for Russia. It’s one of the reasons Russia and Venezuela shouldn’t be part of the UN Human Rights Council and why Russia shouldn’t preside over the Security Council. 
  • Félix Plasencia, “denounced” on Sputnik (the Russian propaganda network) NATO’s alleged irresponsibility. The EU banned RT and Sputnik in every country in the bloc. 
  • The regime announced a bonus for workers of CORPOELEC, PDVSA and the Defense Ministry through the Patria system. Even though they announced a $100 (paid in bolivars) bonus earlier, they later said that not everyone would be getting the same amount. 
  • A German university revealed that in at least 17 countries, the number of deaths for coronavirus is inconsistent because of governments reporting figures below what they should be or just deliberately wrong. Venezuela, Russia, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, Nicaragua, Syria, Turkey, and El Salvador are part of the list. They reported one-fourth of the average death rate in other countries. According to the investigation, Venezuela registered 196 deaths per one million inhabitants. 
  • Tal Cual published a piece on eight Cuban tankers that sail to Venezuela twice a month, to load gas and oil. Reuters said that PDVSA supplied Cuba with 56,300 bpd in 2021. 
  • Warao families in Puerto Ordaz denounced that they don’t get their CLAP boxes regularly or running water in their homes. They get the water from a polluted river. 
  • Jon Piechowski, advisor to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs assured that sanctions imposed on Russia were designed to impact the economies that have ties with the attacker, like Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
  • In addition to Maduro, Nicaragua, Cuba and México have also supported Russia. 
  • Moscow justified the invasion for an alleged concern of Ukraine obtaining nuclear weapons. Sergei Lavrov spoke before an empty room in the United Nations Human Rights Council because over 140 representatives left when he was starting his speech. Lavrov didn’t say that Russia used bombs that cause high-temperature explosions that have been forbidden by the Geneva Conventions. Experts say that Russians have been communicating over the radio and that poor logistics and unsecured communications have allowed them access to the number of casualties, injuries and general problems. China assured it’s willing to mediate. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Beijing regrets there’s war and it’s ready to help end it. They expressed their “full support” for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. 
  • There are over 677,000 Ukrainian refugees so far, reported UNHCR. 
  • The Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican asked Russia to not attack St. Sophia’s Cathedral, built in the 11th century and part of the World Heritage List. The dictator of Belarus, Alexandr Lukashenko, denied that the army was participating in the conflict. Erdogan supported Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU. The ICJ called for hearings on the war for March 7th and 8th. 
  • The World Bank is preparing aid for 3 billion dollars for Ukraine. The second round of negotiations could take place on Wednesday if Russia stops firing missiles. 

Naky Soto

Naky gets called Naibet at home and at the bank. She coordinates training programs for an NGO. She collects moments and turns them into words. She has more stories than freckles.

Related