Podcast appearances and mentions of hugo chavez

Ebola is a frightening and deadly disease, killing on average one half of people infected and spreading rapidly without containment measures. So how do BBC journalists report from the centre of an epidemic? BBC West Africa journalist Emery Makumeno has been reporting from Kinshasa in DR Congo on the Ebola outbreak; Musa Sangarie, Country Director for Sierra Leone for BBC Media Action, led public information campaigns in Sierra Leone in the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic; Camilla Mota, journalist with BBC News Brasil, has reported on the fall-out from the country's Zika virus outbreak in 2015 and 2016; and Mattias Zibell Garcia, producer at BBC Mundo, reported on the recent Hantavirus outbreak in Ushuaia, Argentina. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Welcome back to Top Stories. In this episode we're turning back the clocks all the way back to the 8th March 2013, where Andy and John Oliver discussed the passing of Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez and why he didn't get a infamous Bugle fuckulogy! There you go, what a show it was. Now please help us stay alive by donating at thebuglepodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than 80 years, no-one knew what happened to a Soviet prisoner of war who escaped from the Nazis on the Channel Island of Jersey and spent the rest of World War Two hiding from the German occupiers with a local family, the Le Bretons. Known only by his first name, Bokejon, or simply Tom, he was one of about 2,000 Soviet prisoners and forced labourers brought to the island of Jersey to build Nazi fortifications. After liberation, Tom and the other surviving PoWs were sent back to the USSR and the Le Breton family, particularly their daughter Dulcie, always wondered what became of him. That was until BBC teams tracked down his descendants. BBC Russian's Olga Ivshina was one of the journalists who tracked him down. Political violence has been a problem in Kenya for decades now. It is often carried out by gangs of young people, known as 'goons', who are sponsored by politicians to threaten, disrupt and attack rivals. After the general election in 2007 over 1500 people were killed and with another election planned for 2027, there are fears violence could erupt again. Wycliffe Muia of BBC Africa has been looking into these politically sponsored violent gangs and what can be done to stop them.  Traditional fortune telling culture,  known as Saju, is popular in South Korea and has ancient roots. It uses data such as a person's birth year, month, day and hour to determine their future and in South Korea people still sometimes consult it before important life decisions like marriage, or seeking a new job. Now, the practice of Saju is beginning to be combined with AI technology and it's finding a wide audience both online and as a walk-in, more immersive experience. BBC Korean's Yujin Choi went to try it out. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich)

Last week, the American government charged the former Cuban leader, Raúl Castro, with conspiracy to kill US nationals. They accuse him of playing a part in the downing of two planes in 1996, which were flying between Cuba and Florida. This comes after months of the US putting increasing pressure on the country. In January, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country who supplied oil to the island, resulting in huge energy shortages ever since, with some parts of the country being without power for 22 hours a day. But Cubans have been living under a strict trade embargo for decades, so they are not unfamiliar with such hardships. José Carlos Cueto López of BBC Mundo is from Cuba, and knows exactly what it's like for people living in such challenging circumstances.  The UN says that at least 32 political prisoners have been executed in Iran since February this year. The UN's Human Rights Office has warned that the death penalty is increasingly being used to silence political dissent. Last year, Iran carried out 2,159 executions according to Amnesty International, the highest number since 1981. The Iranian government says that the vast majority are for drugs related offenses or murder. Ghoncheh Habibiazad of BBC Persian has been trying to find out more about the political prisoners who've been executed this year, and she told me about her findings.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Ngoại trưởng Mỹ hôm 20/05/2026 tuyên bố Washington « quyết tâm » áp đặt một sự thay đổi cho Cuba ». Marco Rubio ngụ ý nói đến một sự thay đổi chế độ ở La Habana ? Chính quyền Trump siết chặt gọng kềm, bóp ngạt kinh tế Cuba. Bên cạnh yếu tố lịch sử lâu đời, gắn liền Washington với La Habana, Nhà Trắng có nhiều lý do để quan tâm đến Cuba.  Với kinh nghiệm hơn 65 năm gần như liên tục bị trừng phạt, không thể xem nhẹ sức kháng cự của La Habana và nhất là khi hòn đảo này được cả Trung Quốc lẫn Nga hậu thuẫn. Ngay từ nhiệm kỳ đầu, (2016-2020), tổng thống Mỹ Donald Trump đã khép lại giai đoạn tan băng giữa Washington với La Habana mà người tiền nhiệm Barack Obama đã mở ra khi chính thức nối lại bang giao với Cuba ngày 17/12/2014. Một năm sau khi trở lại Nhà Trắng, từ đầu 2026 bằng nhiều cách, ông Trump tiếp tục gia tăng sức ép với hòn đảo chỉ cách bang Florida, khoảng 150 km : Cắt các nguồn cung cấp dầu hỏa cho Cuba, đứng đầu là Venezuela và Mêhicô; huy động các công cụ pháp lý và quân sự để làm suy yếu chế độ liên tục cầm quyền tại hòn đảo này từ sau cuộc cách mạng năm 1959. Ngoại trưởng Hoa Kỳ, Marco Rubio một người Mỹ gốc Cuba trong một thông điệp bằng tiếng Tây Ban Nha trực tiếp lên án chế độ ở La Habana « tham ô », « cướp bóc » và « đàn áp » nhân dân, đồng thời hứa hẹn tổng thống Trump đề xuất cho gần 12 triệu dân Cuba một « con đường mới ». 66 năm liên tục phong tỏa Cuba Cách nay gần 12 năm, thông báo tái lập quan hệ ngoại giao với Hoa Kỳ, chủ tịch Cuba khi đó là ông Raul Castro đã nhấn mạnh, « Điều đó không có nghĩa là đôi bên đã giải quyết được vấn đề cốt lõi » : Kinh tế Cuba vẫn bị phong tỏa. Từ năm 1960 Hoa Kỳ đã đưa ra nhiều lý do khác nhau để trừng phạt La Habana. Tổng thống Dwight D. Eisenhower của bên đảng Cộng Hòa viện cớ chế độ Fidel Castro tịch thu các tài sản của Hoa Kỳ tại Cuba, để hạn chế nhập khẩu đường từ hòn đảo này vào Mỹ. Hai năm sau đó, cáo buộc La Habana thân thiện với Liên Xô cộng sản, tổng thống phe Dân Chủ J.F Kennedy đã mở rộng các biện pháp trừng phạt và ban hành lệnh « cấm vận ». Cuba trải qua cuộc khủng hoảng kinh tế đầu tiên vào thời điểm ¾ xuất khẩu của Cuba là để hướng tới thị trường Hoa Kỳ và 70 % nhập khẩu phụ thuộc vào đối tác thương mại Bắc Mỹ này. Năm 1991 khi Liên Bang Xô Viết sụp đổ, mở ra viễn cảnh Mỹ bình thường hóa quan hệ với Cuba, thì Washington lại chủ trương gia tăng áp lực để thúc đẩy tiến trình dân chủ hóa tại quốc gia trong tay nhà cách mạng Fidel Castro. 1991-1994 là một thời kỳ « đen tối » đối với Cuba : GDP của nước này sụt giảm 35 %. Năm 1992 lấy cớ đòi Cuba tôn trọng nhân quyền, dưới thời tổng thống G.H Bush, Hạ Viện Mỹ thông qua đạo luật Torricelli mở rộng thêm nữa các biện pháp trừng phạt Cuba. Hai điểm đáng chú ý trong văn bản này. Thứ nhất là Washington cấm các hãng vận tải đường biển nước ngoài làm ăn với Mỹ giao thương với Cuba. Đây là tai họa đối với một quốc đảo như Cuba. Thứ hai là Hoa Kỳ trừng phạt mọi quốc gia « liên đới » với La Habana. Năm 1996 sau vụ hai máy bay của một tổ chức người Cuba lưu vong xuất phát từ bang Florida bị Cuba bắn hạ - Raul Castro khi đó là bộ trưởng Quốc Phòng, tổng thống Bill Clinton bên đảng Dân Chủ còn mạnh tay hơn với La Habana khi đặt bút phê chuẩn đạo luật Helms-Burton. Nhưng chính những đòn trừng phạt mạnh tay đó cũng đã đè nặng lên một phần các quyền lợi của Hoa Kỳ. Đầu những năm 2000 hiệp hội các nông gia Mỹ có nhu cầu xuất khẩu nhiều hơn sang Cuba. Chính quyền G.W Bush tỏ dấu hiệu nhượng bộ nhưng đó chỉ là một « bàn tay sắt trong vỏ bọc nhung ».  Một chuyên gia về Cuba được nguyệt san Le Monde Diplomatique năm 2015 trích dẫn ghi nhận « chính sách trừng phạt của Mỹ đã dẫn tới những hậu quả tai hại về phương diện y tế cho Cuba » : Gần 80 % các bằng sáng chế trong lĩnh vực này đều thuộc chủ quyền của các tập đoàn của Mỹ hay các chi nhánh của họ, cho nên người dân Cuba trong một nhiều thập niên hoàn toàn không được tiếp cận với bất kỳ một tiến bộ nào về mặt khoa học, y tế, thuốc men. Phải đợi đến sự kiện tổng thống Mỹ Barack Obama bắt tay lãnh đạo Cuba Raul Castro nhân một buổi lễ tưởng niệm cố tổng thống Nam Phi, Nelson Mandela cuối 2013, bang giao giữa Hoa Kỳ với một thuộc địa cũ là Cuba mới rẽ sang một khúc quanh mới. Hai cựu tổng thống Mỹ Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton khi đã rút lui khỏi chính trường, lên tiếng chống đối chính sách trừng phạt của Mỹ nhắm vào Cuba. Họ nhìn nhận Washington « hoàn toàn thất bại » trên phương diện này. Tổng thống Trump ở nhiệm kỳ đầu đã chấm dứt chính sách tan băng của người tiền nhiệm Obama và còn mạnh tay hơn nữa từ đầu năm nay. Trên đài truyền hình tư nhân BFM TV chuyên gia về châu Mỹ Latinh, Gaspard Estrada Viện Nghiên Cứu Paris Montaigne, khoa Global South trường London School of Economics phân tích việc chính quyền Trump đang bóp ngạt kinh tế Cuba :   « Chính quyền Trump đang làm tất cả để cắt đứt mọi nguồn cung cấp dầu hỏa cho Cuba, từ Venezuela đến Mêhicô. Hậu quả kèm theo rất tai hại đối với người dân Cuba : họ bị mất điện triền miên, không có xăng dầu để di chuyển. Cuba càng lúc càng bị cô lập với thế giới bên ngoài. Washington bóp ngạt kinh tế Cuba để bắt buộc hòn đảo này phải thay đổi chế độ, nhưng dường như chính quyền Trump quên mất rằng, khủng hoảng kinh tế tại hòn đảo này sẽ đẩy người dân Cuba ra biển, tìm đường định cư tại Hoa Kỳ. Điều này sẽ ảnh hưởng đến chính sách nhập cư của Mỹ, đặc biệt là trước bầu cử giữa kỳ. (...) Mục tiêu của tổng thống Trump rất rõ ràng : Đó là làm suy yếu Cuba bằng mọi cách, kể cả việc cắt đứt các nguồn ngoại tệ mà La Habana đang cần để tài trợ cho các dự án khác. Ngay từ nhiệm kỳ đầu, Donald Trump đã chận đầu tư ngoại quốc vào Cuba, đánh vào ngành du lịch của hòn đảo này. Và từ đầu năm nay Washington liên tục ban hành thêm các biện pháp trừng phạt. Như thông lệ Cuba vẫn hô hào phải vùng lên chống đế quốc Mỹ, nhưng lần này, La Habana chủ động đàm phán với Hoa Kỳ. Đây là dấu hiệu rõ rệt nhất cho thấy chế độ đang bị suy yếu. Dù vậy chúng ta không biết đôi bên đang thương lượng về những gì và Mỹ đàm phán với ai ». Yếu tố Nga và Trung Quốc Nhưng lật đổ chế độ Cộng Sản Cuba hay đem lại một sự thay đổi thật sự cho quốc đảo này không là nhiệm vụ dễ hoàn thành. Theo nhà nghiên cứu Jérome Leleu thuộc Trường Cao Đẳng Khoa Học Xã Hội EHESS -Paris, bất chấp những căng thẳng và các biện pháp phong tỏa càng lúc càng cứng rắn mà Mỹ kiên trì áp đặt, liên hệ giữa Washington với La Habana từ năm 1960 đến nay chưa bao giờ « đứt quãng ». Cuba luôn đòi hỏi hai điều : Chấm dứt trừng phạt và trả lại căn cứ quân sự Guantanamo được đặt dưới quyền kiểm soát của Hoa Kỳ từ khi Cuba giành được độc lập năm 1902. Về phía Washington, dưới danh nghĩa Nhà Trắng dù trong tay đảng Dân Chủ hay Cộng Hòa cũng đều đòi La Habana trả lại tài sản cho các doanh nghiệp và tư nhân Mỹ đã bị chế độ Castro tịch thu từ sau cuộc Cách Mạng năm 1959. Vậy thì tổng thống Donald Trump với những áp lực trên nhiều phương diện nhắm vào Cuba từ đầu 2026 liệu có đạt được các mục tiêu mong muốn hay không ? Theo giới phân tích, câu trả lời là không vì Cuba dù mất đi nguồn cung cấp dầu hỏa quan trọng là Venezuela từ đầu năm đến nay, nhưng vẫn có thể trông cậy vào Nga và nhất là Trung Quốc. Trước hết là đối với Nga, trả lời đài RFI Pháp ngữ, Emmanuel Pietrobon, chuyên gia độc lập người Ý về châu Mỹ Latinh nhấn mạnh : Cuba là « vùng ảnh hưởng duy nhất của Nga trong vùng biển Caribe, cho nên Matxcơva dưới chế độ Cộng Sản Liên Xô trước kia hay của tổng thống Putin hiện tại đều phải bằng mọi giá yểm trợ La Habana ». « Nga cần hòn đảo nhỏ này để gây sức ép với Mỹ. Nói một cách ví von, chỉ cần bước ra ngoài ban công là người Mỹ có thể nhìn thấy sự hiện diện của Nga. Do đó, đối với Matxcơva, Cuba chiếm một lợi thế địa chiến lược, tương tự như là vị thế của Đài Loan đối với Washington trong vùng châu Á-Thái Bình Dương. Có thể nói, Cuba là một phiên bản của Đài Loan trong vùng biển Caribê. Ngoài khía cạnh địa chính trị, hòn đảo này còn có nhiều lợi thế về kinh tế. Cuba có dầu hỏa, nhưng vì bị cấm vận triền miên nên chưa từng được thăm dò, và đương nhiên là cũng chưa từng được khai thác. Rồi Cuba cũng có những nguồn dự trữ về cobalt, nickel và cũng có tiềm năng về đất hiếm… Tất cả những yếu tố đó cho thấy, Cuba chiếm một vị trí cực kỳ quan trọng về địa chính trị đối với Nga (...) Cuba chỉ cách bang Florida một giờ bay. Hòn đảo này cũng làm một căn cứ không thể thiếu, với một vị trí then chốt và duy nhất để tiến hành các hoạt động dọ thám. Không phải tình cờ mà trong những năm gần đây, có lẽ và từ nửa sau thập niên 2010, tổng thống Nga, Vladimir Putin đã quyết định mở lại trung tâm thu thập thông tin tình báo bằng tín hiệu lớn nhất mà Liên Xô từng sở hữu trong giai đọan Chiến Tranh Lạnh: Đó là căn cứ Lourdes ».  Một quân bài để thương lượng về Ukraina  Nhất là vào thời điểm mà Nga cần đàm phán với Mỹ về Ukraina thì Cuba có thể là một lá chủ bài trong mắt điện Kremlin Emmanuel Pietrobon giải thích tiếp :  « Matxcơva nhất quyết gửi đến Washington một thông điệp chính trị. Vào lúc Donald Trump có ý định phân chia thế giới theo những vùng ảnh hưởng khác nhau, Nga muốn Hoa Kỳ hiểu rằng tham vọng đó chỉ có thể thành công nếu như Nhà Trắng công nhận Kremin cũng có quyền xây dựng những vùng ảnh hưởng của riêng mình. Do vậy, Cuba như thể là một đòn bẩy trong tiến trình đàm phán giữa Nga và Mỹ. Trong thời kỳ Chiến Tranh Lạnh, Liên Xô đã đặt tên lửa ở Cuba trong lúc mà Hoa Kỳ đặt tên lửa tại Châu Âu - nhất là tại Ý cũng như là để làm đối trọng với việc Mỹ đã điều vũ khí hạt nhân đến Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ. Giờ đây theo logic tương tự, Matxcơva dùng Cuba để mặc cả với Mỹ về Ukraina ». 22 % nhập khẩu của Cuba phụ thuộc vào Trung Quốc Nhìn từ Bắc Kinh, Cuba là một đồng minh truyền thống lâu đời : Chính quyền Fidel Castro là quốc gia ở Tây bán cầu đầu tiên thiết lập bang giao với chế độ Mao Trạch Đông. Năm 2025,  chủ tịch Diaz Canel đến Bắc Kinh nhân kỷ niệm 65 năm bang giao hai nước. Về thương mại, từ đầu những năm 2000 Trung Quốc đã trở thành một trong những đối tác quan trọng nhất của Cuba, đứng trước cả Nga hay Venezuela. Cuba là « một trong những thị trường tiềm năng nhất của các nhà sản xuất pin mặt trời Trung Quốc ». Trung Quốc chiếm 22 % nhập khẩu của Cuba Ngoài ra, đối với ông Tập Cận Bình cũng như Vladimir Putin, giá trị chiến lược của Cuba chính là nhờ có vị trí sát cạnh Hoa Kỳ, một cửa ngõ quan trọng trong vùng biển Caribe. Do vậy giới quan sát cho rằng, không chắc Donald Trump đạt được mục đích đưa Cuba trở thành một « quốc gia thân thiện » với Hoa Kỳ. Không có gì bảo đảm ông sẽ được sử sách nhớ đến như một vị tổng thống vượt trội hơn tất cả những người tiền nhiệm, từ tướng Dwight David Eisenhower, tổng thống John Fitzgerald Kennedy, đến Bill Clinton, Barack Obama. Điều chắc chắn duy nhất là những tham vọng về địa chính trị của Washington trong vùng biển Caribe đã, đang và tiếp tục vấp phải những quyền lợi của Nga và Trung Quốc. Lịch sử cũng đã chứng minh rằng từ năm 1960 đến nay Cuba đã trải qua nhiều cuộc khủng hoảng kinh tế. Mỗi lần « thoát chết trong đường tơ kẽ tóc » La Habana luôn được một « quý nhân phù trợ ». Trong giai đoạn chiến tranh lạnh điểm tựa chính là Liên Xô. Khi Liên bang Xô Viết tan rã thì từng bước đến lượt Venezuela, dưới thời hai tổng thống Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) và Nicolas Maduro chống lưng. Trung Quốc là một đối tác thương mại « không thể thiếu » của Cuba, cho nên trong cuộc đọ sức bất cân xứng lần này với chính quyền Trump, chủ tịch Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel có thể trông cậy vào điểm tựa là chủ tịch Trung Quốc Tập Cận Bình.

'Virtual farewells' have become a trend on Russian social media. AI generated videos, depicting soldiers who have been killed in the war and paid for by their families, are being produced by AI artists. They show fantastical scenes of soldiers ascending to heaven; portrayals of their family members as guardian angels hovering over the front line; or sometimes little boys imagining a heroic future fighting in Putin's war in Ukraine. Liza Fokht of BBC Russian has been following the trend on social media/.  A documentary about deforestation in the West Papua region has attracted criticism from Indonesia's army. Some reports suggest the film Pesta Babi, or Pig Feast, has been banned, but the government insists that any cancelled screenings were the result of 'administrative procedures' and not an official ban. All the same, the controversy around the film seems to have made Indonesians more eager to find ways to watch it. BBC Indonesian's Lesthia Kertopati had a ticket for a screening this weekend. Since the military coup in 2021, both international and domestic tourism in Myanmar has dwindled as insecurity and unpredictability in the country has put people off travelling. Incidents of robbery and kidnapping of tourists have been reported in the ancient city of Bagan, one of the most famous tourist hotspots. Soe Win Tan of BBC Burmese explains why this is happening.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

Until the end of March this year, BBC News Russian was the only source of independent reporting in Belarus, where journalism has been suppressed. Around two dozen independent journalists are currently behind bars, with many more forced into exile by the government of Alexander Lukashenko. Then, on March 25th, Belarus added the BBC to a list of extremist materials, meaning that it is now an offense for people in Belarus to even like or share BBC content.BBC Russian's Alina Isachenka came into The Fifth Floor studio to explain how the BBC is trying to keep its readers in Belarus safe. Peace talks between Iran and the United States seem to have stopped, at least for now, while the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz remains firmly in place. But there's another unexpected player drawing attention in the region: Pakistan. Somehow, Pakistan has managed to stay on good terms with both Iran, its neighbor, and Iran's regional rival, Saudi Arabia, with whom it has a defense pact. BBC Persian's Mohammad Vaziri has been following Pakistan's balacing act.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.Presented by Faranak Amidi.Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson.(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

At 93, Paul Biya is the oldest head of state in the world. In June he will have been the leader of Cameroon for 44 years and is currently serving his eighth consecutive term. It was announced in April that for the first time in Biya's leadership, the position of vice-president would be created in the country. This new post has drawn attention to the lack of certainty within Cameroon over who will take over from Paul Biya once he is no longer in office. BBC Africa's Paul Njie is from Cameroon himself and has been looking into the story. A Thai drag performer has won the latest series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race: UK versus The World. Gawdland is the first Thai winner of the all-star series and also the first non-native English speaker to take the title. Her triumph took some by surprise, but for fans of Drag Race, she's seen as a trailblazer for East Asian drag queens. Panisa Aemocha of BBC Thai explains what makes Gawdland such a stand-out performer. Like anyone forced to leave their home country against their will, Russians who've sought asylum abroad face a variety of painful realities. Besides homesickness and the challenges of adapting to a new country, they also cannot safely return home to visit loved ones. For many years, exiled Russians could reunite with Russian family and friends in a wide variety of European and other countries, including the Baltic states. But as the rift between Russia and the rest of Europe deepend in the wake of the war in Ukraine, visa restrictions changed, leaving Russians with only a small handful of countries in which they could meet people from home. Recently, an exiled Russian man in his twenties, Sasha, planned and filmed a unique reunion with Russian friends. BBC Russian's Tatiana Kovtun tells Sasha's story and discusses the online response. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The personal correspondence, photographs and papers of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released to the public in stages, beginning in December 2025, after an almost unanimous vote in the US Senate. The released files run to three and a half million documents — emails, letters, photographs, videos, financial records, flight details — all are now open to public scrutiny. Many files remain heavily redacted, but what can be read has already had repercussions globally and revealed Epstein's web of connections to powerful figures around the world. Abdirahim Saeed, BBC Arabic, and Luiz Fernando Toledo, BBC News Brazil, share what they found about the files related to their regions. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.

Late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe died in 2019, but in the years before and since his death, his three children with his former wife, Grace, consistenly made headlines for all the wrong reasons. In April 2026 Bellarmine Mugabe pled guilty to a firearms offence in South Africa and last year, his brother, Robert Jnr, was convicted on drugs charges. The BBC's Khanyisile Ngcobo has been tracking the public's perception of the Mugabe family in Zimbabwe. In Indonesia, the posts of a woman called Emak Farida, 'Mother Farida', have gone viral on social media. From a remote village in East Kalimantan province, Farida's soothing posts documenting her daily life have found a devoted following amongst a generation of young people who've moved to big cities for work but still yearn for the village life and the family they've left behind. BBC Indonesian's Lesthia Kertopati reports. When war broke out in 2020 between Ethiopia's federal government and the the Tigray region of the country, many women in Tigray joined the armed forces, in part to avoid sexual violence, as reports of women being assaulted by soldiers started to appear. As the regional factions draw closer to war once again, BBC Tigrinya's Hana Zeratsyon has been speaking to female veterans of a war that went on to cost 600,000 lives and hearing about their complex reasons for fighting, their experiences in the army and their return to civilian life. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is now in its fifth year and armies on both sides have faced massive losses. Authorities in Ukraine regularly publish the numbers of their soldiers who have been killed, but Russian authorities haven't released official numbers for their dead since 2022. Throughout the war, Olga Ivshina of BBC Russian has been using open-source information to keep track of how many Russian soldiers have been killed and trying to find out more about their lives. At the end of January, six people were caned in public for violating Sharia law in Aceh, Indonesia. Caning is a common punishment for breaking Islamic law in the religiously conservative state, although the practice has drawn criticism from rights groups. Aceh has a unique identity within Indonesia and is the only part of the country to practice Sharia. Astudestra Ajengrastri of BBC Indonesian explains more about Aceh's history and why it chooses to be different from the rest of the country. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presenter: Faranak Amidi. Producer: Laura Thomas and Caroline FergusonPresented by Faranak Amidi. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

In India, official figures suggest that one in three women experience domestic violence. In 2023, police registered over 130,000 cases of marital abuse and more than 6,000 women were killed in disputes relating to dowries. Despite these high numbers, societal attitudes to domestic abuse are changing only very slowly in the country, with families often reluctant to be seen to be interfering in a daughter's marriage. Now a new short film, Band Baaja Bitiya (Hindi for "a wedding band and a daughter") is setting out to push the pace of change. Geeta Pandey, Women and Social Affairs Editor for BBC India, looked into thetrue story that inspired the film. In February this year, a Kenyan woman called Joy, who was a 19-year-old student at the time, discovered that she was at the center of a viral video circulating on the  social media platform, TikTok. In it, she's approached  by a man who says he's from Russia and their interaction is secretly filmed by him. Several other similar clips of women were shared widely online. The creator of the videos had been promoting himself online as a so-called pickup coach and his content has proved extremely popular. But for many of the women, these videos have had real life consequences. Mungai Ngige from the BBC's Disinformation Unit investigated. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presenter: Faranak Amidi. Producer: Laura Thomas and Caroline FergusonPresented by Faranak Amidi. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

The Political Economy of Oil in Venezuela: Class Conflict, the State, and the World Market (Brill, 2026) is the latest book from Dr. Kristin Ciupa, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Regina. Published with Brill, this book provides a detailed and engaging account of the historical development of Venezuela's political economy and interrelated oil industry. The book takes us from Venezuela prior to the advent of oil discovery where the economy was dependent on a limited range of export-oriented agricultural crops, all the way up to the Bolivarian government project instituted by Hugo Chavez. Of course, Venezuela has been at the centre of political turmoil at present, and it is crucial to get a strong, historical understanding of Venezuela's political economy, connected as it is with broader regional and global developments, to more concretely comprehend the current moment. Ciupa situates Venezuela within not only the broader ‘Pink Tide' that swept different parts of Latin America since the1990s, but also within the dynamics and tendencies of oil extraction and class politics at a local and international scale. Much of the literature has seen Venezuela as trapped in the classic ‘resource curse', where oil-exporting developing countries earn windfall revenues but have been unable to translate that to sustainable growth and development, which is usually deemed to be due to poor economic planning, weak institutions, and a lack of incentives for governments to invest. Ciupa's book argues, instead, that the interplay between national and international structures and relations of power, in Venezuela and in the global market, serve to perpetuate oil dependence. In making this argument, Ciupa presents a detailed, historical analysis of the ways in which the country was subsumed into the global economy as an oil exporter, tracing Venezuela's development and political economy through its prior dictatorships, the crises of the twentieth century, and then finally through the revolutionary Bolivarian government led by Hugo Chavez and then Nicolas Maduro. Kristin Ciupa's new book is a detailed, theoretically invigorated, and careful examination of Venezuela and its oil industry, which is still at the centre of geopolitical struggles more broadly today. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

On 18th December 2025, the offices of two of Bangladesh's biggest newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were surrounded by mobs, attacked and set on fire. At The Daily Star, journalists were forced to take shelter on the roof of the building as smoke billowed through the lift shaft. They were rescued hours later by the military and many required hospital treatment. The BBC's Soutik Biswas went to Dhaka to talk to journalists caught up in the violence and to investigate the social media posts that may have driven it. Hallyu, or the Korean wave, is what South Koreans call the international success of TV shows like Squid Game and K-Pop Demon Hunters. The phenomenon has grown exponentially since the 1990s, encompassing South Korean music, TV, drama, food and cosmetics. Boy band BTS have been central to the Hallyu craze since they got together in 2010. Their decision to go on hiatus so they could complete their military service sparked debate in South Korea. Now, as they prepare for a huge return concert in Seoul, Suhnwook Lee of BBC Korean joins the online queue for tickets. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.Presented by Irena TaranyukProduced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo:Irena Taranyuk.)

Sous pression des États-Unis, qui imposent un blocus énergétique sur l'île, le gouvernement cubain a annoncé ouvrir l'île aux investissements de membres de la diaspora dans le secteur privé. Une mesure dont l'impact est difficile à évaluer et qui est déjà critiquée par des économistes et par les exilés cubains. Cuba a de nouveau été totalement privée d'électricité lundi (16 mars 2026), pour la sixième fois en moins d'un an et demi. Ce même jour, sans en préciser les modalités, Donald Trump a affirmé devant la presse vouloir « prendre Cuba » : « C'est un pays en faillite. Ils n'ont pas d'argent. Ils n'ont pas de pétrole. Ils n'ont absolument rien. Je pense que Cuba est à bout de souffle. Toute ma vie, j'ai entendu parler des États-Unis et de Cuba. Quand les États-Unis vont-ils passer à l'action ? Je crois sincèrement que j'aurai l'honneur, l'immense honneur, de m'emparer de Cuba. D'une manière ou d'une autre. Que je la libère ou que je la prenne. Je pense que je peux en faire ce que je veux. C'est une nation très affaiblie en ce moment », a assuré le président des États-Unis, qui impose un blocus énergétique contre Cuba, en plus de l'embargo en vigueur depuis 1962. Vendredi (13 mars), le président cubain a confirmé des discussions avec Washington. Alors que la colère grandit sur l'île, le régime a dévoilé une mesure présentée comme une ouverture économique : la possibilité, pour les Cubains vivant à l'étranger, d'investir ou de créer des entreprises privées à Cuba. Cette annonce a été faite par le ministre du Commerce extérieur et de l'Investissement étranger, Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga, sur la chaîne d'État Canal Caribe. La presse officielle parle d'une « actualisation du modèle économique » du pays et de « nouvelles opportunités pour les Cubains de l'étranger ». Mais au sein de la diaspora, le scepticisme domine. La chaîne états-unienne CNN estime que « cette proposition ne devrait guère apaiser les Cubains-Américains qui réclament davantage de libertés politiques, et une ouverture économique totale ». Dans le Miami Herald, le député républicain d'origine cubaine Carlos Gimenez lance : « Si vous êtes fous, allez-y, allez investir à Cuba », assurant que les dirigeants communistes sont « des voleurs qui veulent juste s'enrichir ». L'économiste Pedro Monreal, cité par 14ymedio, estime que cette réforme « pourrait créer de nouvelles inégalités au sein du secteur privé » entre résidents cubains et investisseurs de la diaspora. À écouter aussiCuba, prochaine cible de Donald Trump ? Les Cubains crient leur colère sur les murs du pays Malgré les risques d'arrestation, certains Cubains affichent leur mécontentement contre le pouvoir en place en écrivant sur les murs du pays. El Estornudo publie une série de photos de graffitis, prises ces derniers mois, sur lesquels on peut lire : « À bas la dictature de Díaz-Canel », ou encore « Liberté ». Un homme de 57 ans, originaire de l'est du pays, témoigne anonymement auprès du site d'information : « J'ai écrit tout seul, au petit matin, "Dictateurs" et "À bas le communisme". » Arrêté puis emprisonné, il est aujourd'hui en liberté conditionnelle et préfère donc taire son identité. D'après le site d'information indépendant, les forces de l'ordre arrivent de plus en plus tôt pour « photographier les messages », « relever les empreintes » et « recouvrir de chaux » les inscriptions avant que les habitants sortent de chez eux. Mais des messages anti-régime continuent d'apparaître « dans l'espace public à travers tout le pays », assure El Estornudo, qui conclut : « Ils peuvent repeindre les murs, mais la colère de ceux qui écrivent ne disparaîtra pas d'un trait de pinceau. » Chili : les limites du plan anti-immigration du nouveau président Le nouveau président d'extrême droite chilien José Antonio Kast s'est affiché lundi à la frontière avec le Pérou pour lancer son plan contre l'immigration irrégulière. Alors que son voisin argentin Javier Milei a beaucoup utilisé l'image de la tronçonneuse, José Antonio Kast choisit lui celle d'une pelleteuse. Devant les caméras de la presse et tandis qu'un fossé est en train d'être creusé au milieu du désert, sur les hauts plateaux des Andes, il a assuré vouloir « utiliser les pelleteuses pour [...] retrouver [notre] souveraineté, qui a été endommagée par l'immigration irrégulière ». Ces « barrières physiques », censées empêcher le passage de migrants à pied, doivent être construites en l'espace de trois mois et seront complétées par des radars et davantage de forces de l'ordre. Interrogé par la chaîne Canal Trece sur le fait qu'il n'ait pas expulsé les 300 000 migrants en situation irrégulière avant son investiture, il répond : « On ne peut pas expulser 300 000 personnes en un jour, mais on envoie un message. » Le site Ex-Ante souligne toutefois les obstacles à l'exécution de son plan : la frontière du Chili avec le Pérou et la Bolivie est longue de plus de 1 000 kilomètres. De plus, les passeurs contournent les obstacles et les contrôles en modifiant leurs itinéraires. La presse chilienne rappelle, de plus, que les arrivées de migrants ont déjà fortement diminué ces dernières années. Haïti : la FRG déployée à partir du 1er avril La nouvelle Force internationale de répression des gangs (FRG) devrait entamer son déploiement à partir du 1er avril 2026, ont annoncé les autorités de la République dominicaine, précise Gotson Pierre, directeur de l'agence Alterpresse. Forte de 5 500 hommes, la FRG a été créée en octobre 2025 mais n'est officiellement pas encore déployée.  Au Chili, des ressortissants haïtiens dénoncent de graves difficultés d'accès aux services administratifs de l'ambassade d'Haïti à Santiago. Ils affirment devoir payer pour des passeports, certificats ou d'autres services consulaires, sans pouvoir jamais obtenir les documents demandés, d'après l'organisation haïtienne Comunidad Haitiana en Chile, lit-on également sur le site d'Alterpresse. Venezuela : la jeunesse se mobilise contre le pouvoir chaviste Au Venezuela, la même tendance politique dirige le pays depuis maintenant 26 ans. Toute une génération n'a donc connu au gouvernement que le chavisme, cette idéologie politique héritée du défunt président Hugo Chavez (1999-2013). Une génération qui a vu son pays décliner, du point de vue économique comme du point de vue démocratique. Depuis le 3 janvier 2026, les jeunes opposants reprennent de la voix et cherchent à se faire entendre. La correspondante de RFI à Caracas, Alice Campaignolle, est allée à leur rencontre. Dans le journal de La 1ère... En Guadeloupe, une seule candidate tête de liste serait en position de l'emporter à l'issue du second tour des élections municipales, rapporte Benoît Ferrand, d'Outre-mer La 1ère.

The United States and Israel have now been at war with Iran for two weeks, since 28th February. In that time, there have been over 1200 civilian deaths in Iran, including 168, most of them children, at a girls' school in Minab, central Iran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for over forty years, was killed on the first day of the war. There have been wider casualties throughout the region. Iran has fired missiles at neighbouring countries, including Dubai, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Israel. For journalists at BBC Persian, reporting on the war from outside of the country has been incredibly difficult. The internet has been shut down on the 90 million people living inside Iran, making it difficult for people to get information on what is happening round them and which locations are being hit by bombing. It is also extremely difficult for Iranians outside the country to contact those inside. BBC Persian's Ghoncheh Habibiazad and Taraneh Fathalian; and BBC Monitoring's Sarbas Nazari, discuss what is known about the situation within Iran. This edition was recorded on 12th March 2026. The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.   Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.   If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Caroline Ferguson and Laura Thomas(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Many of the same types of promises made by Latin American communists and Venezuelan tyrants Nicolas Maduro and Hugo Chavez are being offered by certain progressive political factions in the United States, and Americans should be on guard, warned former Citgo CEO Jose Pereira in this episode of Conversations That Matter with The New American ... The post Venezuelan Oil CEO Celebrates Maduro Capture, Warns US to Stay on Guard appeared first on The New American.

On the 3rd of January this year, Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, was removed from office by a US military intervention. He was flown to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking and partnering with terrorist groups, charges he denies. His leadership and that of his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez saw Venezuela move from being an oil rich, prosperous country to a country which was heavily sanctioned and under investigation by the International Criminal Court. Maduro's Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, has now succeeded him as acting president. Some Venezuelans feel that she represents only continuity with Chavismo, the political system Hugo Chavez created. Others feel that Rodriguez will be forced to adapt in order to survive. Jorge Perez and Alicia Hernandez of BBC Mundo have been following what is happening in Venezuela closely.Snow leopards are beautiful, yet elusive creatures. They like to live high up in snowy mountains, including certain areas in the Indian Himalayas. A group of women in one of India's coldest and most remote regions have joined the efforts to conduct a snow leopard census, using camera traps to count the big cats and protect them and their habitat. Ashay Yedge of BBC Marathi recently traveled to the world's second-highest village to speak to them about their work. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Irena TaranyukProduced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson (Photo: Irena Taranyuk)

Trump has reassembled his 2020 election conspiracy team as Tulsi Gabbard leads an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing 700 boxes of ballots from the 2020 election. The raid represents Trump's strategy to undermine the legitimacy of the 2026 midterm elections before they even happen. With Republicans facing devastating losses in both the House and Senate, Trump knows two years of Democratic investigations and multiple impeachments await him. Will Sommer reports on the batshit conspiracy theories fueling this election attack, from Sydney Powell's Venezuelan voting machine claims to the Hammer and Scorecard supercomputer theory. Tulsi Gabbard, as Director of National Intelligence, has no law enforcement authority yet accompanied FBI agents and called Trump from the scene. The investigation resurrects discredited conspiracy theorists like Dennis Montgomery and references Hugo Chavez, dead for years, supposedly influencing Dominion voting systems. Meanwhile, Dan Bongino returned to podcasting after his brief FBI stint, immediately landing a Trump interview where the president threatened to seize control of elections in 15 states. The connection between the Fulton County raid, Tulsi Gabbard's investigation, and Trump's 2026 midterm strategy reveals a coordinated effort to cast doubt on any Democratic victories. Sydney Powell hints at something big happening, while Trump reposts QAnon theories about Italian satellites and CIA programs flipping votes. The legitimacy of future elections hangs in the balance as Trump deploys every conspiracy theory and charlatan from 2020 to poison the well for 2026. SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mdg650hawk - Hawk's Merch Store: https://hawkmerchstore.com - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdg650hawk7thacct - Connect on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hawkeyewhackamole - Connect on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mdg650hawk.bsky.social - Connect on Substack: https://mdg650hawk.substack.com - Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawkpodcasts - Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdg650hawk - Connect on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mdg650hawk ALL HAWK PODCASTS INFO- Additional Content Available Here: https://www.hawkpodcasts.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3RWeJfyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/422GDuLYouTube: https://youtube.com/@hawkpodcastsiHeartRadio: https://ihr.fm/47vVBdPPandora: https://bit.ly/48COaTB

 Starting in the autumn of 2025, the US began attacking small civilian boats in or near Venezuelan waters, summarily executing over 126 people. January, 2026 began with it kidnapping Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and bringing them to the US. This month, just weeks after the kidnapping, Haymarket Books published the immensely useful and urgent book, Venezuela in Crisis. The historical range of the book begins with the regime of Hugo Chavez and ends with the 2024 elections in Venezuela.We are immensely fortunate to be able to speak with the editor and translator of this collection of essays, Anderson Bean, and two of its contributors, Emiliano Terán and Simón Rodríguez.  The key argument of the book is that, even by his own admission, Chavez was not able to completely transform Venezuela into a socialist state. The book explains the roots of this failure, despite the inspiring successes of Chavismo. It then tracks an ever-increasing neoliberal and oppressive trend carried forward by Maduro, which is characterized by burgeoning extractivism, corruption, and suppression of human rights.  We end by calling on socialists and progressives everywhere to resist the tendency to side with Maduro's false claims to socialism, and to focus instead on building solidarity with the people of Venezuela.Anderson Bean is a sociology professor at North Carolina A&T State University, a member of the Tempest Collective, and a North Carolina–based activist and editor. He is a contributor to Venezuela in Crisis: Socialist Perspectives (Haymarket Books) and the author of Communes and the Venezuelan State: The Struggle for Participatory Democracy in a Time of Crisis (Lexington Books).Simón Rodríguez is a Venezuelan socialist writer and journalist. He was a student organizer and later became professor at the Universidad de los Andes. When he was a member of the national leadership of the Socialism and Freedom Party, he ran as a candidate for the National Assembly in 2015. He is a founding member of Laclase.info and Venezuelanvoices.org and has published articles in Humania del Sur, NACLA Report on the Americas, The New Arab, and Rebelión and on dozens of electronic outlets, and his articles have been translated into six languages. He has given talks and lectures in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He is coauthor with Miguel Sorans of the book Why Did Chavismo Fail? A Left-Opposition Balance Sheet.Emiliano Terán is a sociologist from the Central University of Venezuela and has a master's degree in ecological economics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He is a PhD candidate in environmental science and technology at the same institution. He is also an associate researcher at the Center for Development Studies in Venezuela and a member of the Observatory of Political Ecology of Venezuela   

In Chapter 42 of The Book of Trump, host Ghost continues the examination of parallels, patterns, and strategic behavior referenced through the lens of Hugo Chavez. This chapter focuses on timing, perception management, and how public actions are often designed to trigger predictable reactions that reveal deeper constraints and intentions. Ghost breaks down how narrative pressure, delayed responses, and calculated moves can be used to shape outcomes without direct confrontation. The discussion emphasizes sequencing, psychological leverage, and the difference between surface-level optics and underlying strategy. Throughout the chapter, attention is given to how power is exercised through patience, observation, and allowing opponents to overextend themselves. Chapter 42 builds on the broader theme of strategy over spectacle, encouraging listeners to study behavior patterns, responses, and historical parallels rather than reacting to individual events in isolation.

Watch the full podcast! https://chinauncensored.tv/programs/podcast-322 When Venezuelans elected socialist Hugo Chavez in 1998, it seemed like a good idea. In fact, it seemed like the only way to fix their country. Economics and banking expert Jorge Jraissati explains how Venezuela got to that point, and what Americans can learn from it. Follow him on X @jraissatijorge

Watch the full podcast! https://chinauncensored.tv/programs/podcast-322 When Venezuelans elected socialist Hugo Chavez in 1998, it seemed like a good idea. In fact, it seemed like the only way to fix their country. Economics and banking expert Jorge Jraissati explains how Venezuela got to that point, and what Americans can learn from it. Follow him on X @jraissatijorge

Why is the U.S. involved in Venezuela and what does oil have to do with it? In this thoughtful conversation, Marianne Williamson interviews the Center for Economic Policy and Research's Alex Main about U.S. foreign policy, Venezuela's political crisis, economic sanctions, and the history of American intervention in the region. They discuss Hugo Chavez, Nicolas Maduro, U.S. oil interests, Cold War ideology, and the growing fear among Latin American nations of renewed U.S. imperialism. This conversation provides crucial context missing from mainstream media coverage. Center for Economic Policy and Research: CEPR.net Subscribe to Marianne's Substack: MarianneWilliamson.Susbtack.com Subscribe to Marianne's YouTube Channel Follow Marianne on Instagram Follow Marianne on Facebook Follow Marianne on TikTok Learn more at Marianne.com

Un empresario acusa a Daddy Yankee, Mireddys Gonzalez y otras personas de fraude, conspiración y traición a la confianza en un negocio millonario.María Corina Machado se reunió con María Corina Machado y hay mucha incertidumbre sobre el futuro político de Venezuela.Continúan los líos jurídicos para Gerardo Ortiz. Aunque se salvó de la prisión, el gobierno de Estados Unidos le impuso una millonaria multa y además le impide salir del país, lo que afecta futuras presentaciones que tenía pactadas.Te contamos qué famosos apoyaron a Chavez, Maduro y su 'proyecto bolivariano'.¿Quién es la misteriosa 'amiga' que no se separa de Rosalía? Aquí te lo contamos.

With the ousting of Nicolás Maduro, the future of the Venezuelan government is an open question. Will we see a mere continuation of the Maduro regime, which left the country economically devastated, or will we instead see the kind of fundamental reforms that have worked so well for Javier Milei in Argentina? Matt Kibbe is joined by Ian Vásquez, Vice President of International Studies at the Cato Institute, to discuss the next steps for the Trump Administration. In a best-case scenario, Trump would work with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado to bring libertarian reforms to Venezuela, putting the country back on the path towards the kind of freedom and prosperity it enjoyed prior to Hugo Chavez's socialist takeover.

In this episode of The Sports As a Weapon Podcast, Miguel welcomes British-Chilean journalist and documentary filmmaker Pablo Navarrete. The discussion centers around the recent US attack on Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which led to the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores. Pablo shares his experiences and insights on Venezuelan politics, the influence of Chavismo, and the impact of US imperialism. He also highlights his work in documentary filmmaking, focusing on Venezuela and Latin American issues. Miguel and Pablo's conversation includes perspectives on independent media and grassroots journalism, and the roles of Chavista social activists of the Bolivarian Revolution, such as Mariela Machado in Venezuela.Links:* Emergency Rally in Sheffield, England - Hands Off Venezuela! by Pablo Navarrete/Level Ground Substack * The War On Democracy  (2007 Documentary) by John Pilger * Inside the Revolution: A Journey into Heart of Venezuela (2009 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Alborada Films * Venezuela: Defending the Revolution (2019 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Redfish Media  * The Other Venezuela (2019 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Redfish Media * Caesar Crossed the Rubicon; So Did Trump by Maria Páez Victor/Orinoco Tribune * Mariela Machado Instagram Interview via @chanramosvictoralfonso * Venezuelan, International Popular Movements Condemn US Bombings, Maduro Kidnapping by Ricardo Vaz  Miguel Garcia and Comrade E produced this episode. The Sports As A Weapon Podcast is part of the @Anticonquista Media Collective. Subscribe to the ANTICONQUISTA Patreon and follow ANTICONQUISTA on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.Also, listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, or wherever you get your podcasts.Follow us on:Twitter/X: @sportsasaweaponFacebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcastInstagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcastTikTok: @SportsAsAWeaponYouTube: @SportsAsAWeaponBlueSky: @sportsasaweapon.bsky.socialVisit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com

The life and death of Hugo and Venezuela.EXCLUSIVE EPISODE PATREON EPISODE. GET ACCESS AND SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDeprogram Support the showSupport the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheDeprogramFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDeprogramPod

De chofer de autobús a enemigo número uno de EE.UU. La historia de Nicolás Maduro es más extraña de lo que parece. En este video repasamos su ascenso, sus alianzas, las polémicas que lo rodearon y el momento exacto en el que todo cambió. Una historia de poder, errores, provocaciones y consecuencias que marcarán el futuro de Venezuela. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chapter 41 of The Book of Trump turns its focus to Hugo Chavez, a figure long framed as a villain by Western media but rarely examined in full context. In this episode, Ghost breaks down Chavez's rise from military officer to Venezuelan president, unpacking the 2002 coup attempt, the role of foreign influence, and the narrative warfare that followed. Drawing direct parallels to the treatment of other nationalist leaders, the discussion explores how Chavez was portrayed as a demagogue while maintaining deep popular support at home. From oil politics and constitutional reform to media manipulation and color revolutions, this chapter challenges long-standing assumptions about Venezuela's history and Chavez's legacy. By revisiting original footage, key moments, and overlooked details, Ghost invites listeners to question what they were told and why, and to reconsider how power, propaganda, and sovereignty collide on the global stage.

Venezuela's collapse is about way more than socialism and oil. Ryan McBeth breaks down how a resource-rich nation became a cautionary tale on our doorstep.Welcome to what we're calling our "Out of the Loop" episodes, where we dig a little deeper into fascinating current events that may only register as a blip on the media's news cycle and have conversations with the people who find themselves immersed in them.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1269On This Episode of Out of the Loop:Venezuela's collapse wasn't caused by a single villain or policy — it happened because oil money replaced accountability. Institutions were hollowed out, competence was swapped for loyalty, and when the cash dried up, the regime compensated with control instead of reform.Hugo Chavez's "Bolivarian Revolution" brought real benefits early on — redistributing oil wealth and challenging entrenched elites. But the gains depended entirely on high oil prices, and when those collapsed around 2010, hyperinflation, shortages, and mass migration followed.Venezuela matters strategically to the US because it sits near the Panama Canal and Gulf Coast refineries — making it a pressure point for energy markets, migration flows, and criminal networks. China and Russia have both moved in, treating the instability like an open house.Nicolás Maduro wasn't so much a supreme leader as a traffic cop managing competing mafias. The country's power structure fractured into factions — military, political, criminal — each with its own incentives, making any clean transition extremely difficult.Venezuela's story is a reminder that resource wealth without strong institutions becomes a trap — but it also shows that populations who've experienced democracy and prosperity tend to push back. That memory of better times can become the foundation for rebuilding.And much more!Connect with Jordan on Twitter, on Instagram, and on YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on an Out of the Loop episode, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!Connect with Ryan McBeth at his website, Twitter, Instagram, and on YouTube. If you'd like to stay on top of what's happening in the world, subscribe to Ryan's Substack!And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: Tonal: $200 off: tonal.com, code JORDANQuince: Free shipping & 365-day returns: quince.com/jordanSimpliSafe: 50% off + 1st month free: simplisafe.com/jordanProgressive: Free online quote: progressive.comHomes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Darrell Castle discusses the raid in Venezuela, the capture or arrest of Nichalas Maduro and his wife and whether it was beneficial to anyone. TRUMP'S VERSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 9th day of January in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be discussing the raid in Venezuela and the capture or arrest as the DOJ calls it of Nichalas Maduro and his wife and their criminal prosecution by US Federal authorities in the federal district court of New York. Did it benefit anyone, was it right or wrong, was it legal or illegal. Yes, folks 2026 has barely started and it has already been quite a year. Was the capture of Maduro an indication by the administration that one year of his term is complete and now the gloves come off. I certainly think that was one of the many intentions of the raid, but not the most significant by any means. What then was the real intent or reason for the raid. The truthful answer to that question is, I don't know and neither does anyone else. We look at it and we see the results short term but what was in his mind only he knows for sure. Let's look first at the legality of the raid. In my opinion it was clearly legal if US law is the judge. The 1973 War Powers Resolution allows the president to deploy military forces; however, he chooses without prior approval of congress if he decides its in the national security interest of the United States. Its's more than a little hypocritical for any Democrat with a microphone to scream illegal because they could always repeal the War Powers Act but they don't/ Why not, because they use it too, and they want it available. When Hillary Clinton rejoiced at the death of Muammar Gaddafi who was killed in a US bombing attack while apparently asleep in his bed, was that illegal. What about when George Bush sent American forces into Iraq and eventually hanged Saddam Hussein, was that illegal. In fact, Trump should be thanked by Maduro and his supporters in congress because he could have sent a cruise missile through his window but instead he arrested him. The DOJ insists this was a law enforcement action whereby a wanted fugitive was arrested in a foreign country. So, the question is, what do you mean by illegal. Clearly it does not violate US law so perhaps you mean it violates your sense of consciousness or morality. Well, most of what the US government does violates my sense of morality but that is not the judge.  I guess the argument then is that it violates international law. My answer is that international law is a nebulous concept that doesn't even exist anymore. International law was invented at Nuremburg as a way to justify dealing with Nazi war criminals when there was little real evidence of the crimes with which they were charged. In other words, it began and ended at Nuremburg. OK then, did anything good come out of the raid. Yes, lots of things, starting with the way the raid was conducted. This was perhaps the greatest and most successful special forces raid in history. Conducted in a foreign capital with very few known casualties. As I said he could have just put a warhead on Maduro's forehead but he didn't so in that sense the rule of law is intact. To carry that thought forward, the President has this very elite force the best of the best and he is committed to using them to accomplish his foreign policy rather than mobilizing vast armies with coalition partners at a cost of hundreds of billions. Everyone around the world took notice and the countries you would expect voiced their disapproval, but at the same time they know he is not bluffing and when he warns that he will act it is prudent to pay attention. It was a demonstration of what the US military can do especially when you consider that Venezuela supposedly had the latest version of Russian and Chinese anti-air defense system. It was Trump's version of, we are still here and we are still the best so pay attention. The other benefit that it is hard to argue against is that Maduro is a very bad man and Venezuela will be better off without him. There was an election in 2024 which was won by Edmundo Gonzalez but Maduro used his military to hold on to the most addictive thing in the world, power. He was so bad as a leader that 20% of the Venezuelan population left the country. I personally know many Venezuelan people some of whom live here in America and some in Venezuela and they are happy he is gone. The pro Maduro crowds of young white liberals marching through the streets of New York are really anti-Trump not pro Maduro. I guess one can justify supporting a vicious dictator if it means hurting Trump. The crowds of Venezuelan people rejoicing in the streets of Caracas are far more important than those in New York. Sometimes I think the people in such demonstrations have lost touch with reality. Certainly, they have lost touch with the needs of ordinary people if they ever had touch with them. It reminds me of when Trump sent the National Guard into the most crime ridden cities to help slow violent crime. Washington DC was the first but my city of Memphis was also included. The people in New York marching against the deployment were probably the same as the pro Maduro crowd but in the streets it was different. I talked to many people in my law office who live out there with reality and that reality is constant fear of violent crime. People told me in no uncertain terms that they were glad to see the Guard on the streets and they felt safer walking or going shopping. The people of the cities worry about whether their kids will be killed in a drive by, and so they are glad for protection. So, Maduro was a very bad man who caused many to leave their country and many more were starving. Yes, he was a leader who lived in palatial luxury while his people starved. Venezuela has one of the largest deposits of petroleum in the world but the people have no gas. We learned after Maduro's capture that the infrastructure of pumping and getting oil to market was in such a poor state that it could take ten years to fully bring it up to speed. Venezuela has all this wealth under its soil and under its ocean but no one cared enough for the people to exploit it for their benefit. Will the American oil companies that are competing for Venezuelan oil use it for the people's benefit. Well, that is a good question but I believe that while trump is president they will. Right now, Venezuela is left in a highly volatile and uncertain phase of its history. Who will lead after Maduro. Delci Rodriguez, Maduro's vice president is in charge as I record this. She talked tough but only for a moment and then she saw the light and started saying something like I will be glad to cooperate with the Americans and I am just glad to be here. That is of course another point and that is that he did leave her in power and let natural progression take its course. Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado said that she would like to see Gomzalez given power because he won the election in 2024 but Trump seems committed to let the laws of succession take their course. So, the next several months are very uncertain and many questions remain. Will Roddriguez accommodate US pressure and demands, defy them, or perhaps some hard line socialist from Maduro's old party, The United Socialist Party of Venezuela, will try to seize power. One thing should be obvious though and that is that the US military will be used if it becomes necessary so the leaders of that country obviously know that. So, the President is reimposing the Monroe Doctrine to protect US interests in this hemisphere. When President Monroe announced his doctrine in 1823 or 24 it was to be a two-way street. To the European colonists he said stay out of our hemisphere and we will stay out of yours. Spain had colonies so it was primarily directed at them and it eventually took the Spanish-American War to get Spain out of the Caribbean. It would be hard to argue that the US has stayed out of European affairs since the US has fought two World Wars and currently has bases and troops all over Europe. In addition, the US has China surrounded by bases and carrier battle groups so two-way street, no not yet. Perhaps it indicates a return to the old Monroe doctrine whereby the US watches its own back yard and lets others do the same. I for one would be happy if that were the policy. In regard to that thought Trump has repeatedly referred to the Venezuelan oil deposits as “our oil. “Is he bringing a Machiavellian concept of might makes right to the table with that expression. No, he is referring to the contracts US companies had with the Venezuelan government before Hugo Chavez took power in 1998. One of Chavez's first acts was to nationalize the oil industry thus stealing all the oil, at least from an American point of view. So, Trump is referring back to the pre-Chavez days and saying by contract that oil is ours and you should thank me instead of criticizing me for enforcing contracts and the rule of law. None of that had anything to do with Nicholas Maduro of course since it happened long before he took power. Chavez named Maduro as his successor from his death bed in 2010. Venezuela is supposed to have free elections but if you know the history of that region you know that often free elections are in name only. You've probably noticed that I have spent very little time on the topic of drug interdiction. That's because the whole concept is ridiculous and had very little to do with US military action. Slowing the flow of narcotics into the US was at best a side benefit but it made for good theater. Interestingly, Bibi Netanyahu made his fifth visit to the Trump White House just before this happened. Bibi has been complaining for some time that Venezuela was allowing Iran to train its terrorists there and he wanted something done about it. So, was it an Israeli operation? I don't know since knowing is virtually impossible but I will wager it didn't hurt. Finally, folks, from all this talk you might get the impression that I am in favor of this attack but no I'm afraid not. America first to me means that we have enough problems at home to last all of our lifetimes and I think the American people are about sick of Foreign policy. Rather than empire building or the imperialism of Pax Americana our concerns are or should be here at home. I reject these grandiose schemes in favor of home and family the way it should be. Let us raise our children in peace and prosperity and keep the price of ground beef modest. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

In 1999 Hugo Chavez was elected President of Venezuela, beginning a years-long ‘Bolivarian Revolution,' following multiple coup attempts, and time in prison. Chavez would go on to govern the country as President until his death in 2013 — passing sweeping anti-poverty programs, nationalizing oil and industry, and opposing US hegemony in the region. Just before his death, Chavez hand selected Nicolas Maduro as the person to carry forward his political program and legacy. Maduro's time in power was hamstrung between domestic mismanagement, US sanction regimes, and authoritarian crackdowns. But at the core of his time in power was the ‘Chavismo' political ideology, created in the image of his predecessor. For a better sense of Venezuela's modern political history, we have a look at its central characters: Simon Bolivar, Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro. Today, we're joined by Alejandro Velasco, a professor of Latin American history at New York University, and author of ‘Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela.'For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

In the wake of President Trump's sudden military action in Venezuela, ousting Nicolás Maduro and asserting U.S. control over the country, at least temporarily, much of the debate has centered around the wisdom and legality of Trump's actions. Matt Kibbe argues that while unilateral military action by the president is certainly unconstitutional, the more important question is what happens next. Free the People has a long history of pointing out the evils of the socialist regime led by Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, and yet history teaches us that regime-change wars invariably make things worse rather than better. As Maduro's vice president assumes control for the time being, there remain many questions about what the plan is going forward, whether it involves installing new leadership or a boots-on-the-ground military occupation by U.S. forces, or whether the country will simply be left to its own devices from here on out. The answers to these questions will determine much about the future faced by the Venezuelan people.

Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeBEHOLD: White Women in America Vs Venezuelans in Venezuela // Nick Fuentes Goes to Harvard? // Where are the Matthew 25:35 Democrats?Episode Links:NEW: White women on TikTok are fuming following the United States attack on Venezuela, while Venezuelans rejoice.Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he spoke to President Donald Trump to register opposition to the abduction of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro.Venezuelan woman cries with joy upon hearing the news of the capture of the dictator of #Venezuela #NicolasMaduroYoung Venezuelans break out into celebration as news filters through of Trump's strikes against Maduro's regime.  Western commie larpers moaning. Those actually living under communism celebrate.Venezuelan journalist Germania Rodriguez Poleo's message to those who are mad that President Trump captured dictator Nicolas Maduro: "Do not for a moment let your hatred and disdain for Donald Trump have you defending the dictator of my country, which was destroyed by [Maduro] and [Hugo] Chavez and their system 20 years ago. We Venezuelans are very, VERY happy that our dictator has been arrested, removed, and will be put through a trial. It's the first time we're seeing justice in 26 years! Now let's hope they get all of those criminals out of Venezuela and then we can return home."40-year Harvard professor pens scathing piece on school's 'exclusion of white males,' anti-Western trends; James Hankins said admissions committee told him accepting White male applicant was 'not happening this year'Whistleblower audio reveals Cherry Creek School District officials labeled “disruptive” and “defiant” conduct from a Black student as “culturally appropriate” — and blamed it on staff's “whiteness.” What does the scripture teach us about caring for the poor, the sick and the afflicted?BREAKING - Over 40 daycare centers in Columbus, Ohio, all opened under the same defunct shell organization, the Somali Education & Resource Center, have been identified as opening and beginning operations on the exact same day, with combined earnings of $14 million in 2024 alone.What Does God's Word Say?Matthew 25:35

The new year is off to a rough start! Check out this extremely old, ancient even, episode we did George Ciccariello-Maher. We'll be back next week with new content! In this episode, Dean and Matt interview George Ciccariello-Maher about Chavismo, Venezuela, dual power, the communes, Maduro and the ways Christianity might have informed Hugo Chavez' political imagination.

Ryan Wiggins breaks down alleged foreign interference in U.S. elections, tracing Dominion and Smartmatic software back to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and its potential impact on the 2020 election. He discusses affidavits, whistleblowers, and ongoing investigations, connecting these issues to the recent Maduro capture. Wiggins also reflects on election integrity, the risks of electronic voting, and previews his Wiggins America broadcasts. #ElectionIntegrity #Venezuela #Maduro #Dominion #Smartmatic #RyanWiggins #MarkCoxMorningShow

"Would you hand the fate of your nation to someone who never finished high school?" This episode opens with a question that sets the stage for a gripping exploration of Venezuela's dramatic journey from prosperity to crisis. Kent Hance takes listeners on a vivid ride through the country's history, revealing how the world's richest oil reserves became a symbol of squandered potential and political missteps. Listeners will be hooked by Kent's storytelling as he draws powerful comparisons between Venezuela and Texas, highlighting how leadership choices can make or break a nation. The episode unpacks the rise of Hugo Chavez and the astonishing ascent of Nicolás Maduro, a former bus driver whose leadership led to widespread poverty and chaos. Kent's signature wit shines as he shares memorable moments, including the covert military operation that toppled Maduro and the celebration of Venezuelans eager for change. Key themes and moments include: The staggering gap between Venezuela's oil wealth and its economic reality The origins of OPEC and its Texas connection Personal stories of hope, loss, and resilience from Venezuelans forced to flee their homeland The secret mission "Absolute Resolve," which changed the course of history in a single weekend Kent's reflections on leadership, with unforgettable lines like, "Pick your battles wisely," and "You get what you pay for." This episode is packed with hard-hitting insights, historical context, and Kent's trademark humor. It's a must-listen for anyone curious about global politics, economics, and the lessons Texas—and the world—can learn from Venezuela's cautionary tale.

Catherine Royle was Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela, making one of very few people to have met and worked with all of Nicolas Maduro, his predecessor Hugo Chavez and Maduro's (perhaps temporary) successor Delcy Rodriguez. She shared her unique experiences and insights for this emergency episode recorded on 4 January 2026. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States continues to squeeze and isolate the Venezuelan regime led by Nicolas Maduro with another oil tanker being seized, steady military action against narco-terrorist drug boats, and the recent daring extraction of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Both Russia and China tight relationship with Venezuela dates back to the reign of Hugo Chavez, but now Turkish relations with Venezuela have become a major source of support for the Maduro regime. Turkey being a NATO member while supporting Maduro seems raise some eyebrows but why are they so committed to any sort of investment into Venezuela. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Dr. Sinan Ciddi, senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and Director of the Turkey program, who says the tightening relations between Turkey and Venezuela needs to monitored more closely, and he breaks down what the two countries are getting from each other. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We discuss the 2003 failed coup of Venezuela's left wing then-president Hugo Chavez. FULL EP AT PATREON.COM/PODDAMNAMERICA

VENEZUELA'S TRAGIC DECLINE FROM PROSPERITY TO AUTHORITARIANISM Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. Historical imagery reveals Venezuela's transformation from a prosperous, modern nation in the 1950s to a ruined state today. Deep inequality and corruption in the pre-Chavez era alienated the poor, allowing Hugo Chavez to capitalize on their frustration and dismantle the free market system, leading to the current crisis. NUMBER 6 1948 CARACAS

SHOW 12-18-25 THE SHOW BEGINS IN DOUBTS ABOUT THE POTUS AT YEAR'S END... 1951 BALD EAGLE ALASKA CRUNCH EU SUMMIT DISCUSSES USING FROZEN RUSSIAN ASSETS FOR UKRAINE Colleague Anatol Lieven. The European Union is internally divided over seizing frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort and reconstruction, a move requiring rule changes that some members resist. While the US proposes using these funds for post-war rebuilding, current plans risk spending the capital on immediate warfare, potentially undermining international financial trust. NUMBER 1 NATO AND EU SEEK DEFENSE FUNDS AMID FEARS OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION Colleague Anatol Lieven. European nations like Finland are demanding funds to counter perceived Russian threats, despite a lack of historical aggression toward them. Lieven argues that plans to spend billions on tanks are misguided, as the Ukraine war demonstrates that expensive armor is easily destroyed by cheaper drones and defensive lines. NUMBER 2 CALIFORNIA JOB LOSSES AND CHINA'S ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AMID RETAIL SEASON Colleague Chris Riegel. California's new wage mandates have triggered significant job losses in the fast-food sector, forcing operators to move to lower-tax states. Internationally, while China boasts of leads in AI and EVs, these sectors rely on unsustainable subsidies, masking a deep consumer recession and deflation in the property market. NUMBER 3 SPAIN'S GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS TIES WITH VENEZUELA DESPITE OPPOSITION Colleague Mary Anastasia O'Grady. The Spanish government under Pedro Sanchez maintains ideological and economic alliances with the Maduro regime, prioritizing political agendas over democratic ideals. Opposition figure Cayetana Alvarez de Toledo accuses former Prime Minister Zapatero of acting as an international agent for Maduro, facilitating the dictatorship's survival despite mass migration. NUMBER 4 CHINA'S SURREPTITIOUS SUPPORT KEEPS THE MADURO REGIME AFLOAT Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. China sustains the Maduro regime through loans, surveillance technology, and military equipment while bypassing sanctions to import Venezuelan oil. The state oil company, PDVSA, collapsed due to the purging of technical experts and lack of investment, forcing Venezuela to rely on Iranian engineers to maintain minimal production. NUMBER 5 VENEZUELA'S TRAGIC DECLINE FROM PROSPERITY TO AUTHORITARIANISM Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. Historical imagery reveals Venezuela's transformation from a prosperous, modern nation in the 1950s to a ruined state today. Deep inequality and corruption in the pre-Chavez era alienated the poor, allowing Hugo Chavez to capitalize on their frustration and dismantle the free market system, leading to the current crisis. NUMBER 6 ELECTIONS IN CHILE, PERU, AND HONDURAS SIGNAL REGIONAL SHIFTS Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. In Chile, José Antonio Kast's rise reflects a rejection of progressive policies and crime, favoring order and investment. Meanwhile, Peru faces political fragmentation and violence, Honduras struggles with electoral disputes, and Costa Rica appears poised to elect a pro-US candidate who aims to limit Chinese influence. NUMBER 7 ARGENTINA'S CREDIT RATING RISES AS BRAZIL FACES POLITICAL POLARIZATION Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. S&P upgraded Argentina's credit rating following Javier Milei's austerity measures, which have stabilized the currency and reduced inflation despite social costs. In Brazil, the reduction of Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence and his son Flavio's candidacy signal a continued, polarized struggle against Lula da Silva's agenda for the 2026 election. NUMBER 8 ROMAN KINGSHIP: FROM CITIZEN SELECTION TO THE IDEAL OF SERVICE Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. Early Roman kings were selected by citizens based on merit rather than heredity, but figures like Servius Tullius began bypassing this consent. Conversely, Cincinnatus exemplifies the Roman ideal of service; he accepted absolute dictatorial power to save the state during a crisis, then immediately resigned to return to his farm. NUMBER 9 APPIUS CLAUDIUS CAECUS: INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLITICAL GENIUS Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. Appius Claudius Caecus transformed the Roman censorship office into a power base by building the Appian Way and appointing wealthy Italians to the Senate. As a blind elder statesman, he shamed the Senate into rejecting peace with Pyrrhus, insisting Rome must fight to maintain its dominance and ancestral legacy. NUMBER 10 ROME VS. CARTHAGE: DESTINY, TRAGEDY, AND THE CONSENSUS FOR WAR Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. The conflict between Rome and Carthage is symbolized by the tragedy of Dido, representing the incompatibility of their powers. Despite Hannibal's devastating victories, the Roman Republic prevailed through a political system that prioritized consensus and collective sacrifice, allowing them to endure immense losses without surrendering. NUMBER 11 THE GRACCHI BROTHERS AND THE RISE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN ROME Colleague Professor Edward J. Watts. The Gracchi brothers introduced political violence to Rome, with Tiberius using populism to revive his career and Gaius acting as a true believer in reform. Their assassinations by the Senate marked a departure from peaceful republican norms, as the elite used violence to protect entrenched economic inequality. NUMBER 12 DISCOVERY OF GIANT RADIO GALAXIES AND SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES Colleague Dr. Sabayashi Pal. Astronomers have discovered 53 giant radio galaxies, some 75 times larger than the Milky Way, powered by active supermassive black holes emitting radio jets. These ancient objects offer insights into galactic evolution, contrasting sharply with the Milky Way's smaller, dormant black hole that allows life to exist safely. NUMBER 13 INVESTING IN HUMAN INTELLECT OVER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Colleague Dr. Sabayashi Pal. Given an unlimited budget, Dr. Pal would prioritize human resource development over new telescopes, proposing a space study institute in Africa to train experts. He argues that while AI is a useful tool, education is essential for humans to interpret data and appreciate the machinery rather than being replaced by it. NUMBER 14 EUROPE SCROUNGES FOR FUNDS AMID RUSSIAN ASSET DISPUTES Colleague Michael Bernstam. The UK threatens to seize proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC for Ukraine aid, while the EU struggles to finance a $135 billion shortfall for Kyiv. European leaders propose leveraging frozen Russian assets for loans, but financial markets remain skeptical of the EU's ability to guarantee such debt. NUMBER 15 CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING AND THE REVERSE MIDAS TOUCH Colleagues Dave Hebert and Peter Earle. Hebert and Earle argue that Congressional spending exacerbates problems in education and healthcare by subsidizing demand while restricting supply through regulations. They contend politicians prefer "showy" supply-side interventions, like drug busts, over effective policies because the politics of appearing effective outweigh the economics of actual affordability. NUMBER 16

PREVIEW Guest: Professor Evan Ellis Summary: Professor Ellis discusses Venezuela's tragic fall from 1950s oil wealth to current dysfunction, attributing it to the "resource curse" and corruption. He explains how Hugo Chavezappealed to the forgotten poor to dismantle free markets and establish a criminal state involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining. 1958 CARACAS ATTACKING NIXON

In Part 3 of the Mike Drop Podcast with former DEA agent Wes Tabor, the stakes get higher as Wes recounts his perilous assignment in Venezuela, a narco-terrorist haven under Hugo Chavez's regime. From dodging Cuban and Venezuelan intelligence to operating solo in a hostile environment, Wes shares heart-pounding stories of undercover operations, evading assassination attempts, and targeting high-value cartel members in a lawless "Wild West" of drug trafficking. He also reflects on the personal toll of his 35-year career, the betrayal of corrupt leadership, and the relentless drive that fueled his fight against global crime. This episode is a raw, unfiltered dive into the sacrifices and adrenaline of a DEA agent's life on the edge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices