Venezuela

What do you do when your country is in collapse? Aarrrrrrrr!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/world/pirates-return-to-the-caribbean/?ICID=ref_fark&noredirect=on&utm_content=link&utm_medium=website&utm_source=fark&utm_term=.b63cbab32a3b

 

Also here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-caribbean-pirates-20180813-story.html

 

Trump and Venezuela

http://thehill.com/policy/international/americas/405696-trump-officials-discussed-secret-overthrow-of-venezuelas-maduro

 

Am I right in thinking the Obama administration backed a failed coup a few years ago?

As I have said, the U.S. cannot afford to permit Venezuela to slide into the arms of Bejing. We will take any necessary action, possibly through neighboring states, to bring the chaos to an end. But an actual invasion is the last, bitterest, riskiest, resort.

 

Yes. Not surprising. Beijing is doing its best to extend its reach worldwide. But I've been reading that even China is having doubts about investing in such a chaotic situation. Not to say they won't though.

 

Here's an article FWIW: www.csis.org/analysis/when-investment-hurts-chinese-influence-venezuela

 

Yes, it's about control. The PRC is doing the same in Africa.

 

Why ever not unless you think the U.S. would block the effort? China's activities are generally pretty opaque. There's oil in Venezuela, lots and lots of oil. I can envision a method whereby the Chinese could extract repayment (and much more) without being too obvious about it. Just consider how extractive based economies usually play out when the extractors (so to speak) are funding the local government. Take Nigeria for example. Governments that do not rely on taxation to support themselves needn't trouble overmuch about popularity.

 

Or democracy. Or human rights.

 

...and to acknowledge the elephant in the room: Francine, happy birthday! (c) Disney


Russia. Canonical example is Russia. Kremlin = Gazprom+Rosneft, and vice versa. "A gas station masquerading as a country" (c) Sen. John McCain

 

Shell Oil. www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/nov/28/amnesty-seeks-criminal-inquiry-into-shell-over-alleged-complicity-in-murder-and-torture-in-nigeria

 

The Chinese M.O. in Africa is to operate their projects like little Chinese colonies. Thousands of Chinese workers are brought in and local Africans aren't typically hired.

So I can imagine Chinese petroleum projects in Venezuela where production takes place in what amount to Chinese compounds, complete with paramilitary Chinese security, where China gets its investment back by sort of a barter arrangement, by being allowed to fill up their tankers to feed China's growing petroleum demand, and the deal is sweetened for Caracas by giving them a revenue stream upon which their regime might come to depend.

 

New money

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-13/new-venezuela-currency-is-weeks-old-and-inflation-s-already-100

 

That's the skinny.