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Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro’S Cabinet Chair: Peter Derrah
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro’s Cabinet Chair: Peter Derrah 1 Table of Contents 3. Letter from Chair 4. Members of Committee 5. Committee Background A.Solving the Economic Crisis B.Solving the Presidential Crisis 2 Dear LYMUN delegates, Hi, my name is Peter Derrah and I am a senior at Lyons Township High School. I have done MUN for all my four years of high school, and I was a vice chair at the previous LYMUN conference. LYMUN is a well run conference and I hope that you all will have a good experience here. In this committee you all will be representing high level political figures in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as you deal with an incomprehensible level of inflation and general economic collapse, as well as internal political disputes with opposition candidates, the National Assembly, and massive protests and general civil unrest. This should be a very interesting committee, as these ongoing issues are very serious, urgent, and have shaped geopolitics recently. I know a lot of these issues are extremely complex and so I suggest that you do enough research to have at least a basic understanding of them and solutions which could solve them. For this reason I highly suggest you read the background. It is important to remember the individual background for your figure (though this may be difficult for lower level politicians) as well as the political ideology of the ruling coalition and the power dynamics of Venezuela’s current government. I hope that you all will put in good effort into preparation, write position papers, actively speak and participate in moderated and unmoderated caucus, and come up with creative and informed solutions to these pressing issues. -
The Cuban American National Foundation and Its Role As an Ethnic Interest Group
The Cuban American National Foundation and Its Role as an Ethnic Interest Group Author: Margaret Katherine Henn Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/568 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Boston College Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, 2008 Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. Introduction Since the 1960s, Cuban Americans have made social, economic, and political progress far beyond that of most immigrant groups that have come to the United States in the past fifty years. I will argue that the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) was very influential in helping the Cuban Americans achieve much of this progress. It is, however, important to note that Cubans had some distinct advantages from the beginning, in terms of wealth and education. These advantages helped this ethnic interest group to grow quickly and become powerful. Since its inception in the early 1980s, the CANF has continually been able to shape government policy on almost all issues related to Cuba. Until at least the end of the Cold War, the CANF and the Cuban American population presented a united front in that their main goal was to present a hard line towards Castro and defeat him; they sought any government assistance they could get to achieve this goal, from policy changes to funding for different dissident activities. In more recent years, Cubans have begun to differ in their opinions of the best policy towards Cuba. I will argue that this change along with other changes will decrease the effectiveness of the CANF. -
Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions
Updated April 24, 2019 Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions For more than a decade, the United States has employed Silva (former defense minister and governor of Trujillo sanctions as a policy tool in response to activities of the State), and Ramón Rodríguez Chacín (former interior Venezuelan government and Venezuelan individuals. These minister and former governor of Guárico); in 2011, Freddy have included sanctions related to terrorism, drug Alirio Bernal Rosales and Amilicar Jesus Figueroa Salazar trafficking, trafficking in persons, antidemocratic actions, (United Socialist Party of Venezuela, or PSUV, politicians), human rights violations, and corruption. Overall, the Major General Cliver Antonio Alcalá Cordones, and Treasury Department has imposed financial sanctions on Ramon Isidro Madriz Moreno (a Venezuelan intelligence 111 individuals, and the State Department has revoked the officer); in 2017, then-Vice President Tareck el Aissami; visas of hundreds of individuals. On January 28, 2019, the and in May 2018, Pedro Luis Martin (a former senior Trump Administration announced sanctions on Venezuela’s intelligence official) and two of his associates. Others state-oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., or designated include drug trafficker Walid Makled, three dual PdVSA. Several days before the imposition of the PdVSA Lebanese-Venezuelan citizens allegedly involved in a drug sanctions, the United States recognized Juan Guaidó, the money-laundering network, and several Colombian drug head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as the country’s traffickers with activity in Venezuela. interim president and ceased to recognize Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela. Targeted Sanctions Related to Antidemocratic Actions, Human Rights Violations, and Corruption Terrorism-Related Sanctions In response to increasing repression in Venezuela, Congress Since 2006, U.S. -
In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA JOSE J. BASULTO 5790 S. W. 84th Street Miami, FL 33143 Plaintiff, v. Case No. _____________ THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA c/o The Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations 14 East 79th Street New York, N.Y. 10021 and FIDEL CASTRO RUZ c/o Presidential Palace Havana, Cuba and GENERAL RAUL CASTRO RUZ c/o Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Havana, Cuba Defendants. COMPLAINT Plaintiff, Jose J. Basulto, by counsel, for his complaint against Defendants The Republic of Cuba, Fidel Castro Ruz and General Raul Castro Ruz alleges as follows: I. CAUSES OF ACTION. 1. Plaintiff brings this action for assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress seeking money damages and other relief, jointly and severally, against the Defendants. 2. This action arises out of an act of terrorism by the Defendants and their agents on February 24, 1996, in which two Cuban Air Force fighter planes ("MiGs"), intentionally shot down two unarmed, civilian planes of Hermanos al Rescate [or “Brothers To The Rescue” (BTTR) in English] in international airspace in an unprovoked aerial ambush, killing four BTTR aviators, while two other Cuban Air Force MiGs chased a third unarmed, civilian BTTR plane, piloted by Plaintiff Basulto, unsuccessfully attempting to shoot it down before it returned to Opa Locka airport in Florida. 3. The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act enables suits for money damages against foreign states that cause "personal injury or death that was caused by an act of…extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage… or the provision of material support or resources (as defined in section 2339A of title 18) for such an act." See 28 U.S.C. -
1 Statement of Celina B. Realuyo* Professor of Practice William J
Statement of Celina B. Realuyo* Professor of Practice William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies at National Defense University on “U.S. Efforts to Counter the Convergence of Terrorism and Crime with the Financial Instrument of National Power” at a Hearing Entitled “Exploring the Financial Nexus of Terrorism, Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime ” Before the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives March 20, 2018 * The views expressed in this testimony are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, or the Department of Defense. 1 Thank you Chairman Pearce, Vice Chairman Pittenger, Ranking Member Perlmutter, and members of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance for the opportunity to appear before this committee today to testify on U.S. efforts to counter the convergence of terrorism and crime with the financial instrument of national power. We face a myriad of security threats from revisionist states, aspiring nuclear powers, global terrorism, transnational organized crime, and cyber attacks that have made national security more daunting than ever before. The complexity of these security threats, especially from illicit networks, such as terrorists, criminals, and WMD proliferators, requires nimble, multi-disciplinary, and multilateral approaches to counter these threats effectively. Over the past year, the Trump Administration has issued strategies and policies to address the threats from terrorism and transnational organized crime to U.S. interests at home and abroad, including a new U.S. National Security Strategy. These new strategies recognize financing as one of the most critical of enablers for terrorism, crime, and corruption and include financial and economic measures that seek to better detect, dismantle, and deter these illicit threat networks. -
Redalyc.Myths About Cuba
História: Debates e Tendências ISSN: 1517-2856 [email protected] Universidade de Passo Fundo Brasil Domínguez, Francisco Myths about Cuba História: Debates e Tendências, vol. 10, núm. 1, enero-junio, 2010, pp. 9-34 Universidade de Passo Fundo Passo Fundo, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=552456400004 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Myths about Cuba Francisco Domínguez * Abstract His article aims at deconstructing Cuba is not perfect. Blocaded and sub- this fallacious though no less powerful jected to the unrelenting harassment mythology that has been constructed and aggression by the most powerful about Cuban reality, not an easy task military machine of the history of hu- that sometimes reminds us of Thomas manity for five decades cannot avoid Carlyle biographer of Oliver Cromwell, suffering from deficiencies, shortages, who said he “had to drag out the Lord distortions, inefficiencies and other di- Protector from under a mountain of fficulties. However, since literally 1959, dead dogs, a huge load of calumny.” the Cuban revolution has been subjec- All proportions guarded, it must have ted to a defamation campaign that has been much easier for Carlyle to remo- managed to embed a demonized de- ve the mountain of dead dogs from the piction of her reality in the brains of memory of Cromwell that to undo the millions of innocent consumers of mass infinite torrent of calumnies that falls media “information”. -
Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 142 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1996 No. 29 House of Representatives The House met at 11 a.m. Mr. TRAFICANT led the Pledge of required that he remove those sections The Chaplain, Rev. James David Allegiance as follows: of the Palestine National Covenant Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Unit- which call for the destruction of Israel. er: ed States of America, and to the Republic for Until such time as Arafat lives up to Your goodness to us, O God, is be- which it stands, one nation under God, indi- those agreements he has signed and yond our measure and Your grace to us visible, with liberty and justice for all. eliminates Hamas from areas for which is not restrained. In spite of missing f he bears responsibility, the United the mark and seeing too much our own MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE States should know that there is little way, You allow your blessings to flow A message from the Senate by Mr. good in negotiating with him. and Your mercies never to cease. We Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- f pray that this day we will open our nounced that the Senate agrees to the hearts and minds to the daily gifts of report of the committee of conference HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE faith and hope and love and pray that on the disagreeing votes of the two (Mr. -
HEZBOLLAH NETWORKS in VENEZUELA October 2020 KEY FACTS in BRIEF
HEZBOLLAH NETWORKS IN VENEZUELA October 2020 KEY FACTS IN BRIEF • 61 nations worldwide have designated The Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist maintains an extensive relationship with organization.1 several foreign terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah and its terror sponsor • Hezbollah’s External Security the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Organization (ESO) is active in Venezuela relationship is centered on a strategic through a support network embedded into partnership between the Maduro regime the Maduro regime’s illicit economy. and the Ayatollah’s of Iran providing Hezbollah members, sympathizers, • State support by the Maduro regime financiers, and fixers, the covert strengthens Hezbollah’s global movement movement of people, products, money, of illicit funds, people, products, and and materials. This movement is materials. facilitated through an illicit network tied to Venezuela’s Minister of Petroleum, Tareck El Aissami Maddah, and • The Chávez and now Maduro regime in members of his immediate family. The Venezuela has provided countless clandestine structure for this network was government ID documents to suspected designed by Lebanese-Venezuelan dual members and facilitators of Hezbollah. national and a former Venezuelan diplomat in Syria and Lebanon, Ghazi • Tareck El Aissami Maddah (TEAM) runs Nasr-al-Din, sanctioned on June 18, 2008 Venezuela’s illicit economy and national by US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets industry, linked to a trade-based money Control (OFAC) and placed as a “Person laundering network in the Americas of Interest” by the FBI on January 29, 2015 2 managed by Hezbollah support cells. for his support to Hezbollah. 1 In Europe, some nations, have only designated the “military” wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization while others, such as the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, have designated the whole organization. -
STEPS to FREEDOM 2006 a Comparative Analysis of Civic Resistance in Cuba from February 2006 Through January 2007
STEPS TO FREEDOM 2006 A comparative analysis of civic resistance in Cuba from February 2006 through January 2007 Cuban Democratic Directorate Center for the Study of a National Option PASOS A LA LIBERTAD 1 Executive Editor: Janisset Rivero-Gutiérrez Editor: Dora Amador Researchers: Humberto Bustamante, Laura López, Aramís Pérez, John Suárez Copy Editors: Laura López and Marcibel Loo Data analyst and graphic production: René Carballo Transcription of recorded audio interviews: Modesto Arocha Layout: Dora Amador Cover design: Relvi Moronta Printing: Rodes Printing Translation: Alexandria Library Proof reading: John Suárez, Laura López, and Teresa Fernández Cuban Democratic Directorate is a non-profi t organization dedicated to pro- moting democratic change in Cuba and respect for human rights. As part of its work, Directorio sponsors publications and conferences in the United States, Latin America and Europe that contribute to the restoration of values of Cuban national culture and solidarity with the civic opposition on the island. The Center for the Study of a National Option is a non-profi t organiza- tion that aims to help rescue and rebuild the values, traditions, and fun- damental democratic civic concepts of the Republic of Cuba. Directorio Democrático Cubano P.O. Box 110235 Hialeah, Florida 33011 Telephone: (305) 220-1713 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.directorio.org ©2007 Directorio Democrático Cubano 2 INDEX Main achievements of the Cuban civic resistance movement in 2006 4 A nation that dreams, stands up, and fi ghts for freedom 5 A critical look at the pro-democracy movement in Cuba 7 Development of nonviolent civic actions in 2006 10 Classifi cation of non-violent actions 11 Total acts of nonviolent civic resistance from 1997 to 2006 13 Comparison of civic resistance actions by province 1 4 Commemorative dates and number of actions 18 Acts of civic resistance by month 19 PASOS A LA LIBERTAD 3 Main achievements of the Cuban civic resistance movement in 2006 • Carried out 2,768 nonviolent civic actions. -
Kingpins and Corruption: Targeting Transnational Organized Crime in the Americas
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE KINGPINS AND CORRUPTION: TARGETING TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE AMERICAS WITH OPENING REMARKS BY SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL) OPENING REMARKS: MARCO RUBIO, US SENATE (R-FL) PANEL DISCUSSION PARTICIPANTS: DOUGLAS FARAH, IBI CONSULTANTS; JOSEPH HUMIRE, CENTER FOR A SECURE FREE SOCIETY; ROGER F. NORIEGA, AEI; CELINA REALUYO, NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY MODERATOR: KIRSTEN D. MADISON, AEI 3:45–5:25 PM MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2017 EVENT PAGE: http://www.aei.org/events/kingpins-and-corruption-targeting- transnational-organized-crime-in-the-americas/ TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED BY DC TRANSCRIPTION – WWW.DCTMR.COM DANIELLE PLETKA: Good afternoon, everybody. If I could ask everybody who’s filing in to just be seated. Thank you so much. Good afternoon, everybody. And welcome to the American Enterprise Institute. I’m Danielle Pletka. I’m the senior vice president for foreign and defense policy studies here, and I am genuinely delighted that we have Senator Marco Rubio here with us today to help us roll out this new report. I’ve got my props here. I feel like Vanna White. “Kingpins and Corruption.” It is the product of the AEI Working Group on Transnational Organized Crime in the Americas, run by our visiting scholar, Ambassador Roger Noriega. I don’t think that Marco Rubio needs a lot of introduction to this audience, but I’m going to give you a word or two nonetheless. And then I’m going to hand things over and just do a little bit of housekeeping. Marco Rubio is the United States senator from Florida. He was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2016. -
Vice President Tarek El Aissami Responds to US Accusations Chancellor Rodriguez Denounced in the UN Illegitimate Forms of Approp
FECHA DEL BOLETÍN CUMBE Weekly Newsletter of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela N° 34. March 02, 2017 Vice President Tarek El Aissami responds to US accusations Caracas, February 22, 2017 (MPPRE) .- The Executive The letter highlights the progress realized between 2008 Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and 2012 in the fight against drug cartels, the transnational Tareck El Aissami, issued a letter today through New business of illicit drug trafficking and its logistical structures. York Times newspaper, in which he responds to the ac- "Between those years, Venezuelan anti-drug authorities un- tions of the Department of Treasury of the United der my leadership arrested, imprisoned and brought to jus- States of America against him. tice, in Venezuela and in the countries that requested them, 102 heads of criminal drug trafficking organizations. From The letter to Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, high- all the heads captured, 21 were expeditiously deported to lights how the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) the United States and 36 to Colombia ..." has manipulated the information provided to Mnuchin, highlighting that the US politician "has been deceived "There is much that you should investigate before endorsing by political sectors, lobbyists and interest groups in the a false and reckless accusation, crafted by bureaucrats and United States, whose fundamental interest is to prevent anti-Venezuelan interest groups, that sets a dangerous prec- the United States and Venezuela from rebuilding their edent in the relationship between sovereign nations," writes political and diplomatic relations on the basis of mutual El Aissami; "The decision of 120 countries to reject these ille- recognition and respect. -
388-8693 Facsimile: (213) 386-9484
CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW 256 SOUTH OCCIDENTAL BOULEVARD LOS ANGELES, CA 90057 Telephone: (213) 388-8693 Facsimile: (213) 386-9484 www.centerforhumanrights.org June 4, 2014 The Hon. President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 The Hon. Eric Holder, Jr. Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice Washington, DC Re: Report on the convictions of and disproportionate sentences imposed on the Cuban Five and legal frameworks available for the humanitarian release and repatriation to Cuba of three members of the Five continuing to serve prison sentences in the U.S. Dear President Obama and Attorney General Holder, The accompanying report regarding the case of the Cuban Five is submitted on behalf of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting respect for and compliance with human rights norms and constitutional provisions intended to safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups and insular minorities. We have attempted to objectively review the critical evidence of record in the Cuban Five case and, for the first time that we are aware, synthesize the case in one comprehensive document for consideration by your Administration. Based on our review of the record, we believe there are strong grounds for humanitarian release of the remaining three members of the Cuban Five still serving federal prison sentences in the U.S. and their removal to Cuba, whether under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution or pursuant to the well-established Presidential power to enter into Executive Agreements with other governments affirmed.