Venezuelan oil

Latin America heating up.

Fort Russ
China does not fear conflict with US over Venezuela

Maduro prepares military for US invasion
Paul Antonopoulos

Vladimir Rodzianko — Oil-rich Venezuela is abandoning the US petrodollar, plans to introduce new international payment system

In an address to a new legislative superbody, Maduro said: 

“I am announcing that Venezuela intends to introduce a new international payment system and to create a currency basket for the liberation from the dollar and, [we intend] to free ourselves from the clutches of the dollar, the currency that is strangling our country.” 

“If they pursue us with the dollar, we’ll use the Russian rouble, the yuan, yen, the Indian rupee, the euro,” Maduro said....

Another wipe at what's left of Bretton Woods.

The Duran

Oil-rich Venezuela is abandoning the US petrodollar, plans to introduce new international payment system
Vladimir Rodzianko

The Battle for Venezuela and Its Oil — Jeremy Scahill interviews Eva Golinger

Backgrounder.

EG: Because while there is a state reaction taking place, there is repression with tear gas and rubber bullets, you’re not seeing the other side of it, which is that those are not exactly peaceful democratic protests. There are smaller factions. I mean, there are parts of the opposition in Venezuela that act within a democratic framework, but there is a very violent faction that’s gotten out of control. It’s anarchical. I mean, they where they’re using Molotov cocktails, homemade bombs and weapons, and they’re using them against the state security forces.

So I mean, I always think about it is, if this were happening in Washington D.C. or even here in the in the streets of New York where I am, I mean, it wouldn’t last more than an hour....

The Intercept

The Battle for Venezuela and Its Oil

Jeremy Scahill interviews Eva Golinger

See also

Ironically, Trump has been hammering his generals on losing in Afghanistan and suggested an interest in a total pullout. Yet, he then said that he was considering an intervention in Venezuela — a move that could unite the country behind Maduro and hand him the very victory that has eluded him.

Maduro can now take that statement to Venezuela’s new Constituent Assembly as he demands unchecked powers.

Jonathan Turley
Trump Declares That Military Options Are Being Considered in Venezuela
Jonathan Turley | Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University