Newsletter 7

Vol. 4: Issue 7, 21st February, 2018

Bolivarian Government of Venezuela

Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Newsletter Weekly

What’s inside

Venezuela’s Crypto-currency for the World:

‘Presale of PETRO begins’

Venezuela’s Crypto-currency for the World: ‘Presale of PETRO begins’ Oil prices rising from tense Middle East, strong Asian Markets -Elections in Venezuela to be held with or without opposition candidate Nigeria breaks commercial blockade and signs agreements with Venezuela.

-UN regrets there was no political agreement World Welcomes Chinese Year of the Dog in Lunar Extravaganza 13 feared dead after helicopter crash in Mexico -22 killed in suicide bombing in Nigerian market -Plane crashes in central Iran, all 65 people on board feared dead Threats of Militarization and Oil Gambia celebrates 53 years of Independence

Inside Africa:

Protecting Cassava From Disease? There's an App for That

Venezuelan Cryptocurrency, the PETRO, begins to circulate along with a set of economic measures made by President Nicolas Maduro. A first presale phase for the PETRO was released by Venezuela seeking to break the dependence of its foreign commerce with the dollar. The Minister of Information, Jorge Rodriguez, admitted that President Maduro will make important economic announcements.

The PETRO is the first Cryptocurrency in the world with the backup of more than 5.3 billion barrels of oil. According to the Venezuelan government each PETRO will be emitted with a value equivalent to one barrel of oil.

President Maduro, announced last week that in the first phase 38. 4% of all PETRO’s in circulation will be released. According to the experts’ estimates, the percentage on sale will be equivalent to more than $ 2.3 billion. It is estimated that another 44% of PETRO’s to be emitted by Venezuela with a nominal value of $2.7 billion will be offered to the public later.

According to cryptocurrency Superintendent Carlos Vargas, Venezuela expects to attract investors from Qatar, Turkey as well as countries in the Middle East, Europe and the United States. source: chavez vive 1

Oil prices rising from tense Middle East and strong Asian Markets Tetsu Emori, CEO of Emori Capital Management in Tokyo says that "Oil got mild support from gains in Asian equity markets."

He adds that the increase in U.S. oil production has also increased barrel prices. The "rise in U.S. rig count and a slight recovery in the dollar," has boosted expectations of production and crude prices.

The number of U.S. offshore rigs increased by seven, making the 798 rigs count the highest in nearly three years. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for March is up 74 cents, to $62.42 a barrel, and London Brent crude is up 46 cents to $65.30 currently.

Analysts say this trend will continue.

Oil prices are hitting a two week high due to strong Asian equity markets and concern of mounting tensions in the Middle East and OPEC pulling back, including attacks by Turkey on Kurdish-held Syria over the past month and Israel threatening unilateral attacks on Iran.

Though U.S. production is increasing, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is holding back production allowing barrel prices to rise. Russia is planning to curb production by 1.8 million barrels per day until the year's end.

Forecasters say that U.S. shale oil production may stabilize barrel prices this year. source: chavez vive

Candidates to Register

The nomination process for presidential candidates begins More than 19 million Venezuelans will vote in and out of the country in the April 22nd elections. The nomination period via internet for candidates to the presidency starts Saturday the 24th.

the 21st is the deadline for receiving nominations from candidates on their own initiative. The National Electoral Council confirmed that nominations via internet for aspirants to the Presidency of Venezuela start on Saturday.

Political organizations to present their candidates for the presidential election before the National Electoral Council starts. Twelve political organizations will be able to present candidates for the 22nd of April election, including five conservative political parties that expressed are to participate in the electoral event.

The application process will be open for 72 hours according the schedule approved by the electoral power. The electoral schedule specifies that the official presentation of nominees is programmed for next Monday and Tuesday. More than 19 million voters will be called to participate in the twenty fifth election that will take place in the South American Nation since 1998. source: chavez vive

The National Electoral Council also starts a 48 hour lapse for the constitution of electoral groups that will nominate candidates. According to the electoral schedule Wednesday

With or Without Them!

Elections in Venezuela to be held with or without inscription of an opposition candidate

Until now Claudio Fermin and Henry Falcon maintain their candidature.

Venezuelan opposition called to boycott municipal elections and lost 308 of 335 municipalities.

The President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, affirmed that April 22, with or without the opposition, Venezuelans will elect a President who will run the country until 2025. According to the electoral schedule, candidates for the presidency of Venezuela must register next week.

The opposition continues without showing clear signs of ensuring a unitary candidate. So far, Claudio Fermin and Henry Falcรณn continue to show interest in presenting themselves as options for the Venezuelan conservative sector. The Venezuelan opposition called for boycott during the previous municipal elections of 2017 and lost 308 of the 335 mayoral offices in dispute. source: chavez vive 2

Nigeria breaks commercial blockade and signs agreements with Venezuela because they confront the common challenge of a drastic fall in oil prices, stated Onyeama. The Nigerian Chancellor recognized that both countries have the task of expanding their economies beyond oil.

Chancellor Arreaza articulated with 15 African countries

Venezuela´s Chancellor, Jorge Arreaza, informed that Nigeria and Venezuela signed a set of strategic agreements and coordinated joint bilateral and multilateral actions on Monday. After signing the agreements, Nigeria warned about the negative impact of the severe and increasing sanctions taken against Venezuela by foreign forces in the region.

Nigerian Chancellor, Geoffrey Onyeama, expressed his solidarity with Venezuela and called on the countries involved to adopt a constructive position with Venezuela. Both countries evaluated the oil market

Venezuelan Chancellor, Jorge Arreaza, met with members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuya, capital of Nigeria, to design a work agenda with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) based on South-South cooperation.

Articulation with the group, integrated by fifteen countries “is the best way for cooperation in areas such as health, education, culture, commerce, industry and many other sectors where we can advance” expressed the Chancellor on Twitter.

Nigeria: Elections in Venezuela must be backed Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama received his Venezuelan counterpart, Jorge Arreaza, on Monday in an official tour initiated by Venezuela to visit African countries. After the meeting Onyeama called on the international community to support the will of the Venezuelan people and their right to choose their representatives.

Nigeria congratulated the Venezuelan government for “calling presidential elections” which are to be held on the 22nd of April. More than 19 million Venezuelans inside and outside the country will be able to vote in order to elect the President that will govern for the 2019-2025 period. These will be the twenty-fifth elections to take place in Venezuela since 1998 when Hugo Chavez assumed the presidency.

UN regrets there was no political agreement Secretary General of United Nations, Antonio Guterres, manifested his concern due to the lack of consensus for a political agreement between the Venezuelan government and the opposition. Mr. Guterres declared in Portugal during a press meeting at the University of Lisboan, that the UN is very concerned that there was no political agreement in Venezuela.

UN´s Secretary General, even regretted that the situation does not seem to have a solution in the horizon in the short term. The political agreement, settled in Dominican Republic with the backup of the UN and other multilateral organisms, was signed only by representatives of the Venezuelan government.

Venezuelan opposition refused to sign the in the last minute, expressing that it wasn´t a dignified document in spite of having debated it and reached a consensus in Caracas. source: chavez vive

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World Welcomes Chinese Year of the Dog in Lunar Extravaganza

Chinese communities across the world are exploding in an extravaganza of fireworks and decorations to usher in another lunar year: this time, of the dog.

History books say the first celebration began thousands of years ago during the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122BC), with additional festivals being tagged on as the centuries ticked past.

According to tradition, parents give children an envelope with a coin inside and tied with a red string for good luck and protection from the legendary spirit, Sui. Legend has it that Sui appears every New Year's Eve and touches children's heads.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, NicolĂĄs Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Government and the Venezuelan People, joins the jubilation of the honorable Chinese People in this Spring Festival, expressing his best wishes for prosperity, peace and happiness in this Lunar New Year.

The progress made by the industrious and creative Chinese people, as well as the contributions that the People's Republic of China offers to humanity from its initiatives of mutual development and shared benefit, are worthy of admiration.

It is edifying and moving to verify every year the vigorous advance of the construction of socialism with Chinese particularities; to contemplate how the Chinese people participate enthusiastically in the goal of achieving a moderately well-off society; to witness the solid leadership of its President Xi Jinping, with his work at the service of the People, with his love and constant concern for the welfare of the people ; and to witness with great joy the constant progress in the great objective of making the People's Republic of China a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious country.

Venezuela also starts this year with deep optimism. An optimism based on the conviction that the path of dialogue and the search for a peaceful solution to the controversies, which characterizes the Bolivarian people, will prevail overcoming any difficulty that may arise, as evidenced by the call for presidential elections for the next April 22, which, without a doubt, will clear the path of welfare, stability and sovereignty for our country, guaranteeing the continuity of the legacy of Commander Hugo ChĂĄvez FrĂ­as and, with it, the continuity and consolidation of bilateral relations with China.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates to President Xi Jinping and to the Government of the People's Republic of China together with the brave Chinese people his sincere congratulations for this Lunar New Year, with the certainty that China will continue to materialize the dream of a dignified life and beautiful for its people and contributing to the construction of a multipolar world in which harmony and peace between nations flourish. www.mppre.gob.ve

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13 feared dead after helicopter crash in Mexico The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Venezuelan People, conveys his most heartfelt condolences to the People and Government of the United Mexican States in the aftermath of the regrettable tragedy caused by the crash of a helicopter of the Secretariat of National Defense in Santiago Jamiltepec, Oaxaca State, which left thirteen Mexican citizens dead, among them three children who were taking shelter in a camp after the earthquake of 7.2 magnitude registered last Friday afternoon, February 16th, 2018.

A military helicopter carrying officials assessing damage from a powerful earthquake crashed Friday in southern Mexico, killing 13 people and injuring 15, all of them on the ground. The Oaxaca state prosecutor's office said in a statement that five women, four men and three children were killed at the crash site and another person died later at the hospital.

A state government official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said the chopper crashed into a group of people who had been spending the night in an open field after a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the area. Aftershocks had caused people to flee their homes for fear they would collapse.

During such difficult times that bring grief to some Mexican homes, the Bolivarian Government is touched and filled with the same spirit of solidarity that the Venezuelan People has always showed for our brothers and sisters of Our America.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its deepest sympathy and stands by the Mexican People, especially at times in which fraternity and support are the foundation for unity and brotherhood. www.mppre.gob.ve

Plane crashes in central Iran, all 65 people on board feared dead

22 killed in suicide bombing in Nigerian market At least 22 people were killed and 28 injured when three suicide bombers carried out an attack at a market in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state on Friday 16th February. The attacks occurred late on Friday, when three suicide bombers detonated explosives at the Kasuwar Kifi, in the outskirts of Konduga town, the report said.

Idrissa Bana, an eye witness, was quoted as saying that the three bombers simultaneously detonated the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on their bodies in the crowded market.

“There were a lot of people doing last minute shopping when the suicide bombers hit the market,” he added.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Venezuelan People and Government firmly condemns the terrorist attack perpetrated today in a market located in Konduga, Borno state, Nigeria, which caused at least 22 casualties and dozens of wounded.

The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela conveys its most heartfelt condolences to the People and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in particular, to the families of the victims.

Likewise, it expresses its strong rejection of the indiscriminate use of terrorist violence in all its forms, reiterating the pressing need to cut off all means of funding and support of terrorist groups.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ratifies its commitment to peace and security, and it hopes that the harmonious environment of strength and unity of the Nigerian People will prevail during such difficult times. Caracas, February 17th , 2018. www.pakistantoday.com.pk www.mppre.gob.ve

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All 65 passengers and crew feared dead in a plane crash in central Iran after the domestic flight came down in bad weather in a mountainous region.

The airline had initially said 60 passengers and six crew were on board the twin-engined turboprop ATR 72 that was flying to the south-western city of Yasuj. But it later said there were a total of 65 people on board, as one passenger had missed the flight.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Venezuelan People and Government, expresses his most heartfelt words of condolences to the People and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for the lamentable loss of lives after the accident that occurred near the city of Semirom, in the province of Isfahan.

By joining the pain that has befallen the families of the victims, President Nicolás Maduro ratifies his solidarity and fraternity with the brother People and Government of Iran, led by the friendly President Hassan Rouhani. www.abc.net.au www.mppre.gob.ve

Venezuela: Threats of Militarization and Oil

The Tillerson model for hemispheric relations embodies the traditional war diplomacy of Washington. In the context of a geopolitical dispute with extracontinental capitalist competitors (China, Russia and European Union) challenging the empire's hegemony within its traditional influence areas, the recent tour of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Jamaica had a clear expansionist projection based on two main axes: security and energy.

Given the magnitude of the crisis of capitalism, its global reach, the social deterioration and the degree of ecological degradation that it generates, in order to contain real or potential protests or rebellions, the dominant plutocracy has promoted diverse systems of social mass control, repression and war (open or clandestine), which are also used as tools to obtain profits and continue accumulating capital in the face of stagnation. This is what Robinson calls militarized accumulation or repression.

As a member of the transnational capitalist elite, Tillerson, a former executive director of the American private oil corporation Exxon-Mobil, the fourth largest company in the world after state-owned Aramco (Saudi Arabia), NIOC (Iran) and CNPC (China), according to Jorge Eduardo Navarrete, Tillerson used a primitive mercantile approach, anachronistic as the Monroe Doctrine on which he based his speech at the University of Texas, in Austin, one day before his arrival in Mexico.

Such categorization refers to the Achilles heel of capitalism: overaccumulation. The growing gap between what is produced and what the market can absorb. If the capitalists can not sell their products, they do not make a profit. Given the enormous concentration of wealth -with its correlative levels of social polarization and unprecedented global inequality-, the transnational capitalist class needs to find profitable productive exists to discharge huge amounts of accumulated surpluses.

The Tillerson model for hemispheric relations embodies the traditional war diplomacy of Washington, emphasized due to the structural and legitimacy world crisis of the capitalist system. William I. Robinson has characterized the strategy as a fusion between reactionary political power in the State, right-wing forces, authoritarian and neo-fascist in civil society, and transnational corporate capital. A triangulation of interests that, in perspective, under the Trump administration, is shaping a neo-fascist global police state.

Hence, the energy and extractivist complexes resort to the intensification and deepening of neoliberalism via the privatization of road, port, airport, railroad, pipelines and electricity infrastructure (eg, Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission in the Mexican case); the labor super-exploitation and precarization of work (subcontracting, outsourcing), and policies of total deregulation and greater subsidy to transnational capital.

Said policies of capital relocalization, reindustrialization and accumulation by depriving others of territories, as well as raw materials in dependent economies, have been occurring in Mexico, Central and South America via mild blows, the de facto imposition of a permanent state of

In this context, fractions of the largest capital most prone to 21st-century fascism are located in the speculative financial sector, the military-industrial-security-media complex and in the extractive industries, interwoven with high-tech / digital capital.

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emergency and the establishment of police states, whose support are the militarization of civil society and different modalities of endless tactical warfare, camouflaged as an anti-drug fight or against internal enemies - say the Mapuches

by Mauricio Macri's government -, with advanced weapons driven by artificial intelligence, including sophisticated monitoring, tracking, security and surveillance systems.

Produced in the Permian and Louisiana Basin, to the Asian market (Japan, China, India , South Korea, Taiwan), via the ports of Manzanillo and the Coatzacoalcos / Salina Cruz axis, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, taking advantage of Pemex's installed infrastructure will give energy corporations advantages, using less time and lower transportation costs than if they did this through the Panama Canal.

That is why he instructed the secessionist collaborationist governments of Enrique PeĂąa Nieto, Mauricio Macri, Pedro Kuczynski and Juan Manuel Santos, the new modalities that they will have to carry out in order to intensify the military, economic and financial siege against the constitutional government of Nicolas Maduro, including a possible oil embargo as a new precipitator of a humanitarian crisis that will eventually justify a multilateral military intervention.

Given that hydrocarbons are a central component of Donald's militarized neocolonial strategy and energy security both for Trump and the corporations of the economy sector within the context of conservative restoration and defense of its hegemony -, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA, fifth largest oil company in the world) was another central objective of the Tillerson tour.

www.telesurtv.net The views and opinions expressed in these articles are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Embassy

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Gambia celebrates 53 years of Independence Gambia’s President Adama Barrow called for unity, patience and tolerance, as well as respect for political differences in the citizenry so as to move forward as a nation.Barrow was speaking at McCarthy Square in Banjul, where he delivered the traditional “Boy and Girls” address, on the occasion of the celebration of the country’s 53rd independence anniversary.Barrow presided at the colourful parade of security forces and march past by school children and representatives of voluntary organisations.

Former President Sir Dawda Jawara, despite his old age at 94, attended the ceremony in Banjul accompanied by the former first lady, Chilel Jawara. Sir Dawda led the country to independence in February 1965, and Barrow in his speech described him as Gambia’s ”founding father”.

Among other things, Barrow announced that a Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission would soon start work to investigate alleged human rights violations committed under Jammeh.

On behalf of the Venezuelan People and the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, we express to the People and Government of Gambia our sincerest congratulations for celebrating today, February 18th, one more anniversary of their Independence. On this important date, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to strengthen the bonds of friendship, solidarity and cooperation that unite our nations.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hopes that the heroic People of the Republic of Gambia will continue to struggle for the pursuit of the supreme objectives of welfare and stability for their nation. www.journalducameroun.com www.mppre.gob.ve

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INSIDE AFRICA:

Protecting Cassava from Disease?

There's an App for that

Cassava is one of the developing world's most important crops. Its starchy roots and leaves are a staple food for more than 500 million people in Africa each day. And Africa produces half of the world's total cassava output; the continent's main growers are the Congo, CĂ´te d'lvoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. It's also climate resilient, as it is predicted to improve yield in higher temperatures. Its role as a staple food will become ever more important, then, as climate change continues to take hold.

But cassava, like many other crops, is vulnerable to viruses and other plant diseases. These diseases can affect cassava yields, cost farmers money, and threaten food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Two diseases, cassava mosaic disease and cassava brown streak disease, have become the largest constraints to cassava production and food security in sub-Saharan Africa resulting in losses of over US$1 billion every year.

These plant diseases are not new to Africa and have been causing losses for many decades. However, a lack of infrastructure and engagement by trained plant disease experts with farmers means the farmers are not trained to recognise them in their early stages. That's why we set out to create a disease-recognition app for smartphones. We tested the ability of an image recognition model, called a convolutional neural network, to accurately identify up to five different cassava diseases.

The model is deployed using a mobile device's camera. What's novel about it is that it can run entirely on a smartphone without the need for a wireless connection, or access to large processing power. Once farmers have identified the disease using the app, we provide the necessary information so they can go ahead and treat their plants. Our results, based on research conducted in Tanzania, show that the image recognition model had up to 98% accuracy in identifying cassava diseases in the field.

These results are promising as our method is much simpler to implement than traditional computer vision models. The model was also trained on a desktop with vastly smaller computing power than the typical supercomputer used in training image recognition models. These results highlight our method's potential to be a reliable, fast, affordable and easily deployable strategy for digital plant disease detection.

We were also able to deploy the model on a smartphone without an Internet connection, something no other mobile app for plant disease diagnosis has been able to do. For the continent of Africa where data costs are high for smallholder farmers the ability to provide a diagnosis offline is critical. www.allafrica.com The views and opinions expressed in these articles are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Embassy

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