While we’ve become consumed by the goings-on of our politicians on the hustings vying to run the country – and more to the point, its rising oil revenues!! – we might’ve forgotten that the rest of the world continues to move on to the beat of their own drums!! And those beats might impact us – whether positively or negatively. Take, for instance, the US of A, which decided way back in the 1820s that we were in THEIR neck of the woods and THEY had the right to take whatever action THEY felt was necessary to protect THEIR interests as THEY defined it!! They dubbed this the Monroe Doctrine – after THEIR then President!!
So what has the US done recently that affects us – while our politicians duke it out verbally?? Well, right up there on our totem pole of burning interests – according to a report in the Wall Street Journal that’s as non-sensational and factual as you can get – is that the Trump Administration’s considering giving Chevron the go-ahead to resume production of oil in Mad Maduro’s Venezuela!! Back in May, they’d reimposed the sanctions that had been lifted by Biden – giving the dictator a lifeline.
But your Eyewitness had smelt a rat from the beginning, since – unlike the sanctions of Trump – I, Chevron, was allowed to continue servicing its plants and equipment!! This clearly signalled that the sanctions weren’t permanent!! Additionally, Chevron engaged the Trump Administration, arguing that an American withdrawal would only give arch-rival China an opportunity to increase its influence in Venezuelan oil production. China’s already Mad Maduro’s biggest creditor with their highest-rated “all-weather strategic partnership.”
So it looks like Trump has taken the bait and will now allow Chevron to resume production under the face-saving stipulation that they’ll pay no taxes or royalties to Mad Maduro’s Govt!! But the madman’s gonna now rake in higher revenues on state-owned PDVSA’s share of the increased production – and reach the symbolically important 1M bpd production marker!! Your Eyewitness notes also that Trump has yet to back González as President as he’d done with Guaidó in 2019 – and so he’s de facto recognising Mad Maduro as Venezuela’s President.
Now, what makes Chevron’s license renewal even more problematical is they’re now owners of 35% of our Stabroek Block!! Unlike Exxon – which pulled completely out of Venezuela when Chavez legislated that foreign oil companies had to become minority partners with PDVSA – Chevron remained and developed a very accommodative relationship with Mad Maduro and his generals – who have their fingers in PDVSA!!
Our politicians on the hustings must be unified in rejecting any Chevron role in our border controversy!! With China’s CNOOC’s 25%, they can outvote Exxon!!
…ignores the PNC
Your Eyewitness is ready to send out a “Missing in Action” (MIA) for the PNC/APNU. Here it is, the PPP holding massive daily meetings – looking no different from rallies! – and your Eyewitness can’t see hide nor hair of what’s supposed to be the MAJOR opposition party in our fair land!! He knows they ain’t got the money of the PPP – them being incumbent and all. But it’s always been the custom and practice here that all the business fraternity – big and small – would strategically hedge their bets and give donations across the aisle!! That’s just prudent business practice! So if the PNC/APNU haven’t received their share this time around, it means the business class has written them off!! Tragic!!
The other factor is our politics being ethnically flavoured. With our villages ethnically dominated by one or the other major ethnic group, the PNC don’ even need to advertise to pull a crowd in one of “their” villages.
Or is the PPP’s assertion that they’ve taken over those strongholds true??
…becomes sanctioned
The US is increasingly using its hegemonic power by imposing or easing sanctions to make countries fall in line. However, one local sanctioned individual claims he’ll be off the hook if he’s just elected – without any quid pro quo!! Fool!!
