Venezuela Roundup: Maduro calls Rubio 'Imbecile', Rubio warns Venezuela, gang violence
Poultry industry
The Venezuelan poultry industry, once a major player in Latin America, has faced significant challenges due to economic decline and decreased production. However, recent trends show signs of recovery: chicken production has more than doubled from 209,181 metric tons in 2018 to 477,627 MT now, and per capita egg and chicken consumption has increased by 57% and 22.5%, respectively, from 2022 to 2024. Despite ongoing issues like hyperinflation and difficulties in obtaining import permits for feed, the industry anticipates a 36% production increase by 2025 and is exploring export opportunities to Caribbean nations.
Deportation
Gertrudis Pineda is distraught over her son Oscar, one of 238 Venezuelans deported by the U.S. to El Salvador's maximum-security Cecot prison, accused of being part of the Tren de Aragua gang. Despite the U.S. government's claims of proper vetting, many detainees lack criminal records, leading to criticism of the deportations as unconstitutional. The conditions at Cecot, described as a "black hole of human rights," leave families without information on their loved ones' wellbeing. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele defends the prison and ongoing crackdowns on gangs, with public support for his policies, despite reports of wrongful detentions.
Gang Violence
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to members of the Tren de Aragua gang as "worse than Al Qaeda" during a visit to Guyana, emphasizing their dangerous reputation as a transnational crime syndicate originating in Venezuelan prisons. He defended the Trump administration's controversial forced deportations of migrants, claiming that those deported were thoroughly vetted by the Department of Homeland Security. Rubio highlighted the gang's significant threat, comparing their danger to that of infamous terrorists. However, some lower US courts have challenged the legality of these deportations, with families of deported individuals alleging they were targeted unjustly.
Rubio warns Venezuela
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged a strong U.S. response if Venezuela attacks Guyana amid a territorial dispute over valuable oil and gas reserves. In his visit to Georgetown, Rubio stated that aggressive actions from Venezuela would be met with consequences, emphasizing that it would be a "very bad day" for the Venezuelan regime. Guyana's President Irfaan Ali expressed appreciation for U.S. support in safeguarding Guyana's sovereignty. The U.S. is enhancing military cooperation with Guyana through intelligence sharing and joint naval exercises, aiming to bolster regional security against Venezuelan claims. The tension follows Venezuela's revival of a century-old dispute coinciding with Guyana's significant oil discoveries.
Maduro calls Rubio 'Imbecile'
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday slammed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as an “imbecile” following the American’s warning to Caracas against attacking its oil-rich neighbor Guyana. “There goes the imbecile Marco Rubio threatening Venezuela from Guyana. No one threatens Venezuela because this is the homeland of the liberators,” Maduro said.
