(2023-08-04). Burkina Faso's New President Condemns Imperialism. popularresistance.org The new president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, has vowed to fight imperialism and neocolonialism, invoking his country's past revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara and quoting Che Guevara. | The West African nation has also formed close diplomatic ties with the revolutionary governments in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, as well as with NATO's arch-rival Russia. | In January 2022, a group of nationalist military officers in Burkina Faso toppled the president, Roch Kaboré, a wealthy banker who had fostered close ties with the country's former colonizer, France, where he was educated.
(2023-08-04). Controversy persists over the situation of the Peruvian economy. plenglish.com Lima, Aug 4 (Prensa Latina) The exchange of opinions on the Peruvian economic situation continued today, after the area's minister Alex Contreras, projected a positive horizon of reactivation and growth, against various expressions of skepticism.
(2023-08-03). Review of the Myth that Made Us, by Jeff Fuhrer. cepr.net The full title of this book is: The Myth that Made Us, How False Beliefs About Racism and Meritocracy Broke Our Economy and How to Fix It. The book is a direct attack on how economists, and probably most people, are inclined to see the economy and society, arguing against the idea that outcomes reflect …
(2023-08-03). Russia's Economy Projected to Grow Despite Western Sanctions. news.antiwar.com The International Monetary Fund has said it expects the Russian economy to grow by 1.5% this year despite the US-led Western sanctions campaign against the country, which President Biden once vowed would "turn the ruble into rubble." The Russian economy shrank by 2.1% last year, but it has bounced back as Russia is adjusting to …
(2023-08-03). Cause of U.S. credit rating downgrade debated. ecns.cn A downgrade of the U.S. government's credit rating sent stocks reeling on Wednesday and elicited finger-pointing over the root cause.
(2023-08-03). China's Finance Ministry announces tax reductions for key groups to boost employment. ecns.cn China's Ministry of Finance and three other departments on Wednesday announced tax reduction for key groups including college graduates and people who just walk out of poverty, in a bid to support entrepreneurship and employment.
(2023-08-04). APEC tries to build a more resilient global food system. america.cgtn.com 
Over two weeks since Russia exited Black Sea grain deal amid the conflict with Ukraine. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation seeks to address food system resilience at its Seattle meetings. See more.
(2023-08-04). Blowback in Africa: U.S.-Trained Officer Overthrows Pro-U.S. Leader in Niger, Site of U.S. Drone Base. democracynow.org 
Last Wednesday, Nigerien military officers announced they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, a close ally of the United States and France. ECOWAS, an economic bloc of West African countries, has threatened to take military action unless the coup is reversed by Sunday. But the leader of Niger's new military junta has vowed to defy any attempts to restore the former president to power, while Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea — all, like Niger, former French colonies that have undergone military coups in the past three years — have warned against any foreign intervention in Niger. Meanwhile, Nige…
(2023-08-04). White House Concerned Over Niger Coup. popularresistance.org A new leader has emerged in the uranium-rich West African state of Niger just two days after the elected head-of-state, President Mohamed Bazoum, was toppled by his special forces. | On July 26, the presidential guard took over the residence of Bazoum and other key government buildings including the national media. | Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane spoke for the newly established National Council for the Safeguard of our Homeland (CNSP), saying that the president had been detained. Abdramane later claimed that the government had been seized by the presidential guard due to declining security and the economic and s…
(2023-08-04). When everything tips over. indybay.org So it's high time for the left to break out of its shock paralysis, to start politicizing knowledge again and to develop its own models and approaches that are both bigger and smaller than the warning about the end of humanity. First, by taking into account the economic structures…. And on the other hand, by going into the painstaking, everyday detail work.
(2023-08-04). Niger suspends military cooperation with France. plenglish.com The spokesman for the junta, Amadou Abdramane, said in a statement broadcast on television that the security and defense cooperation agreements with France were cancelled, given that country's attitude regarding the situation in Niger. | He also announced a decree declaring the end of the functions of the Nigerian ambassadors in France, the United States, Togo and Nigeria. | Abdramane also condemned the initiative to carry out a military intervention and the announcement of a package of sanctions imposed by organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which issued an ultimatum fo…
(2023-08-04). Bolivia and Venezuela express interest in joining BRICS. peoplesdispatch.org The governments of Bolivian President Luis Arce and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have officially applied to join the BRICS economic bloc and contribute in building a multipolar world…
(2023-08-04). U.S. long history of waging wars casts doubt about intent to reduce risk of South China Sea miscalculation. mronline.org 
During their trips to China, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reassured Beijing that Washington did not want to contain it economically and that there was "ample room" for engagement with China in trade, investment, and other critical issues, urging closer communication to address disagreements through dialogue.
(2023-08-04). President Maduro Condemns Voice of America's New Smear Campaign. orinocotribune.com The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has condemned a recent smear campaign orchestrated from the White House through the Voice of America news service that has been targeting the economic growth of Venezuela. | President Maduro pointed out during an address made from Miraflores Palace this Thursday, August 3, that it is a dirty campaign being carried out by the White House and the US State Department alongside "their wimps in Venezuela" who intend to hide the true economic growth of Venezuela in this year 2023 with false narratives. | "I condemn these media campaigns that are undertaken from the White Hous…
(2023-08-04). Venezuelan VP Participates in 9th CII India-Lac Conclave Closing. telesurenglish.net On Friday, the Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, participated in the closing session of the IX India-Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Conclave, held for two days in the city of New Delhi. | Related: | In her speech, the vice-president of the South American nation stressed that this bi-regional forum, organized by the Industrial Confederation of India, "is extraordinarily very important". | The Venezuelan…
(2023-08-03). El fracaso de la diplomacia económica de las sanciones. globalizacion.ca La reacción de China a las sanciones que le impuso la Administración de Biden refleja el mayor fracaso que se pueda a imaginar de las varias que pudren la política económica exterior de Estados Unidos. | Esa podredumbre se deriva de…
(2023-08-03). Foreign investors confident in Chinese economic growth. ecns.cn Foreign investors are confident in the outlook of China's economic growth and have eyes on opportunities in the consumption sector, the Securities Daily reported on Thursday.
(2023-08-03). Conflicts, climate crisis aggravate food insecurity — UN. plenglish.com United Nations, Aug 3 (Prensa Latina) Conflicts are key factors in hunger and food insecurity aggravated by climate and economic crises, the UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator Reena Ghelani said. She said that while the threat of famine — people starving slowly to death — must be a red line, amid the multiple challenges the world is facing today, the number of people suffering from acute food insecurity reached a quarter billion in 2022 — the highest recorded in recent years.
(2023-08-04). U.S. long history of waging wars casts doubt about intent to reduce risk of South China Sea miscalculation. mronline.org During their trips to China, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reassured Beijing that Washington did not want to contain it economically and that there was "ample room" for engagement with China in trade, investment, and other critical issues, urging closer communication to address disagreements through dialogue.
(2023-08-04). President Maduro Condemns Voice of America's New Smear Campaign. orinocotribune.com The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has condemned a recent smear campaign orchestrated from the White House through the Voice of America news service that has been targeting the economic growth of Venezuela. | President Maduro pointed out during an address made from Miraflores Palace this Thursday, August 3, that it is a dirty campaign being carried out by the White House and the US State Department alongside "their wimps in Venezuela" who intend to hide the true economic growth of Venezuela in this year 2023 with false narratives. | "I condemn these media campaigns that are undertaken from the White Hous…
(2023-08-04). Venezuelan VP Participates in 9th CII India-Lac Conclave Closing. telesurenglish.net On Friday, the Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, participated in the closing session of the IX India-Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Conclave, held for two days in the city of New Delhi. | Related: | In her speech, the vice-president of the South American nation stressed that this bi-regional forum, organized by the Industrial Confederation of India, "is extraordinarily very important". | The Venezuelan…
(2023-08-03). El fracaso de la diplomacia económica de las sanciones. globalizacion.ca La reacción de China a las sanciones que le impuso la Administración de Biden refleja el mayor fracaso que se pueda a imaginar de las varias que pudren la política económica exterior de Estados Unidos. | Esa podredumbre se deriva de…
(2023-08-03). Foreign investors confident in Chinese economic growth. ecns.cn Foreign investors are confident in the outlook of China's economic growth and have eyes on opportunities in the consumption sector, the Securities Daily reported on Thursday.
(2023-08-03). Conflicts, climate crisis aggravate food insecurity — UN. plenglish.com United Nations, Aug 3 (Prensa Latina) Conflicts are key factors in hunger and food insecurity aggravated by climate and economic crises, the UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator Reena Ghelani said. She said that while the threat of famine — people starving slowly to death — must be a red line, amid the multiple challenges the world is facing today, the number of people suffering from acute food insecurity reached a quarter billion in 2022 — the highest recorded in recent years.
(2023-08-03). Burkina Faso & Mali Vow to Defend Niger's New Leadership with Force. orinocotribune.com (OrinocoTribune.com)—Burkina Faso and Mali have declared their willingness to defend Niger with armed force if France, Nigeria, or ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) were to intervene in Niger following the recent change of power. | "Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali," read a joint statement issued by Mali and Burkina Faso on Monday, July 31. "Any military intervention against Niger would lead to the withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from ECOWAS, as well as the adoption of self-defense measures in support o…
(2023-08-03). Niger is the fourth country in the Sahel to experience an anti-Western coup. mronline.org 
The coup in Niger follows coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Each of these was led by military officers angered by the presence of French and U.S. troops and by economic crises inflicted on their countries.
(2023-08-03). African States Support Nigerien Sovereignty. popularresistance.org Reaction to the coup in Niger is a litmus test which determines who is truly supportive of self-determination for African nations. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is urging Nigeria to invade neighboring Niger, which is just what the U.S. and France would like to see happen. But the leaders of Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali are standing firm and demanding that the people of Niger, who appear to be supportive of the military involvement in their country, resolve their own conflict without the intervention of imperialist western nations. The leaders of Mali and Burkina Faso announced a joint s…
(2023-08-03). Niger Is The Fourth Country In The Sahel To Have An Anti-Western Coup. popularresistance.org At 3 a.m. on July 26, 2023, the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Troops, led by Brigadier General Abdourahmane Tchiani closed the country's borders and declared a curfew. The coup d'état was immediately condemned by the Economic Community of West African States, by the African Union, and by the European Union. Both France and the United States—which have military bases in Niger—said that they were watching the situation closely. A tussle between the Army—which claimed to be pro-Bazoum—and the presidential guard threatened the capital, bu…
(2023-08-03). The poverty of UN poverty estimates. mronline.org 
ON April 3 this year, the minister of state for planning, Rao Inderjeet Singh, said in the Rajya Sabha that the government had no data after 2011-12 for estimating poverty, and therefore had no idea how many people had been lifted out of poverty since then.
(2023-08-05). Correspondence] Women and authorship in the Lancet Series on breastfeeding — Authors' reply. thelancet.com As the authors of the 2023 Lancet Series on breastfeeding, we share Mélissa Mialon's view that women should have the central role in matters affecting their human rights and that more work must be done to ensure that women around the world are leading important global health initiatives, Commissions, and research efforts. However, her assertion that the majority of authors of our Series are White men from high-income countries is factually incorrect. More than half (14/25; 56%) of the Series authors are women, and we represent 11 countries across six continents.
(2023-08-04). Italy's Meloni wages war on the poor. wsws.org The cut in the Citizen's Income and the brutal way in which it is being carried out are a deliberate provocation. The government of Giorgia Meloni is showing its true fascist face.
(2023-08-03). Italian left condemns Giorgia Meloni government's decision to cut social welfare for poor families. peoplesdispatch.org The far-right government under Giorgia Meloni has decided to make cuts worth ‚Ǩ2.5 billion (US$ 2.71 billion) by overhauling the social security scheme 'Citizens' Income.' Close to 169,000 families will lose their benefits…
(2023-08-03). Kent councillor suspended from Labour after watching Jeremy Corbyn film. mronline.org 
COUNCILLOR in Kent has been suspended from the Labour whip after attending a screening of the film exposing the conspiracy behind the removal of Jeremy Corbyn as the party's leader.
(2023-08-03). United States: Child labour and exploitation on the rise. greenleft.org.au 
The death of a 16-year-old boy at a Wisconsin sawmill occurred as states are loosening 80-year-old child labour laws, aiming to bring in super exploitable child labour, especially in non-unionised industries, reports Malik Miah.
(2023-08-04). Climate conference slams Labor for supporting fossil fuel industry. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-08-04). Dying by degrees: Labor's uni review too little too late. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-08-04). Labor's casual worker reforms need to go further. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-08-04). Open letter to Labor: Increase the allowance to refugees stranded in Indonesia. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-08-04). From East Palestine, Silicon Valley & Hunters Point, Toxins, Workers & Whistleblowers. indybay.org This is a panel on the toxic dangers to workers and the community from East Palestine, Silicon Valley To Hunters Point shipyard.
(2023-08-04). FAO works with Cuba to prevent food losses. plenglish.com Havana, Aug 4 (Prensa Latina) The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) informed on Friday that it is collaborating with Cuba to prevent and reduce food loss and waste.
(2023-08-03). For Open Bargaining, Start Early And Build. popularresistance.org In many unions, ratification of a collective bargaining agreement can leave members alienated and angry. | Sometimes members will be learning about the major features of a tentative deal for the first time. Little time is given to discussion—members are expected to approve what leadership recommends, and officers may get defensive at questions or complaints. In some unions, members know their opinion doesn't matter and may not even bother to vote. | But there's another way to go, to build a powerful, participatory, energized union through the bargaining process: open bargaining.
(2023-08-03). A New Idea For New Union Organizing. popularresistance.org Why is it that unions, the only things that exist to do new union organizing, do not organize enough new union members? Unions will tell you that there are many reasons‚Äâ—‚Äâhostile labor laws, corporate union-busting, difficult political climates. There is some truth to all of these explanations, but they are also a bit like stopping and sitting down while a wild dog is chasing you, because running is tiring. Sure it is, but that's not much consolation when you're dead. There always have been, and always will be, political and corporate forces hostile to unions. That does…
(2023-08-04). Experts: Data rules will help financial sector. ecns.cn China's latest draft data security rules for the financial sector show policymakers' resolve to provide a clear, detailed data security regulatory framework that companies would not perceive as additional compliance burden, experts said on Thursday.
(2023-08-03). Bank of England raises interest rates, plunging millions into financial distress. wsws.org Britain's central bank and the Sunak government are reliant on the trade union bureaucracy to enforce wage restraint and stifle growing social anger.
(2023-08-04). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. wsws.org India: NLC India workers strike for permanent jobs; Sri Lankan health workers protest inferior medicines; Australia: Bulk liquid terminal workers demand higher pay; New Zealand teachers hit with below-inflation wage deal.
(2023-08-03). Some Russian News Outlets… smoothiex12.blogspot.com 
noticed Immediate issue: US $25 trillion GDP is fiction–most of it is in non-productive services and price of assets inflation. Moreover, as I am on record–even PPP criteria is bogus because it…
(2023-08-04). Canada: Rank and file dockworkers stand strong, reject proposed deal in face of threats. greenleft.org.au 
Rank-and-file members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) in British Columbia have voted down an employment agreement foisted on them by a government mediator, reports Jeff Shantz.
(2023-08-03). Job Guarantee as Historical Struggle with David Stein (NEW TRANSCRIPT!). mronline.org 
We are excited to rerelease our inaugural episode of Money on the Left alongside a brand new transcript. In our inaugural episode, we consider the recent resurgence of full employment politics in the United States from both a political and historical perspective with historian David Stein (@davidpstein).
(2023-08-04). AUKUS military integration criticised amid calls for more social spending. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-08-04). Fitch Ratings Downgrades U.S.: "Erosion of Governance, Fiscal Mismanagement" Attributable to Debt and War Spending. globalresearch.ca
(2023-08-04). Fitch ratings downgraded US, projects recession – debt and war spending being key reasons. infobrics.org American fiscal decline and its huge war-fueled debt is part of a larger societal and civilizational crisis.
(2023-08-04). Experts dispute nature of U.S. tech-investment curbs. ecns.cn During her visit to Beijing earlier last month and in the weeks that followed, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended Washington's trade curbs imposed on security grounds, particularly those limiting U.S. technology investment in China.
(2023-08-04). City projects improve livelihoods. ecns.cn In more than two years, Chengdu, Sichuan province, has implemented 1,265 projects to improve people's livelihoods, with an investment of nearly 381 billion yuan ($53 billion), according to a news conference with the theme "Happy Chengdu — 10 Major Projects for a Better Life" that was held on the sidelines of the Chengdu FISU World University Games on Wednes…
(2023-08-04). Anti-Affirmative Action Group Sues Venture Capitalist Keshia Knight Pulliam Over Investing in Black Women. moguldom.com Conservative activist Edward Blum, known for opposing affirmative action, has filed a lawsuit against Fearless Fund, an Atlanta-based venture capital firm that supports Black women entrepreneurs. Blum's nonprofit organization, the American Alliance for Equal Rights, claims that Fearless Fund's grant competition, which exclusively targets Black women business owners, violates Section 1981 of the Civil Rights …
(2023-08-03). Bringing out the red: what being an EMS worker taught me. cpusa.org 
When I first started down my path in Emergency Medical Services, I was not a Marxist, however the years of dealing with the unfortunate realities of an uncaring capitalist system that commodifies the public's health and wellbeing changed that. The experiences which unfolded within the walls of ambulances and emergency rooms served as an ideological catalyst, igniting in me a profound realization: the very healthcare system I had dedicated my career to was not one dedicated to saving lives, but one which prioritizes profit above all else. As I reflect on my journey through Emergency Medical Services, I am compe…
(2023-08-03). 11-year-old Milwaukee boy to be tried as adult in mother's shooting. wsws.org No justice will come from trying a child as an adult; in doing so, it will not address the underlying social and cultural factors and pressures that played their part, namely the glorification of violence, militarism, and profit.
(2023-08-03). Homes Guarantee Celebrates Tenant Movement Closing in on Federal Rent Regulation. peoplesaction.org Tenants Organized 2.4K Comments Demanding Federal Rent Control With Support from Leading Economists, Academics, Climate Researchers, and Electeds WASHINGTON, D.C. — People's Action's Homes Guarantee campaign today celebrated the strength of the tenant movement by releasing letters that make clear that federal tenant protections are common-sense policy with broad support from experts and directly impacted …
(2023-08-03). AI Won't Overthrow Us, But It Will Optimize the Capitalist Death Machine. truthout.org "How are these tools going to be used to increase the power of employers and of management once again, and to be used against workers," asks Paris Marx. In this episode of "Movement Memos," Marx and host Kelly Hayes break down the hype and potential of artificial intelligence, and what we should really be worried about. Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. |
(2023-08-03). Healthcare workers at Loretto safety-net hospital on Chicago's West Side go on strike. wsws.org Around 200 healthcare workers at Loretto Hospital, a safety-net hospital on Chicago's West Side, went on strike for living wages.
(2023-08-05). World Report] Israeli doctors vow to continue protests. thelancet.com Medics have promised further industrial action in protest at new legislation that weakens judicial oversight. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2023-08-04). MintPress News Is Being Targeted: Join Us in Standing up to the War Machine. mintpressnews.com 
Stand up for truth. Stand up against war. Today, we invite you to join us in empowering MintPress News, the vanguard of fearless investigative journalism that unearths the hidden web of the military industrial complex.
(2023-08-04). Vicepresidenta de Venezuela participa en clausura de IX Cónclave Económico India-ALC. telesurtv.net La vicemandataria destacó que este foro, organizado por la Confederación Industrial de la India, "es extraordinariamente importante".
(2023-08-03). Artificial Intelligence and the class struggle. mronline.org 
Since the earliest days of the industrial revolution, workers have fought company owners over their use of automated machinery to step up the pace of exploitation.
(2023-08-03). Venezuela's Vice President Participates in India—Latin America Conclave. orinocotribune.com The vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, arrived in the Republic of India to participate in the Ninth Conclave of the Industrial Confederation of India and Latin America and the Caribbean, to be held in the city of New Delhi. | Upon reaching India this Wednesday, August 2, the vice president was received by the Venezuelan ambassador to India, Capaya Rodríguez González, together with various diplomatic representatives of that nation. | The conclave will be held in th…
(2023-08-04). nuestrAmérica: Segundo Congreso Mundial contra el neoliberalismo educativo. indybay.org nuestrAmérica: Segundo Congreso Mundial contra el neoliberalismo educativo | Encuentro en Panamá…
(2023-08-03). Guatemala in Electoral Context 2023. orinocotribune.com By Ollantay Itzamná — Jul 31, 2023 | On August 20, Guatemala will vote for more neoliberalism, more racism, and continued dispossession of indigenous territories. | Last June 25, the general elections were held to elect president and vice-president, 160 deputies to the Congress of the Republic, 20 supranational deputies to the Central American Parliament and 340 municipal governments. | A total of 9.3 million Guatemalans were called to cast their vote both in Guatemala and abroad. Thirty political organizations and 22 presidential candidates participated. Three presidential binomials, under different argumen…
(2023-08-04). They Did it Anyway: The US, the Atomic Bomb and Hiroshima. socialistproject.ca 
At a time when Americans are reassessing so many painful aspects of our country's past, it is an opportune moment to have an honest conversation about our use of nuclear weapons on
(2023-08-04). The East is Still Red: Chinese Socialism in the 21st Century by Carlos Martinez (Book Review). orinocotribune.com By Roger Stoll — Aug 1, 2023 | Introduction | Western media never stop warning us of China: it menaces Taiwan, threatens its neighbors and shipping lanes in the South China Sea, and sticks military bases on Cuba. China, we are told, spies on us by the most devious means, through TikTok, Huawei 5G, and weather balloons. And China, say our media, ensnares Africa with debt traps. Meanwhile, the US government and its media-echo decry China's abuses of its own people. China, the US says, has committed "cultural" and literal genocide against Uyghur muslims in Xinjiang. As for the Covid-19 pandemic, the West with w…
(2023-08-03). Green Left News Podcast Ep 17: CFMEU housing plan, Women's World Cup & Russian anti-war socialist arrested. greenleft.org.au Green Left journalists Isaac Nellist and Chloe DS go through the latest news from across the continent and around the world.
(2023-08-03). Monday 8/7: San Jose: Solidarity with Starbucks Workers to Unionize. indybay.org Starbucks – outside store across from SJ City Hall | 181 E. Santa Clara Street | San Jose CA 95112…
(2023-08-04). End internment of Irish republicans now. thecommunists.org This article is reproduced from Irish Republican News with thanks. ***** Increasing numbers of Irish republicans are being detained without bail and with little prospect of facing trial. Members of the Soaradh leadership have now endured three years of 'internment by remand'. The party is calling on all republicans and human rights groups to speak …
(2023-08-04). Lessons of 1914: Imperialism means war. thecommunists.org This article is based on the presentation made by Comrade Harpal Brar to an international seminar in Brussels to mark the centenary of the start of the first world war. It was later published in the November 2014 issue of Lalkar. Its increasing relevance today in consequence of the conflict in Ukraine has prompted us …
(2023-08-03). Objective Conditions in Venezuela: Maduro's Defensive Strategy and Contradictions Among the People. orinocotribune.com By Steve Ellner — July 2023 | ABSTRACT: In 2020, the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) withdrew support for President Nicolás Maduro even though Washington had recently intensified the "war on Venezuela," which included sanctions and military threats. The PCV's decision was in response to Maduro's business-friendly "defensive strategy" in the face of the imperialist aggression, which was more severe than that directed against other progressive Latin American governments, particularly after 2015. Maduro appeared to view the PCV and other critics on the left through the same lenses that he did critics on the…