@nytimes Mexico & Central America correspondent. Previously in Caracas, Moscow, Bogota & Santiago. @HCSibir si señor
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Nov 19, 2020 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
Our team traveled to 6 Venezuelan states despite the lockdown & gas shortages to speak to provincial chavistas who were punished for speaking out about the injustices of Maduro's government. Thanks to @IsayenHG@surdaneta@tibisayromero@Adriaventuras. nytimes.com/2020/11/19/wor…
It was difficult, painstaking work because these people usually fall through the cracks of Venezuelan media coverage. They distrust those they see as their class enemies, they are difficult to reach amid the blackouts and gas shortages & they live in fear of repression.
Oct 21, 2019 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
To find out what's inside Caracas's water, we recreated a water study conducted by Venezuela's main public university for the city's water utility until Chavez stopped the practice. A third of the city's water came out unsafe, many areas had traces of feces.
The worst samples came out from the Tuy III system, Caracas's largest. Water in Terrazas del Avila, Santa Monica and Alto Prado was particularly affected with bacteria. Some treatments plants gave up even trying to treat the water.
Jul 14, 2019 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
Sanctions have undoubtedly accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse. They shouldn’t obscure ongoing gross negligence by authorities, which aggravates malnutrition and misery.
A Venezuelan food company recently told me they stopped producing regular powdered milk, the staple local lactose product, because the government never bothered updating the regulated price after changing the national currency.
Apr 2, 2019 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
El racionamiento anunciado por el gobierno va por un rato. Los apagones han destruido 2 de 9 transformadores del patio de distribución de Guri, que sirven para transferir el corriente de la represa a las lineas de transmisión de 765MW que surten la gran mayoría del pais
Estos daños significan que no se puede cargar la linea de alto voltage a su maxima capacidad y Corpoelec esta obligado a complementar el suministro al centro y occidente del pais con lineas de media voltage de 400MW.
Mar 11, 2019 • 18 tweets • 4 min read
I went to the heart of Venezuela’s transmission system in Guarico to try to find out what’s going on with the grid. Here’s why partial blackouts are unfortunately likely to persist for a while. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.
This is Venezuela’s main power distribution hub, the San Geronimo B substation outside Valle de la Pascua on Sunday. It was shut since Thursday. A cow roamed among transformers. No buzz from current. Workers said most of them were sent home indefinitely Friday.
Feb 25, 2019 • 25 tweets • 6 min read
I have spent the last three weeks reporting on the Venezuelan aid lift in Caracas, Tachira & Cucuta. This is what I can say about the campaign.
First, the lion's share of the blame for the current impasse lays with Maduro. By refusing to even recognize humanitarian crisis & blocking the aid he condemns thousands to premature death. That said, I believe we need to look critically at the opposition's strategy & performance
Feb 23, 2019 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Spoke to several soldiers at the concert. All said they are reluctant to repress. They had a cold arepa for breakfast, dry bread for lunch.
One said pointing to the bridge: “these are our brotherly people, how can I fire on them?”
Jan 29, 2019 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Russia’s Lukoil, one of PdVSA’s main suppliers of oil products, froze its contract with Venezuela today. Moscow Corp. not prepared to risk ban from U.S. financial system for Maduro.
Lukoil is among about half a dozen oil traders who cut or suspended contracts with Pdvsa today, according to traders and a Pdvsa supply official. This threatens to leave the company without gasoline and diluent to move its crude.
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