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10-29-25 panasonic
Vic, interesting read.
My take, the one that replied to Lopez was not Villegas, Sebin aleeady took his Cel phone once he returned from DR. |
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10-29-25 panasonic
Pilly, must be very good documental, people think pdvsa will return Veni to its glorious days,
I think times of oil are gone, people will have to work their ass out...do-able?
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10-29-25 victor
savo, in my op the most interesting part is that the usa has been trying to get nm- since before dt, or marco r for that matter.
biden in a more subtle way, dt in a more obvious and forceful way.
so the argument that this is because of marco, ma elvira, etc is not really accurate.
there is an interest in getting him since he made it to the dea list.
what has apparently changed, and intensified, is the priority of getting him.
it is also clear to me that they want him alive.
not dead or alive, as UBL.
but alive only, which complicates matters at hand.
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10-29-25 pillz
PDVSA: from hope to collapse chronicles the decline of Venezuela's leading company
Tue Oct 28 14:51:52 2025 EDT
Fifty years after the creation of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), the documentary PDVSA: de la esperanza al colapso (PDVSA: From Hope to Collapse), a 65-minute audiovisual production that tells the story of the main Venezuelan company, from its emergence as a symbol of progress and national pride, to its current state of corporate and moral ruin under the control of Chavismo.
The book begins with a review of the oil history before nationalization, and then narrates the birth of PDVSA in 1975 and the beginning of operations in 1976. During more than two decades, the company achieved a sustained growth that positioned it among the most solid energy companies in the world, with an internationalization policy that included the acquisition of Citgo Petroleum in the 1980s.
Through testimonies of the protagonists , it reconstructs the business and political decisions that marked both the rise and the decline of the company: from the modernization of the industry to the collapse of 2002-2003, when more than 20,000 workers and managers were laid off. That episode represented the beginning of the systematic destruction of the company and its progressive collapse in the last two decades.?
The documentary dedicates a central space to Citgo, a subsidiary acquired in the 1980s that played a key role in PDVSA's international expansion. It also deals with the sale attempts promoted by the governments of Chávez and Maduro, and the complex judicial process that today threatens to seize and auction its shares in the United States to settle debts of the Bolivarian Republic.
The production gathers the experiences of executives and workers who resisted the onslaught of the policies imposed by Chavism. Their testimonies reflect the contrast between PDVSA's managerial excellence in its first 25 years and the ethical and operational crisis that characterizes the company today.
Far from being just a tale of tragedy, PDVSA: From Hope to Collapse closes with a message for the future: the conviction that Venezuela will be able to rescue its oil tradition, recover Citgo as a strategic asset and build a new energy sector, supported by the growth of the hydrocarbons sector and the participation of the private sector.
The documentary will premiere this Wednesday at 7:00 pm at CMX CinéBistro CityPlace in El Doral, Florida. |
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10-29-25 savo
interesting story victor... but there is a mistake:
"con frecuencia a países hostiles a Estados Unidos como Irán, Cuba y Rusia."
It is the other way around... the US is the one hostile to Iran, Cuba and Russia. |
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10-29-25 victor
“Sigo pendiente a su respuesta”, escribió López al piloto el 7 de agosto, y adjuntó un enlace a un comunicado de prensa emitido por el Departamento de Justicia que anunciaba que la recompensa había aumentado a 50 millones de dólares.
Los detalles del plan —que al final resultó fallido— se obtuvieron de entrevistas con varios funcionarios estadounidenses, tanto en activo como retirados, así como con uno de los opositores de Maduro. Todos hablaron bajo condición de anonimato ya sea porque no estaban autorizados a decir nada sobre la iniciativa o por temor a represalias por revelarlo. The Associated Press también revisó los intercambios de mensajes de texto entre López y el aviador.
Los intentos de localizar al piloto, el general venezolano Bitner Villegas, no tuvieron éxito. El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos no hizo comentarios. El gobierno venezolano expuso no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios.
Los aviones de Maduro
La trama se planeó cuando un informante se presentó en la embajada de Estados Unidos en República Dominicana el 24 de abril de 2024 y afirmó tener información sobre los aviones de Maduro. López, de 50 años, era entonces agregado en la embajada y agente de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HIS, por sus siglas en inglés), que es parte del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional.
López, un áspero exsoldado de operaciones especiales del Ejército de Estados Unidos originario de Puerto Rico, había liderado las investigaciones de la agencia sobre redes criminales transnacionales con presencia en República Dominicana, tras una ilustre trayectoria en la que desmanteló bandas de narcotraficantes, lavadores de dinero y estafadores. Su trabajo para desarticular una operación ilícita de cambio de divisas incluso le valió una reprimenda pública, en 2010, por parte de Hugo Chávez —el predecesor de Maduro—. Ese destino en la embajada sería el último antes de jubilarse.
La embajada estaba cerrada, aunque López seguía en su escritorio. Le entregaron una ficha de archivo con el nombre y número telefónico del informante. Cuando lo llamó, el individuo aseguró que dos aviones que utilizaba Maduro se encontraban en República Dominicana para que les realizaran reparaciones costosas.
López estaba intrigado: sabía que cualquier mantenimiento probablemente supondría una infracción penal según la ley estadounidense, ya que implicaría la compra de piezas estadounidenses, prohibidas por las sanciones impuestas a Venezuela. Y los aviones también estaban sujetos a incautación por violar esas mismas sanciones.
Localizar las aeronaves fue fácil: estaban estacionadas en el aeropuerto ejecutivo La Isabela de Santo Domingo. Documentar su vínculo con Maduro les tomó meses al agente y a otros investigadores federales. Mientras armaban el caso, se enteraron de que el presidente venezolano había enviado a cinco pilotos a la isla para llevar de regreso los aviones de millones de dólares: un Dassault Falcon 2000EX y un Dassault Falcon 900EX.
Un plan se concreta
López tuvo una revelación: ¿y si lograba convencer al piloto de que llevara a Maduro a un país donde Estados Unidos pudiera arrestarlo? Maduro había sido imputado en 2020 por cargos federales de narcoterrorismo que lo acusaban de contribuir a inundar a Estados Unidos de cocaína.
El agente del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional obtuvo permiso de las autoridades dominicanas para interrogar a los pilotos, tras superar sus temores de crear una disputa diplomática con Venezuela.
En el hangar del aeropuerto, a poca distancia del avión, López y otro agente pidieron a cada piloto que se reunieran con ellos individualmente en una pequeña sala de conferencias. No había un propósito específico, dijeron los agentes, solo querían hablar.
Los agentes fingieron no saber que los pilotos trasladaban por aire a Maduro y otros altos funcionarios. Hablaron con cada aviador durante aproximadamente una hora y dejaron a su objetivo principal para el final: Villegas, porque los agentes habían determinado que él era el piloto habitual de Maduro.
Villegas era miembro de la guardia de honor presidencial de élite y coronel de la Fuerza Aérea venezolana. Un exfuncionario venezolano que viajaba regularmente en aviones presidenciales lo describió como amigable, reservado y de toda la confianza de Maduro. Los aviones se utilizaban para transportar a Maduro por todo el mundo, con frecuencia a países hostiles a Estados Unidos como Irán, Cuba y Rusia. En un video de diciembre de 2023, publicado por Maduro, se ve a Villegas sostener una radio en la cabina mientras el presidente intercambia consignas patrióticas con el piloto de un avión de combate de la empresa rusa Sukhoi.
López llamó a Villegas para que fuera a la habitación y bromearon un rato sobre las celebridades que el piloto había trasladado, su servicio militar y los tipos de aviones que tenía licencia para volar. Después de unos 15 minutos, el piloto comenzó a ponerse tenso y las piernas le temblaban.
El agente insistió con más contundencia: ¿Había trasladado alguna vez el piloto a Chávez o a Maduro? Villegas, al principio, intentó evadir las preguntas, pero finalmente admitió haber sido piloto de ambos líderes. Villegas mostró a los agentes, en su celular, fotos suyas y de los dos presidentes en varios viajes. Les dio detalles sobre las instalaciones militares venezolanas que había visitado. Sin que Villegas lo supiera, uno de los colegas de López grabó la conversación con un celular.
Cuando la charla estaba por terminar, López presentó su propuesta: a cambio de trasladar en secreto a Maduro y ponerlo en manos de Estados Unidos, el piloto se haría muy rico y sería adorado por millones de sus compatriotas. El lugar de encuentro podría ser a elección del aviador: República Dominicana, Puerto Rico o la base militar estadounidense de la Bahía de Guantánamo, Cuba.
Villegas no dejó entrever sus intenciones. No obstante, antes de partir, le dio a López su número de celular.
“Un tesoro de inteligencia”
Villegas y los demás pilotos regresaron a Venezuela sin las aeronaves, que, según les informaron, carecían de las autorizaciones correspondientes.
Mientras tanto, el gobierno estadounidense preparaba un caso federal de decomiso para incautar los aviones. Confiscó uno, registrado en el microestado europeo de San Marino a nombre de una empresa pantalla de San Vicente y las Granadinas, en septiembre de 2024.
Incautó el otro en febrero, durante el primer viaje al extranjero de Marco Rubio —secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos— como máximo responsable de la diplomacia estadounidense.
En una conferencia de prensa en el aeropuerto de República Dominicana, López informó al secretario ante los periodistas. López le dijo a Rubio que el avión contenía un “tesoro de información de inteligencia”, incluidos los nombres de oficiales de la fuerza aérea venezolana e información detallada sobre sus movimientos. López fijó una orden de incautación en el avión. El gobierno de Maduro reaccionó con enojo y publicó un comunicado que acusaba a Rubio de “robo descarado”.
Incluso jubilado, López siguió adelante
Mientras preparaba el caso de decomiso, López también se centró en persuadir a Villegas para que se uniera a su plan.
La tarea no sería fácil. Maduro había hecho que traicionarlo resultara extremadamente caro para cualquiera. Desde que asumió el cargo en 2013, ha reprimido las protestas brutalmente —lo que ha provocado decenas de arrestos— y ha encarcelado incluso a aliados antes poderosos y que se convirtieron en sospechosos de deslealtad.
Aun así, López perseveró. Ambos intercambiaron mensajes por WhatsApp y Telegram una docena de veces. Pero las conversaciones parecían no llevar a nada.
En julio, López se jubiló. Pero no podía dejar ir a Villegas. Buscó la guía de la muy unida comunidad de líderes opositores exiliados que conoció como agente de la ley. Uno de ellos describió al exagente como obsesionado con llevar a Maduro ante la justicia.
“Sentía que tenía una misión pendiente por cumplir”, dijo un miembro exiliado de la oposición a Maduro, quien habló bajo condición de anonimato por temor a represalias. “Lo cierto es que es más valioso para nosotros que muchos de los principales opositores de Maduro que están dentro de Venezuela”.
Tras el mensaje de texto de agosto que señalaba que la recompensa se había duplicado a 50 millones de dólares, López envió otro mensaje en el que decía: “Todavia te queda tiempo para ser el héroe de Venezuela y estar en el lado correcto de la historia!”. Pero no recibió respuesta.
El 18 de septiembre, López miraba las noticias sobre la escalada de Trump en el Caribe, cuando vio una publicación de un observador de aviones anónimo que había seguido de cerca las idas y venidas de los aviones de Maduro a lo largo de los años. El usuario, cuyo identificador era @Arr3ch0 —una alusión a “arrecho”, la jerga venezolana para “furioso”—, publicó una captura de pantalla de un mapa de seguimiento de vuelos que mostraba un Airbus presidencial que hacía una extraña trayectoria circular tras despegar de Caracas.
“Para adonde van?”, escribió López, quien utilizó un nuevo número.
“Quien es?” respondió Villegas, ya sea porque no reconoció el número o para fingir ignorancia. Cuando López presionó sobre lo que habían discutido en República Dominicana, Villegas se puso combativo y lo llamó “cobarde”.
“Los venezolanos estamos hechos de otra ksa”, escribió Villegas. “Y lo que menos somos es traidores”.
López le envió una foto de ellos dos durante su charla en un sofá de cuero rojo en el hangar de aviones el año anterior.
“¿Tú eres un loco?”, respondió Villegas.
“Un poco...”, escribió López.
Dos horas después, López lo intentó una última vez y mencionó a los tres hijos de Villegas por su nombre y le dijo que un futuro mejor les esperaba en Estados Unidos.
“La ventana para tu decisión se cierra”, escribió López poco antes de que Villegas bloqueara su número, “y pronto será muy tarde”.
Tratar de inquietar a Maduro
Al darse cuenta de que Villegas no iba a unirse al plan, López y otros miembros del movimiento antiMaduro decidieron que era hora de inquietar al líder venezolano, según personas familiarizadas con la trama.
Al día siguiente del tenso intercambio de WhatsApp entre López y Villegas, Marshall Billingslea —un aliado cercano de la oposición venezolana— entró en acción. Exfuncionario de Seguridad Nacional en gobiernos republicanos, Billingslea había acosado a Maduro durante semanas. Ahora, involucró a Villegas en su ciberacoso.
“¡Feliz cumpleaños, ‘general’ Bitner!”, escribió el mismo día en que Villegas cumplió 48 años. Billingslea incluyó fotografías paralelas que sin duda causarían sorpresa. Una era la misma que López había compartido con Villegas el día anterior por WhatsApp, solo que el agente había sido recortado de ella. La otra era una foto oficial de la Fuerza Aérea con una estrella dorada que indicaba su nuevo rango en la charretera.
La publicación de Billingslea se publicó a las 3:01 de la tarde, un minuto antes de que otro Airbus sancionado, en el que se sabe que Maduro viaja, despegara del aeropuerto de Caracas. Veinte minutos después, el avión regresó inesperadamente al aeropuerto.
El saludo de cumpleaños, visto por casi 3 millones de personas, causó conmoción en las redes sociales venezolanas a la vez que los opositores de Maduro especularon que el piloto había recibido la orden de regresar para enfrentar un interrogatorio. Otros se preguntaron si sería encarcelado. Nadie vio ni supo de Villegas durante días. Luego, el 24 de septiembre, el piloto reapareció —con un traje de vuelo de la fuerza aérea— en un programa de televisión muy popular presentado por Diosdado Cabello, el ministro del Interior.
Cabello se rio de cualquier insinuación de que los militares venezolanos pudieran ser comprados. Mientras bromeaba sobre la lealtad de Villegas, dijo de ellos: “Son unos patriotas vergatarios a toda prueba”, el piloto permaneció de pie en silencio, con el puño levantado en señal de lealtad. |
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10-29-25 victor
El audaz plan de un agente federal: convencer al piloto de Maduro de traicionar al líder venezolano
MIAMI (AP) — El agente federal le presentó una propuesta audaz al piloto principal de Nicolás Maduro: lo único que debía hacer era desviar de forma disimulada el avión del presidente venezolano a un lugar donde las autoridades estadounidenses pudieran detener al mandatario.
A cambio, según dijo el agente al piloto en una reunión clandestina, harían que el aviador se convirtiera en un hombre muy rico.
La conversación fue tensa y el piloto se fue sin comprometerse, aunque le dio su número de celular al agente Edwin López, un indicio de que podría estar interesado en ayudar al gobierno estadounidense.
Durante el año siguiente, incluso después de jubilarse de su trabajo en el gobierno, López persistió e intercambió mensajes de texto con el piloto a través de una aplicación de mensajería cifrada.
La saga inédita y llena de intriga de cómo López intentó que el piloto de Maduro trabajara para los estadounidenses tiene todos los elementos de una película de espionaje de la Guerra Fría: aviones privados de lujo, una reunión secreta en un hangar de aeropuerto y diplomacia de alto riesgo en un delicado juego para convencer a un lugarteniente de cambiar de bando. Incluso hubo un último acto de intriga con el propósito de inquietar a Maduro sobre la verdadera lealtad del piloto.
En términos más generales, el plan revela hasta qué punto —y con qué frecuencia de manera improvisada— el gobierno estadounidense ha intentado durante años derrocar a Maduro, mientras la línea entre la aplicación de la ley y la recolección de inteligencia a menudo se volvía difusa. El interés en un cambio de régimen en Venezuela ha cobrado impulso desde que el presidente Donald Trump retomó el cargo. Este verano, Trump ha desplegado miles de tropas, helicópteros de ataque y buques de guerra en el Caribe para atacar barcos pesqueros sospechosos de contrabandear cocaína desde Venezuela. En seis ataques, el ejército estadounidense ha matado al menos a 28 personas.
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10-28-25 savo
the average price of Veni including interest is now 14% higher than PDVsa.
The gap continues shrinking. |
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10-28-25 savo
carib.. i think you could have been a good psychologist.
You seem to like to explore the human mind!
On veni...the regime has survived 4 US presidents already...3 of which were reelected and countless SoS..NSA...etc...
Either you give them credit or accept that may be the US wants it that way.
The odd thing is that there have been authoritarian governments everywhere ... but I never heard people from any of those countries ask for a foreign enemy to invade their own country.
I lived my self under a dictatorship...never imagined to ask for a foreign invasion or heard any con-national do that.
Well ... Venezuelans abroad do want their country to be invaded.
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10-28-25 carib
Savo: facts are one thing, even if here even facts are no longer accepted as such.
Preferences and wishes are entirely subjective, and as such not issues that are objects of rational discussion.
Opinions and forecasts about future developments are also subjective, and can certainly be the object of discussions,... but they are very different from wishes.
I am making no predictions, here on Veny, just stating facts, and indicating personal preferences.
We all know there are different interests at play.
Our only "interest".. is getting paid, or being able to sell bonds at high prices. |
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10-28-25 spal
AI is even more disruptive than we think, mind blowing.
===
The main thing I want disrupted is my wallet ...
So keep up the good ideas!
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10-28-25 spal
the question is why does the US fabricates a new bubble every decade and other countries do not?
===
Take a guess ...
;)
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10-28-25 savo
| the question is why does the US fabricates a new bubble every decade and other countries do not? |
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10-28-25 savo
pana... the .coms were also disruptive... did not end well.
I would say one does not know whether we are in the middle of a bubble until it bursts... or not. |
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10-28-25 savo
carib... there are different groups of interest in the US... and those have opposing views as to what to do with Maduro and Veni.
Given your preference for a Maduro removal.. you tend to emphasize the points of view of the Cubans.
But the proof that Maduro is functional to certain US interests is that Maduro is still in Miraflores.
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10-28-25 panasonic
| Spal, CCJ amazing day, nvda amazing as well, AI is even more disruptive than we think, mind blowing. |
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10-28-25 savo
JP on Gold
Fixed Supply
On Gold supply, Kaneva notes that since 2018 supply has been largely unchanged. Citing the ‘Diamond District’ in NYC, Kaneva points to all the “We Buy Gold” signs, noting “ they are buying gold for scrap and recycling because there is no supply.” On supply characteristics, she adds:
Humanity started mining for gold 6,000 years ago, and all that gold is still with us.
All this gold, can fit on one soccer field, one meter deep, that’s it.
Gold never gets thrown out, it goes to children, or it’s sold, but it does not go to the landfill
The team suggests that the current price environment could be driven by the idea that “this is a supply story — there is no supply, and there’s a lot of demand, and that’s where the price movement is coming from.”
Kaneva posits “at some point, I believe that the miners would have to get their act together and start digging more, because at this point, the cost of producing gold at the moment is $2,000. We’re trading at $4,000. But it is not happening yet.” While it “takes six to nine years to develop mines and for that production to come on stream.”
Shearer also notes, “the combination of a relatively liquid but a small market and overall supply inelasticity means that gold can be susceptible to large rebasing in prices from relatively small changes on demand inflows as price is the ultimate arbiter in gold.”
Overall, Kaneva emphasizes, “we have a fixed supply, but at the same time we have three buyers. And when you see those jerky type of moves in the price, it's not because a million people decided to buy gold, it's because a couple of people decided to buy gold but there are no sellers, just because how fixed the supply is.”
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10-28-25 carib
Disclaimer: I heard nobody relevant planning a "US invasion of Venezuela", and the forces so far deployed are not coherent with a large scale long term invasion.
It would not be a good idea.
But, as Sen Scott said today "I think something will happen, and Maduro should get out fast".
I make no prediction, but hope in a "happy end". By year end, if possible. |
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10-28-25 carib
Savo: prices are facts. the rest are subjective opinions.
In our case, they mostly differ.
We have, I guess, a common interest in getting higher prices,
and possibly a future reasonable restructuring.
The matter of how we might get there, in entirely out of our hands. |
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10-28-25 spal
| Shares of nuclear and uranium-linked stocks are trading higher in sympathy with Cameco, which partnered with Brookfield and the U.S. government to build new Westinghouse nuclear reactors. |
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10-28-25 spal
I don't have it unfortunately, but a clear sign that the Uranium complex is coming back into vogue
CCJ
Cameco Corp.
$106.76
$20.14
(23.25%) |
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10-28-25 savo
that is an opinion carib...
my view is different... it happened exactly what the US wanted to happen... which was to maintain Maduro there until a better solution for US national security was found.
Veni is a national security issue for the US... due to its oil, and variety of metals, which the US wants to control...and its close association with China and Russia.
An Urrutia government would have been absolutely chaotic. The US knows Guaido, Lopez, Borges, etc.. they know the bundles of money they stole during Trump 1.0. and they know how mentally unstable MCM is.
It is a compliment to be called to invade a country...but that does not mean the US wants to do business with the woman calling for the invasion.
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10-28-25 carib
Savo: it did not happen.. because the gang likes ruling Venezuela and reaping the benefits.
Occam's razor. |
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10-28-25 savo
carib.. He should have just accepted defeat in the july elections, publish the actual results, and moved to Doha.
and one should wonder why that did not happen.
My theory has always been that despite the rhetoric... Trump and his predecessors are happy with how things are in veni.
It allows the US to decide who goes in and what he can do.
I agree that Rubio and the other Cubans want to remove Maduro. They want their own puppet running veni.
But we do not know if Trump is of that view. I do not think he is. And there are other interests in the US that do not want the Cubans to control veni.
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10-28-25 spal
Composite Safety Net Assistance: A De Facto Floor Approaching UBI-Like Support
Think tanks like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Brookings Institution, and the Urban Institute, have indeed evaluated the "stacked" or composite value of U.S. means-tested safety net programs as a form of evolving, targeted basic income support. These programs—SNAP (food), Medicaid/BadgerCare (health, e.g., Wisconsin's Medicaid expansion covering adults up to 138% of federal poverty level), Section 8/Housing Choice Vouchers (rent), TANF (cash aid), and others like EITC (refundable tax credits), LIHEAP (energy), and child care subsidies—collectively provide a patchwork "de facto UBI" for low-income households. Unlike pure UBI (universal, unconditional cash), this is means-tested and in-kind, but expansions since the 1990s (e.g., Medicaid under ACA, EITC growth) have made it more reliable and less punitive, lifting 45 million people out of poverty annually and reducing deep poverty by 50–60%.
Total federal means-tested spending hit ~$1.1 trillion in FY2024, averaging ~$11,000 per recipient ($100 billion for SNAP alone, serving 42 million).
This composite acts as a "floor" for the bottom 20–30% of earners (incomes <$30,000/household), often totaling $20,000–$40,000/year in value—equivalent to 50–100% of poverty-line needs—though uptake varies (e.g., only 25% of eligible get housing aid due to waitlists).
It's "evolving" toward UBI-like universality via pilots (e.g., 18 states with guaranteed income programs in 2025, averaging $500/month unconditional cash) and policy shifts like the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansion, which briefly mimicked child-focused UBI by cutting child poverty 30%.
... there is a ton of stuff out there on this ...
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10-28-25 spal
| In a very real sense in the US - Universal Basic Income is already in operation. Remember that for 50% of the population the income tax system is NOT relevant. They don't pay it. |
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10-28-25 carib
| Ps: one can monitor on-line the moves of planes with active transponders.Usually military planes in covert missions turn them off, and in battle they use an IFF device. |
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10-28-25 carib
Savo: on that I agree.
For the time being it is mostly putting psy pressure... but I cannot see how it can end up with nothing, this time.
US officers in the area have been asked to sign NDAs.
My opinion is if Maduro & C are booted out (alive or not) it is good for Veny creditors, but wars are not a good thing.
He should have just accepted defeat in the july elections, publish the actual results, and moved to Doha.
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10-28-25 spal
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits via EBT cards to low-income households to purchase eligible food items. As of fiscal year 2026 (October 2025–September 2026), the national average monthly benefit is approximately $188 per person, or about $6.17 per day, supporting an average household size of 1.9 people.
This equates to roughly $358 per household on average, though actual amounts vary based on household size, income, deductions (e.g., for housing, childcare, or medical costs), and location.
Benefits are calculated by subtracting 30% of a household's net income from the maximum allotment, tied to the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan, ensuring coverage for basic nutritious meals.SNAP serves about 41.7 million people monthly (12–13% of the U.S. population), with 86% of benefits going to households including children, older adults (age 60+), or people with disabilities.
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10-28-25 spal
Walmart's retail strategy has evolved significantly in 2025, leveraging a combination of in-store tracking technologies, AI-driven data analysis, and digital infrastructure to optimize both inventory and pricing in real time. This approach allows the company to tailor experiences based on inferred customer profiles, but it raises serious ethical concerns about equity—particularly how it may disadvantage low-income shoppers reliant on programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), while favoring the growing segment of "near-affluent" consumers (typically households earning $80,000–$150,000 annually) who are increasingly drawn to Walmart for convenience and value.
Walmart deploys an extensive network of Bluetooth beacons and ambient IoT sensors (over 90 million "pixels" planned by 2026 in partnership with Wiliot) across stores, aisles, shelves, and even shopping carts. These small, battery-free transmitters don't require pairing with a customer's phone but passively detect signals from nearby devices via WiFi, Bluetooth, or cellular connections. Near-affluent customers see stabilized or discounted premium pricing (e.g., 10–20% off luxury dupes) to encourage loyalty, with algorithms prioritizing their predicted higher lifetime value.
This isn't hypothetical—it's enabled by the same surveillance data feeding pricing engines, as seen in broader retail examples like Staples charging more near competitors or Uber surging based on phone battery (a proxy for desperation).
SNAP clients—disproportionately low-income families stretching benefits amid 2025 cuts that could reduce aid by 20–30% for millions—form Walmart's core value base, drawn by its everyday low prices. Yet the company's practices extract more from them while courting a "new class" of near-affluent defectors from pricier chains:
irect penalties on SNAP users ... In April 2025, Walmart reinstated a $6.99 "minimum basket fee" for SNAP delivery orders under $35, exclusively targeting EBT-linked accounts (including discounted Walmart+ Assist members). This hits small, frequent trips common among benefit users, adding 10–20% to costs on basics they can't bulk-buy. Full Walmart+ members (skewing affluent) avoid this for non-SNAP orders, getting free shipping on $35+ baskets.
Indirect exploitation via surveillance**: Inferred "vulnerable" profiles lead to fewer post-payday discounts and higher dynamic surges, eroding the "value" SNAP shoppers expect. FTC reports note this price discrimination reduces surplus for low-income groups, who pay up to 4–13% more based on habits like late-night shopping (common for shift workers).
In essence, Walmart's data-driven model turns its stores into profit-optimized labs, where SNAP clients subsidize the low prices that lure them but face barriers and hikes that squeeze budgets further. Meanwhile, near-affluent newcomers enjoy a polished, upscale experience that justifies premium spends. Critics, including Massachusetts lawmakers pushing 2025 bans on biometric-linked pricing, argue this widens inequality—exploiting the vulnerable while rewarding the upwardly mobile. Walmart denies discriminatory intent, emphasizing overall savings, but the tech stack tells a different story: revenue from the bottom, growth from the top. If you're a SNAP shopper, tools like price-tracking apps can help spot surges, but systemic change may require those regulatory guardrails. |
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10-28-25 savo
carib.. may be they did... we just did not know.... nobody was trying to create a psychosis... talking about it on the press everyday or bombing boats.
I do not think all this exercise will go beyond psychological pressure...
If it does it is good for us... so I will not complain... but it is bad for the world... |
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10-28-25 victor
| Category 5 Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica |
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10-28-25 carib
I also do not remember B52s flying with active transponders drawing pricks in the sky above La Orchila, nor B1s flying with active transponders between Los Roques and Caracas.
It's just a form of message, I suppose. |
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10-28-25 carib
| BTW: the southern pacific cost of Mexico is about 1.600 nautical miles away from Portorico.. |
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10-28-25 carib
| Savo: personally, I consider Trump unpredictable. but I do not remember in my living memory two US carriers/assault ships in the caribbean. |
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10-28-25 carib
re stamps.. I asked Grok. interesting data.
in the US virgin islands, a family of four with no official income (informal jobs) gets about 1250$ a month of free food.
In the nearby british virgins, a similar family of four probably gets zero. |
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10-28-25 savo
I do not understand why military action against allegedly drug boats is associated by the market with military action against veni.
The southern command.. is in the south... patrolling exactly in the area where it has always been.. yet, somehow, people started counting frigates, aircraft carriers, guided-missile cruisers and submarines.
Suddenly colores started calling those ships by name... the Gerald Ford... the Iwo Jima...the San Antonio... the Lake EErie...
Do you realize how psychotic this sounds?
I continue to believe that Maduro will not be removed by force... but clearly something is in the cards...and those that know what is in the cards are the one buying the bonds. And we know who those are.
The more boats are bombed in the Pacific... the less likely there will be a military intervention in Veni.
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10-28-25 carib
Spal: just to get an idea of the issue.. do you know what is the $ monthly amount of food stamps a "poor" US family of 4 might get?
TIA
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10-28-25 victor
Walmart generates about 8% of its revenues from Food Stamps.
//
of course, it's food stamps. :-))
Walmart captures about 24% of all spending by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, making it the largest retailer for food stamp purchases in the U.S. This significant share reflects Walmart's focus on value, attracting many low-income shoppers who rely on these benefits.
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10-28-25 spal
Walmart generates about 8% of its revenues from Food Stamps. JP Morgan Chase generates large revenues producing and managing the prepaid cards that support the SNAP system.
In some fairly large sense a decent proportion of the US population are already receiving a form of UBI. |
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10-28-25 victor
About 42 million, or 1 in 8, low and no-income Americans nationwide receive SNAP benefits each month through electronic benefit transfer cards, which can be used to buy groceries.
The state with the most SNAP recipients is California, where 5.3 million Americans claim food stamps, according to data from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
Wyoming has the smallest number of beneficiaries and the smallest proportion of its population collecting benefits in the country, with 29,000 people, just 5 percent, receiving benefits.
In terms of state population proportions, New Mexico is the state most dependent on SNAP, with 21 percent, or 451,200, of its residents claiming food stamps in 2024. It is followed by Louisiana and Oregon, where 18 percent get benefits.
https://www.newsweek.com/map-states-rely-food-stamps-most-snap-funding-expires-10942866
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10-28-25 spal
| Doug Ford is no prize himself. |
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10-28-25 spal
1 in 8 are on food stamps, really high in my op
===
Nah
The bottom 50% paid just 2.3% federal income tax, many owing zero net tax amid credits and transfers.
This effectively renders over 165 million adults (50% of population) functionally irrelevant from an income tax perspective. |
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10-28-25 victor
In a stunning moment, Canadian politician, Doug Ford, just slammed the Republicans for being terrified of Donald Trump. What an embarrassment that our President is being trolled like this.
https://x.com/DemocraticWins/status/1982916382674001949
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10-28-25 victor
carib, right, in the pacific.
the mexican govt was also handling the situation, according to hegseth |
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10-28-25 carib
| Vic: I guess those boats were off the mexican coast. |
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10-28-25 victor
pana, did you know that 42m people are on food stamps in the usa?
did you know it was that many??
1 in 8 are on food stamps, really high in my op
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10-28-25 victor
"eastern Pacific"
little to do with vz, if any |
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10-28-25 victor
SNAP benefits won't go out Nov. 1. 'The well has run dry,' USDA says.
USA TODAY
The 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will go without their benefits come Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown, according to a new message from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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10-28-25 carib
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10-28-25 carib
The US conducted lethal strikes on four vessels in the eastern Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, in what is the Trump administration’s biggest single attack on alleged drug traffickers so far.
The US military launched three strikes on four vessels Monday, killing a total of 14 “narco-terrorists” with one survivor, Hegseth wrote in a post on X. |
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10-28-25 Merlino
| I myself share Leo's feeling fwiw |
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10-28-25 leopardo
| I think that one way or another we are near to a solution to the Vnzuela saga.... I'm optimistic though I do not trust myself 100%.. |
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10-28-25 carib
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10-28-25 savo
"Está en curso una provocación a través de acciones de falsa bandera, donde pretenden atacar instalaciones o equipamiento militar de EEUU para culpar a Venezuela. Una operación que evoca actos históricos del pasado, un autoataque a un portaaviones estadounidense", describió la vicepresidenta Delcy Rodríguez.
https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2025/10/27/68ffbee8e4d4d8513e8b45ad.html |
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10-28-25 carib
Who knows?
we certainly do not.
But we can buy or sell. |
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10-28-25 savo
carib... of course...
when it comes to the US my position is simple... always expect the worst....the most evil.
Having said that... I do not think Maduro will be removed by force.
But who knows?
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10-28-25 carib
Savo: don't bank your ranch on that (ofac and related price move, before regime change)
But I agree on big Fiji if we get to 50. |
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10-28-25 savo
leo...Not impossible next year Carib…
PDVsa can be at 70 cents first thing tomorrow morning...
all it would take is a president with ball that stands up to the Cubans and orders Ofac to clean page..
How long would it take to open Veni page at ofac... select all and delete...? 30 seconds?
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10-28-25 victor
:-))
Trump se deja querer para un tercer mandato, prohibido por la Constitución: «Me encantaría»
«Me encantaría hacerlo, tengo mejores números que nunca», dijo Trump preguntado por la prensa este lunes en el avión presidencial
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