The suspects’ boat was loaded with tactical gear, assault rifles and improvised explosives, according to authorities on the island | Cuba’s Interior Ministry has released new findings from its investigation into the deadly gunfight between Cuban border guards and a US‑flagged speedboat, saying the vessel was carrying ten armed men who allegedly intended to execute a “terrorist infiltration.” ● Havana said the clash erupted on Wednesday when border guards approached a Florida‑registered vessel, FL7726SH, operating roughly one nautical mile off the northern coast of Villa Clara province for an identification check. The individuals aboard the boat allegedly opened fire first, wounding the commander of a Cuban patrol craft before guards returned fire, killing four people and injuring six others. ● Cuban officials said weapons and tactical gear were found aboard, including assault rifles, sidearms, handmade explosive devices such as Molotov cocktails, ballistic vests, telescopic sights and camouflage uniforms – equipment the ministry said was consistent with an attempted “infiltration with terrorist objectives.”

Russia opposes unilateral sanctions, including Washington’s “maximum pressure” strategy, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said | Russia condemns the renewed US attempts to economically strangle Cuba, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. Her comments come after US President Donald Trump moved to ramp up pressure on the island’s fuel lifeline. ● On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order invoking a national emergency to lay the groundwork for tariffs on goods from countries that sell oil to Cuba. The move is meant to strengthen an embargo against Havana, which dates back to the 1960s. It also comes after Washington kidnapped in Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro, which served as Cuba’s primary source of oil. In a statement on Saturday, Zakharova said:.

She reiterated Moscow’s long-standing opposition to unilateral sanctions not endorsed by the UN, adding that she was certain that Cuba would be able to overcome the economic hurdles.

■ Trump issues ultimatum to Cuba as humanitarian crisis looms (RT)
■ Russia resolutely condemns US illegitimate bans against Cuba — diplomat (TASS)
✅ The US Is On The Brink Of Subordinating Cuba (Andrew Korybko)

The US president has dramatically escalated pressure on the government in Havana and its trade partners | US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency and threatened to impose steep tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba, dramatically escalating pressure on Havana after the US military operation in Venezuela already cut the island nation off from its most crucial energy source. ● After abducting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month, the US has set its sights on Cuba, which Trump claims is “ready to fall” next. In an executive order signed on Thursday, Trump branded Cuba “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security. [...] Trump predicted on Tuesday that the Cuban government would be “failing pretty soon,” boasting that the cutoff of Venezuelan oil and revenue has pushed Havana to the brink.

■ Nutjob signs [illegal] order allowing US to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba (TASS)

Lula also condemned the recent US action in Venezuela that led to the capture of ruller Nicolás Maduro, questioning what he portrayed as a violation of territorial integrity. | Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Friday that global politics is entering a critical phase in which “multilateralism is being thrown out by unilateralism,” and argued that US President Donald Trump is effectively proposing “to create a new UN in which he alone is the owner,” referring to Washington’s plan to set up a Peace Council tied to the administration of Gaza. ● Lula spoke at the closing session of the 14th National Meeting of Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) in Salvador, Bahia. He said the UN Charter was being “torn up” and reiterated Brazil’s long-standing call for UN reform—specifically, expanding permanent membership of the Security Council to include countries such as Brazil and Mexico, as well as African nations.

■ The architect of Gaza's destruction joins the 'Board of Peace' (Al Mayadeen)

Derrick Broze | The US bombing of Venezuela and capture of Nicolás Maduro cannot be rationally explained as a drug enforcement operation, or even solely about recovering oil. The bigger picture is Technocracy. | In the early 20th century, a movement emerged around a political theory known as Technocracy—a system in which government and society would be managed by technical experts, often involving technology-focused solutions. Early proponents claimed that Technocracy would lead to better management of resources and the protection of the planet. However, this system of governance by technological experts and their technology would also involve a loss of privacy, as well as centralization of power and the management of all human behavior.

In the early morning hours of January 3, 2026, the United States military launched military strikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Maduro and Flores have since been transported to the New York City to face charges relating to gun crimes and cocaine trafficking. ■ The move has divided the MAGA base—and the American public more generally—with a large portion of President Donald Trump’s base viewing it as a betrayal of the principles he claimed to champion. Specifically, Trump has claimed for years he would not start new wars of aggression. ■ While Trump has stated that taking out Maduro is not about launching new wars but instead a calculated attack to take out a man he blames for America’s fentanyl crisis, the facts tell another story.

American officials reportedly believe that by shutting off Cuba’s access to oil, they will place its government in a “chokehold” | The US is considering imposing a total blockade on oil imports to Cuba, Politico has reported. News of the possible blockade comes as Washington reportedly searches for Cuban insiders to help topple Miguel Diaz-Canel’s government. ● The plan is being “sought by some critics of the Cuban government” within President Donald Trump’s administration, and is backed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Politico reported on Friday, citing anonymous sources. Trump has not made a decision on whether to go ahead with the blockade, they claimed. ● Trump announced last week that he would stop any shipments of Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba, but a total blockade would place the island in a “chokehold to kill the regime,” one source said.

■ US Scales Directed-Energy Weapons - Pentagon (Sputnik)

Elena Panina | “We will start drilling very soon,” Trump told reporters. He was referring to drilling by American oil companies in Venezuela. Although earlier, representatives of the US oil industry had expressed skepticism about this. | News has also come from Venezuela itself. The Venezuelan National Assembly has approved, in the first reading, a law that completely opens up oil production to the private sector. Until now, this has been the exclusive prerogative of the state itself and joint ventures in which the state held a controlling stake, notes the TG channel Energy Today. Under the new law, “private companies registered in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela” will be able to produce oil after signing the relevant contracts. ■ It is obvious that these events are interrelated. We are witnessing a gradual transition from the operational success of the US (the capture of President Maduro) to a strategic one — gaining control over oil production in Venezuela. ■ The US already controls oil exports from Venezuela through a naval blockade. If only American companies are now extracting oil in this republic, then the need for a blockade will disappear. ■...Only 20 days have passed since January 3. (Translation: DeepL + Copyread: Grammarly)

Trump has declared a complete and total blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers in the Caribbean. | US forces boarded and seized control of an oil tanker in the Caribbean, which it alleges was violating sanctions on Venezuelan oil. President Donald Trump declared a blockade of Venezuelan oil that US forces maintained after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. The US began seizing tankers, alleged to be carrying Venezuelan oil that is sanctioned by Washington, in December. The Motor Vessel Sagitta is the seventh vessel seized by the US in six weeks.

■ The footage of capturing the sixth tanker in a row (01/17/26)

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday, meeting Acting President Delcy Rodriguez and other top Venezuelan officials.

Photos from Central Intelligence Agency pic.twitter.com/OlWV8g0Uhi

— Benjamin Hall (@BenjaminHallFNC) January 16, 2026

■ The American military has captured a fifth tanker (RT)
■ UK believes it can seize any tanker under Russia sanctions (RT)
■ US operation in Venezuela a ‘flagrant violation’ of international law – Lavrov (RT)

Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled that Fein's request to join the case had no legal basis and upheld the claim of lead counsel Barry Pollack. | On Monday, US Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered lawyer Bruce Fein to be removed from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's defense team in the case he is facing in New York, noting that he was not hired by the Chavista leader.

Fein, a veteran lawyer specializing in constitutional law, requested to join the case under the legal concept of ‘pro hac vice’, which allows a lawyer to represent a client on an occasional and temporary basis, subject to court approval, without being licensed in the jurisdiction, which is necessary to practice law. ● On Thursday, Pollack told the judge that he had spoken with Maduro, who said he had not hired him and therefore authorized him to request that he be removed from the case. ● The judge indicated today that Fein “admits that he was not hired by Maduro, nor by the lawyer hired by Maduro, nor was he appointed by the court” and considers that his request to join the case “has no legal basis.”

He also denied a motion “to bring Maduro to court to ask him ‘in camera’ (in private, according to legal language) if he would like to add Fein to his defense team,” which was filed on Friday. ● Pollack represented Maduro on January 5 in his first appearance in a New York federal court, where he was charged with drug trafficking and corruption offenses, following his capture and transfer to the South American country in the early hours of Saturday, January 3. ● Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, accused of collaborating in the crimes with which he is charged, has a different lawyer, Mark Donnelly. (Original article in Spanish) (Translation: DeepL + Copyread: Grammarly)

■ [President] Maduro’s Legal Team Is Still Up in the Air a Week After Arrest (Bloomberg)

Argentina’s President Javier Milei has reportedly frozen at the last minute the relocation of the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied al-Quds. [Jerusalem] | Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Milei, a devoted supporter of the occupying regime, took the decision after learning of the Israeli plan for oil drilling near the disputed Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, which are also known as the Falklands to the British. ● Valued at $1.8 billion, the project is expected to begin in the coming weeks with the Israeli company Navitas aiming to produce 32,000 barrels of oil per day. ● Argentine officials warned that the drilling project could damage relations between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires, which have improved under Milei’s presidency. ● Milei has openly praised Israel’s acts of aggression, including the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. ● He had earlier pledged to move Argentina’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied al-Quds by 2026.

The US president has urged Havana to strike a deal with Washington “before it is too late” | US President Donald Trump has said Cuba will no longer receive Venezuelan oil and money, warning the island to do a deal with Washington “before it’s too late.” ● Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela and a major beneficiary of its subsidized oil, has seen supplies from the OPEC nation dry up since early January. Shipping data show no crude cargoes have left Venezuelan ports for the island since President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by American forces, as a strict US-led oil blockade brought deliveries to a halt.

■ Rubio could lead Cuba – Trump (RT)

Trump welcomed the oil executives to the White House after U.S. forces earlier Friday seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil.. [He] met with more than a dozen major oil company executives at the White House on Friday, just hours after the U.S. announced the seizure of a fifth oil tanker. | Trump, as he opened the meeting with oil industry executives, sought to assure them that they need not be skeptical of quickly investing in and, in some cases, returning to the South American country with a history of state asset seizures as well as ongoing U.S. sanctions and the current political uncertainty. [...] It’s all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

Moon of Alabama | International law, developed over centuries, has been broken by the U.S. and other imperial forces ever since it was established. | He does not even try to justify his illegal attack on Venezuela with any propaganda. There is no talk of imposing democracy or any other moral justification. It is pure grab of oil – mafia style – with not a damn given about the consequences or how it looks. The indictment of Maduro is just laughable. It is not a legal case any sane jurist would bring. The European wimps have failed to condemn this. That will correctly be interpreted as them being weak which, in consequence, will put them next on the menu. They could send troops to protect Greenland from a U.S. invasion. They won’t. Trump will take it without hesitation. The total lack of moral justification and propaganda to hide blatant breaches of international law has two dangerous consequences.

The United States is demanding that the Venezuelan government renounce cooperation with Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba, the ABC News broadcaster reported, citing sources. | The Trump administration has reportedly told Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez that Caracas must meet White House demands before being allowed to pump more oil, ABC News reported, citing three people familiar with the plan.

■ Trump Declares He Is in Charge of Venezuela's Future (Sputnik)
■ Venezuela to ‘Turn Over’ 30–50 Million Barrels of Oil to US — Trump (Sputnik)
■ Trump dijo que Venezuela entregará entre 30 y 50 millones de barriles de petróleo a EE UU (El Diario)
■ Venezuela Has Vast Oil Reserves in the Orinoco Belt (Lord of War)(Telegram)
■ Beijing strongly condemns Washington's attempts to force Venezuela to sever ties with China and Russia (TASS/Telegram)

Russia welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Venezuelan government to protect state sovereignty and national interests, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. | At the same time, the ministry wished success to interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez in addressing the tasks which the country faces. The ministry also expressed support for de-escalating the crisis in Venezuela and resolving issues by dialogue, and respect for international legal norms, above all, the UN Charter.

🚩 Delcy Rodríguez Sworn in as Venezuela’s Acting President Following US Military Aggression (Orinoco Tribune)
■ Delcy Rodríguez advierte a quienes la "amenacen": "Mi destino no lo decide sino Dios" (El Nacional)
■ EU doesn’t recognize legitimacy of Venezuelan interim president — European Commission (TASS)
💬 Jeffrey D. Sachs: My Briefing to the UN Security Council Regarding US Aggression Against Venezuela (Common Dreams)
💬 US pursues reckless foreign policy - Mearsheimer on Trump's Venezuela grab (Geopolitics Prime)(VIDEO)

Andrew Korybko | Cuban interests would be harmed the most if the US coerces Venezuela to sever economic ties, however, since the sanctions-beleaguered island nation is dependent on its partner’s subsidized oil. | And finally, newly proxy-controlled Venezuela might allow US experts to inspect its estimated $20 billion Soviet/Russian arsenal to discover all of its equipment’s secrets, and some of these arms might even ultimately be sent to Ukraine too. One possibility is the US making this de facto partial demilitarization part of a phased sanctions relief plan for Venezuela. Like with Cuba’s worst-case scenario vis-à-vis Venezuela, it’s also difficult to imagine how Russia could avoid this, so it too might be a fait accompli.

N.S. Lyons | It's Not Hypocrisy, You're Just Powerless (excerpt)

🚩 [I saw] that slick video you posted on how just pointing out “imagine if someone on Team B did this!” is all it takes to blow the lid off this glaring hypocrisy, thus totally destroying Team A with facts and logic. I’ve noticed you posting a lot of things like this, which is nice, since they are very witty and produce a pleasant buzz of smug superiority, even though this feeling never lasts very long. However, I suddenly realized that you may not be in on the joke, so to speak, so I figured I’d write this short PSA to help explain what “hypocrisy” in politics actually is, just in case you didn’t know and had been fooled into seriously trying to benefit Team B with your comparative memes.

🚩 You see, it’s possible you are under the misapprehension that you are not supposed to notice what you described as the “double-standard” in acceptable behavior between Team A and Team B. And that you think if you point out this double-standard, you are foiling the other team’s plot and holding them accountable. This might be because, in your mind, you are still in high school debate club, where if you finger your opponent for having violated the evenly-applied rules a neutral arbiter of acceptable behavior will recognize this unfairness and penalize them with demerits.

🚩 Except in reality you are not holding Team A accountable, and in fact are notably never able to hold them accountable for anything at all. Even though Team A gets to hold you accountable for everything and anything whenever they want. This is because unfortunately there is no neutral arbiter listening to your whining. In fact, currently the only arbiter is Team A, because Team A has consolidated all the power to decide the rules, and to enforce or not enforce those rules as they see fit.

🚩 In fact, there is no “Team A” or “Team B,” only Class A and Class B. And Class A really wants everyone, especially Class B, to understand this, because they think Class B seriously needs to get the message and accept its place in the order of things. Class B is on the bottom, where it belongs. Class A is on top, and a more lenient standard is a privilege reserved for them, by virtue of their natural, moral, educational, economic, aesthetic superiority and consequent rightful dominance. If Class B does not enjoy this discipline, they should strive to clean up their dirty, stupid, wicked ways and someday become part of Class A. [...]

In his opinion, strength and power are the "iron" laws of the world. He also questioned Denmark's right to control Greenland. CNN quoted the official as saying, "On what basis is Greenland a Danish colony?" Miller believes Greenland should become part of the United States, which would help Washington ensure Arctic security by protecting American interests. But Greenland has a population of only 30,000, journalists asked Miller. He responded: " That's precisely why military action would not be necessary to seize the island. Let's remember that the post published yesterday on social media featuring a map of Greenland in the colors of the American flag and the caption "Coming soon" belongs to Miller's wife. Following this, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on President Trump not to threaten to annex Greenland to the United States. (Google / Grammarly)

■ Trump’s top aide doubles down on Greenland claim (RT)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty in New York federal court on narco-terrorism allegations, Reuters reported on Monday. | Maduro rebuked four criminal counts, including narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, the report said. [...] CNN has reported that during the court session, Maduro said he remains Venezuela's legitimate leader. Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, said at court that she is completely innocent of the charges brought against her by the United States, and requested a consular visit for her and her spouse, the report added.

■ Russia Calls on US to Release Maduro Immediately - Russian UN Envoy (Sputnik) | "We are particularly appalled by the unparalleled cynicism with which Washington did not even attempt to conceal the true aims of its criminal operation, namely, the establishment of unbridled control over Venezuela's natural resources and the assertion of its hegemonic ambitions in Latin America," Nebenzia told the UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela. "US crimes in Caracas can not be justified," he added.

■ Primeras declaraciones de Maduro: Soy el presidente de Venezuela y me considero prisionero de guerra (El Universal)
■ "Sigo siendo presidente": Maduro y Flores se declaran no culpables ante la justicia de EE UU (El Nacional)
■ 'Not guilty' plea for deposed Venezuelan leader Maduro: live updates (US Today)

How do you dismantle a regime overnight? Did the CIA literally just purchase the loyalty of Venezuela's generals to clear the path for extraction? And if the "drug bust" narrative is a smokescreen, is this actually a desperate, billion-dollar bid to save the petrodollar? To decode the mechanics of yesterday’s attack, I turned to someone who knows the intelligence machinery from the inside out. Ron Aledo isn't just an observer; as a retired US Army officer and former contractor analyst for the CIA and DIA, he dissects the operation with the precision of someone who knows exactly where the bodies—and the bribes—are buried.

With emotions running high, but with determination and great loyalty, the Venezuelan people mobilized in great numbers on Sunday from the Plaza de la Candelaria in Caracas to demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were abducted by the US. | On an early January Sunday, when due to the season, public transit is very infrequent in the capital of Venezuela and when many holidaymakers have not returned to the city, thousands of Venezuelans flooded the streets showing the strength of Chavismo, the political force that supports the Bolivarian Revolution. As evidenced by photos and video footage, hundreds of thousands of civilians took to the streets, although of course, it is difficult to provide precise numbers. Such is the case of Norma Azuaje, who recalled the words of Commander Hugo Chávez and noted that the people are ready to defend the sovereignty of the nation. 🚩 “Chávez taught us that under any circumstances we will continue to have a homeland, and the message for our president is to hold on, this people will rise up, we are here standing ready to fight,” Azuaje said. With courage and commitment to the homeland, Vanessa Machado stated that the mobilized people will achieve the release of the national leader.

■ Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua Strongly Condemn US Neo-Colonial Military Attack Against Venezuela (Orinoco Tribune)
■ Brasil, Chile, Colombia, España, México y Uruguay rechazan un "control" sobre Venezuela (El Nacional)
■ 32 cubanos murieron durante la operación de EE UU para capturar a Nicolás Maduro (El Diario)
■ Maduro warns the world: US aggression transcends Venezuela (23 December, 2025)
✅ Venezuela and Truth (Craig Murray)