Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado called on multinational oil companies this Tuesday to stop operating “under a corrupt and criminal regime.”

Venezuela’s oil industry has been under sanctions since 2019, but Washington grants individual licenses for several companies to operate in the country, including the U.S. company Chevron, Spain’s Repsol, and France’s Maurel & Prom.

“These energy companies need to realize that they are partnering with the most corrupt company in the energy sector worldwide, which has been accused of money laundering and even drug trafficking, PDVSA,” Machado said, referring to Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, during a panel organized by the Georgetown Americas Institute in Washington.

“No one knows the nature of the contracts that have been signed, which violates our Constitution. No one knows how much they are paying the regime or how much the government is making from their operations,” Machado added in a virtual connection, just hours after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro joked that she had fled the country.

“It’s not only a matter of the international community understanding how these resources are being used, but I wonder what the shareholders and stakeholders of these companies think about the goodwill and reputation of these firms,” Machado commented.

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“Our message to them is that we want them here. We want them to invest and generate many resources, a lot of money, and many jobs for Venezuela, but not like this — not under a corrupt and criminal regime that violates and is violating Venezuela’s laws,” she stressed.

New York City’s “Big Apple” was dressed in blue and white as the sounds of “Banda El Carbonero” echoed through its buildings. The band proudly represented El Salvador at the renowned Hispanic Day Parade this past Sunday, October 13, an event that gathered over 20 Hispanic countries to celebrate Latin cultural diversity in a vibrant artistic display.

The Salvadoran delegation consisted of 95 participants, including the musical band, a cheerleading squad, a folkloric group in traditional attire, and the official representation of the Salvadoran Civic Committee in New York, according to David Pimentel, artistic director of “Banda El Carbonero.” Pimentel, along with his team of New York-based musicians, volunteered their time and effort to make this performance possible.

“The performance by El Salvador was spectacular and full of energy. Among the participants were 10 young Salvadorans, selected from various musical projects in El Salvador, who traveled to New York to join this significant event. Thanks to generous donations, their plane tickets, lodging, and meals were covered, allowing them to proudly represent their cultural heritage,” said David Pimentel.

The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday that a swarm of drones flew over Langley Air Force Base for days in December 2023, but stressed that none of those devices was perceived as a threat.

Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh admitted at a press conference that there were “incursions” and that the number of drones that flew over those facilities located in the state of Virginia “fluctuated.”

“They didn’t seem to show a hostile intention. It’s something we’ve been attentive to,” he said.

The Pentagon confirms flights

The Wall Street Journal reported these flights this weekend and specified that they extended for 17 days and that they usually took place between 45 minutes and an hour after sunset.

The newspaper recalled that federal law prohibits the armed forces from neutralizing those devices near US bases if they do not pose an imminent threat. According to his report, US officers did not believe, however, that they were led by fans given the complexity of the operation.

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Missions were canceled

The newspaper added that Langley’s personnel canceled night training missions worried about possible collisions with the drones and that the F-22 fighters were moved to another base. The last appearance of these drones occurred on December 23.

The Pentagon deputy spokeswoman stressed that the commanders of any base have the authority to protect their forces and infrastructure, pointed out that such air raids in US territory require coordination with other agencies and said she did not know where these aircraft started.