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Desde el 3 de enero de 2026, Venezuela ha desplegado una estrategia jurídico-económica que busca reactivar sus sectores primarios sin ceder soberanía. La reforma de la Ley Orgánica de Hidrocarburos y la promulgación de la Ley Orgánica de Minas, ambas aprobadas en el primer cuatrimestre del año, representan el núcleo de un diseño estatal que articula la atracción de capital extranjero con la defensa de los recursos nacionales, en sintonía con la Ley Antibloqueo de 2020 y en respuesta a un complejo escenario de sanciones estadounidenses. Leyes de Hidrocarburos y de Minas: Novedades y avances La reforma de la Ley Orgánica de Hidrocarburos, aprobada por unanimidad en la Asamblea Nacional (AN) en enero de 2026, incorpora mecanismos probados bajo la Ley Antibloqueo, particularmente los Contratos de Participación Productiva (CPP). Según declaró la presidenta encargada, Delcy Rodríguez, estos instrumentos permitieron que un campo que producía 23 mil barriles diarios en abril de 2024 alcanzara 110 mil barriles en diciembre de 2025. La nueva normativa mantiene la propiedad estatal de los yacimientos, pero flexibiliza los esquemas contractuales para operadores privados, reduciendo la participación obligatoria de Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) y habilitando arbitraje internacional para resolver disputas, elemento clave para inversores extranjeros. El instrumento legal abandona la prohibición de las concesiones perpetuas para permitir asociaciones público-privadas más flexibles. Según análisis del economista Asdrúbal Oliveros, esta reforma es "el cambio más relevante desde la nacionalización de 1976". La norma permite a Pdvsa ofrecer "incentivos especiales" en el cálculo de la regalía y la carga impositiva, siempre que los contratos se enmarquen en las figuras de la Ley Antibloqueo. Paralelamente, la Ley Orgánica de Minas, promulgada el 16 de abril de 2026, establece un régimen de concesiones de hasta 30 años, renovables por 20 adicionales, para la explotación de oro, coltán y minerales críticos. La norma crea una Superintendencia de Actividad Minera y fija regalías de hasta 13% sobre el valor comercial, buscando formalizar un sector históricamente dominado por la extracción informal. Además, el texto incluye "cláusulas de protección a la inversión" y permite que los contratos se rijan por derecho extranjero en casos de disputas comerciales. El diputado Jorge Rodríguez, presidente de la AN, enfatizó que el marco legal busca ser "atractivo, seguro y profundamente venezolano", reconociendo propuestas de empresas como Repsol sin ceder autonomía legislativa frente a presiones externas. Ambas leyes se enmarcan en la Ley Constitucional Antibloqueo, aprobada en octubre de 2020, que otorgó al Ejecutivo facultades excepcionales para "inaplicar" normas que obstaculizaran la recuperación económica bajo sanciones. Analistas señalan que este instrumento, que permitió la firma de 29 CPP, hoy sirve de base para la reforma permanente del sector hidrocarburos. La válvula de las licencias estadounidenses La estrategia venezolana opera en tensión con el régimen sancionatorio de Estados Unidos. Entre enero y marzo pasados, la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros (OFAC) emitió licencias generales (46A, 47, 48, 49 y 50A) que autorizan transacciones específicas con el sector energético venezolano. La 46A permite a empresas estadounidenses establecidas comercializar petróleo venezolano; la 47 autoriza la venta de diluyentes; la 48 habilita servicios para exploración y producción; y la 50A otorga márgenes operativos ampliados a petroleras como Chevron, BP y Repsol. Estas autorizaciones facilitan aspectos operativos y financieros —como el acceso a diluyentes, tecnología y mercados— pero mantienen intactas las sanciones estructurales contra el Estado venezolano. Para el sector minero, en marzo pasado, la OFAC fue más allá con las licencias 51A, 54 y 55, autorizando explícitamente transacciones con el sector de minerales venezolano, incluido el oro, aunque prohíben tajantemente la formación de nuevas empresas mixtas con actores rusos, chinos o iraníes. El vicepresidente de la AN, Pedro Infante, reconoció la dualidad de la situación al denunciar la persistencia de 1 081 Medidas Coercitivas Unilaterales impuestas contra el país y agregó que “un Estado soberano no debería depender de autorizaciones externas para manejar sus recursos”. Aun así, admitió que son "la vía obligatoria para asegurar ingresos" . De hecho, las licencias 56 y 57 (abril 2026) permitieron el desbloqueo del sistema bancario público —Banco Central de Venezuela (BCV), Banco de Venezuela, entre otros—, lo que facilita las cámaras compensatorias en dólares para que las empresas privadas puedan cobrar, aunque bajo la atenta mirada del Tesoro estadounidense . Un análisis de Holland & Knight señala que las licencias "reducen la participación obligatoria de Pdvsa" y "formalizan mecanismos de arbitraje internacional", proporcionando seguridad jurídica para el capital extranjero, pero bajo estrictos requisitos de reporte y cumplimiento de la legislación estadounidense. Esta dualidad refleja una política de "alivio condicionado" en la que Washington permite cierta reactivación productiva sin levantar el cerco financiero global. La Ley Antibloqueo funciona como contrapeso interno al permitir al Ejecutivo venezolano establecer estructuras contractuales que sorteen restricciones externas. No obstante, expertos advierten que la dependencia de licencias temporales genera incertidumbre para inversiones de largo plazo y esto limita el alcance de la recuperación sectorial. ¿Perspectivas de avance tenso? El desempeño macroeconómico reciente ofrece un escenario mixto. Según datos del BCV, el PIB creció 23% en el primer trimestre de 2026, acumulando 20 trimestres consecutivos de expansión. Sin embargo, la inflación alcanzó 71,8% en el mismo período, evidenciando presiones persistentes sobre los precios. La proyección oficial anticipa un aumento del 55% en la inversión petrolera para 2026, pasando de 900 millones de dólares en 2025 a 1 400 millones, impulsada por la participación privada. La reincorporación de Venezuela al Fondo Monetario Internacional, anunciada por la presidenta encargada, representa un hito en la normalización financiera, aunque la mandataria aclaró que no está previsto un programa de endeudamiento con el organismo. Este movimiento, junto con la estabilización cambiaria derivada de subastas de divisas y el ingreso de recursos por exportaciones petroleras, busca contener presiones inflacionarias mientras se reactiva la capacidad productiva. Las proyecciones indican que, aunque el PIB se recupera, el nivel sigue estando muy por debajo de los picos de 2012. Sin embargo, se espera que la flexibilización de las leyes de hidrocarburos permita elevar la producción de crudo a 1,5 millones de barriles diarios para finales de 2026, un aumento sustancial que aliviaría el cepo cambiario. Según Conindustria, este esquema híbrido podría inyectar hasta 6 000 millones de dólares en liquidez al sistema bancario nacional durante 2026, aunque siempre bajo el riesgo de que una administración estadounidense —la actual o una nueva— revierta las licencias. El equilibrio que persigue el Estado venezolano radica en utilizar herramientas legales soberanas —Ley Antibloqueo, reformas sectoriales— para atraer inversión extranjera sin renunciar al control estratégico de los recursos. Como afirmó Jorge Rodríguez, "nadie va a venir a poner su dinero si no tiene las suficientes garantías", pero el marco debe ser "profundamente venezolano". En un contexto de bloqueo persistente, esta estrategia representa un intento de recuperar ingresos nacionales afectados por sanciones, mientras se preserva la autonomía decisional frente a condicionamientos externos. La efectividad de este modelo dependerá de la capacidad para traducir el crecimiento macroeconómico en mejoras sostenibles para la población, reducir la inflación y consolidar un entorno institucional que combine seguridad jurídica para inversores con transparencia y rendición de cuentas. Las leyes de Hidrocarburos y Minas, articuladas con la Ley Antibloqueo y en diálogo tenso con las licencias de OFAC, constituyen piezas centrales de este desafío histórico y una realidad geopolítica donde la soberanía legal y la dependencia financiera conviven de manera tensa pero funcional. 21 Abr 2026, 1:15 pm. Etiquetas:  Venezuela, Leyes, Sanciones, Economía, Bloque tematico Gestión legislativa Foto Sección Venezuela Tendencia Especial Antetítulo Leyes, licencias, equilibrio y tensión geopolítica

Un nuevo restaurante abrió recientemente en Pacific Beach con un sabor verdaderamente binacional, ofreciendo comida del otro lado de la frontera sin perder la esencia del sur de California. Taconora se inauguró oficialmente el pasado 7 de marzo. La taquería, ubicada en el 956 de Garnet Ave., ofrece una atmósfera distintiva. El restaurante ubicado en […]

Residents from Orosi and Cutler who have long struggled with access to clean drinking water now have a new option thanks to a free fill station funded by the Kings […]

The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence Domestic notched another victory last week in the lawsuit it is leading to challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to withhold grants from organizations that assist undocumented immigrants or defy the federal government’s agenda on DEI and “gender ideology.” Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose on Friday […]

Таяні заявив, що висловить «офіційний протест після надзвичайно серйозних та образливих заяв ведучого Володимира Соловйова»

(The Center Square) - The city of Phoenix has broken ground on an affordable housing community for seniors, estimated to cost $30 million. Helen Drake Village, scheduled for completion in 2027, will house 80 rental units, including 74 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, a Democrat, called the village a “significant step forward” in the city’s “commitment to provide Phoenix seniors access to affordable, high-quality housing with essential services.” “By combining vibrant homes with direct access to programs and activities, we’re building a community where residents can enjoy a stable, connected community,” she said. Samantha Keating, the city's deputy housing director, told The Center Square that the city is providing $5 million in loans and 40 project-based vouchers to help finance the project. She added that other funding sources are coming from the Arizona Department of Housing, income housing tax credits and private traditional funding. To reside in the new housing complex, people must be 55 or older and have an income between 30% and 60% of the area’s median income. Keating said the city completed a housing needs assessment report in 2024, which showed the greatest need for housing is for Phoenix households at or below 50% of the area’s median income. Phoenix’s median income is $109,600 as of April 2025, according to the Housing Authority of Maricopa County. Since the start of the decade, Phoenix has emphasized building more housing. Keating said the city of Phoenix passed a plan in 2020 with the goal of creating or preserving 50,000 housing units by 2030. She added that the city reached its goal in 2025. She said nearly 65,000 housing units had been developed by the end of 2025. Part of the 2020 housing plan aimed to redevelop city-owned property into affordable, mixed-income housing, according to Keating. The city of Phoenix designated the plot on which Helen Drake Village is being built for affordable housing development. “Helen Drake Village represents the kind of strategic investment that strengthens Phoenix’s entire housing system,” said Titus Mathew, the city’s housing director. “By transforming city‑owned land into long‑term affordable housing, we are demonstrating how public resources can be used responsibly and creatively to expand options for seniors across Phoenix,” he added. The Helen Drake Village will be located adjacent to one of the city’s senior centers, Keating noted. She said the city is “excited about the synergy of putting senior affordable housing next to a really active senior center.” The village will include sports courts, garden plots and a walking path that goes through the senior center and the senior housing community, Keating said. Phoenix has about 140 parcels of land that qualify for redevelopment into housing units, she said. According to Keating, the city of Phoenix is working with developers to build more multi-family affordable housing.

Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s free newsletter to keep up with statewide education policy and Memphis-Shelby County Schools.Tennessee Republicans want to drop all enrollment caps and expand eligibility to the state’s initial voucher program, effectively merging Tennessee’s two voucher programs as Gov. Bill Lee pushes lawmakers to provide state dollars to all families who applied to the Education Freedom Scholarships program this year. A last-minute amendment tacked on to House Bill 1881 would substantially alter the Education Savings Account program, the state’s initial voucher program that is currently available to 12,500 income-capped families in Davidson, Shelby, and Hamilton counties. House lawmakers are expected to consider the new amendment on Tuesday. If a majority approves the new language, it will mark the second time in two weeks that the Republican majority has made major last-minute changes to Tennessee’s voucher programs.The House floor amendments have allowed voucher-friendly Republicans to push forward significant changes in tight votes while bypassing a thornier committee process, where amendments are debated at length and require multiple voting rounds to advance. If finalized, the ESA bill changes would usher in a monumental shift to Tennessee’s school choice policies. Last year, lawmakers were assured the state’s universal EFS program was tightly controlled from expansion, limited to just 5,000 new students a year. .subtext-iframe{max-width:540px;}iframe#subtext_embed{width:1px;min-width:100%;min-height:256px;}fetch("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alpha-group/iframe-resizer/master/js/iframeResizer.min.js").then(function(r){return r.text();}).then(function(t){return new Function(t)();}).then(function(){iFrameResize({heightCalculationMethod:"lowestElement"},"#subtext_embed");});Now, voucher proponents in the Republican supermajority have blown past that cap to expand the EFS program to 35,000 students and are attempting to drop all enrollment caps to the ESA program in Tennessee’s most populous counties. House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons criticized the last-minute amendment Tuesday morning. “At the eleventh hour, Gov. Bill Lee and Republicans are attempting to put the final dagger in our public schools and blow up our state budget by eliminating all caps on the voucher scams and removing any accountability whatsoever,” Clemmons said.The new amendment would include Knox County in the ESA program, opening it up to as many eligible students in the four counties as possible. The bill would also significantly roll back accountability measures and testing requirements on the ESA program.Republicans also look to expand eligibility by increasing the income eligibility cap from 200% of the federal free and reduced price lunch threshold to 400%. This would be about $171,600 for a family of four, under the federal guidelines for the upcoming school year, well above Tennessee’s median family income. The ESA program provides up to $9,787 per student this school year, nearly $2,000 more than the EFS voucher.The ESA program has been historically underused, in part due to its testing requirements that require participating private schools to administer Tennessee state tests to ESA students.The testing requirement was a crucial reason the program passed the legislature by a single vote in 2018, as many lawmakers argued an apples-to-apples comparison was needed to determine student academic progress. But many private schools do not want to offer the state tests. Now, some Republicans want to drop those testing requirements, which would likely encourage more private schools to participate in the ESA. Participating schools could either offer a “nationally norm-referenced” test, which can vary widely in their content, or offer the state standardized tests. The new amendment also aims to stop requiring annual audits of the ESA program and drops the requirement that the state measure academic growth in the program with the same TVAAS scoring metrics public schools are held to.Republicans backing the measure say ESA testing requirements need to be aligned with the EFS, and that private schools should have the flexibility to choose a test that aligns with their curriculum.But the effort follows a Tennessee Comptroller report from last winter that found ESA recipients continue to trail their public school peers in academic achievement, with some exceptions in Memphis-Shelby County schools.With the testing changes, it will not be possible to accurately compare and contrast academic progress among Tennessee students, Democrats opposed to the measure argue. The House is expected to vote on the amendment on Tuesday, April 21, though schedules are shifting quickly as the General Assembly looks to wrap up its session this week. The Senate could take up its version at any time. Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.

(The Center Square) – The Minnesota Department of Human Services has filed a civil lawsuit against a North Minneapolis church, alleging it misused millions in taxpayer-funded grants intended for mental health, substance abuse and violence prevention services. According to the complaint, Zion Baptist Church accepted about $2.48 million between October 2022 and April 2025 through two state grant contracts but failed to meet key requirements tied to those funds. The lawsuit, which was filed earlier this month in Minnesota District Court, alleges the church breached its contract with the state and was unjustly enriched by retaining funds without sufficient evidence the services were provided. Court documents state that Zion was required to use the funds for approved expenses, maintain documentation and provide proof of services upon request. However, the Minnesota Department of Human Services claims the church submitted records with “numerous inconsistencies, billing irregularities, and other documentation problems.” The state agency is seeking to recover grant funds it says were not used as intended. In a statement to The Center Square, DHS clarified the case is a civil action, not a criminal prosecution, and emphasized its role in overseeing grant funding. “The Minnesota Department of Human Services holds grantees accountable for the services they agreed to provide in their grant contracts,” the agency said. “Complete and accurate documentation is critical to the integrity of Minnesota’s human services.” DHS added that failures to meet those standards can waste limited state resources and prevent residents from receiving essential services. “Minnesotans depend on these important services to fully participate and thrive in their communities,” the agency said. “When grantees fail to deliver contracted services, limited state funds are wasted and residents denied the crucial services they need.” According to the complaint, Zion worked with a network of 17 sub-recipient agencies known as The Wellness Collaborative to deliver services. However, DHS alleges the church failed to properly oversee those organizations or document their work. An audit conducted by the agency’s Office of Internal Controls and Accountability identified several issues, including insufficient documentation to verify services, failure to complete a required audit and concerns about how staff were paid. “Zion’s documentation also failed to substantiate that its staff worked hours that it claimed, and in at least one instance showed that a Zion staff member submitted billing for identical time periods as a Zion employee on the one hand and as providing services through their own business on the other,” the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit claims at least five current or former staff members also received grant funds as contractors while also operating sub-recipient agencies paid through the same grants. Three of those individuals and their associated agencies received nearly $1 million – about 40% of total grant payments, according to the complaint. Investigators also found what they described as “irregular” billing patterns. In some cases, DHS said it could not determine whether services billed to the state were even ever provided. DHS is asking the court to award monetary damages, costs and any additional relief deemed appropriate. The agency has also requested a jury trial.

El camino para darle vida al Acuerdo de Escazú en Colombia está trazado: hay leyes y herramientas sólidas para implementar este gran tratado regional sobre información, participación y justicia ambiental. Sin embargo, aún existe una gran brecha que no permite que estos avances se traduzcan en los territorios. Así lo indica un reciente informe elaborado […]

CivicLoon, the creation of a Lakeville-area programmer, summarizes bills at the Legislature into plain English and translates them into more than 30 languages. The post New app using AI aims to expand civic engagement in Minnesota appeared first on MinnPost.

Russia’s state-backed messaging app Max has been renamed in app stores, where it now appears as ”Макс” (Maks) on both the App Store and Google Play.

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Examiner was honored last weekend as part of the annual Nebraska Press Association’s awards. Zach Wendling was named Outstanding Young Nebraska Journalist for 2026, an annual competition aimed at celebrating Nebraska reporters, editors and photographers under age 30. Judges appreciated his deep dives into “all things Unicameral.” They appreciated that he […]

പശ്ചിമേഷ്യയിലെ ഹോർമുസ് കടലിടുക്കിൽ യുദ്ധസമാനമായ സംഘർഷം നിലനിൽക്കുന്നതിനിടെ 97,000 മെട്രിക് ടൺ അസംസ്‌കൃത എണ്ണയുമായി ഇന്ത്യൻ ടാങ്കർ മുംബൈ തീരത്തേക്ക്

Cutting just 290 city positions while eliminating 85% of arts funding is an unfair trade for hard-working San Diego taxpayers.

Информационный дайджест "Время Свободы с Андреем Шароградским". Вторник, 21 апреля 01:19 ВСУ опровергают заявления начальника Генштаба ВС России Валерия Герасимова о полном захвате российскими войсками Луганской области. Владимир Зеленский – о скрытой мобилизации в России и вкладе Украины в безопасность ЕС 04:09 Ситуация вокруг мирных переговоров США и Ирана при посредничестве Пакистана остается неясной. Председатель КНР Си Цзиньпин заявил о необходимости сохранять свободное судоходство в...

Records reveal that the unprecedented taking of 650,000 ballots was based on the thinnest of evidence, raising alarms over how the November election could be disrupted.

Claims online question whether military members can visit Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso. Here’s what federal directives say. The post Do U.S. soldiers need clearance to visit Ciudad Juárez? appeared first on El Paso Matters.

Në gjysmëfinalen e Kupës së Maqedonisë do të luhet ndeshja ndërmjet Shkëndijës së Tetovës dhe Shkëndijës së Haraçinës. Ndeshja e parë do të luhet nesër duke filluar prej orës 14:00, transmeton Portalb.mk. Gjyqtari i kësaj ndeshje do të jetë Benjamin Qerimi nga Shkupi, ndërsa ndihmës do të jetë Goce Petreski dhe Vjollca Izeiri. Referi i […]