Our Thursday Sociedad Media Now daily newsletter on the stories reshaping the region and Venezuela’s democratic revival following two decades of Chavismo. New developments also emerge from figures surrounding the death toll & the overall destruction of Colombia’s Monday earthquakes. Lastly, the tragic but inspiring story of Lenny Fernández & her friend, Salomón.
Venezuela’s Government & Opposition Close First Dialogue — With No Electoral Timeline In Sight
CARACAS — Venezuela’s government and opposition closed the first cycle of formal dialogue, agreeing to renew the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and pursue frozen asset recovery for earthquake reconstruction. But the concrete commitments stopped short of the one thing protesters outside the venue actually demanded: a firm date for elections — leaving the country’s central political question unresolved even as institutional talks move forward.
Colombia’s Earthquake Damage, By the Numbers: 241 Dead, 9,000+ Homes Destroyed & $6.35B In Costs
COLOMBIA — Colombia’s earthquake death toll has climbed to more than 240, with over 9,000 homes destroyed and initial reconstruction costs estimated at $6.35 billion — about 1% of GDP — landing on a government already carrying a 6.4% deficit, barely a week into de la Espriella’s presidency.
Here’s a breakdown of all the figures and the latest information on recovery efforts.
Venezuela's Currency Controls Pushed $161 Billion Out of the Country Under Chavismo
CARACAS, VENEZUELA — Economist Miguel Ángel Santos calculates that $161.3 billion fled Venezuela during the strict currency control regime Chavismo imposed between 2003 and 2016 — a figure he says equals fifteen years of the country's peak food import spending.
His analysis, drawn from newly published Central Bank of Venezuela data, argues the control system wasn’t designed to stop capital flight but to determine who was allowed to flee with it and profit. Santos directly rebuts Chavismo’s narrative blaming U.S. sanctions for Venezuela's economic collapse, pointing to data showing the country actually experienced a net inflow of capital after 2017, when Washington’s sanctions regime began — though that inflow, roughly $12.3 billion through 2025, represents less than 10% of what originally left the country.
Lenny Fernández, Colombian Earthquake Victim Dies Shielding Family Dog
COLOMBIA — A lawyer in Cali, 38-year-old Lenny Fernández, was found dead in the rubble of her collapsed building — her body shielding her dog, Salomón, who survived.
Her story has become one of the most widely shared human accounts of Colombia’s earthquake, covered by outlets across the country and abroad.
