Our Socialism Finale weekly newsletter looks at yet another major development in U.S. involvement in Venezuela: Washington issuing licenses to companies providing equipment & services to Venezuela’s telecommunications infrastructure. The licenses also allow for future investment from U.S. firms. Also, floods hit vital district in Caracas, and Cuba’s population crisis worsens amid economic turmoil.
Washington Opens Venezuela’s Telecom Sector to U.S. Companies, Radio & TV Included
CARACAS — OFAC issues two new licenses opening Venezuela’s telecommunications sector to U.S. companies, authorizing investment in infrastructure spanning internet, phone networks, and — notably — radio, television, and news broadcasting.
The move extends a broader pattern of sector-by-sector sanctions relief this year, as Washington digs in deeper in Venezuela.
Floods Storm Caracas: Metro Station Drainage Collapses as Rains Return to Vulnerable Corridors
CARACAS — Fresh flooding hit Caracas on Saturday, collapsing drainage at the Mercado de Coche metro station and striking Baruta and the recurring Carapita-Antímano corridor — the latest in a monthlong pattern that killed three people just a week earlier.
Cuba’s Population In Freefall: Deaths Doubled Births in 2025 as Economic Conditions Worsen
MIAMI — Cuba recorded just 68,051 births in 2025 against 136,214 deaths — nearly two deaths for every child born — its lowest birth count in decades.
Demographers warn the population could shrink to as low as 5.6 million as blackouts, economic collapse, and emigration accelerate the decline.
