5 Jan 2026
https://joeemersberger.substack.com/p/who-to-trust-and-not-on-venezuela

Good sources
I've already cited some sources that are sound because they will not go beyond
where the evidence currently points. They will not rush to be first with dubious
claims if it means bolstering the psychological component of the US war on
Venezuela. And they support Maduro. Trust absolutely nobody who poses as being
against Trump's war crimes but who also disparages Maduro.

Good sources are Camila Escalante, Ollie Vargas, Jesus Rodríguez of Orinoco
Tribune, Roí Lopez Rivas, Orlenys Ortiz, Justin Podur, William Camacaro, Ben
Norton, Roger Harris, Maria Paez Victor, Mint Press News, Telesur, Press
TV. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

Bad Source: Venezuela Analysis (VA)
This is an outlet that has been great (though sometimes flawed) for many
years. Not anymore. It has recently lost many long-time contributors over its
increasingly anti-Maduro slant. Over the years VA has often re-posted articles
I've written elsewhere. But its current editor, Ricardo Vaz, refused to re-post
an article of mine in August that attacked Amnesty International. Vaz alleged
that it misled readers that human rights abuses don't take place in
Venezuela. He conceded to me only that abuses are "not worse" in Venezuela than
under U.S. allies.

Let's consider that "not worse" assessment. Juan Guaido freely wandered all over
Venezuela for years as a U.S.-backed subversive- literally the Trump-anointed
interim President of Venezuela. In 2024 in Ecuador, a US-backed dictatorship,
former Vice President Jorge Glas was criminally snatched from the Mexican
Embassy where he had been granted asylum and then put in jail. The reason: years
ago Glas oversaw reconstruction work done in an earthquake ravaged province that
Ecuador now (insanely) alleges was not reconstruction. Does "not worse" really
say it, or is it a very wild understatement?

Bad Source: Mark Weisbrot and CEPR
I considered Weisbrot a friend for years even though we never met in person. We
frequently talked about Venezuela on the phone. I often called him for help
understanding economics. He even called me sometimes to help him prepare for
media appearances about Venezuela. But I eventually concluded that his devotion
to the "progressive" wing of the Democratic Party was reprehensible. In 2019, he
once called me to ask that I delete tweets criticizing the Zionist ghoul Ro
Khanna. I refused.

Weisbrot will take no position on Venezuela that will damage his lobbying
efforts with the likes of Ro Khanna and other Democrats in Congress. He is
always looking for the flimsiest excuse to publicly praise them. He also values
"diplomatic relations" with the likes of Amnesty International and the
despicable Ken Roth.

CEPR still does useful work sometimes, as does the anti-Maduro economist who it
hired years ago, Francisco Rodríguez. But nobody should rely on them as a
trusted source on Venezuela.

Bad Source: anyone who cites Eva Golinger
I mention Golinger reluctantly. Her last book "Confidante of 'Tyrants'" (stupid
title) is her attempt to put her break with Maduro (and even Chavez) in a
positive light. Instead, her own account inadvertently highlights her
narcissism, opportunism and political shallowness. The 2018 book has a somewhat
vague blurb from Chomsky, then long past his best years to put it mildly, on the
front cover calling it "unique and informative". Golinger has recently returned
to X looking for attention. Trust nobody foolish or uninformed enough to treat
her as credible.

Bad source: many Pro-Russia and Pro-China specialists
I'll be diplomatically vague, but when Russia and China are shown to be
unwilling or simply unable to help an ally like Venezuela many specialists will
resort to dumping on the ally. Just because such specialists have generally been
supportive of Maduro doesn't mean they know enough to be reliable about
Venezuela. And sometimes the impulse to shield Russia and China from criticism
leads to very bad analysis.

Ctd ...