In Geopolitics Today: Friday, December 23rd
Venezuela’s Opposition Votes to Axe Guaido, Indian and Chinese Army Commanders Meet to End Border Standoff, and other stories.
Venezuela’s Opposition Votes to Axe Guaido
The Venezuelan opposition coalition has voted to eliminate Juan Guaido and his interim government. The elimination of the interim government will simplify opposition negotiations with Caracas and is intended to revitalize the movement ahead of Venezuela's presidential election in 2024.
While Washington still recognizes Guaido as the leader of Venezuela instead of Maduro, Guaido's failure to reach a deal on new elections and his overreliance on sanctions to keep pressure on Maduro have seen him fall out of favour with opposition groups at home and backers elsewhere in the world. The dissolution of the interim government demonstrates the opposition's weakness, primarily due to evident internal divisions.
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Indian and Chinese Army Commanders Meet to End Border Standoff
Indian and Chinese military commanders met in yet another attempt to end the ongoing standoff between tens of thousands of troops along their disputed border.
The meeting between the army commanders is expected to lower tensions and comes less than two weeks after a clash between soldiers in India’s eastern Arunachal Pradesh state left some injured on both sides. Both countries have supported their large infantry deployments with artillery, tanks and fighter jets along the de facto border.
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Ukraine’s Steel Production Impacted by Attacks on Energy Infrastructure
Steel production in Ukraine has suffered lately due to power cuts caused Russian missile attacks. According to reports, several Ukrainian steelmakers are now facing production and rolling issues as energy suppliers are rationing power distribution to major consumers.
Kamet Steel, ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih and Zaporizhstal are three major steel producers struggling to keep capacity high. Crude steel and rolled product output from Kamet Steel will be largely determined power supply availability. ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih is also limited in its production after a rocket attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Zaporizhstal produces hot and cold rolled coil and downstream products, but is now also facing limits in production.
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Lithuania Buys Switchblade Drone Systems from the United States
Lithuania's Defence Ministry has signed a deal with AeroVironment to buy Switchblade 300 and 600 drones from the United States, becoming the first European NATO member to order the system.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence announced the procurement of US-made loitering munitions as part of a contract valued at approximately €45 million. These combat drones are a new type of weapon that can be quickly moved to different locations, and will give the Lithuanian Army the ability to destroy enemy tanks and other armoured vehicles at a distance of up to 40 kilometres.
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Shell to Pay $15m Settlement over Oil Spills in Nigeria
The multinational oil and gas company Shell has said it will pay 15 million euros to communities in Nigeria were affected by multiple oil pipeline leaks in the Niger Delta.
The compensation is the result of a Dutch court case brought by Friends of the Earth, in which Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary SPDC was last year found to be responsible for the oil spills and was ordered to pay for damages to farmers. The money will go toward the communities of Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo in Nigeria, which were affected by four oil spills that occurred between 2004 and 2007.