Posts by DonnaWelles:

    German Colonialism in Virginian Defense Habits

    February 8th, 2022
    Map of Virginia

    Virginia is formally the Commonwealth of Virginia. Richmond is the capital of Virginia, and it sits on the James River. Arlington is in northern Virginia on the Potomac River. Jamestown was an early colony in Virginia near the Chesapeake Bay.

    The Teamsters Union is an ethnically German labor union. A Teamster is a ‘car man’ or a ‘cart man’. Virginia has laws that are friendly toward labor unions. Of course, Jimmy Hoffa was a labor leader. He would sometimes visit Washington, DC but he was from the Midwest originally.

    NATO is in the newspaper this month about the events in Ukraine. It has been suggested that NATO allows European countries to trade in the developing world. Perhaps, Frenchmen and Germans can now travel to Africa and East Asia by way of NATO. The Germans might export police radios to Taipei and Hong Kong, for example. The French might export items to Hanoi or Bangkok. It might be that Frenchmen and Germans have exported to Kiev weaponry and that explains the heightened tensions in Ukraine. Do the Ukrainians aim French-made and German-made weapons at Moscow? Do North Koreans test German-made missiles? Are there German-operated tank driving schools near Hanoi?

    The Virginians might be vulnerable to these ideals from Paris and Berlin. French and German defense contractors might look to hire Virginians. The newspaper often reports about the targeted killing program and the detainee program. The targeted killing program might use French-made drones. The detainee program might use German-made prison technology. If the Virginians on their own are inclined to work for European defense firms, American defense policies will resemble European defense policies.

    In Germany there are reports about right wingers within the police. In Virginia there might be right wingers who operate the surveillance hardware. Defense contractors are difficult to regulate. They would be secretive, and they would keep strange hours. The defense budget is sometimes hard to audit. The Virginians might lobby to import German-made police radios because they enjoy European-style working conditions.

    Ben Olsen is a famous example about salaries in Virginia as they relate to formal education. Olsen was the head coach for DC United. He attended the University of Virginia, but he didn’t graduate and he never earned a four year degree. As the head coach for DC United he made a half million dollars ever year as his salary. The Germans and the French might hire Virginians to operate surveillance hardware. It seems possible there are defense contractors that make high salaries, but they do not have much formal education.

    Within NATO there might be right wingers and it seems vague about salaries as they relate to formal education. The Virginians might want to work for European firms. NATO might, in real terms, give Paris and Berlin opportunities to trade in the developing world. The Virginians might be inclined to assist with these efforts. Famously, the targeted killing program and the detainee program are sometimes unpopular. The Virginians might simply agree to the programs because they prefer European workplace aesthetics.

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    A Few Examples of Modern German Expansionism

    February 4th, 2022
    Demonstration in East Berlin on 4 November 1989

    Historically, the Ottoman empire had heavy weapons. Turkey is called Asia Minor, Western Asia, and Anatolia. Turkey has enough land so that large weapons can be built and stored there. In the modern age there are accounts about missile defense systems in Turkey. During the Cold War there were missiles in Turkey. Ankara is the capital of Turkey. During World War I, Turkey and Germany were allies. Of course, what is sometimes called the Armenian Genocide happened during the First World War.

    Lviv, Ukraine is near the border with Poland. During World War II there was a battle for Lviv. Recently, German and Polish defense contractors might have crossed the border into Ukraine. If so, it might be because of NATO. Maybe Berlin and Warsaw believe NATO wants them to oppose Moscow by way of Ukraine.

    The German army seems to maintain airbases in Turkey and there seem to be German defense contractors in Ukraine. They leave Germany and cross into Poland. Warsaw is the capital of Poland and Gdansk is a port on the Baltic Sea. The Gulf of Danzig is in northern Poland.

    Bosnia trades in mark. East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. The German government might believe they are allowed to trade generally through Bosnian ports. Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia.

    These all might be modern examples of German expansionism. Berlin is a member of NATO and the European Union. These groups might have emboldened the Germans to expand beyond their borders. In the Balkans this might mean trade through the ports, in Turkey it might mean airbases, and in Ukraine it might mean defense contractors.

    The news has reported in recent months about right wingers within the German police. Occasionally there are reports of incidents involving right wingers. In Ukraine there are German immigrants. The Germans might simply have crossed into Ukraine believing they’re allowed to do this as members of NATO. Radio signals might be sent between Berlin and Kiev. The newspaper has been reporting on how the Ukrainian army learns to operate anti-tank weapons.

    The anti-tank weapons might be German-made. The Germans might additionally train the Ukrainians how to use them by way of defense contractors. The East Germans spoke Russian. It seems possible German defense contractors have learned to speak Ukrainian, or the Ukrainians have learned to speak German for the purposes of a military dialogue. This week the Russian news reported on joint operations between the Moscow and Minsk. The Germans might routinely have joint operations with Kiev.

    Roughly half of Germany was East Germany. What is the German army doing in the modern age? How about the German security services? There are accounts about inflation in Bulgaria. Maybe there is inflation in proximity to what was East Germany. During blitzkrieg, both Minsk and Kiev fell to German tanks. Warsaw had already surrendered. Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus are large countries between Germany and Russia. This land is sometimes fiercely contested. There should be efforts to monitor the German army and German defense contractors.

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    Can Americans insist Ambassador Anatoly Antonov Answers His Telephone?

    January 9th, 2022

    The Russian ambassador to the United States has been in the news this week. He has given an interview to Newsweek, and he published an article for ‘Foreign Policy’ called, “An Existential Threat to Europe’s Security Architecture?” Anatoly Antonov was born in Omsk, Russia and he attended Moscow State University. The Russian embassy is located near the Naval Observatory at 2650 Wisconsin Ave NW, but there is also a Russian consulate near the White House at 1025 Vermont Ave NW. Both buildings are in the District of Columbia, which is the only federal district in the United States.

    Maria Zakharova is the Russian press secretary, and her office is in Moscow. Formally, her title is the Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The Russian news has been reporting about Ms. Zakharova in the context of Kazakhstan. TASS Russian News Agency reported a statement that Ambassador Antonov made, “Russia views the externally provoked violent developments in the friendly country as aimed to disrupt its security and integrity. We will assist efforts to restore normal life in Kazakhstan”. Ms. Zakharova was quoted by TASS also, “Everyone is accustomed to the fact that some representatives of Washington do not understand everything, passing it off a position of the United States.”

    Marko Djuric is the Serbian ambassador to Washington, DC. He attended the University of Belgrade School of Law. His wife is named Adrijana and they have three children. The Serbian embassy is located in Georgetown at 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW. The building is closest to the DuPont Circle metro station.

    There are accounts about both the Embassy of Russia and the Embassy of Serbia. Each of the diplomats has a Twitter account. The Russian embassy uses the Twitter account, @RusEmbUSA, and the Serbian embassy uses @markodjuric. One problem might be that they both use social media accounts, but neither of them respond to telephone calls or emails.

    Remarkably, this reminds of historical precedents about the American embassy in Moscow. Michael McFaul used a Twitter account when he was the ambassador and there were complaints at the time about his Tweets. Also, sometimes members of the American intelligence community in Moscow are asked to leave. Ryan Fogle was asked to leave Moscow after he was caught trying to bribe a Russian official. Edward Snowden flew to Moscow after he left his NSA post.

    Maybe there should not be two Russian embassies in Washington, DC, or an embassy and a consulate. Also, maybe the diplomats should not bring over their wives and children. If there is a diplomat at an embassy in Washington, DC, is his or her staff required to respond to telephone calls and emails? What if there are complaints that these embassies are nonresponsive when people call or write?

    The embassies in Washington, DC are policed by what is called the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. However, if a citizen of Washington, DC calls and tries to get in touch with either the Russian or Serbian diplomatic staff and there is no answer when the phone rings, then it is difficult to report this as misconduct. It seems to be misconduct if government officials are nonresponsive. Holistically, it seems as though Anatoly Antonov and Marko Djuric maintain social media accounts. They might not also answer the telephone and respond to emails. This seems difficult to regulate. How can the Americans insist that Marko Djuric responds to telephone inquiries? This all speaks to how it is difficult to regulate diplomatic personnel. That is true in Washington, DC, as well as in any city.

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    German Outposts in Libya, Yesterday and Today

    September 21st, 2021

    United Nations Map of Libya, with cities, roads, and the current twenty-two Districts or Shabiyah of Libya.

    The German army seems to test, build, and export weaponry. They used to test warplanes in Libya. The deserts in Libya are gigantic. Tensions right now seem to be between Belgrade and Pristina in the south and then Minsk and Warsaw in the north. Those cities sit on what was known in the twentieth century as the Eastern Front.

    Dresden, Germany used to have dive bomber training schools. Lubeck, Germany is a port near Poland. Gdansk, Poland sits near the Gulf of Danzig. It is possible that the German military sends weaponry south to Libya from either ports in the Balkans or from Lubeck in the north. There are questions about German air bases in Turkey and Kosovo. Airbases in Kosovo might manage regional trade.

    The modern German military might test weapons in North Africa. During the 1930’s the Germans tested warplanes in the Libyan Desert. The border between Libya and Chad as well as the border between Libya and Egypt is desert. Erwin Rommel mentioned in his writings that German scientists would set up bases in North Africa to test warplanes. Swedish military officers were said to have witnessed the aerial tests. The warplanes were the Stukas which were German dive bombers that targeted cities in the Lowlands as well as in Russia. ‘Stuka Pilot’ is a memoir written by Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

    The Eastern Front spans from Scandinavia to the Balkans. Scandinavia includes Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark. The Balkans include several countries in Southeast Europe such as Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. Both Albania and Bosnia have coastline on the Adriatic Sea. Tirana is the capital of Albania. Albania is known to have high quality railroads in addition to its strategic ports. Durres, Albania is a port on the Adriatic Sea.

    Bosnia trades in Bosnian mark. During the Cold War, East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. In some cases, East German mark was worth a fourth of West German mark. Neum, Bosnia sits on the Adriatic Sea. Today, 1 USD is equal to 1.7 Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark.  

    This week there are reports about tensions between Belgrade, Serbia and Pristina, Kosovo. The Germans might be trying to trade through the ports in Bosnia and Albania. Moreover, airbases in Kosovo might be assisting the Germans to test weapons in North Africa. Benghazi and Tripoli are Libyan ports on the Mediterranean Sea. The concern is that weapons are traded through Bosnia and Albania on the European side of the Mediterranean Sea, and they are sent south to Benghazi and Tripoli in Libya.

    The extent to which a modern Germany exports and tests weapons isn’t well understood. It might be a sizable portion of German exports that they build and test weapons. Additionally, there are reports about Minsk, Belarus and Warsaw, Poland. The Polish military has sent soldiers to the border with Belarus. Minsk and Moscow trade in ruble. The Germans might export police radios to Minsk and army radios to Warsaw. Lviv, Ukraine is near the border with Poland. During World War II there was a famous battle in Lviv. In the modern age, there are suggestions that Lviv serves as a regional hub for labor unions. Lubeck might serve as a regional hub for naval vessels.

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    The Washington, DC Indoor Mask Mandate

    September 17th, 2021
    GW Student, Faculty & Staff Testing Center, The George Washington University in Washington, DC

    The mayors of Washington, DC and San Francisco have supposedly violated indoor mask mandates in recent months. In August, Muriel Bowser was photographed without a mask at a wedding. This week, London Breed was photographed at an indoor lounge without a mask.

    Twenty four states have joined together to send an open letter to the White House about the vaccine mandates and mask mandates. The letter is requesting that the mandates are eased or halted. The first page of the letter describes a burden for the workforce if the employees have to wear a mask. Public services, according to the letter, are strained if the employees have to wear a mask.

    Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming are the states listed at the top of the letter. The letter begins with, “We, the Attorneys General of 24 states, write in opposition to your attempt to mandate the vaccination of private citizens.” The letter is dated September 16, 2021.

    Here in Washington, DC the indoor mask mandate has been in effect since August 1. It has been more than six weeks and the mayor has been silent about when the mandate will be lifted. At the gyms everyone has to wear a mask while they exercise. At retail stores the customers and the employees wear the masks the entire time they are indoors. Masks are required on the train and in grocery stores. In real terms, some people might wear a mask for eight or ten hours a day. If they work for eight hours and then take the train then they will wear a mask for nine hours that day.

    In Maryland, there was a report that a teacher was excused for the school term because she didn’t want to wear a mask. Conceptually, it’s not clear if employees are able to stand and work wearing the masks for long hours. Teachers might not be understood by the students if they are talking through a mask, but they might not be able physically to teach all day wearing the masks.

    If people do not want to wear a mask, they have to wear a mask anyway. They have to wear a mask every day and they have to wear a mask for several hours every day. There hasn’t been any announcement about how long we will continue to wear these masks here in Washington, DC. In Texas, the governor issued an executive order which banned mask mandates. Executive order GA-38 states no government entity, including school districts, can require or mandate masks. Farther west, people have been describing the mask mandates as government mandated mask-wearing.

    Testing is also controversial because people are tested even if they have no symptoms. Employees at the George Washington University, for example, are required to be tested every fifteen days. This is true if they have no symptoms and if they do not want to be tested. Tents are set up in Foggy Bottom that are filled with people administering the tests. They are paid to administer these tests and so there are concerns about the budget.

    Holistically, the complaints are that people have to wear the masks every day and for several hours every day. Lawmakers haven’t said how long the mask mandates will continue. If someone wears a mask for eight and ten hours a day, then most of the time they are awake they are wearing a mask.  

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    Labor Unions in Lubeck, Germany

    January 15th, 2021
    Lübeck-Blankensee Airport

    Virginia is formally the ‘Old Dominion’. It is the Commonwealth of Virginia. Many people in the area arrived from Prussia in the early nineteenth century. Prussia is in Germany’s eastern provinces and Poland. Berlin is the seat of Prussia.

    Warsaw is the capital of Poland. Warsaw is inland. Gdansk, Poland and Lubeck, Germany are ports on the Baltic. Sea. It’s possible that Lubeck serves as a regional hub for German naval vessels. In the 1930’s the Germans tested tanks near the Gulf of Danzig. The Blockade of Leningrad resulted from tanks that went north from the Gulf of Danzig. Leningrad is today Saint Petersburg. The city is also a port on the Baltic Sea.

    It might be that the Virginians are ethnically Prussian. The laws in Virginia are friendly to labor unions. Last summer there were labor strikes in Germany. There might be labor strikes in Virginia that go unreported. The defense budget is vulnerable to labor unions and labor strikes. The Pentagon is located in Arlington, Virginia. It’s controversial generally about labor leaders working at the Pentagon.

    In East Berlin there were accounts about a large communications relay. In Poland there are large airbases. It’s famous in modern history about the trade between Warsaw and Dublin, Ireland. Belfast, Dublin, and Galway are Irish ports. The radio towers in Warsaw might manage this trade with Irish ports. Additionally, there might be labor leaders who manage trade between Lubeck, Warsaw, and Dublin.

    In terms of history, there are routes to Virginia from Ireland. Labor unions in Ireland might network with the Virginians about labor issues. It used to be that labor in Ireland was organized around child labor. The first labor unions registered in Canada were French-speaking Catholic labor unions in Montreal. In Ireland they were created to manage age and wages.

    The Teamsters Union is an ethnically German labor union. A Teamster is a ‘car man’ or a ‘cart man’. The Virginians seem to lobby to import German-made radios. In terms of defense spending, there are complaints about the detainee program and the targeted killing program. In Virginia there are sometimes efforts to upgrade the prisons with defense spending. Last year there was a drone strike in Iraq that was aimed at a two-car convoy. It’s controversial generally about drone strikes that are aimed at cars.

    The United States Department of Defense is led by the Secretary of Defense. A few weeks ago, there were accounts that Joe Biden’s staff members were having trouble accessing certain areas of the Pentagon. The reports said there were ‘roadblocks’ at the Pentagon. It’s not well understood about German-made hardware used by the Defense Department. Also, if there were labor strikes in Germany last summer there might have been labor strikes in Virginia.

    Between Lubeck, Germany, Dublin, Ireland, and Virginia there are historic routes traveled by labor leaders. Workers move between these areas. Radio signals are sent between Brandenburg and Virginia. Finally, it seems like police radios are sent from Brandenburg to Virginia by way of Ireland.  

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    Disputed Territories in the Caucasus Region

    October 13th, 2020

    Dagestan, RF

    Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan. There are reports about rocket weapons and missile defense systems in the Caucasus region. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are in the Caucasus region. Yerevan is the capital of Armenia, Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, and Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. North of the Caucasus region is Russia and to the south is Iran and Turkey.

    The Germans maintain airbases in Turkey. Turkey is the same region as Anatolia and Asia Minor. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are enclaves in Georgia. North Ossetia is in Russia. In 2008, the Russian military sent infantrymen and tanks across the border into Georgia. The soldiers were sent in the direction of Turkey and Abkhazia. Abkhazia is sometimes an Ottoman port.

    There might be weapons platforms in the Caucasus region that receive signals from Turkey. Ankara is the capital of Turkey and it is inland. Istanbul is a port near Greece and the Balkans. East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. Today Bosnia trades in Bosnian convertible mark. Bosnia remains an important port for the German military.

    Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Gaza are ports in the Levant. Haifa is near the Golan Heights and Damascus. There have been tank battles in the Levant. It is possible the East Germans sent tanks to Tel Aviv from Lubeck. Lubeck is a port near Poland and the Gulf of Danzig. There might be tank driving schools near Tel Aviv.

    The Germans build missile defense systems. It might be German-made weapons that are being deployed in the Caucasus region. The Austrians have for centuries maintained military outposts in Tabriz, Iran. Tabriz is near Anatolia. Albania, Bosnia, and Kosovo are Muslim enclaves in the Balkans. It is possible there are airbases in Kosovo that manage regional trade.

    It is controversial when military radios are used for international trade. Albania, Bosnia, and Croatia have strategic ports. It is not well understood what military hardware is traded through these ports. It might be that rocket weapons and missile defense systems pass through Albanian ports on the way to Turkey and the Caucasus region. Albania has both strategic ports and railroads.

    A few months ago, the Germans reported labor strikes. Lviv, Ukraine serves as a regional hub for labor unions. Lviv is near the border with Poland. In World War II there was a battle in Lviv. The prisons in Ukraine have been upgraded with defense spending. There are reports that the German security services send radios that are used by the police in Kiev.

    Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia are similar in that they are enclaves in the Caucasus region. Abkhazia is a port on the Black Sea and the others are inland. It is possible there are airbases in both Turkey and Abkhazia that manage the recent weapons deployments in Azerbaijan. It is controversial about nanotechnology and weaponry. There are historical anecdotes about labor strikes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. Dresden, Germany is near Prague. Dresden used to have dive bomber training schools.

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    Defense Spending in Virginia

    October 4th, 2020

    Flag of Virginia

    Virginia is south of the Potomac River and Washington, DC is north of the river. The Pentagon is in Arlington, Virginia. Arlington is a city in Arlington County. Arlington County borders the Potomac River. Robert E. Lee lived in Arlington County. It is storied that General Lee took the train to Richmond, Virginia from Arlington to speak with Confederate leaders. Richmond is a three-hour train ride from Arlington and it was the capital of the Confederacy. Both Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis attended the United States Military Academy at West Point.

    There are reports today about a truck bomb in Afghanistan. Fifteen people were killed by a truck bomb in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangahar province. The Pashtun tribesmen live near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s controversial about the Pentagon’s efforts regarding Afghanistan. The Pashtun tribesmen are sometimes considered American allies. It might be unwise to rely on them for conventional theater operations. The Battle of Tora Bora in 2001 is an example of a failed mission and American military personnel relied heavily on the Pashtun tribesmen.

    Virginia is formally the ‘Commonwealth of Virginia’ and there are laws in Virginia that are friendly toward labor unions. As a matter of law, it’s not clear if a defense contractor can be on a labor strike. Workers usually declare a strike and set terms. They then receive strike wages. It’s possible that there are labor strikes in Virginia that go unreported. The reports coming from Afghanistan might evidence long term labor strikes.

    The Virginians are ethnically Prussian and they speak in a regional dialect. It can be described as Prussian creole. For example, in Louisiana people speak a different form of creole. It’s been suggested that the Virginians speak creole during military operations and that this results in American casualties. Military operations might not be successful if the officers speak creole instead of English. It might not be possible to give accurate descriptions of locations in creole. Also, it might be confusing about the mission and the delegation of authority if the solders are speaking creole.

    The United State Congress is at least partially responsible for the defense budget. It’s not well understood in the context of defense spending if American soldiers speak Virginian creole while on duty. There are implications about military hardware and military radios. It’s controversial generally about imported military hardware and it might be tempting for Virginians to lobby to import German-made radios. East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. Frankfurt is the German banking district.

    There seems to be a relationship between organized labor, imported hardware, and Virginian creole. The defense contractors might speak creole and use German-made radios. There are consistent reports about violence in Afghanistan. One explanation is that there are labor disputes in proximity to the defense budget. There are historical anecdotes about labor strikes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. There used to be dive bomber training schools in Dresden, Germany. The Virginians might coordinate regularly with the Germans in Dresden regarding radio technology.

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    Missile Defense Systems in the Balkans

    September 25th, 2020

    Flag of Serbia

    A Serbian jet fighter, the Army of Serbia (VS) MiG-21, crashed yesterday near the village of Basina in Western Serbia.  Aleksandar Vucic is the President of Serbia. Vucic attended the University of Belgrade School of Law. A Serbian delegation visited the White House earlier this month to sign an agreement about Kosovo. Belgrade is the capital of Serbia.

    Albania, Bosnia, and Kosovo are Muslim enclaves in the Balkans. The Kosovars are ethnically Albanian. Bosnia remains an important port for the German military because Sarajevo trades in Bosnian mark. It’s called the Bosnian convertible mark. East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. Frankfurt is the German banking district.

    There might be airbases in Kosovo that manage regional trade. Kosovo is inland but Albania and Bosnia are ports. Albania has both strategic ports and railroads. The Germans might trade through both Albanian ports and Bosnian ports. It’s controversial generally about military radios used for international trade.

    The Germans used to test warplanes in the Libyan desert. There were military research facilities near the border between Egypt and Libya. Dresden, Germany is in the south near the Czech Republic. Prague used to be in Czechoslovakia. There were dive bomber training schools in Dresden in the early twentieth century. During the Cold War there were reports about labor strikes in both East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

    Radio signals are sent south from Dresden, Germany to Bosnia about trade. Benghazi and Tripoli are Libyan ports. Historically there have been labor strikes in Libya. The labor unions in Libya might be ethnically German labor unions. Berlin is the seat of Prussia. It’s possible that Libyan labor unions are ethnically Prussian labor unions.

    The Germans make missile defense systems. It’s controversial about nanotechnology and weaponry. The Serbian plane might have crashed because of a missile defense system. The plane was flying in Serbia. Airbases nearby might have sent a radio transmission toward the plane which caused the plane to crash.

    In recent years there have been high profile accounts about warplanes crashing in Anatolia and the Levant. A Russian plane crashed over Turkey and the pilots died in 2015. There were reports that Turkish gunmen shot the pilot who survived the crash. Anatolia is known as Turkey or Western Asia. The Russian plane was shot down while it was flying over Turkey and then Turkish infantrymen went looking for the pilots.

    In the Levant, a Russian plane was shot down in 2018. It might be there are missile defense systems in the Levant and the cargo plane flew too close to them. Missile defense systems might be responsible for all three of these plane crashes. The Germans have developed radios that can send long distance transmissions with precision. Weapons platforms in Anatolia and the Levant receive signals from German land positions.

    There remains an observable disparity in wealth between Germany’s west and Germany’s east. The process of rebuilding East Germany would have been expensive. The German military seems to use radio technology for trade. There are concerns about market prices and there are reports about inflation. Inflation has been reported recently in Beirut.

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    Alexei Navalny is Being Treated by German Doctors

    August 22nd, 2020

    "Alexei Navany" Photo by Evgeny Feldman, Photo taken in 2017.

    Alexei Navalny is in Germany today because he needs treatment for an illness. He fell sick and he was admitted to a hospital in Omsk, Russia. Omsk is in Siberia and it is famous because Feodor Dostoevsky was imprisoned there. There is debate about whether or not Navalny has been poisoned but the reports are that he is comatose and that he requires hospitalization. There are complaints about the doctors in Omsk because they suggested Navalny was not poisoned. Regardless, he is certainly sick and German doctors are attending to him in Berlin.

    It is possible that Navalny is the victim of a chemical munitions attack. There have been reports about chemical munitions in Syria for decades. In Turkey there are airbases. In 2008 the Russian infantry crossed the border into Georgia. Abkhazia and South Ossetia are enclaves in Georgia. Abkhazia sits along the coast and South Ossetia is inland. Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia. Gagra and Sukhumi are ports in Abkhazia. The Ottomans used to use Abkhazia as a trading post. North Ossetia is in Russia. There might be airbases in both Turkey and Abkhazia that pose a threat to the Russian infantry.

    Earlier this summer there were reports about labor strikes in Germany. Lviv, Ukraine is near the border with Poland. East Germany traded in East German mark and West Germany traded in West German mark. Frankfurt is the German banking district. Warsaw trades in zloty. The German army developed and deployed chemical munitions in the early twentieth century. Lviv today serves as a regional hub for labor unions but there was major battle there during World War II.

    Recently there have been complaints about the German security services. Vladimir Putin made a telephone call to Angela Merkel last week about Minsk. It might be that the German security services are trying to influence the elections in Belarus. Minsk trades in Belarusian ruble and Moscow trades in Russian ruble. The Russian government reported earlier this year that the ruble had weakened. In 1998 there was a famous crash of the Russian ruble.

    Brandenburg is a province in eastern Germany. Potsdam is the capital of Brandenburg. Berlin is the seat of Prussia. Frederick II founded Potsdam. Dresden is the capital of Sachsen. There are historical anecdotes about labor strikes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. Prague used to be in Czechoslovakia. Today Prague is in the Czech Republic. Dresden is across the border from Prague. The labor strikes might have resulted from the manufacture of military hardware. Chemical munitions were likely manufactured in Sachsen. During the 1930’s there were dive bomber training schools in Dresden. There were military academies also in Berlin and Potsdam.

    The Austrians have for centuries maintained military outposts in Tabriz, Iran. Tabriz is in the north near Turkey. It is not well understood the nature of German military operations in Anatolia. Anatolia is synonymous with Turkey and Asia Minor. Chemical munitions seem to be transported between Sachsen and the Syrian desert. German dive bombers were used against the Russian infantry at the Battle of Stalingrad. Stalingrad has been renamed Volgograd. Volgograd is a port on the Volga River near the Caspian Sea.

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    Military Academies in Venezuela

    August 11th, 2020

    Flag of Venezuela

    Two former U.S. Special Forces members, Airan Berry and Luke Denman, are in prison in Venezuela. They have been sentenced to twenty years in prison as a result of a military operation. The military operation in May was intended to put pressure on President Nicolas Maduro. There was a trial and a court handed down a sentence of twenty years. Venezuela’s attorney general announced the sentence on Twitter. The botched mission was called Operation Gideon.

    There are historical anecdotes about military academies and tank driving schools in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez attended a tank driving school south of Caracas. There are additionally accounts about military academies in Maracay and Valencia. Caracas is a port on the Venezuelan Basin.

    Venezuela and Bolivia trade in bolivar. They are the ‘Bolivar Republics’. Buenos Aires and Santiago trade in peso. Brasilia trades in a Portuguese money called the real. There have been reports about inflation in both Venezuela and Argentina. Simon Bolivar is a famous revolutionary from the nineteenth century.

    It is possible that the Germans send military hardware to Caracas from the Gulf of Danzig. Lubeck, Germany is a port near Poland. The Gulf of Danzig is in Poland. Lubeck used to trade in East German mark. The Venezuelan military might generally use German-made weaponry. During the Falklands War in the 1980’s there were accounts about ordnance that did not explode. The shells were dropped from Argentinian planes but they were duds.

    There are well known military academies in Argentina. Buenos Aires is a port on the Atlantic Ocean. Dresden, Germany is across the border from Prague, Czech Republic. There were dive bomber training schools in Dresden during the early twentieth century. Both Lubeck and Dresden were East German cities. There are also military academies in Berlin and Potsdam. Prague used to be in Czechoslovakia.

    It is not well understood about the relationship between the military academies in Germany and the military academies in South America. Last month the German news reported on labor strikes. There might be relationships between Berlin and Buenos Aires that are rooted in organized labor.

    Lviv, Ukraine serves as a regional hub for labor unions. There are likely prisons in Ukraine that have been upgraded with defense spending. It is controversial generally about organized labor and prison upgrades. The German security services might assist with these prison upgrades in Ukraine. There was a famous battle during the Second World War in Lviv.

    Lviv is near the border with Poland. Warsaw trades in zloty. Labor leaders in Warsaw seem to manage trade through the Gulf of Danzig. Frankfurt is the German banking district. It is not clear about the future of the German economy. There are complaints about Right Wing politics in Germany.

    Inflation in Venezuela might result from long distance trade through the Venezuelan Basin. The economy might improve if Caracas traded locally. There are reports about the energy industry in Venezuela. They seem to rely on foreigners to assist them with energy engineering. Earlier this year there were reports of an Iranian tanker that sailed to Caracas. It might be that there are labor leaders in Caracas that coordinate with organized labor in other countries.

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    Radio Technology in Germany

    May 6th, 2020

    Radio Tower

    There are modern trends in German radio technology. Radios are used in Germany for trade, internal security, and for military purposes. There are labor unions and military academies in Germany. It is likely that defense contractors are hired to use German military radios. The defense budget in Germany is likely weighted toward radio technology and related spending.

    The Gulf of Danzig is in Poland but it serves as a strategic port for German merchants. Lubeck, Germany is near Poland. Gdansk is a Polish port near the Gulf of Danzig. Scandinavian merchants sometimes trade through the Gulf of Danzig. The Baltic States are near there. Estonia trades in EURO. Sweden has in modern times lended money to Estonia. This is not well received because the krona might be tied to metals trading instead of industry. Conceptually there should not be money lending if currencies are tied to metals trading.

    Berlin is the seat of Prussia. Brandenburg and Sachsen are German provinces. Potsdam is the capital of Brandenburg and Dresden is the capital of Sachsen. They used to trade in East German mark. East German mark was worth less than West German mark. There was a large communications relay in East Berlin. Bosnia trades in Bosnian mark. Bosnia remains an important port for the German military. It is controversial generally about German trade through the Balkans. There are concerns about organized labor in Germany’s eastern provinces.

    A trial began in Frankfurt, Germany last week which is related to counterterrorism. The trial brings to the foreground issues pertaining to German radio technology. The German government uses military radios for the purposes of internal security. The defendant is an Iraqi man. There have been tank battles near Baghdad and Damascus. It is possible that tanks are sent to the Levant from the Gulf of Danzig. There are likely German military officers who assist the Iraqi military to drive tanks. There are military academies and tank driving schools in the Levant. German radios are likely exported along with these tanks. There are radio signals sent to tank positions from German airbases.

    The problem is fiscal responsibility. There used to be roadblocks and watchtowers in East Berlin. There were official cars and nonofficial cars. The nonofficial cars were searched thoroughly. There were accounts about barbed wire fences and other fortifications in urban areas. Prisons should not be upgraded with defense technology. It is likely there are prisons in Ukraine that have been upgraded with defense spending. Lviv, Ukraine seems to be a regional hub for labor unions. Lubeck is a German port near the Gulf of Danzig. Lubeck used to trade in East German mark. If there are labor unions near prisons then the conditions at the prisons might be questioned.

    Where there are radio towers there are likely technology research facilities. The Germans have developed radios that can send long distance transmissions with precision. It is controversial when military radios are used for international trade. The German military tests radio technology on the beaches of the Baltic Sea. There are historical anecdotes about labor strikes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. There might be German engineers who test radio technology in Poland. Warsaw is inland. There are likely large airbases in Poland. There might be labor leaders in Warsaw who manage trade through the Gulf of Danzig. There are land routes to Warsaw from Brandenburg.

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    The Logistics of Trade Between Hanoi and London

    October 27th, 2019

    Vietnam.

    There are updates coming from London about an abandoned vehicle with deceased Chinese nationals in it. The deceased were thought to have come from China but it’s possible that many of them were Vietnamese nationals. The authorities in London are coordinating with the Chinese embassy to identify them. Macau and Taiwan are historically Portuguese trading posts. Manchester is in northern England. There are routes between the Lowlands and Ireland. Belfast and Dublin receive commercial shipments from the Lowlands.

    Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City is a port in the south. Hanoi is inland and in the north. Vientiane is the capital of Laos. Hanoi sits across the border from Vientiane. Da Nang is a Vietnamese port near Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City is the same city as Saigon. Laos doesn’t trade much internationally and there aren’t any Laotian ports on the ocean. There is a border between China and Laos. There are historical anecdotes about Chinese military operations on the Laotian side of the border. There are modern accounts about the politburos in Hanoi and Beijing coordinating in the political arena.

    Vientiane uses the Laotian Kip as its national currency and Hanoi uses the Vietnamese Dong. The exchange rate between USD and Vietnamese Dong is 1:23,200. There are logistical issues pertaining to energy trading in Southeast Asia. There are petroleum reserves in Indonesia and there are coal reserves in other parts of Southeast Asia. The terrain is remote and the monies aren’t easy to regulate in terms of money lending or exchange rates. For example, it’s not well understood if Laotian merchants can borrow money from Vietnamese banks or if they can trade by way of Vietnamese ports. Additionally, there are ports along the Mekong River.

    There are Ming Chinese populations in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s controversial about the sealanes between Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai because there are disputes about commercial jurisdiction and military jurisdiction. Shanghai has seasonal ports. There are concerns about inflation in Shanghai because the ports are seasonal. There are problems levying taxes and regulating the financial districts in Shanghai. Hong Kong uses the dollar as its national currency and Macau uses the Macanese Pataca. The exchange rate between USD and Macanese Pataca is 1:8. Regionally, there is a demand for commodities and it’s contested about the prices of food stuffs as well as consumer durables.

    It’s believed that the abandoned vehicle in England had come through Varna, Bulgaria which is a port on the Black Sea. There are routes north through the Balkans. Sarajevo uses the Bosnian Convertible Mark as its national currency. There are strategic ports in both Bosnia and Albania. The British authorities are monitoring the ports in North Africa and in the Balkans. There are ongoing disputes about commercial sea lanes in North Africa. Rabat and Tunis serve as regional trade junctions.

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    Chinese Commercial Interests in London

    October 25th, 2019

    London Eye.

    There are reports coming from London about an abandoned vehicle with dead Chinese nationals in it. It’s not clear yet exactly where the deceased had come from. It’s possible they had come from Macau or Hong Kong. The authorities in London are coordinating with the Chinese embassy in an effort to identify the deceased. This process is likely to be lengthy.

    There are strategic ports in the Lowlands and near Manchester. Belfast and Dublin are Irish ports. Lubeck is a German port near the Gulf of Danzig. Gdansk is a Polish port. There are concerns about organized labor in these port cities. There are historical anecdotes about labor strikes in Ireland. It’s possible that labor leaders in Lubeck coordinate strikes in Belfast and Dublin. There have been nationwide labor strikes in Ireland.

    The routes to London north from the Lowlands or south from Manchester are controversial. The Lowlands include Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. London uses the British Pound Sterling as its national currency and Amsterdam uses the Euro. There are high unemployment rates in Spain and Portugal. It’s difficult to maintain market prices if unemployment rates are high. There is likely inflation in Catalonia.

    It’s interesting about the relationship between labor strikes and inflation. Madrid reported an unemployment rate in 2017 of 17% and Lisbon reported an unemployment rate of 9%. It’s possible that there are labor strikes in Spain and Portugal that are obscured by unemployment statistics.

    In terms of currency trading in London and Amsterdam, there are outstanding issues relating to East Asian monies. Beijing uses the yuan, Tokyo uses the won, and Seoul uses the won. Pyongyang uses the North Korean Won. There are concerns about predatory money lending in East Asia. The exchange rate between USD and North Korean Won is 1:900. There are logistical problems with regulating the banks in Pyongyang.

    Finally, the ports in North Africa are being monitored by British authorities. Ceuta and Barcelona are ports on the Mediterranean Sea. Rabat is a port on the Atlantic Ocean. Algiers and Tunis serve as regional trade junctions. Each of these cities allow Chinese merchants to trade by way of the commercial ports.

    Within the European Union, it’s possible there are trade routes that give priority to labor unions. There are real concerns about market prices at ports where there is organized labor. If there are labor unions that specifically trade between Manchester and Dublin, then there might be inflation such that inflation rates can be observed through economic indicators.

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    Portuguese Gold Mining Operations in Brazil

    November 2nd, 2016

    Flag of Portugal

    By: Donna Welles

    Portugal has reported a diminishing net trade deficit in recent years. It is possible that wealth from gold mines in Brazil has helped the Portuguese economy to balance its net trade deficit. The price of gold is listed by the International Monetary Fund. Switzerland has been at the center of litigation in Brasilia because Brazilian government officials utilize Swiss banks. Switzerland imports more gold than any other country in the world.

    The relationship between Portugal, Brazil, Angola, and Switzerland is unfolding right now in the South American media. Venezuela has recently begun a large-scale gold mining operation and the Venezuelan media has reported deaths in mines. The theme behind the investigations into Portugal and Switzerland is whether or not the methods by which wealth is being removed from South America is in keeping with international law.

    Brazil and Angola have shared colonial histories with Portugal. Additionally, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, and Cabo Verde have shared colonial histories with Portugal. Guinea-Bissau and Angola are located on the African continent along the Atlantic Ocean and Mozambique is located along the Indian Ocean. Mozambique serves as a transit corridor between South Africa and Kenya. Cabo Verde and Sao Tome and Principe are islands off the coast of West Africa.

    Angola has been in the media in recent weeks because Brazilian government officials have business connections in West Africa. Annually, Angola is burdened by a sizable net trade deficit and its energy and metals reserves are not being efficiently cultivated and exported. Mozambique does not report healthy finances to the World Bank. Guinea-Bissau for many years has not reported trade data to the World Bank.

    Portugal began its colonial exploration in West Africa by way of Ceuta, Morocco in roughly 1400. Later, Portuguese sailors founded what is now Brazil in roughly 1500. Generally, Portuguese business interests first arrive in West Africa and then they appear in South America. Many cities in Brazil including Rio de Janeiro have sizable ethnically Angolan populations. Portugal has an unemployment rate of 16% and there might be domestic pressure on the Portuguese government to provide for internal demand.

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    El Salvador and Manufacturing Exports

    October 24th, 2016

    Flag of El Salvador

    By: Donna Welles

         El Salvador has defaulted on its national currency and now uses instead the United States Dollar. Violence in El Salvador is well documented by the media. El Salvador shares land borders with Honduras and Guatemala and they sit across the bay from Nicaragua. Salvador Sanchez Ceren has been the President of El Salvador since 2014.

         El Salvador is burdened by an annual net trade deficit of roughly $5b USD. In 2006, El Salvador reported $4b USD in exports and $8b USD in imports. In 2015, El Salvador reported $5b USD in exports and $10b USD in imports. Therefore in the previous decade the annual net trade deficit has increased from $4b USD to $5b USD.

         El Salvador exports what the World Bank categorizes as miscellaneous manufactured goods. Annually they enjoy roughly a $1b USD trade surplus in miscellaneous manufactured goods. In 2006, El Salvador exported $2b USD in miscellaneous manufactured goods and that amount increased by 2015 to $3b USD.

         El Salvador has an army of 42,000 soldiers which is slightly fewer than Guatemala which has an army of 43,000 soldiers. The Mexican Army has 336,000 soldiers. Guatemala has the highest fertility rates in the region at 3.2 births per woman. El Salvador has a fertility rate which is slightly lower than that of Mexico. Mexico reported a fertility rate in 2014 of 2.2 births per woman and El Salvador reported a fertility rate that year of 1.9 births per woman.

         In terms of land area, El Salvador is roughly 21,000 sq km whereas Guatemala is 107,000 sq km. Mexico has a land area of 2m sq km. El Salvador enjoys a higher life expectancy than Guatemala. In 2014, El Salvador reported a life expectancy of 73 years whereas Guatemala reported a life expectancy of 72 years. Life expectancy in Mexico is 77 years. Literacy in the region is roughly 90 percent. El Salvador reported a literacy rate of nearly exactly 90 percent while Mexico reported a literacy rate of 96 percent. Guatemala reported a literacy rate of 85 percent.

         Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and it has a population of 21m people. San Salvador is the capital of El Salvador and it has a population of 1m people. Guatemala City is larger than San Salvador. In 2015, Guatemala City had a population of 3m people. Total population figures are such that Mexico has a population of 130m people, Guatemala has a population of 16m people, and El Salvador has a population of 6m people.

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    An Overview of the Argentinian Economy

    October 16th, 2016

    Flag of Argentina

    By: Donna Welles

    Mauricio Macri is the President of Argentina and Michel Temer is the President of Brazil. Cristina Kirchner preceded Mauricio Macri and Dilma Rousseff preceded Michel Temer. Both Cristina Kirchner and Dilma Rousseff have been investigated by authorities for financial crimes. While Cristina Kirchner has not yet faced trial, Dilma Rousseff has been found guilty of financial crimes and she has been asked to leave public office.

    Many countries in South America are experiencing trials where government officials are being charged with financial crimes. In Venezuela and in Brazil the supreme courts have become active in these investigations. It seems appropriate to review the report submitted by Argentina to the World Bank.

    Argentina has reported fluctuating GDP values to the World Bank since 2011. In 2011 Argentina reported a GDP of $533b USD, in 2012 Argentina reported a GDP of $549b USD, in 2013 Argentina reported a GDP of $554b USD, in 2014 Argentina reported a GDP of $530b USD, and in 2015 Argentina reported a GDP of $583b USD. Total population in Argentina increased slightly from 42m people in 2011 to 43m people in 2015.

    Trade balances holistically transitioned from a large trade surplus to a $3b USD net trade deficit. In 2006 Argentina reported a $12b USD trade surplus and that trade surplus was reduced to $2b USD by 2013. In 2014 Argentina reported a trade surplus of $3b USD but in 2015 Argentina reported a $3b USD net trade deficit. Both exports and imports fluctuate in Argentina. In 2006 Argentina reported $47b USD in exports and $34b USD in imports. In 2011 Argentina reported $83b USD in exports and $74b USD in imports. In 2015, Argentina reported $57b USD in exports and $60b USD in imports.

    Unemployment in Argentina was down to 7.3% in 2014 from 8.5% in 2007. Fertility rates have decreased since 2007 from 2.4 births per woman in 2007 to 2.3 births per woman in 2014. Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city in Argentina. The population of Buenos Aires was 14m people in 2007 and in 2015 it was 15m people. Argentina has enjoyed a slight improvement in life expectancy since 2007 when  it was 75 years. Argentinians in 2014 enjoyed a life expectancy of 76 years.

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    Trade Deficits in Paraguay and Uruguay

    September 24th, 2016

    Flag of Uruguay

    By: Donna Welles 

    Last week the South American media reported that Uruguayan politicians are being investigated for criminal activity. Argentina, Brazil, and Chile have experienced similar litigation in the past weeks and months. The nature of the investigations into the Uruguayan government is not yet fully understood. Argentina and Brazil have been investigating officials for financial crimes and Chile has been prosecuting military officers for violent crimes committed during the tenure of President Augusto Pinochet.

    Uruguay and Paraguay have similar economies and demographics. Paraguay was founded by Spain and for many years Asuncion served as the regional capital for the Spanish Empire. Uruguay was for many years part of Brazil. Ethnically the two countries are similar because they are Spanish and Italian.

    Both Paraguay and Uruguay are burdened by trade deficits. There is fluctuation in both countries in terms of imports and exports. Patterns in international trade by way of MERCOSUR as well as trade with North America and the European Union account for some of the fluctuations. Also, both Paraguay and Uruguay have recently upgraded their industry. Uruguay ranches cattle and additionally they export machine works. Paraguay is removed from the Atlantic Ocean but they are located downstream from Buenos Aires, Argentina and therefore enjoy transplanted industrial growth. The Parana River traverses north from Buenos Aires to Paraguay.

    In 2011 Paraguay reported exports of $8b USD and imports of $12b USD. In 2012 exports decreased to $7b USD and then in 2013 and in 2014 exports increased to $10b USD. Exports decreased again in 2015 to $8b USD. Paraguay also reported fluctuating imports. In 2011 Paraguay reported imports of $13b USD and in 2012 that number decreased to $12b USD. In 2015 Paraguay reported imports of $10b USD.

    In 2011 Uruguay reported exports of $8b USD and imports of $11b USD. In 2012, 2013, and 2014 Uruguay reported exports of $9b USD and then in 2015 Uruguay reported exports of $8b USD. Imports increased in 2012 to $12b USD. In 2015 Uruguay reported imports of $9b USD. Holistically Uruguay has reported a lessened trade deficit since 2011. In 2011 their trade deficit was $3b USD and in 2015 Uruguay reported a trade deficit of $2b USD.

    Paraguay has a population of 7m people and Uruguay has a population of 4m people. Uruguay has a GDP of $58b USD and Paraguay has a GDP of $31b USD. Paraguay has a largest city of 3m people and Uruguay has a largest city of 2m people. Uruguay has a life expectancy of 77 years and Paraguay has a life expectancy of 72 years. Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and Asuncion is the capital of Paraguay.

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    An Overview of the Brazilian Economy

    September 16th, 2016

    By Donna Welles.

     

    An Overview of the Brazilian Economy

    South America has natural resources and they are experiencing rapid growth in internet connectivity rates. The prices paid for the natural resources are regulated by the International Monetary Fund. The mechanisms to allow for economic growth involve market based prices of natural resources and efficiency in the distribution of agriculture. The region is experiencing a noticeable political shift away from something and toward something else.

    Several countries in South America are prosecuting government officials in criminal courts. There have been high profile allegations against the Brazilian government for corruption in recent weeks. President Dilma Rousseff has been impeached and found guilty of financial crimes. Former President Luiz Lula da Silva has been charged with financial crimes. Former House Speaker Eduardo Cunha is facing criminal charges for financial crimes.

    In Argentina Former President Cristina Kirchner is facing criminal charges for financial crimes. Chile is prosecuting former military officers for criminal behavior that is not financial in nature. The crimes in Chile were committed during the tenure of President Augusto Pinochet during the 1980s.

    The trials in Brazil pertain to two sources of corruption including, (1) Peterobras which is the state-owned petroleum firm, and (2) Bolsa Familia, a 2003 government social welfare program from which funds have been siphoned. Former President Luiz Lula da Silva was the architect of Bolsa Familia and Former President Dilma Rousseff was at the time an aide to the Lula da Silva government. Brazil is a large country with a large economy and they would be greatly affected by slight changes in the commodities markets.

    Additionally the Brazilian economy has seen fluctuating trade balances and decreasing exports. In 2011 Brazilian exports totaled $256b USD and imports totaled $226b USD. Brazilian net trade in 2011 was a $31b USD surplus. In 2012 Brazilian exports decreased to $243b USD while imports remained steady at $223b USD. Therefore from 2011 to 2012 Brazil enjoyed a lessened trade surplus. Brazil reported a trade surplus of $31b USD in 2011, $19b USD in 2012, and $3b USD in 2013. In 2014 Brazil reported a trade deficit of $4b USD and then in 2015 Brazil reported again a surplus of $19b USD. In 2015 Brazilian exports totaled $191b USD and imports totaled $172b USD.

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    Trade Deficits in Central America

    September 7th, 2016

     

    By Donna Welles.

     

     

    Central America consists of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize. Each of these countries is struggling with industry and they have reported to the World Bank annual trade deficits. Mexico is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Panama Canal was built a century ago to allow for commercial transit between New York City and the State of California. The American economy is affected by trade deficits in Latin America.

    The nature of the trade deficits is that each country reports an annual decline in exports. Ideally industry in Central America can be revitalized. If a country cannot sustain the domestic demand for goods and services then of course there will be a need to import. This is what is happening. Industry in Central America is not sustainable and there is domestic demand for goods and services.

    Mexico has a gross domestic product above $1.2t USD. Guatemala reported a GDP of $59b USD, Costa Rica reported a GDP of $50b USD, Panama reported a GDP of $46b USD, El Salvador reported a GDP of $25b USD. Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize have economies smaller than that of El Salvador.

    Mexico and Guatemala have populations of more than ten million people. The rest of the region reports per country populations of less than ten million people. Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize have populations of less than five million people. Mexico has a city with twenty million people. Guatemala has a city with three million people. The rest of the region reports largest cities under three million people. Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico have life expectancies over 75 years. Nicaragua has a life expectancy of 75 years.

    Mexico has an army of 325,000 soldiers. The rest of the region reported smaller armed forces personnel totals. Guatemala has an army of 42,000 soldiers, El Salvador has an army of 32,000. The rest of the region reported per country armies smaller than that of El Salvador. Mexico has a land area of 2m square km. Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala have land areas above 100,000 square km.

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