Starbucks recently opened a shop in Caracas. It was an instant hit. Social media got inundated with the news, as sure sign that Venezuela is back on the mend. In other news, many sources report that Caracas looks different. There are bodegones (delis) popping all over the place. Restaurants and night clubs are filled with beautiful people. Some avenues in East Caracas are lit again, as part of a beautification effort launched by local authorities. The greenback is king... 

On 10 December this site revealed Roger Carsten's visit to Caracas:

@StateDept’s @StateSPEHA flew to Caracas aboard “Ebola plane” #N173PA to negotiate release of some political prisoners of @NicolasMaduro

When it comes to foreign policy blunders that can't be hidden from view, it doesn’t really matter who inhabits the White House: Venezuela is a source of endless embarrassment.

A top official of Boris Johnson's government lives right next door to a tool of Vladimir Putin. The Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP is described in official UK government pages as "The Right Honourable Jacob Rees-Mogg is the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council.