Monthly Meeting & Timely Topics - Venezuela and the curse of its oil

Venezuela has recently been in the news. From U.S. destruction of Venezuelan boats, to destroyers and a carrier strike group being moved to waters near Venezuela, to the awarding of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights for the Venezuelan people, Venezuela has lately been a focus of world attention.

We'll start with a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm, followed at 7:00 pm by video about Venezuela. With its vast buried oil you would expect the Venezuelan population to be wealthy and prosperous. Instead, its people are plagued by widespread poverty and oil pollution. After the video, Manny Ratafia will moderate a discussion. Please bring a dish to share. Coffee and tea will be provided. If you plan on bringing a baked dessert such as cake, pie or cookies, please do, but also please e-mail Manny Ratafia at [manny@ratafias.com](mailto:manny@ratafias.com) to let him know what you will be bringing. (In past similar events, there were too many baked goods.)