Journalist | @Arsenal sufferer | Junior Editor @CaracasChron
Caracas, Venezuela
Joined November 2018
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- Following1.5K
- Followers417
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Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 More positive news: Juan Carlos Apitz is applying to become a TSJ judge. He's the law dean at UCV, where he teaches procedural and constitutional law.
Dr. Apitz served as a judge on the highest administrative court until 2003—Chávez purged him over rulings against the gov.
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Dr. Apitz criticized the amnesty bill in a room with Jorge Rodríguez and Nicolasito in February. Most lawmakers were locked out of the draft text.
He warned that a law without an apology to victims, guarantees of non-repetition or reparations cannot lead to reconciliation.
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
The blue wave is also a major step toward the 2028 race, with names like Ossoff, AOC and Newsom in the mix. @AndreaMesaN argues that while none of them knows 🇻🇪 particularly well, what matters is forging a shared vision for elections and democracy👇 caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Boom. Juan Manuel Raffalli is also seeking a seat on the TSJ—one of 🇻🇪 most prominent constitutional lawyers and institutional advisers.
A professor at UCAB/IESA/UCV and partner at law firm RdHOO, Dr. Raffalli advised the oppo during negotiations with the Maduro regime.
El abogado constitucionalista, Juan Manuel Raffalli (@juanraffalli), se postulará como magistrado al Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, así me lo ha confirmado en #ShirleyRadio este jueves.
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Casal, Apitz and now Raffalli in the running for seats on Venezuela’s Supreme Court.
Not bad at all.
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
Mi análisis de los resultados de las midterm y su impacto para Venezuela
¡Leo su opinión en los comentarios!
🫓 After last night, we expect Trump to double down on Venezuela as a foreign policy win. However, Democrats will gain subpoena and budgetary powers they can use to pressure Rubio and demand results from the talks in Caracas.
@AndreaMesaN's new analysis👇 caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 After last night, we expect Trump to double down on Venezuela as a foreign policy win. However, Democrats will gain subpoena and budgetary powers they can use to pressure Rubio and demand results from the talks in Caracas.
@AndreaMesaN's new analysis👇 caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
“La línea que puede funcionar para los demócratas es aceptar que lo ocurrido el 3E no tiene vuelta atrás, al mismo tiempo que se exige que el orden de prioridades cambie. Es decir, elecciones libres y liberación de presos antes que contratos petroleros”.
caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 A quick poll on 🇻🇪 after the Democrats’ 🔵 congressional victory . What do you think the outcome of last night’s “blue wave” will be for Venezuela?
12%Turmoil—Delcy capitalizes
45%Dems press—little changes
38%Dems will work with Rubio
5%Dems will back Delcy
213 votes • 4 days Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Positive news today: Dr. Jesús María Casal has applied to become a judge on Venezuela’s Supreme Court (TSJ).
A constitutional scholar and former UCAB law dean, Casal led the 2023 National Primary Commission, successfully organizing the vote despite CNE/regime pressures.
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
For Machado, these are the crown jewels of the ongoing negotiations:
▪️ The “robust” TSJ
▪️ A “nonpolitical” CNE
▪️ Restitution of political parties
▪️ Vente’s registration
▪️ The lifting of her disqualification
Each step will test her👇caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 The Democratic Party is poised to take over the House and might, just might, win the Senate.
▪️ Could a Dem House majority help Venezuelans?
▪️ Why is an MCM ally struggling in Florida?
▪️ How have Dems responded to Trump’s 🇻🇪 policy?
caracaschronicles.com/2026/0…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
Caracas Chronicles acaba de lanzar algo que a todos los venezolanos nos debería mover.
Donde y qué hacen todos esos campos mineros en la Guayana nuestra.
Una región más grande que países europeos al servicio de la arbitrariedad.
🫓 Introducing ORIGIN UNKNOWN.
If you're interested in Venezuela's mining region—its history, criminal groups, trade routes, and ecological impact—Harvard students @Raul_RomeroM (🇻🇪) and Cristóbal Ayala (🇲🇽) partnered with @SOSOrinoco to create this brilliant, immersive tool.
It took them less than two months to build, yet it's so rich in detail, data, and journalistic sources. Well done to this talented team❤️👇
originunknown.org/01-splash/
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Introducing ORIGIN UNKNOWN.
If you're interested in Venezuela's mining region—its history, criminal groups, trade routes, and ecological impact—Harvard students @Raul_RomeroM (🇻🇪) and Cristóbal Ayala (🇲🇽) partnered with @SOSOrinoco to create this brilliant, immersive tool.
It took them less than two months to build, yet it's so rich in detail, data, and journalistic sources. Well done to this talented team❤️👇
originunknown.org/01-splash/
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 While Trump keeps toying with the 51st, @nytimes says Rubio is looking to secure a long-term US military presence in Venezuela.
@DanielBlancoPaz told us today that the Pentagon might be working with the FANB under the “Train, Advise and Assist” framework, which involves liaising with local forces without necessarily taking direct command of their operations.
The Trump administration is negotiating an agreement with Venezuela that would lay the foundation for a potential long-term US military presence in the country.
The State Department under Rubio is leading the talks on the military pact, known as a status of forces agreement, or SOFA.
nytimes.com/2026/11/03/us/po…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 The Rodríguez legislature is witnessing an absurd spectacle where chavista negotiator Pedro Infante justifies the continued existence of the Anti-Hatred Law on the grounds of a “recent history of bigotry and violence.”
Maduro agents killed +250 people during the periods of social unrest he alludes to.
#03Nov || Primer Vicepresidente de la AN, Diputado Pedro Infante:
"Reforma de Ley contra el Odio busca equilibrar dos posiciones en tensión"
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 Apure has been a battleground for drug routes and mineral trafficking involving FANB and guerrillas.
In 2021, a FARC dissident faction attacked the Army, which had been favouring the Segunda Marquetalia group. Humiliation was total for Padrino López👇caracaschronicles.com/2021/0…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
🫓 This happened on Friday, reportedly leaving 19 fatalities, all on the ELN side, along the Apure-🇨🇴 border. On Saturday, @FundaREDES_ reported a FANB offensive in the Los Pijiguaos area (Bolívar) known for its bauxite deposits.
Unlike after the “kinetic strike” on Niño Guerrero, neither 🇺🇸 nor Delcy/FANB has said anything so far.
An as yet unconfirmed report that the Venezuelan military bombed an ELN camp in Apure near the Colombian border yesterday.
ELN and FARC to continue to operate in areas that saw heavy fighting in 2021 that resulted in the deaths of multiple Venezuelan soldiers
#Venezuela
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
In Rodeo I, detainees were stripped naked, crammed into groups of 15 inside an underground water tank, and left in total darkness for days or even months.
Guards passed food and water through a narrow slit once a day. They called it the Time Machine👇
caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…
Cristóbal Picón Ball retweeted
“An effective domestic presence not only requires a positive influence on the TSJ and CNE designations, but also building trust with a key constituency that was punished (and manipulated) by chavismo: the 🇻🇪 private sector.”
MCM's new challenges👇
caracaschronicles.com/2026/1…