Free Republic

Venezuela’s ousted dictator, Nicolás Maduro, was being held in a New York detention center Sunday as he awaited court proceedings on U.S. drug charges, a day after President Donald Trump ordered a raid to capture him and said the United States would take control of the oil-producing nation. Images of the 63-year-old Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed during his transfer to the United States stunned many Venezuelans and drew international criticism. The operation was Washington’s most contentious intervention in Latin America since the U.S. invasion of Panama 37 years ago. Maduro was scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan on...

From a Venezuelan journalist: Stop using these 3 phrases when you talk about Venezuela. https://twitter.com/DahliaKurtz/status/2007649585888673975?s=20 1 m 41 s !!!

Sorry about the source, Facebook, but it is the California Patriots Network. This gentleman makes an impassioned case about Venezuela and what is really happening and it isn’t about oil, as the mainstream press insists. https://www.facebook.com/reel/2003749590406462

California's gas prices have reached crisis levels—and drivers across the Golden State are demanding answers. This video exposes the complex web of factors keeping California's fuel costs the highest in the nation. Discover how the state's strict refinery requirements, low-carbon fuel standards, and environmental regulations create a perfect storm for sky-high prices at the pump. Learn why California's unique fuel blend can only be produced by a handful of refineries, how the Cap-and-Trade program adds hidden costs to every gallon, and why even minor supply disruptions send prices skyrocketing. We'll explore the refinery shutdowns threatening California's fuel supply, the oligopoly...

Before handing Gavin Newsom the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, Democrats may want to pause and consider his long record of failure in California. From his mishandling of the January wildfires to his coddling of illegal immigrants, his poor governance has led to a collapse of public confidence and a mass exodus from the Golden State. But buried beneath the broader criticism is an often overlooked central failure: Newsom’s policy decisions have made California an increasingly hostile state in which to conduct business. And few industries have suffered more under California’s regulatory assault than fossil fuels, where relentless overreach...

Chevron, Valero and Phillips 66 leaving/closing down.

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the operator of Truth Social, has agreed to an all-stock merger with nuclear fusion firm TAE Technologies, valued at roughly $6 billion. The deal is a strategic pivot to address the massive electricity demand from the artificial intelligence sector, transforming the social media company into a vertically integrated tech and energy giant. The new entity plans to build a 50-megawatt fusion pilot plant starting in 2026, marking an attempt to become one of the first publicly traded commercial fusion energy firms... ...The deal, which is set to close in mid-2026, would create one of...

The blast took place just outside of the bustling LAX airport and was seen for miles across Los Angeles after it ignited at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo, police said. Firefighters arrived to the scene at around 9:35pm local time, several minutes after people in surrounding areas reported hearing a loud blast.

LOS ANGELES - A massive fire erupted Thursday night at a refinery in Southern California. Firefighters were dispatched around 9:35 p.m. to the Chevron refinery in El Segundo after receiving calls of smoke in the area. Images from SkyFOX show large flames shooting through the refinery. Several people said they heard a loud bang, saying it felt like an earthquake or sounded like a plane crash since the refinery is near LAX. ***snip***The history behind Chevron's refinery Dig deeper: The refinery spans two-square-miles, supplying more than 40% of jet fuel and more than 20% of motor vehicle fuel across all...

A $744 million jury verdict in Louisiana is at the center of a coordinated legal effort to force oil companies to pay billions of dollars to ameliorate the erosion of land in Louisiana, offset climate change and more. Proponents say the payments are overdue, but critics say the lawsuits will hike energy costs for all Americans and are wrongly supplanting the state and federal regulatory framework already in place. In the Louisiana case in question, Plaquemines Parish sued Chevron alleging that oil exploration off the coast decades ago led to the erosion of Louisiana’s coastline. A jury ruled Friday that...

Deportation flights to Venezuela resumed on Sunday after a weeks-long standoff between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, signaling a deal had been reached between the two countries. A flight carrying 199 illegal aliens – including members of the violent Tren de Aragua (TDA) gang – to Venezuela landed Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Fox News Digital. The Trump administration has vowed to strike a deal with the Venezuelan government to accept flights carrying deportees from the United States, but has been limited in the regularity of the transfers after President Nicholás Maduro halted the...

HOUSTON, March 10 (Reuters) - Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab would like to see durability in U.S. energy policy rather than swings from one extreme to another, CEO Mike Wirth said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump's first weeks in office during his second term have been marked by a rapid overhaul of government and the reversal of many energy policies of the previous administration. Many of those policy changes have come through executive orders from the president rather than through legislation. Policy reversals have had a direct impact on Chevron. Late last month, Trump said he was ending a...

The Trump administration on Tuesday gave Chevron 30 days to stop oil production in Venezuela after Washington accused President Nicolas Maduro of not making progress on electoral reforms and migrant returns. President Trump reversed a Biden-era license that allowed the oil giant to operate in Venezuela despite US sanctions – a U-turn from January when the White House appeared to be making progress with Maduro. The Treasury Department gave the US-based oil giant an April 3 deadline to pull up stakes, much quicker than the usual six-month wind-down period. “Closing down Chevron’s operations in a month is an almost impossible...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five former secretaries of defense are calling on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump’s recent firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The five men — who represented Republican and Democratic administrations over the past three decades — said the dismissals were alarming, raised “troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military” and removed legal constraints on the president’s power. Late last week, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of...

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A permit issued by the United States government allowing energy giant Chevron Corp. to pump and export Venezuelan oil will be terminated this week, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, ending what became a financial lifeline for the South American country. Trump’s announcement in his Truth Social network accused the government of President Nicolás Maduro of not meeting democratic conditions for last year’s July presidential election as well as of not moving fast enough to transport back to Venezuela immigrants set for deportation. “We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro,...

Last-minute Biden regulations expected to cost consumers $450 more, one analysis shows... The Biden administration finalized climate regulations to ban most natural gas-powered instantaneous water heaters—a move that critics say will drive up costs for consumers. The Department of Energy—which formally published the rules the day after Christmas—didn’t issue a press release announcing the action, a departure from past appliance regulations. The published rules say the regulations are expected to help the climate by curbing carbon dioxide emissions. Overall, under the regulations, roughly 40 percent of the new tankless water heaters available in the United States today will be taken...

Short on the heels of another major refinery closure, Valero signaled it is considering closing its two California refineries that produce over 14% of the state’s gasoline. Refinery closures already have the state importing 8% of its gasoline supply, which means the state could soon have to significantly increase its imports of refined products such as gasoline, on top of its existing reliance on the Middle East and South America for the majority of its crude oil. Valero announced its profit is down significantly due to very low margins from its refinery business, prompting a question during its earning call...

Meanwhile in the Democrat hellhole of California… California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to hold Big Oil accountable – only it will lead to gas shortages and price hikes. Big Oil “has been screwing you for decades,” Newsom said. “Price spikes have cost Californians billions of dollars over the years, and we’re not waiting around for the industry to do the right thing,” Newsom said. “We’re taking action to prevent these price spikes and save consumers money at the pump,” he said. The bill passed the California Assembly last week with a 41-16 vote. Many Democrats did not...

In the last month, two more major companies headquartered in the Bay Area announced that they would be leaving for presumably greener pastures out of state. One was the energy giant Chevron, and the other was X, the social media company that has been owned by Elon Musk since 2022. The Bay Area Council, a business advocacy group, seized on the moment to repeat a critique it has made on numerous occasions: “It’s an embarrassment for California that we’ve lost so many global companies because of misguided policies that make it incredibly difficult to do business here,” president and CEO...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge has weakened the Biden administration’s effort to use a historic civil rights law to fight industrial pollution alleged to have taken a heavier toll on minority communities in Louisiana. U.S. District Judge James David Cain of Lake Charles handed down the ruling Thursday, permanently blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing what are known as “disparate impact” requirements on the state.... In its lawsuit, the state argued that the Biden administration’s plans went beyond the scope of Title VI.... The state also said the policy is discriminatory because it would allow regulation of...