Your Weekend Reads From Bloomberg Politics

(Bloomberg) --

Nicholas Maduro’s presidency is facing a major threat in Venezuela, long-time Trump confidant Roger Stone has been charged with obstruction and witness tampering, and a crop of world leaders made its debut among the financial elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Take some time to dig deeper into these and other stories you may have missed during the frenzied news cycle – which also saw a deal to end the longest U.S. government shutdown in history – with the latest edition of Weekend Reads. 

U.S. Failed in Venezuela Last Time. It’s a Different World Now
When the U.S. rushed to endorse a military coup against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2002, it ended up with egg on its face. Marc Champion, Ilya Arkhipov, David Tweed and Firat Kozok explain what’s changed. 

Cocaine, Payola: How Maduro Keeps Top Military Brass in Line
Patricia Laya and Andrew Rosati map out the high-ranking Maduro allies who – according to the U.S. Treasury – are also drug runners and graft-schemers operating within the criminal enterprise that constitutes Venezuela’s government.

The Three Days That Now Matter in U.K. Parliament’s Brexit Chaos
Britain’s Parliament will try again to find a way through Brexit next week. Robert Hutton walks you through the dates that will matter most if things go as expected.

No-Losses Hedge Fund Got Sued by the SEC. Then the Shutdown Hit
The day after Christmas, a hedge-fund manager who promised to never lose investors’ money was accused of stealing from his clients by U.S. regulators. Simone Foxman and Matt Robinson look at how the government shutdown has put the case on hold.

A Novice No Longer, Italy’s Prime Minister Makes a Mark on Davos
Giuseppe Conte knew how to turn on the charm in Switzerland – offering to get Angela Merkel a coffee – and also pack a punch with a fiery address to the global elite. John Follain charts the Italian prime minister’s Davos debut. 

A New Gandhi Enters Politics and Shakes Up India’s Election
The freshest face in Indian politics looks a lot like one from the past. And it could haunt Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he mounts an increasingly fraught bid for re-election, Iain Marlow reports. 

For Black South Africans, Land Seizure Is a Question of Justice
A land-seizure debate is dividing South Africa and threatening to spook investors. But for many black citizens the issue isn’t about farming – it’s about justice, Antony Sguazzin and Amogelang Mbatha write. 

The Latest Official GDP Data From China Is Accurate. No, Really
The National Bureau of Statistics reading for the final quarter of 2018 aligns with independent metrics, but it’s too soon to conclude that Beijing is done massaging its numbers, Tom Orlik reports.

World’s Worst Economy Is a Threat to Mideast Rulers Rich or Poor
The region’s economies are running short of cash to placate struggling citizens. Alaa Shahine has the full story. 

And finally...It’s the end of an era for the Rothschilds. Once the Habsburg empire’s top financier, the family that started to do business in Vienna around 1815 is selling its last piece of land in Austria, closing a 200-year history that included booms, busts, crashes and wars.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.net

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.