The Santa Claus of the Cota…

Venezuela’s cuisine is as diverse as its culture. However, when the most beautiful time of the year arrives “Christmas” it is stylized to prepare some delicious recipes. For this reason the importance of knowing in detail the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas.

These typical Venezuelan Christmas dishes conquer the palate of its people. But it’s not all about savoring each of these delights. But in the preparation of these, as is the case with the findings that each family member performs a specific task.

All this process was enjoyed by Gustavo Mirabal during his childhood, adolescence and adulthood with his family. As this young man grew up he assumed other roles in the development of the hallacas.

Throughout the national territory they delight in the hallacas, chicken salad. In addition, ham bread, pernil, black cake, milk candy among others.

Without a doubt each of these dishes are very tasty, however each of them leads a complex elaboration process.

Christmas is a very special time when the Birth of the Child Jesus is celebrated. For this reason it is ideal to share and enjoy with family.

For this reason to celebrate this great event is always made of succulent dishes typical of Venezuelan Christmas.

The hallaca is one of the main dishes typical of Venezuelan Christmas

The development of the hallacas is an event in most Venezuelan families.

It is very common to hear the following motto in Venezuelans:

“My mom’s “hallacas” are the best”

Today, when there are so many Venezuelans around the world, these traditions have been internationalized. In this way they dare to prepare their own versions.

This being a way to preserve the traditions of typical Venezuelan Christmas dishes.

A complex process is required to enjoy this succulent Christmas dish.

• In principle, a budget should be drawn up based on the number of findings to be made
• Then the selection of each of the ingredients, seeking quality levels in these.
• Already having all the ingredients at home, we proceed to the elaboration of the stew. In this sense it will vary depending on the region of the country. Well, there are regions where they cook the foundies with raw stew.
• There are other variants in terms of ingredients, but this varies from the area.
• The day after the stew is made comes the wrapping, mooring and then the cooking of the hallacas.
• All family members participate throughout this process by distributing the tasks.
• All this task is enjoyed by placing music all theusive to Christmas and as a drink to share.

The Christmas Bun – Typical Venezuelan Christmas Dishes

The “bollito navideño”, “bollo navideño” or Venezuelan Christmas Bun is a derivative of the Venezuelan Christmas hallaca. It is easier to make and is also visually more appealing to children.

Many children don’t like hallaca because they see the pieces of onion, paprika, among others. In the Christmas bun, all the dressings are chopped very small and in this way they do not generate displeasure in children.

In addition, the elaboration of the hallaca is quite laborious to assemble. The bun takes the same ingredients and mixes them so that they are more or less homogeneous, significantly reducing the work.

Also, in some houses it is customary to make buns with the stew that is available from making the hallacas. In the same way, the leftover dressings and the leaves of the banana tree that were not in condition for the hallacas are used. In this way, the buns turn out to be smaller than the hallacas.

The size of the buns reinforces their role as “Christmas food for the kids” or also as a snack at parties.

When they are used as snacks, the buns are cooked and when they are taken out, they are chopped into squares and served with chopsticks. Really, as a passing, they turn out to be a delicacy.

The typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas are very tasty and elaborate, a luxury Christmas gastronomy. That’s why we’ll tell you how Christmas buns are made.

Recipe for Venezuelan Christmas Buns

In general, making Venezuelan Christmas buns means taking the hallaca dough and mixing it with the hallaca stew and dressings. But all this is chopped into small pieces, both the stew and the dressings.

In this way, we comply with making a homogeneous and well-distributed mixture. It is then wrapped in the leaves of the hallacas to give that characteristic taste and tied with the famous wick (cooking thread). A funny thing is that the task of tying the hallacas is always delegated to the gentlemen of the family, or to the children who are a little old for this “enormous responsibility”.

Without a doubt, it is a tradition that “wraps them all in banana leaves”.

Chicken salad is part of typical Venezuelan Christmas dishes

This chicken salad recipe is a favorite, which serves as a complement to accompany the hallaca.

It is usually done a little before lunch or dinner as the case may be.

This element of the main course of Christmas carries as ingredients:

• Potato, carrot, boiled eggs, chicken breast or shredded chicken
• Mayonnaise, peas among others.

Potatoes, carrots and eggs should be cooked in relation to the preparation. Separately, the breast is placed to cook.

Once cooked, it is allowed to cool and then it is chopped and all ingredients except mayonnaise or dressing that apply to it are added.

Ham bread a delicacy of typical Venezuelan Christmas dishes

The ham bread that serves completely on Christmas plate of the good night is a delight.

But we don’t have to wait until Christmas if we want to eat it.  Well, in most bakeries they start selling it before the beginning of December.

For this reason it is a tradition that has gradually become increasingly important.

The preparation of ham bread goes through several stages that we will mention below:

• The dough is first prepared taking into account that it takes a while to wait for it to grow.
• Then stretch with a roller and add ham, chopped olives and raisins
• Subsequently comes the baking process.

Without a doubt it is a very exquisite bread thus becoming a favorite of the Holiday season.

Ham bread has different variants. That’s why we can find some with turkey or puff pastry.

Pork’s leg or “pernil”.

Just as the finds this element of the Christmas dish also carries a complex process of elaboration.

This preparation can take several hours, the result being a succulent dish.

It is usually one or two people who are responsible for the preparation of the pig’s pernil, as it knows too.

The meat should be juicy and at its point. After maceration and many hours in the oven.

The preparation of the pork’s leg, to which are added different adobos, fine herbs.

In addition to a special touch with wine or beer. This is part of the typical christmas dishes for brekfast, after New year’s Eve, a pork’s leg sandwich.

Holiday Ham (In Spanish “Jamón Planchado”)

Holiday Ham is used to accompany the Christmas dish or to fill some ham breads. Generally, it is chosen to use smoked ham or ironed ham to make the typical Venezuelan ham bread, which we talked about earlier.

Holiday Ham is a variant that has a sweet layer. This layer, in addition to sealing the ham for its conservation, gives it a sweet touch that contrasts with the salty ham, causing a delicious sensation.

Today’s Holiday Ham is a derivation of true traditional smoked ham. And it is that the Holiday Ham of yesteryear was cured with cinnamon, fruit juices, guava leaves and sugar. With the use of an iron griddle, it was sealed using heat and different juices to create an outer layer that allowed the ham to be preserved.

This ham was imported from New York and the whole process was carried out in an artisanal way.

With the passage of time, the accelerated way of life of Venezuelan cities people had little time to prepare Holiday Ham. Companies discovered this taste for ironed ham and began to manufacture it industrially.

The current Holiday Ham is made through a glazing process that creates a sweet layer causing effects like the previous process. It is usually served with pineapple slices and cherries to decorate and is one of the great typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas.

This is the sweet touch that every Christmas dish needs along with the traditional ham bread.

Main dish on Christmas Eve: the Hallaca

The main dish in December 24th at the Venezuelan Table is: La Hallaca, chicken salad, pig’s pernil and ham bread. You can also add ironed ham if desired or the ham bread may already be made using ironed ham.

Each of the elements of these dishes we have mentioned in detail.

On the other hand, there are desserts such as sweet of “Lechoza” and black cake. These are some of Gustavo Mirabal Castro’s favorite desserts since he was a kid. Well, his mother made them for this Christmas season.

We can see that each of the components of Christmas gastronomy in Venezuela are a delicacy to the palate.

Black Roast

This is a typical Venezuelan Christmas meal. The dish is made with a cut of meat called in Venezuela “round boy” which in English is called “Long, tube shaped eye of the round” and comes from the back of the beef. Some also do it with another cut called a square boy or paper.

The traditional presentation consists of a cylindrical cut that is filleted. The slices of meat are placed in a dark sauce based on “papelón”, dressings, wine and meat juices.

To do this, the meat is prepared in a mixture of “papelón”, spices or dressings and wine. On this mixture when caramelize, the meat is placed on each side to seal the meat with the caramel. That candy must be almost burnt.

One of the most important spices of Venezuelan cuisine is sweet chili.

In this case the sauce in which the meat is cooked is made from wine, chili, paper. This mixture gives a sweet taste to the preparation.

After sealing it through all parts, pour all the sauce and let it cook for a good while.

Some preparations also choose to marinate the meat before sealing it.

Each black roast recipe is unique. Every family and every chef does it their own way. The spice mixture, ways to cook roasted in a frying pan or oven.

The companions of the Black roast

Some rely on a good ration of vegetables. Olives are also sometimes added as it is a taste that in Venezuela is associated with Christmas.

Many proceed to prepare it from the previous day by marin it in wine or beer along with varied spices.

This dish is usually served accompanied by side dishes of white rice and slices. The slice is the ripe banana sliced and fried.

Others accompany the dish with various salads or mashed potatoes. Among the favorite salads is:

• Chicken salad based on potatoes, carrots and chicken.
• A mixed salad based on onion, lettuce and sliced tomato.

Without a doubt one of the great typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas

Desserts and Sweet dishes typical of Venezuelan Christmas

Certainly not only of main dishes lives man. Desserts, especially at Christmas, are part of the traditions of all cultures.

For Venezuelans, the typical sweet at Christmas is no exception. We certainly don’t just talk about the sweet touch at the end of lunch or dinner.

There is also an alcoholic beverage that has made Venezuela famous in the world. Yes, we mean Eliodoro González’s fabulous cream punch.

This cream punch has made us famous for its quality. But those who know Venezuela know that each region gives it its own touch.

Without further ado we will talk about the sweet touches of Venezuelan Christmas.

Papaya Sweet

We start with the sweet papaya, the sweet that accompanies the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas.

This sweet is the product of cooking the green papaya in a caramel prepared with sugar or paper.

Like it’s papaya in syrup. One of its main features is its texture as it is cut into thin strips to give it its typical appearance.

The cooking of papaya in sugar or paper is also done with different variants. This is how sweet spices such as cloves or guavanites are used.

Without a doubt a dessert or sweet dish typical of Venezuelan Christmas that you should not miss try.

A drink for Christmas – The cream punch

If there is a drink to accompany the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas (other than pepsi-cola) is the cream punch.

It serves to accompany meals or to toast when the new year arrives. Eliodoro Gonzalez has managed to position The Cream Punch as a luxury drink worldwide.

However, there is not only the cream punch of Eliodoro González because in each region of Venezuela punch is produced in different ways.

Venezuelan cream punch is a creamy drink made from Rum. In some places they make it based on custard giving it a very special and lasting touch.

However, traditional punch is made with egg cooking to create suspended microparticles. In this way it is given its creamy consistency.

In some places we can find coffee or cocoa punches. This idea typical of Venezuelan genius was also taken by Eliodoro González who for a few years has been marketing a version of his famous coffee-flavored punch.

Torta Negra (Black Cake in english) or Venezuelan Christmas cake

Although it is not a recipe of Venezuelan origin, the truth is that the black cake is an acquired tradition.

The recipe for “torta Negra” has Spanish origin. Since among the Venezuelan cultural roots is the Spanish culture, it is ours too.

It is one of the favorite dishes to accompany Christmas dinner. Its sweet and bitter touch of cooked sugar gives it a very special seasoning.

The black cake is perfect for people who are celebrating with alcoholic beverages because it does not have such an intense sweet.

It is also consumed in some regions of Argentina and Colombia. It is usually made in round and high shape and is accompanied with nuts.

The base of black cake is wheat flour, milk, butter, salt, and brown sugar. There are also those who choose to make it with paper. The “papelón” is an artisanal way of presenting cane sugar in “panelas” or blocks as if it were a brick.

Thanks to the color of brown sugar or “papelón” and cooking, the cake acquires that dark touch that is characteristic of it.

In the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina there is a festival dedicated to the black cake. In this festival huge black cakes are made and contests are held. This type of festival is held in other areas such as the town of Buenos Aires called Rafael Lavalle.

One of the most important differences in the elaboration of Venezuelan black cake is the maceration of nuts and candied fruits.

In Venezuela, fruits are left to soak in liquor to soften them and add flavor. This process is done in a glass jar to prevent the flavors from being altered. This container is reserved in a refrigerated and dark place.

The candied fruits of the black cake or Venezuelan Christmas Cake

Definitely, the macerated fruits make the difference in the Venezuelan black cake. Among the fruits that are used are:

• Raisins
• Prunes
• Miscellaneous candied fruits
• Almonds
• Nuts
• Cherries
• Sultana raisins
• Dates

For the maceration of fruits tends to use sweet liqueurs. Among the most used first is Venezuelan rum. Other liqueurs that are also widely used are gin, and orange and strawberry liqueurs.

The longer the fruits are macerated, the more flavor they acquire. Sometimes they even macerate for several months or even a year.

Another element that differentiates the Venezuelan black cake is that chocolate is added to reinforce the color but also to give it a great flavor.

The ingredients of the black cake

The ingredients of the black cake are the key to differentiating it. Next

• Two and a half cups of all-purpose or self-rising wheat flour. In case of using all-purpose flour remember to add the baking powder.
• Two cups of papelón or brown sugar
• 210 gr. margarine or butter
• 5 eggs
• Half a cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 small bar of dark chocolate
• Tablespoon and a half of baking powder, if using all-purpose flour.
• Pinch of salt
• You can add a pinch of cinnamon or other sweet spices.

Additionally, macerated fruits are added, which are the special touch of the Venezuelan black cake.

Without a doubt it is one of the tastiest and most typical recipes of Venezuelan Christmas. If you want to try the “torta Negra”, one of the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas you will not regret it.

Pannetone

The pannetone is of Italian origin, specifically from the Milan area. In Latin America and Spain, it is known as “panetón”. It is also called in some countries Easter bread or sweet bread.

It is a soft sweet bread made with brioche-like dough with a cupcake or giant ponquecito shape. Pannetone is usually filled with candied fruits or raisins or with the mixture of both.

Among the candied fruits traditionally used are citron, orange, and lemon. Also, in Venezuela you can use lechoza and cherries.

Even in some countries like Venezuela the Panetón is filled with chocolate drops.

It is dome-shaped, and the dough is made with strength flour, sourdough or fresh yeast, eggs, butter and sugar.

This traditional dessert originates from the Milan region. Its origins date back to the 15th century.

Thanks to the Italian immigrants who fled the world war, it became popular in Latin America.  One of the countries where panettone is most popular is Peru.

In Peru the pannetone is so popular that it is not only associated with Christmas and the end of the year. Pannetone is also consumed in Peru on its national festivities.

Pannetone has become internationalized and competition and production in different parts of the world is important

In Venezuela you can not miss the Pannetone on the table of December 24 and the end of the year. Without a doubt an Italian delight that has conquered the table of Venezuelans.

The Christmas rosca, one of the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas.

The Venezuelan Christmas cake is one of the most interesting and delicious Christmas sweets. However, it is not so common one might think.

This traditional Christmas sweet is derived from the Spanish tradition of the rosca de reyes. Let us remember that Spanish immigration had a great influence on Venezuelan gastronomy.

That is why today we will review the history of the rosca de reyes and learn about the peculiarities of the Venezuelan Christmas rosca.

The Venezuelan Christmas rosca, a distant descendant of the rosca de reyes

The Rosca de Reyes is a tradition that had its origins in the Middle Ages. Born in European countries such as France and Spain, a short time later, she arrived in Latin America during the conquest.

The rosca de reyes is a tradition that consists of breaking a rosca de pan. This bread cake is characterized by having a circular shape symbolizing the eternal love of God, which has no beginning or end.

The story goes that the three “Kings of the East” found the Child Jesus, who was three days old. The wise men prostrated themselves before the child and gave him the three offerings: frankincense, myrrh and gold.

That day when the Three Wise Men finally meet the Child Jesus is called epiphany. This meeting is symbolized in the Rosca de Reyes through the following elements:

• The circular shape of the rosca represents the infinite circle of love for God.
• Dried fruits symbolize the jewels in the crowns of the Three Kings.
• The doll hidden inside the rosca represents the Baby Jesus.

Similarities and differences between the Venezuelan Christmas rosca and the rosca de reyes

The doll hidden inside the rosca is one of the most symbolic elements of the rosca de reyes. This element is not present in the Venezuelan Christmas rosca. This is because the Venezuelan Christmas rosca is consumed throughout Christmas and not only on Three Kings Day.

On the other hand, the Venezuelan Christmas rosca tends to be more humid, and its texture resembles that of a panettone.

A delicious tradition that also enriches the culture and faith of Venezuelans.

Venezuelan Christmas trunk

Venezuelan cuisine is characterized by a miscegenation as intense as that of the Venezuelan population. Thanks to this, Venezuelan cuisine contains recipes that have become the heritage of the Venezuelan and yet have a foreign origin.

With Venezuelan pizzas, hot dogs, or hamburgers, we see that the Venezuelan knows how to give it its national touch. Ingredients like grated salad and Parmesan cheese in dogs, or egg and avocado in burgers make them a delicacy.

That is why it is not surprising that the Venezuelan Christmas trunk is of French origin. Let us also remember that the country had a very marked influence of French culture during the presidency of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. Venezuelan words like “musiú” (derived from the monsieur) or “creyón” (derived from the French crayon meaning pencil).

The French Christmas trunk is traditionally a flexible sponge cake that is rolled filled and covered with chocolate. In Venezuela it can also be filled with arequipe and to maintain the idea of the trunk it is also covered with chocolate.

It is certainly a delicious preparation and a dessert that decorated can delight diners. This dessert seeks to resemble a trunk of those used in fireplaces in the winter season, ideal for December.

The Venezuelan always knows how to add his own touch to Christmas and world gastronomy. Another dish that has become a typical Venezuelan Christmas dish in its own right.

Dishes “less typical” of Venezuelan Christmas

At Christmas there are numerous typical dishes in each country. In Venezuela we have presented the most representative of Christmas in Venezuela. However, there are other delicious dishes that are typical of Venezuelan Christmas but are less common and known. Today we will do you the honor of mentioning them and giving you some tips so that you know them

Next, the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas less common.

Stuffed Turkey

The Stuffed Turkey in the Venezuelan Christmas is displaced by the so-called Christmas dish. The Christmas dish with “hallaca”, ham bread, chicken salad and ham leg is the star of Christmas. However, turkey sometimes replaces ham leg or can become a main dish. It is not one of the typical traditions, but it has become a regular visitor to the table during Christmas.

Stuffed turkey has multiple ways to be prepared, so today we will present some alternatives for this delicious dish.

The first step is to choose a turkey with a good size. It is suggested that the turkey be between 3.5 and 5 kilos. This turkey should be natural. If it is a frozen turkey, we must ensure that it is well thawed.

Thawed turkey can be marinated in different combinations. One of the options is to use the juice of a citrus fruit that can be lemon, orange, pineapple, passion fruit or a mixture of them. Citrus juice mixed with salt, pepper, chives, celery, coriander, and parsley. Some recipes also use thyme or rosemary, although we do not recommend it.

You should “prick” the turkey everywhere sprinkle it with the mixture to marinate it. This turkey is reserved in the fridge until the next day to leave it juicy.

Fundamentally in the preparation of the turkey varies in the filling. Depending on the filling, a different flavor is acquired. Here are some recipes for turkey stuffing.

Stuffing for pig turkey, bacon, and raisins.

Fry the bacon with onion and garlic cut into small pieces to extract the flavor. This is added to ground pig meat with salt and pepper to taste to cook it together. When the meat is quite cooked, raisins are added with red or white wine, depending on the taste.

Stuffed with pork and beef with apple

Cook the pork and beef with the onion and apples in wine with salt and pepper to taste. Add wine and cinnamon to both the meat and the inside of the turkey to give it flavor. Before filling it, you can add a glass of sherry to the cooked meat and a little cinnamon and reduce.

Stuffed with nuts

This recipe is made with a smaller turkey, estimating between 2 and 3 kilos, given the density of the nuts. Among the nuts that we can use are raisins, apricots, pine nuts, plums, walnuts, and almonds. The first step is to fry apple pieces with onion and the nut mixture of your choice for 6 minutes and then add a glass of sweet liquor and cinnamon. Among the sweet liquors we can choose rum, a sweet wine, brandy, or orange liqueur to then reduce. It is called reducing the action of cooking until the liquid evaporates a little and concentrates the flavor.

The Art of Turkey Stuffing

The stuffing is placed inside the turkey and the legs are tied to prevent the stuffing from escaping, but also to protect it from cooking the turkey. This is done so that the turkey stuffing does not dry out during the cooking of this delicious dish

These delicious Stuffings with the turkey have everything to become a Christmas tradition in any family. However, in Venezuela turkey is much less common than chicken and therefore has not become so popular.

The essence of the typical dishes of Venezuelan Christmas

The important thing about these typical Venezuelan Christmas dishes is to enjoy family preparation.

When you enjoy every step of these delicacies it is a privilege for Venezuelans. Gustavo Mirabal loves venezuelan christmas food.

The ideal of the Christmas season is to enjoy in the company of family and friends these wonderful moments.

Another aspect is to be supportive of others, for time to share. So don’t hesitate to share a Christmas plate with someone in vulnerable conditions. Well, there’s the essence of true Christmas…

Sources:

https://gustavomirabalcastro.online/venezuela/platos-tipicos-de-la-navidad-venezolana/

Gustavo Mirabal and his academic and professional education

The successful Venezuelan Gustavo Mirabal is an amateur rider who has left the tricolor of Venezuela high. It should be noted that this man emphasized having an excellent academic background and therefore his professional success has been overwhelming. That is why in this installment we will focus on the education and professional career that Gustavo Mirabal has had in his life.

We know that what world leaders have said about education is the most powerful tool to change the world. In this sense, we can say that a country arises when the foundations of education are solid.

A solid education guarantees that the human talent that is generated has the necessary skills and competencies to practice in the specific areas, for which they have studied both in university studies and postgraduate studies.

For them it is of utmost importance that the state guarantees a quality education for its inhabitants with it will have as a reward highly trained personnel for jobs thus contributing to the development of the nation. It is in this sense, Gustavo Mirabal took his academic training very seriously.

At first, he studied at the Staunton Military School and later at the Judson School

In this sense Gustavo Mirabal course university studies at the prestigious private university “Santa Maria”. From this house of studies, he graduated as a lawyer in 1988.

After that, it has continued to maintain a process of continuous training in the areas of law, finance and sports. Well, Gustavo Mirabal considers himself a continuous learner, and we will talk about that later.

So, we can see that the discipline and perseverance of Gustavo Mirabal made him graduate from the university in the corresponding time.

Staunton Military Academy

Within the academic training that the Venezuelan Gustavo Mirabal course is the Stauton Military Academy.

The Staunton Military Academy was a private military institute exclusively for men. This institution was located in the city of Staunton Virginia.  Founded in 1884 which closed in the late 70s.

The school was highly valued for its academic and military curricula. In this institution they studied a few political and military leaders of the United States. These were important graduates, including the 1964 presidential candidate, Senator Barry Goldwater.

Likewise, in this institution were graduated:

• Phil Oach, ’60s folk singer Phil Ochs, with a style similar to Bob Dylan with songs against the Vietnam War
• John Dean, a White House lawyer who was a central figure in the Watergate scandal in the early seventies.

A gallery devoted to the school’s tradition is located on its former campus. It is now part of Mary Baldwin University. Throughout its tradition, the academy was referred to by students, faculty, and Staunton residents simply by its initials, SMA (Stauton Military Academy).

The closure of the Stauton Military Academy

The school struggled with its state funding in the mid-’60s. It participated in the “Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps” (JROTC) program and therefore received state resources. These resources helped her to maintain herself and also to train with excellence.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 required schools that received state resources to integrate racially. Although they already admitted Latinos and Asians, their board still refused to accept African Americans.

The refusal of the Stauton Military Academy to racial integration led to the withdrawal of state programs and funding.

In 1973 the nearly bankrupt academy was sold to a non-profit organization. She decided to accept African Americans and rejoin the JROTC program to receive state resources. However, the initial refusal to accept racial integration damaged the image of the institution and in 1976 it had to close.

Gustavo Mirabal lamented the loss of the institution and, as a Latino student, always advocated for full inclusion. He saw how excellence could help many people find a path to genuine integration and understanding.

As an anecdote, in that year of its closure, it obtained the highest possible score in the evaluation as an academic institution. A redemption at the wrong time and a pity that the institution could not be transformed in a timely manner, to maintain its academic excellence hand in hand with inclusion.

Stauton’s military facilities and tradition passed to Mary Baldwin’s all-female college.

The Judson School

Continuing with the academic training of Gustavo Mirabal he continued his training process at the Judson school. This was a boarding school located in Arizona. Unfortunately, Judson School closed the year 2000, after an academic career of approximately 70 years. This institution was owned and run by Henry and Barbara Wick, along with their son, Hank Wick.

The institution was designed for people for whom English was their second language. In this way the classes were taught in English with the understanding that they were not native speakers.

A kind of international school to reinforce language learning. This is one of the reasons why Gustavo Mirabal learned English perfectly from a very young age.

This modality of studies attracted people from all over the world. Among its records was that it received students from 30 different countries. This also allowed Gustavo Mirabal Castro to relate to different cultures and nationalities.

The Judson school experience was the basis for Gustavo Mirabal’s dream of international expansion. Additionally, this added to their awareness of inclusion and exchange of cultures. Thanks to this, interacting in the United States, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or Dubai was something simple and natural.

Santa Maria University

At the Universidad Santa María Gustavo Mirabal he studied undergraduate law where he graduated in 1988.

The mission of Santa María University is to train integral professionals, prepared to face the current and future challenges posed by the economic, social, political and cultural development of the nation. Likewise, to contribute to the elevation of the quality of life and well-being of citizens through the teaching-learning process within the framework of information technology.

Many of his schoolmates remember him for his incisive interventions, his great intelligence and dedication. Although Gustavo Mirabal Castro believes more in hard work than innate talent, it is likely that his passion for reading and learning has helped him. This ease of reading is probably an inheritance from his parents and the values they instilled in him in Venezuela.

His primary and secondary education marked his life, from friendships, soccer games and healthy competition between friends was always very important. This was one of the things that drove him to always try to improve.

Gustavo Mirabal and his continuing academic training

Gustavo Mirabal Castro is a Venezuelan who enjoys learning new things constantly. Thanks to this, studying for his university career was not difficult for him. Nor was it difficult for him to continue learning continuously through diplomas, courses and reading.

In other articles we have talked about Gustavo Mirabal Castro’s facet as an avid reader. What we haven’t said, perhaps, is that this facet is nothing more than a part of your inner child wanting to learn everything.

It is a fact that Gustavo Mirabal Castro has tried to encompass multiple professional and business exercises. From being a lawyer, a financial advisor, an athlete, a youtuber or an entrepreneur in multiple fields, Gustavo Mirabal has acquired an enormous wealth of knowledge.

To venture into each of these fields, Gustavo Mirabal has had to take diplomas, courses, look for mentors, read books and an endless number of activities to increase his knowledge.

Gustavo Mirabal, as a good serial entrepreneur, has learned that the best way to keep growing is to keep learning.

What areas has Gustavo Mirabal studied for his academic and professional training?

This is how Gustavo Mirabal Castro has taken courses in areas as diverse as:

• Finance
• Investments
• Management
• Marketing
• Management of equestrian facilities
• Sports training
• Digital marketing.
• Content creation
• Business management

Thanks to this extensive training, Gustavo Mirabal has been successful in numerous areas. Without a doubt, one of the pillars of entrepreneurship is continuous learning, as Gustavo Mirabal Castro always recommends.

Gustavo Mirabal’s Recommended Books to Learn About Personal Finance

For Gustavo Mirabal Castro, continuing education involves reading a lot and watching educational material on social networks. Thanks to this, he came up with the idea of creating a youtube channel called “Gustavo Mirabal Castro – Financial Advisor”. On his YouTube channel, he recommends books and offers advice and knowledge on personal finance.

From his learning in finance, Gustavo Mirabal Castro recommends the following books to those who begin their personal finance journeys:

Book 1: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki:

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki is a classic in the world of personal finance. Through the story of his life (we don’t know how much fiction and reality) Kiyosaki talks about his two parents with different approaches to money. Her father 1 is her biological father, with a focus on money being bad. On the other hand your “other parent” who really is a friend’s father, a positive approach to money and its pursuit.

Through this life experience and metaphor, Robert presents key concepts such as:

• The importance of financial education.
• Asset investment
• Passive income creation.

This book will help you rethink your beliefs about money and establish a solid foundation for your financial education.

Book 2: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

The 4-Hour Workweek is not a book about personal finance specifically. Ferriss’s book seeks to offer a different perspective on the status quo on lifestyle and work.

Try to debunk the myth that working more can bring you a better income. In contrast, the 4-hour workweek focuses on being more efficient with the time we spend on things.

Ferriss presents several strategies that will help us achieve:

• Maximize efficiency
• Delegate tasks
• Free up time to enjoy life.

In this book recommended by Gustavo Mirabal, you will learn about the importance of automation, delegation, and the pursuit of personal and financial freedom.

Book 3: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

This was one of the first books Gustavo Mirabal Castro read. Although Gustavo Mirabal does not believe in self-help books, he believes that this one is out of the norm. Stephen Covey in his book describes how to build generic habits that can help us be more effective in our daily lives.

Habits are behaviors learned and repeated over and over again until they become the essence of one. Although habits can be lost, also habits when acquired are difficult to get out of our lives. That is why they become integral attitudes to approach life.

That is why Stephen Covey summarized his experience of collecting what were the common habits of the people he knew and classified as highly effective people. For Covey, the most effective people were those who achieved their goals in a high percentage of cases, and even if they had failures, they were willing to move forward and improve.

Here are the habits that Stephen Covey collects in his book.

Covey’s 7 Habits

• Be proactive: Do not respond to what happens to us but seek to make the things we want happen to us.
• Starting everything with a goal in mind helps us to have direction in our actions with a meaningful purpose.
• Learning to prioritize things according to their level of importance and urgency is essential to manage our energies in what requires our attention.
• Look for a way in which each negotiation is a win-win to have an abundance mentality and get easy ways to reach fewer conflicting conclusions and create fewer “enemies” along the way.
• Empathy: We must understand others and let them know before trying to make them understand us. Developing empathy with others helps others to also tune in to our needs.
• Look for synergy: Value the diversity of perspectives and teamwork. In this way the total is the sum of the parts, and we achieve better results.

Renew ourselves and keep improving permanently, continuous improvement.

BOOK 4: WARREN BUFFET’S TAO, THE WISDOM OF A GENIUS

It was written by Warren Buffett’s daughter-in-law of 12 years, Mary Buffet, together with investment analyst David Clark, who is also a friend of the Buffet family and also a scholar of Warren Buffet’s work. This duo of people close to Warren Buffet unravel some of the keys to Warren Buffet’s success.

The dynamics of the book are very interesting and are based on quoting short sentences full of content that Warren Buffet uses to convey his financial knowledge. Quoting each sentence, the authors proceed to make a brief reflection of a couple of paragraphs on the wisdom involved in such “aphorisms,” as Mary calls them in the Introduction.

To show a little of Warren Buffett’s wisdom in this review we will leave 4 quotes from the well-known investor that are in this book so that you are encouraged to read it:

• Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1.
• I first invested at the age of 11. Until then I was wasting my life.
• Never be afraid to ask too much when you sell, or offer too little when you buy.
• You can’t make a good deal with a bad person.

If you want to learn more about Warren Buffet’s wisdom, visit our article to learn what and how do celebrities invest in?.

Basic Data of Gustavo Mirabal ‘s professional career

Apart from his passion for horses and everything related to the equestrian world, Gustavo Mirabal dedicated much of his years to playing his profession as a lawyer in various companies.

• Commercial relations at G&C Stables Europa S.L. In this prestigious company, the Venezuelan Gustavo Mirabal stood out as a lawyer and businessman dedicated to the provision of comprehensive legal services. In this way I provide services and advice to both individuals and national and international companies, covering both the field of consulting and planning, as well as that related to the area of litigation.
• Next is Lisal Enterprises Limited specialising in international financial and tax matters. Management for corporations and individuals, where it provides investment assistance in the financial market. Also advice for real estate investment.
• Mirabal & Asociados there served as Director in Venezuela specialized in legal advice for investment banking. – Performs evaluation of company operations, market investments, financial statements and development trends.

Gustavo Mirabal’s entrepreneurship in the equestrian world

After having had a career in his profession as a lawyer for various companies. Then, Gustavo Mirabal Castro decided to undertake in the equestrian world.

His entrepreneurship began in a very improvised way in Venezuela. His passion for horses led him to breed some horses on his farm in the Hatillo area, southeast of the city of Caracas. Thanks to them, he began to acquire the basic technical knowledge of the business, from within.

Later he began to professionalize them at the request of clients and friends who encouraged him to turn it into a business. With the flourishing of the business, he began to dream of taking it to other countries. Something that would materialize in the following years.

In principle the business began in the United States in the course of 2009. He then moved to Madrid, Spain in 2014. The focus of this business was to apply itself to train the best riders for horse jumping competitions at the highest level.

It also helps the best riders to participate in the best horse show competitions in the world. In addition, it is also responsible for providing advice on the acquisition of top-quality horses with links around the planet.

How did Gustavo Mirabal succeed in his equestrian entrepreneurship?

As we have seen throughout this article, Gustavo Mirabal has collected his business experience in various areas. His professional experience spanned the financial and legal sector before arriving in the equestrian world. This means that you have previous experience in business, which helps you reach new sectors.

On the other hand, Gustavo Mirabal collected first-hand the technical knowledge of the business. This made it easier for him to oversee operations and also choose the right staff to hire for each task.

Having first-hand technical knowledge has become a source of wisdom to carry out your business.

It was also very important that he kept learning about everything related to the equestrian world. Whether from his experience as an amateur rider, as a breeder, to academic and theoretical knowledge.

Gustavo constantly went to equestrian clinics, to courses in the different areas of the business as he learned through books. Keeping up to date and knowing about all areas of the equestrian world in a basic way allowed him to effectively manage and supervise the business.

These were the keys to its success that could be extrapolated to any business, as we will see below.

How can you succeed in your entrepreneurship?

Being successful in a venture is something that many people have tried to synthesize, but it is not easy. Gustavo Mirabal has synthesized the keys to his success and here are:

• Hard work: Entrepreneurship implies that you must know too many aspects of your business. That will take time and effort. Entrepreneurship is not easy. You must be willing to make the necessary sacrifices.
• Business knowledge: Starting with small temporary businesses or working in a business can help you know all the edges that you should handle. This can increase your chances of success because you’ve run a business before.
• Technical knowledge of the field you want to undertake: It is always important to start undertaking in the field you know best. If you know a lot about animals, start there. If you know a lot about technology, makeup or food, it may be a good place to start. Technical knowledge is key to the success of your business.
• Legal knowledge: You must know the tax rules of your country that apply to your business, as well as what is legal or not. A basic knowledge is essential and for the rest you will have to hire tax advisors and lawyers.
• Financial knowledge: It is important that you know how to manage the finances of your business. You must know how much liquidity you need, how much your profits are and have everything monitored. This way you know if you are on the right track or if your business is on the way to bankruptcy.
• Trial and error: Not everything you try in your business is going to go well. You should try to evaluate each initiative, so you know what to keep and what to discard.

These are some of the secrets to entrepreneurship that helped Gustavo Mirabal.

Academy and experience united in Gustavo Mirabal

In relation to the academic training and professional development of the outstanding Venezuelan rider Gustavo Mirabal has been excellent. He has also held positions in important companies both in Venezuela and Europe.

Later he decided to give free rein to his true passion that are horses. That is why he dedicated himself to creating his own path. This initially emerged in the United States.  He then moved to Spain where he remains today with his beloved family.

Venezuelan Gustavo Mirabal has been the victim of a distorted information campaign. Being disseminated by different internet portals as well as social networks. But what is clear to those closest to him and his family is that this is false. It should be noted that all these achievements have been a continuous effort of his hard work that catapulted him to success.

Therefore, when a person is successful, envious, and malicious people can emerge wanting to damage the image of this. As the saying goes, nobody wants to see beautiful eyes on other people’s faces. Meanwhile Gustavo Mirabal continues to reap success in the equestrian world.

Venezuela is a country blessed by the Creator, therefore it has the privilege of having a very diverse fauna. In this installment we will focus on addressing everything related to the variety of wildlife in Venezuela.

Venezuela is one of the countries with the greatest variety of animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, among others. Because this country has different ecosystems, it has a positive impact on the variety of wildlife in Venezuela.

The Venezuelan territory has a great diversity of landscapes including deserts, mountains, jungles, beaches. And in each of these ecosystems a large number of animals that live in that ideal environment are concentrated.

The diversity of vertebrates in Venezuela is about 2,120 terrestrial species and in continental aquatic species about 1,000 species.

As for birds, there is a diversity of bird species, including macaws, toucans, nightingales, turpiales (national bird), pavones, flamingos, and a variety of herons.

On the other hand, reptiles are numerous and species such as the Orinoco alligator and others can find five different species of turtles and snakes, such as anaconda, boa constrictor or rattlesnake.

Landscape diversity implies ecosystem diversity

Venezuela is a country that, due to its geographical location, its topography and diversity of territories, enhances biodiversity. Venezuela has been blessed by a great diversity of ecosystems and this multiplies its positivities of hosting and producing thousands of species.

Each ecosystem is capable of housing and developing animals with certain characteristics that allow it to adapt to an environment. In the more different ecosystems we have, the more different species can be housed in a territory.

Additionally, the boundaries between ecosystems become micro-ecosystems with their own characteristics. At these points of contrast, special processes of natural selection occur that will branch out the species and multiply it.

The process we describe is the process Darwin witnessed in the Galapagos Islands.  This Ecuadorian archipelago served the English naturalist Charles Darwin to find evidence for his theory of Natural Selection.

The archipelago of the Galapagos Islands is composed of 129 islands of various sizes. The interesting thing is that each island is isolated enough from the others to become an ecosystem of its own.

This is how Darwin got dozens of variants of the same species. These species were related enough to relate and sufficiently differentiated to be considered an offshoot of the parent species.

There he discovered several birds related to their mainland congeners. However, these birds varied markedly with respect to those on land and among themselves, depending on the island on which they had developed.

He discovered the same about turtles, whose variants of their shell made it easier for them to identify their island of origin.

Darwin’s theory revolutionized biology and helps us understand why the wildlife of Venezuela is so varied.

Landscapes and their impact on the variety of wildlife in Venezuela

The theory of natural selection explains why variations of a species can arise in various ecosystems that adapt to their environment. Over time these offshoots will become species in their own right, thanks to the diversity of landscapes.

But to understand the variety of wildlife in Venezuela, we must internalize Venezuela’s enormous diversity of landscapes. A variety of landscapes that is also concentrated in less than one million square kilometers. This causes zones of exchange of species and microclimates that favor The variety of wildlife in Venezuela even more.

In Venezuela we find from desert landscapes and high temperatures to mountainous landscapes with temperatures below zero. Here are some of the main landscapes we find in Venezuela:

• Rainforest
• Cloud forests
• Tropical rainforests
• Mountain forests
• Hardwood forests
• Mangroves
• Deserts
• Dry forests
• Bushes
• Moors
• Mountain climate
• Savannas
• Plains
• Mountain ranges
• Tepuis
• Coastal areas and beaches
• Lagoons, lakes, and rivers
• Islands and Archipelagos

The enormous diversity of landscapes and ecosystems translates into the multiplication of biodiversity and the varied wildlife of Venezuela. Therefore, below we will talk about the status of Venezuela’s biodiversity and its status worldwide.

Venezuela’s biodiversity

Venezuela is in the Top 10 countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. Specifically, Venezuela ranks seventh in the world for biodiversity. This is thanks to the great variety of landscapes, as mentioned above.

More than a fifth of Venezuela’s territory is categorized as protected areas. These protected areas are distributed between national parks (44 parks) and natural monuments (36 monuments). This indicates a high level of biodiversity protection.

It is interesting to mention that almost 10% of national parks have an area of more than 10,000 km2 and are as follows:

• Canaima National Park: It is one of the best-known national parks and has an area of 30,000 km2
• El Caura: It is the largest national park in Venezuela and the second largest national park in the world with 75,000 km2
• Parima-Tapirapeco: Here the birth of the Orinoco and the Yanomami indigenous ethnic group is protected. With an area of 39,000 km2 it is the second largest in Venezuela.

This protects the more than 21,000 species of fauna between vertebrates and invertebrates. And if we only count vertebrates, we talk about more than 4,100 species.

Thanks to this we can find in the variety of wildlife in Venezuela, many unique animals that we cannot find anywhere in the world. Next, we will tell you more about these species that only exist in Venezuela.

Wide variety of unique wildlife animals of Venezuela

The wildlife of Venezuela consists of a great variety of unique animals. This means that about 23% of reptiles and 50% of the amphibian species that dwell in the country are endemic to Venezuela.

It should be noted that this represents an approximate of 8000 species that are exclusive to Venezuela, this being the fifth highest in the world.

Also of endemic fauna, Venezuela has manatees, dolphins and crocodiles in the Black River and Orinoco.

This beautiful country has a total of 1420 bird species, 48 of which are endemic. Those 48 species of bird can only be found in this beautiful country. It is certainly something that nature-loving tourists appreciate.

More than half of the Venezuelan bird and mammal species are found in the Amazonian forests south of the Orinoco. Venezuela is among the 17 most mega diverse countries in the world.

Mega diverse countries are a group of countries that host the highest biodiversity index in the entire planet.

Venezuela is among the 10 most biodiverse countries on the planet according to National Geographic. Without a doubt, this is one more reason to preserve the unique wildlife of Venezuela in perfect conditions.

The Sea and aquatic fauna in Venezuela

In relation to the fauna in Venezuela, specifically to the one that belongs to the area of beaches and seas, there is a great variety of animals that decorate these paradisiacal landscapes.

It is for this reason that in the Venezuelan coasts or surrounding areas bird diversity. You can see parakeets, doves, wild ducks and herons are abundant.

In addition, the presence of reptiles is very large, since it is easy to find a great diversity of sea and land turtles.

Snakes also abound in these hot zones, among them are the rattlesnake, the coral, and the guayacán or “terciopelo”(velvet) whose scientific name is Bothrops asper.

Sea and aquatic fauna in Venezuela is characterized by the great variety of sardines and other fish. In addition there are other marketable products, such as tuna, zero mackerel, sergeant fish, Atlantic bigeye.

Also among the aquatic fauna of Venezuela there are Mollusks and Seafood such as crabs, clams, oysters, lobsters and others.

It should be noted that among the cetacean mammals that swim in Venezuelan waters are porpoises and dolphins always popular.

Without a doubt, the fauna in Venezuela is very varied in the sea areas …

Coastal Wildlife of Venezuela

Venezuela’s coastal areas are rich in biodiversity. These areas are home to a wide variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife.

The coastal areas of Venezuela are some of the areas with the greatest diversity, providing incalculable value to the varied Wildlife of Venezuela. This is thanks to its location in the Caribbean and the influence of different ecosystems

On the Venezuelan coasts we find very rich ecosystems such as mangroves, coastal lagoons, coral reefs, and beaches.

Below, we will explain in greater detail some of the fauna that we will find on the Venezuelan coasts

Marine Wildlife of coastal in venezuela

1. Sea Turtles: On the coasts of Venezuela, you can find several species of sea turtles. This is especially true in areas such as Morrocoy National Park, Mochima National Park, and the Paria Peninsula. Among the species we find are the green turtle, the hawksbill turtle, and the cardon turtle. These species usually spawn on beaches during certain times of the year.
2. Dolphins and Whales: In the Gulf of Venezuela and other nearby areas, dolphin sightings are common. Among the species of dolphins that we can find is the bottlenose dolphin. In addition, during certain times of the year, humpback whales can be observed on their migration.
3. Fish and Coral Reefs: Venezuelan waters are home to an impressive diversity of fish. There we find from small reef fish to larger species such as barracudas and sharks. Coral reefs are key habitats for many of these species, such as in the Los Roques Archipelago.
4. Crustaceans and Mollusks: Lobsters, crabs, and shrimp are common in coastal waters. Different types of mollusks are also found, including oysters, snails, and mussels.

Terrestrial wildlife

1. Birds: Coastal areas are home to many birds, both resident and migratory. Flamingos, herons, pelicans, and seagulls are some of the most common species. Mangroves are especially important as nesting areas for many of these birds.
2. Mammals: In some coastal areas, curious mammals such as the manatee can be found. The manatee inhabits lagoons and rivers near the coast. Small mammals such as foxes and raccoons can also be observed in the vicinity of beaches and mangroves.
3. Reptiles and Amphibians: In the coastal areas you can find iguanas, snakes, and a variety of frogs. These are especially found in wetter areas and near mangroves.
4. Insects: Coastal areas, especially in mangroves, are rich in insects. There we can find mosquitoes, dragonflies, and a variety of butterflies.

Key Ecosystems

• Mangroves: They are vital for coastal biodiversity, serving as nurseries for fish and crustaceans. In addition, this ecosystem is a refuge for many species of birds and mammals.
• Coral Reefs: They provide essential habitat for many marine species and are essential for local fisheries. In addition, they help protect the coasts from wave erosion.
• Beaches: In addition to being spawning grounds for turtles, beaches are important for shorebirds and other land animals.

This biodiversity makes coastal areas crucial places for biodiversity. It is also critical to the economic development of local communities that depend on fishing and tourism. These two economic activities nourish the rich Venezuelan gastronomy of the coast in Venezuela.

Wildlife in Venezuela: In the jungle areas

Wildlife in Venezuela especially in the jungle areas there is a great diversity of species. This is because the ecosystem of the area is humid with warm climate, an environment especially conducive to the growth of animal populations.

It is the perfect environment for thousands of species, of which we will mention below some of them:

• Mountain Paca: It is a species of rodent of great dimensions. It resembles a rat, but with larger dimensions, hovering from 30 to 60 centimeters. They are not usually in herds and the female of the species is usually larger than the male.
• White-tailed deer: also known as whitetail or Virginia deer, this herbivorous mammal runs at high speed and does not possess numerous predators, so its population has spread. It is highly appreciated by hunters for the challenge they pose for their keen hearing and the speed of travel and reaction. The subspecies found in Venezuela is of small size, whose adult specimens rarely weigh more than 60 kg.
• Saíno: It is also known as collared peccary, javelina or báquiro, although these names are used to designate other specimens of this family of animals. We can find it throughout the Americas. It is a family of pigs and wild boars. We can find it in the savannas, deserts and jungles. They adapt to humans and are of diurnal habits. They feed on tubers, fruits and insects.
• Anteater: This curious animal feeds on termites and ants and weighs approximately 40Kg in its adulthood. It is capable of climbing and its elongated snout and its tongue extremely long and cylindrical (which can reach 60 centimeters). Its tongue helps it catch food.
• Brazilian Rabbit, speckled chachalaca, coral snake, and green vine snake, are some of the species that inhabit the jungles.

Some predators of the Venezuelan jungle

• Ocelot: Also known as “Cunaguaro”, it is a feline that resembles a leopard, but smaller in size. Short coat large ears, excellent ear and large eyes, we may remember a cute kitten, but it is a great predator. Their beautiful eyes are adapted to see in the dark what makes them excellent hunters. Also its legs are adapted to minimize noise and be able to approach its prey without being heard. They are mainly found in mountainous and jungle areas and are nocturnal.
• Rabipelado: Also known as opossum is a marsupial that is widespread throughout the American continent. While this predator focuses on small prey and insects and pests. Although it has a bad reputation for being ungrateful aesthetically speaking, its presence is key to restricting populations of cockroaches, spiders, scorpions, mice and small snakes. They are nocturnal and solitary animals. As they are unskillful to defend themselves, they pretend to be dead in the face of a threat. Without a doubt an intelligent animal that protects us from harmful animals and insects.

Wildlife in Venezuela: In the plains region

Each region has a specific fauna due to other geographical aspects such as relief, climate, water. Undoubtedly these elements influence the types of animals that are located in the different regions of Venezuela.

That is why in the Venezuelan plains there are many animals that can be seen, especially in summer,

These meet in the summer to locate space where they get the vital liquid such as water.

Among the most characteristic species we can mention the following:

• The capybara, the “spectacled bear”, the “Cuban tree frog”, the deer, the “spectacled caiman”, the collar peccary, the piranha, and the chigüire.
• The pavón, the king buzzard, the gray heron, with the yellow head of the caracara, and the stork among others.

Venezuelan Andes and their native wildlife

One of the regions with a cooler climate is the Andes. In the highest peaks, El Cóndor and the Copete Eagle fly, both in danger of extinction.

While on the slopes are the cock of the snows, the blue hen and the leather hen, several Paujíes, Monte Pavas, ducks.

In addition the Guácharo is the only bird that is oriented in the darkness of the deepest caverns, similar to the bat. Magpies also live in this area.

Some of the other animals that inhabit the Andean region are:

• The fox, the frontino bear, the Andean lapa, the porcupine, the shrew, puma, owls of the valley and mountainous areas, armadillo, heron of the lakes, iguana, ounce,
• The cachicamo of the Andes, frogs, venaditos, foxes, rabbits of the moor, wild ducks, fish, like the natural trout of the region
• In addition, another variety of imported trouts which are highly appreciated; Among the reptiles we have: the mantona coral, the fearsome mapanare, the butterfly tigra, among others
• Spectacled bear: Also known as Andean Bear, this bear is located in the area of the Venezuelan Andes. It is similar to a panda because of the large size of its head with respect to the body and the spots on its eyes. This is one of the native bears of the South American area. It is of medium size, with a height of 1 to 2 meters. In addition, its weight is a little higher than that of a human being, ranging from 80kg to 110kg.

Species endemic to the Venezuelan Andes

Due to its level of geographical isolation, in the Venezuelan Andes we find some unique animals of the region. Below, we will mention some of the endemic species of the Venezuelan Andes:

• Paramo’s White-tailed deer in Merida: Also known as deer, it is an animal that is usually confused or related to the common White-tailed deer. Although it belongs to the family “Cervidae” they have different genetic characteristics. It is herbivorous and usually moves alone or in small groups. Its context makes it a great runner which allows it to easily flee from its predators. This species is endemic to Venezuela, specifically the moorland areas of mérida state.
• Rose-crowned parakeet: It is a green parakeet with a head and tail grazing with white plumage around the eyes. It is located along the entire Venezuelan Andean mountain range.
• Shorthead Anadia Lizard: Its scientific name is Anadia brevifrontalis and it is endemic to the Merida moor of the Tambor area.

Wildlife of Venezuela – A jewel to know

The wildlife of Venezuela is extremely wide taking into account the different species of birds, mammals, reptiles among others.

This element is something we should be proud of and take care of to maintain. It is a great opportunity to promote sustainable tourism based on natural beauties. If we know how to take care of this “goose with the golden eggs” we can show the world the beauties of our country, Venezuela. Without a doubt a great opportunity for the environment, the economy and our country.

Venezuela is a country worthy of admiring its attributes reflected in each of its regions, its flora, fauna, climate.

In addition the courtesy and kindness of its inhabitants make it ideal to know it.

Sources

https://gustavomirabalcastro.online/venezuela/la-variada-fauna-de-venezuela/

https://www.absolutviajes.com/la-fauna-de-venezuela/

For more infomation about Gustavo Mirabal and Equine World visit:

https://twitter.com/gmirabalcastro2

https://gustavomirabal.ae/

https://gustavomirabal.ch/

https://www.pinterest.com/gustavomirabalcastro/

https://gustavomirabalcastro.online/english/

https://gustavomirabalcastro2.wordpress.com/acerca-de/

https://www.gustavomirabal.es/

The global future looks worrisome. Inflation, real estate crises, a multitude of developed countries and the loss of purchasing power of the middle class are some of the dangers that besiege peace. In the middle of this series of crises, CO2 capture, or carbon capture is presented as an opportunity to alleviate the climate crisis. This will be a real opportunity or a risk for the future. Let’s find out below.

The growing popularity of the ultra-left and ultra-right alternating in power in some countries, oscillates and spreads political and economic disturbances. In this context, extremism disguised as alternatives is strengthened.

But many people forget that, in any political system, no matter how unstable, we depend on a stable climate for society to move forward.

In the book “The Three-Body Problem“, its writer Liu Cixin emphasized that the speed of advance of a civilization is related to climatic obstacles. He also tells us about the risks of not taking care of the planet and that these climate obstacles increase.

With this premise, the multi-award-winning science fiction novel tells the story of the struggle between civilizations for control of the earth. This is what we see when we see the exacerbation of conflicts at the global level. Are these conflicts the product of resource scarcity, climate change, or the need for domination? Let’s find out

Climate change as a crisis and CO2 or Carbon as an opportunity or risk?

During growing concern about climate change, “The Three-Body Problem” makes us think about it. This work reflects some of the risks that we could face in the coming years. Struggles for the control of resources, catastrophic climatic phenomena hindering the progress of humanity.

Amid this context, technology is a fundamental factor in improving the quality of life and overcoming climate obstacles. One of the technologies that sounds promising is that of CO2 or carbon capture. This technology aims to control the amount of CO2 that is expelled into the environment. This seeks to reduce its impact on the climate.

But how does CO2 capture technology work and will it really be an opportunity? We will find out below.

How does CO2 capture technology, or carbon capture, work, and what is its economic opportunity?

CO2 capture technology, also known as carbon capture, is a technology that seeks to capture CO2 at the time of its industrial production, either by combustion processes or processes of other industries. The idea of this technique is to obtain carbon to transport it and store it or use it. There are different techniques for its capture, as well as for its destination as we will see below.

CO2 capture or carbon capture techniques.

As we mentioned in the previous section, this technology captures carbon before it is released into the environment. This point would be either the points where combustion occurs or in the factories that emit it due to their industrial processes.

This is not a technology that is intended to be used initially in residential sectors or in private vehicles. In addition, its impact is quite small since the emissions generated industrially are the largest in volume.

Thanks to this, we could concentrate CO2 capture at the points of greatest generation and achieve a significant impact. But what are the CO2 capture techniques that are currently being proposed?

Comparison and uses of carbon capture techniques

1. Oxy-combustion capture: in this technique, combustion is carried out in an atmosphere of pure oxygen, instead of regular air. This produces cleaner combustion and produces exhaust gases with a high concentration of CO2. This facilitates the capture of CO2 as well as improving the efficiency of combustion processes. This technique is very common in power plants and industrial plants, as it benefits efficiency.
2. Pre-combustion capture: Using this technique, we separate carbon dioxide from the natural gas to which it is associated before combustion occurs. Using this method, we break down natural gas into hydrogen and CO2. On the one hand, hydrogen is used as a fuel, which produces clean emissions of water vapour. Moreover, we capture CO2 and store it safely. It is a technique widely used in the petrochemical industry and in the chemical industry.
3. Capture in post-combustion: it is used after combustion to remove carbon dioxide from exhaust gases. The exhaust gases are cooled and compressed to separate the CO2 from the rest of the gases. It is used in many power plants and some industrial plants. This is an alternative to oxy-combustion capture, although it is considered less efficient and a lower value alternative.

The use of these technologies promises to reduce carbon emissions. But we also need to figure out how to use carbon efficiently and responsibly to prevent this from ending up in the atmosphere sooner or later.

Storage and use in the CO2 capture process

The storage of CO2 and its use is one of the most controversial points of this technology. Although thousands of ways to use CO2 have been promised, many of these alternatives are not currently viable.

The reality is that the greatest use of CO2 today is focused on re-injecting CO2 into oil wells to continue boosting the use of fossil fuels. That is why many environmental protection NGOs reject the use of a technology that will boost the profits of the oil industries.

Beyond the prejudices about whether it’s a way to increase profits rather than help the environment, there are legitimate concerns that ask … What happens to the CO2 stored in the Earth’s crust? What happens if all this CO2 escapes at once? In the next section we will reflect on the risks of CO2 capture

Risks of CO2 capture or carbon capture.

We must understand that this is a technology that has been used for years, and so far, it has proven to be safe. However, perhaps its impact in the future has not been evaluated as much.

Let’s imagine that the earth is an inflatable balloon. If we start filling it with CO2 and it is deflated, nothing will happen, but little by little the earth will fill with CO2 under pressure. A small puncture could cause this CO2 to start leaking out in significant quantities. There may also be a massive leak that causes a spike in ambient CO2.

If we have not been able to reduce emissions so far, imagine a context where emissions grow uncontrollably thanks to this technology, and that from one moment to the next we are tempting half of the CO2 stored in the atmosphere.

We could witness a catastrophe overnight. It is necessary to assess the earth’s capacity to absorb CO2 through this technology and to develop real alternative uses for CO2 and not simply to advertise it.

A promising technology that has a long way to go. Safe uses of CO2 capture must continue to be developed to be a real opportunity and to deliver the benefits it promises.

Is CO2 or carbon capture an opportunity for the future or propaganda to cover up a problem?

We consider CO2 capture not to be a real opportunity for the future today. This technology will need to be further developed to truly represent a safe alternative.

The productive uses of CO2 must go beyond re-injecting CO2 to achieve greater oil production. Uses that guarantee that carbon will not escape massively into the atmosphere causing an environmental catastrophe. Let us remember that the oil industry is used to promising safety and causing environmental catastrophes such as the Exon-Valdez and the oil industry spills.

Additionally, it must be linked with mechanisms such as the use of carbon credits. These mechanisms will help to encourage the reduction of emissions, for the benefit of other cleaner technologies. Oil companies cannot dictate the climate agenda, because we would be on the verge of a conflict between civilizations, one where fossil fuel ironically stops the world from advancing.

With all this that we have shown you. What do you think of CO2 or carbon capture technology? Write to us on our social networks.

Inflation remains a significant concern globally in 2024. Global Inflation in 2024 is the result of a confluence of economic, geopolitical, and environmental factors. That is why today we will analyze the situation, what are the measures that countries apply to mitigate it and how we can from a personal point of view protect our heritage. Without further ado, let’s begin.

One of the first elements that affected global inflationary processes was the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020. It had a lasting impact on supply chains globally. Although many economies have shown signs of recovery, the knock-on effects persist.

The second element that has impacted global inflation in 2024 is the war in Ukraine. This has contributed to volatility in energy and food prices. These are fundamental factors driving inflationary pressures.

Finally, are extreme weather events. Climate change has affected agricultural production, contributing to shortages and rising commodity prices.

Effects of Global Inflation on the Economy in 2024

Global inflation in 2024 has multiple effects on the world economy. These effects vary according to the region, economic sector and according to the measures that each country uses to mitigate them. Despite this, there are several elements that are common to all economies, as we will see below.

Rising Living Costs

One of the most direct and visible effects of inflation is the increase in living costs. The prices of essential goods and services are rising like wildfire: food, utilities, energy and housing.

The purchasing power of consumers is constantly decreasing. This greatly affects people on fixed incomes or low incomes. This leads to a decrease in consumption, slowing down the economy, and an increase in poverty rates globally.

Reduction in Purchasing Power

Inflation destroys the real value of money. This means that people can purchase fewer products and services with the same amount of money as before.

This affects consumers and businesses. Wages are not increasing in the proportion that inflation does, which aggravates the situation, slowing down the economy.

Devaluation of Currencies

In some countries, inflation has led to a significant devaluation of their currencies. This negatively affects import-dependent economies, as imported goods and services become more expensive. In turn, this may contribute to an even larger inflationary cycle.

Personal Measures to Protect Yourself from Global inflation in 2024

Against this backdrop, an ordinary person can take several steps to protect their personal finances from the adverse effects of inflation:

Diversified Investments:

Diversifying investments is key. Investing in a combination of assets can help mitigate risks. We must look for solid assets that preserve value and others that help mitigate the inflationary effect on our wealth.

Real estate and stocks tend to offer returns that can outperform inflation in the long run.

In addition, inflation-indexed bonds, such as TIPS in the U.S., adjust their principal value based on the consumer price index. In this way, TIPS, and any inflation-indexed bonds, provide direct protection against inflation.

Saving on hard assets

Physical assets such as gold and other precious metals have traditionally been safeguards against inflation. Although they can be volatile in the short term, they tend to hold their value over time.

Spend Optimization

Reviewing and adjusting your personal budget is essential. Reducing unnecessary expenses and looking for cheaper alternatives can free up resources that can be invested or saved. Using financial management apps can help identify areas of overspending.