Russian oil price cap, EU ban take effect
LONDON — Europe and the United States started enforcing Monday two of the toughest measures aimed at curbing Russia’s income from oil, the principal source of cash used to fund its nearly 10month-old war in Ukraine.
The first measure, a price cap initiative led by the United States, sets a top price of $60 per barrel for Russian crude, and was endorsed by the Group of 7 countries, Australia and the European Union.
The second is an embargo that prohibits EU countries from buying most Russian crude as of Monday. It was a step that the bloc had agreed
to months ago but that was phased in with exceptions to prepare member nations.
Although some countries such as Poland and Estonia were bent on punishing Russia with a
far lower price cap — a move that some feared would prompt the Kremlin to slash production — the U.S. approach seeks to gradually limit Russia’s oil revenue while also providing enough financial incentive to keep the crude flowing onto the global market, avoiding oil shocks.
The price cap program prohibits firms that play a key role in servicing Russian oil exports — such as Greek tanker companies and Europe-based insurers — from dealing with cargoes sold above the $60-a-barrel limit. That cap roughly matches what buyers are said to be paying for Russian crude, a discount of almost $20 a barrel from Brent crude that buyers have demanded since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
The bet is that despite bluster from the Kremlin, Russia will keep pumping oil, and major
and accused performers of being pedophiles. They also said they received death threats after Hansen’s video went viral.
The Starlighter’s owners, who did not respond to requests for comment, said on social media that Hansen had “twisted” the story “into something disgusting to fit a political narrative.”
“It’s sad, frustrating, & disappointing,” they added.
Owners Jason Valdez, Selena Rios, Kayla and Jacob Guerrero opened The Starlighter on the West Side in September 2021. The Fredericksburg Road venue regularly hosts markets and concerts, as well as drag performances.
The event was presented by the House of Eternas, a local troupe that highlights performers of color and often hosts charitable events. The troupe has done drag performances at The Starlighter since last December.
House of Eternas is headed by Brian Hernandez, who recently announced his retirement as a drag performer after an eightyear run.
Hernandez had planned to do a farewell performance soon. Now he’s not so sure.
“I was going to leave this house on good terms and make sure they’re looked after,” said Hernandez, who was at the performance on Friday. “I didn’t realize I would have to look after my house and make sure we’re alive at the end of this.”
Starlighter patrons and drag fans have responded to news of the drag-show hiatus with a mix of shock and outrage over the threats leveled against the venue’s owners and performers.
“The Starlighter has always been welcoming to everyone with open arms,” one person said in a Facebook post.
Added another: “These bigots really have got nothing better to
do with their lives.”
Hernandez said he watched Hansen and another man record the show, adding that they laughed, smiled and appeared to have a good time. Hansen and the other man took photos with the performers afterward, he said.
Hernandez didn’t think anything of it until the venue started receiving threats.
The video clip posted by Hansen shows nearly seven minutes of several of the performances. On Twitter, Hansen claimed a child was left unattended and that one of the performers played with the child’s hair.
On social media, The Starlighter said the child was the daughter of the venue’s food vendor, who was standing just outside.
“We stand by our queens and the sentiment that there was nothing wrong done at this past Friday’s toy drive,” The Starlighter said. “This vendor and their child are very familiar with both staff and queens, and even posted a picture thanking the queens for treating her ‘like a niece’ at the end of the event.”
Drag artists and performers have been under attack in recent years by far right groups who falsely cast drag queens as pedophiles and groomers. The inflammatory anti-drag campaign has resulted in demonstrations and threats against drag events across the country. Just over the last few months in Texas, drag shows have been canceled or have faced protests in Galveston, Houston, Roanoke, Katy and Pflugerville.
Hansen’s work is backed by the Texas Family project, a right-wing nonprofit based in Austin. The ANTI-LGBTQ organization recently launched an alert system that warns their followers when a drag performance is nearby.
In July, Hansen was seen at a demonstration outside a Dallas drag event where protest organizers “openly fantasized about taking away LGBT rights and murdering LGBT people,” said Steven Monacelli, a freelance journalist based in the Metroplex who covered the protest.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Hernandez said. “We don’t feel safe. We feel like this is a direct attack on the LGBTQ community.”