Former Defense Minister and G-i-C, Raul Baduel is in the spotlight again, disagreeing with President Chavez over the latter's statement that Venezuela borders with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and not the Colombian State. Chavez made a statement last week defending the thesis that the FARC should be considered a belligerent force because it controls a sizeable chunks of Colombian territory. Baduel follows the traditional line that only States border with other States. The FARC is not a State, he continues, and prefers to call Uribe's Colombia the "brother Republic." President's Chavez' thesis is labeled a strategy to distract from the principal problems of Venezuela ... "what he (Chavez) wants to do is to blow up the conflict with the brother Republic of Colombia ... a strategy to turn attention away from problems and group popular support around his person." In an attempt to stoke up the fires within the Venezuelan Armed Force (FAN), Baduel insists that he knows what officers are thinking, implying that they agree with his take on the Colombian situation and not the President's. The retired General also believes that lower-ranked and non-commissioned officers have not been sufficiently informed about the reasons for the President's unilateral statements and accuses Chavez of misusing his position as commander-in-chief and compromising national interest." Baduel's opinions carry weight in important sectors of the FAN and analysts will be querying the timing of the declaration. Baduel forecasts that the FAN will not obey or carry out a presidential order in the case of military operations against Colombia.
French European parliament deputy, Alain Lipietz has stated that the EU parliament will do everything it can to defuse tensions between Colombia and Venezuela. Speaking in Bogota, Colombia, the French parliamentarian reiterates that all EU institutions such as its parliament and commission have a common policy towards conflicts, namely to unite and not divide. The EU, he confirms, will support any mediation if requested by governments. Lipietz is a member of the EU Group of Greens and heading a mission of eight deputies on an official visit to Colombia. The deputy declares that he believes in a multi-polar world that has to be balanced. Daniel Hannan from the United Kingdom is among the visiting deputies, members of the EU committee of relations with Andean Community of Nations (CAN).
Metropolitan Mayor of Caracas, Juan Barreto denies any involvement in the invasions of apartments in Caracas, calling the practice illegal and against private property. The media has headlined the police eviction of squatters from the Cediaz commercial centre in Sabana Grande (Caracas). The Metro Mayor's Office, Barreto insists, has been negotiating an expropriation process with the building's owners for 22 of 160 departments to house municipal employees. None of the squatters, Barreto assures, are municipal employees.
Libertador Mayor, Freddy Bernal says the police will tackle any invasions of lands or buildings in coordination with the Interior & Justice Ministry. Furthermore, he maintains, the police will protect buildings and evict any squatters immediately. "The Attorney's General's Office will process squatters that violate private property." The Mayor reveals that the government is discussing other invasions and undertaking an integral study of eviction in Cota 905 and El Junquito.
President of the urban real estate proprietors association, Raimundo Orta Poleo calls the Cediaz expropriation unlawful and contrary to municipal ordinances regarding the use of houses. "The Metro Mayor's Office has expropriated 160 buildings in Caracas and not compensated for any."
Ombudswoman, Gabriela Ramirez has met and reached an agreement with squatters at the Cediaz building. According to some of the squatters, students belonging to institute on the ground floor tried to evict them by force. According to the students, there were armed people inside the building who were not police officers. Ramirez has announced that she will open an investigation into three invasions in Caracas over the last couple of weeks. After clinching an agreement with the squatters to abandon the building, Ramirez is currently attempting to house them in a temporary refuge until they can obtain social housing.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
Whether it's Baduel, or Freddy Bernal or Juan Barreto, these "revolutionaries", present or ex-, have to make up their minds which side they are really on -- and publicly too: whether it is on the side of the Revolution with the masses, or on the side of the bourgeois private ownership of social property. Can't have it both ways -- tho' the expectation of being able to finesse that, would be exactly the hallmark of the petit-bourgeois mentality.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, all bolivarians -- most especially the higher-up ones -- should be put to the test as to which side they are really on. And let the people decide that question.
And no, the European Greens are not the friend of the bolivarian revolution, no matter what any of them say, or even believe. The Greens work for the Euro bourgeoisie. -- and these are the enemy of socialism in América Latina. Beware of Greens bearing gifts.