In an update on the Exxon Cerro Negro vs. Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) lawsuit, the latter's lawyer, John Fordham has confirmed this afternoon's hearing but he has told VHeadline.com that the judge will first decide whether the hearing will be public or private. Mr. Fordham spent yesterday afternoon conferring with the PDVSA delegation that is in London for the case. The objective of the case is to have the courts annul a decision to freeze all PDVSA assets in the UK. It would appear that the sessions WILL be heard in private and will continue tomorrow morning at 10.30 a.m. We have been unable to contact members of the PDVSA delegation for an update on proceedings. As a matter of clarification, VHeadline's news editor has been informed by an expert that "there is no lawsuit as such, merely a cautionary measure to freeze $12 billions of assets ... this was previously called a Mareva Injunction and this jurisprudence started in 1975." PDVSA and its UK lawyers want to have the cautionary measure lifted and "defrost" its assets in the UK. The same source of information confirms that while the assets frozen are around $12 billion, the US company claims a compensation of $5 million.
President Chavez phoned into the State channel TV's La Hojilla program last night to launch a stinging criticism of yesterday morning's pro-government march in which Bolivarian leader, Lina Ron attacked the Archbishop of Caracas and Globovision news channel. Chavez says the attitude of Ron and others that took part in a march organized by the Revolutionary Popular Assembly and Aporrea.org showed "signs of revolutionary indiscipline." Furthermore, the President has announced that he will ask for Lina Ron to be expelled from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) ... "we cannot start a party like ours with such indiscipline and irresponsibility." Chavez has stated that he could not understand why the marchers entered the Archbishops residence and hints that Lina may have surrounded herself with infiltrators. Recalling the "damage done by the ultra-left infiltrated by the CIA to Salvador Allende in Chile (1970-73), which gave the Right an excuse to overthrow the government," Chavez suggests that there are infiltrators interested in showing that the Bolivarian revolution is violent. National Assembly deputy, Luis Tascon was also criticized for attacking Bolivarian leaders. Chavez insists that any denunciations must be accompanied by evidence.
According to a report published in Maracaibo broadsheet, Panorama, President Chavez has an acceptance rating of 67.3%. In a survey undertaken by the Venezuelan Data Institute (Ivad), 54.3% of Venezuelans consider the situation in the country has improved. Last year, at the same time the rating was 41%. In other ratings, 53.7% of those surveyed think that food shortages are a serious problem and 53% thought the situation would improve. However, public insecurity remains the biggest problem, rating 72.1% down from last year's figure of 81.4%.
Perhaps the biggest message in yesterday's successful liberation of four former Colombian Congress members is President Chavez' call to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to find French-Colombian citizen, Ingrid Betancourt and to secure her freedom. The freed hostages have stated that Betancourt's health situation is delicate and insist that she needs urgent attention. Chavez has called on FARC leader, Manuel Marulanda to bring the former presidential candidate closer to his camp as soon as possible. Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe has welcomed the release of the hostages and thanked President Chavez and Colombian opposition senator, Piedad Cordoba for their role in securing the releases.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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