Friday, February 29, 2008

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round-up of news from Venezuela

Executive Vice President Ramon Carrizalez has appeared before the National Assembly (AN) to give an update on government progress. Carrizalez has highlighted the government's new policy of university inclusion, the building of 406 Centers of Integral Diagnosis (CDI), housing solutions for more than 136,000 families and the seizure of 15,000 tonnes of food in special operations to fight shortages and hoarding. Other successes he lists include the setting up of a National Milk Fund, Petroleos de Venezuela's PDVAL food distribution chain and the re-launching of the Mercal food store program. The PDVAL network, Carrizalez has told deputies, is now distributing 150,000 tonnes of food with the logistical aid of the Venezuelan Armed Force (FAN). The AN has also heard that the obligatory agricultural banking portfolio has increased from 14 to 21% and the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) has readjusted agricultural rates from 17% to 15%, while producers of black beans have been given fiscal incentives. Carrizalez cites the setting up of a single gateway for companies importing to speed up red tape. Detailing improvements in health, the Vice President points to the building of 406 CDIs, 493 rehabilitation rooms and 13 high technology medical centers. The number of poor people in Venezuela has been reduced to 40%, the Minister claims, and he urges the National Assembly to open a debate on higher education and the education ministry's proposal to include more youngsters from the poorer sectors of society into the university system.

President Chavez has called the Colombian government's position on the humanitarian exchange " disappointing" and insists that the " humanist forces of the world will make it abandon its hard-line position." Speaking on VTV state television, the President says that it would appear that the Colombian government is in a time warp but that a proposal to set up an international group supported by an important number of Latin American and European governments will force Bogota to join the mainstream of opinion regarding a humanitarian exchange agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Yesterday, Colombian Interior Minister, Carlos Holguin declared yesterday that his government would not demilitarize two southeastern municipalities to pave the way for a final exchange of hostages for prisoners. What is not yet known is whether the Colombian government has released Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) prisoners as part of the exchange program. The rebels have released 8 hostages. President Chavez has also defended the FARC's position on the Colombian government because he declares that they do not believe in the good intentions of successive governments for historical reasons. However, Chavez has made it clear that if the FARC wants Venezuela to remain outside of negotiations, we would continue to support the process from the outside.

Speaking on a VTV state television program, President Chavez has made important comments on some of the political currents and opinions inside the Bolivarian movement, calling for some tendencies and ideas to be confronted, which, he states, are absurd at this stage of the process, causing divisions and raising barriers among popular forces. The President recalls his speech at the plenary session of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) foundation congress where he highlighted the emergence of divisions, expulsions, assassinations after Bolivar spent 15 years of revolutionary warfare and crossed the Andes as leader. " What must be defended as one defends life itself is union ... I am the first defender of freedom of opinion and auto-criticism but an auto-criticism that is responsible and really revolutionary and constructive."

After leaving prison in 1994, Chavez remembers, he recalls that he met with almost all of the Venezuelan Left among which there were some groups at the time that rejected the topic of power, proposing an anti-power, that everything should be horizontal with coordinating committees etc., something he says he has never understood. Chavez argues that perhaps because of his military formation he believes that in a war there has to be a plan, a command structure, leadership and discipline.

Continuing his take on the internal debate, Chavez maintains that since the December 2 elections the thesis of "Chavism without Chavez" has been bandied around and the view that that " we in government are no longer a constituent power but part of the constituted power ... that they are the constituent power and we do not deserve to be part of the popular debate." Battling that idea, Chavez calls the current of opinion dangerous and right- wing. A clear example, he thunders, was Wednesday's pro-government march, which he dubs " anarchist." The Bolivarian Movement, Chavez concludes, should now start debating anarchism.

Referring to the latest developments inside the PSUV, Chavez says he has received a list of 70 members proposed for the national leadership, among whom are Aristobulo Isturiz and Carlos Escarra. The President has expressed the hope that those elected will include equal divisions between men and women and that youth will be given a chance. Chavez has reiterated that the most important aspect that must be dealt with now internally is discipline.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com

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