Opposition group Gente de Petroleo has raised its ugly head again with a sinister warning that employees dismissed by the government after their failed oil stoppage (2002-2003) will return to their workplaces sooner or later and receive full and back-paid salaries. The group, consisting of former Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) executives and employees, met in Petroleum Federation Workers Union (Fedepetrol) HQ. Group leader, Eddie Ramirez claims that production at the El Palito refinery (Carabobo) has stopped. In a rather cynical move, Ramirez calls on the National Assembly (AN) and communal councils of Puerto Cabello and Mora to undertake a social audit at the refinery. Gente de Petroleo accuses the new PDVSA of importing components used in gasoline to mix and damaging the pumps alleging a complete absence of quality control on the plant. Ramirez says that he is on a tour of the regions to talk to former oil sector employees, urging them to remain active and fighting. Analyst sources suggest that the reactivation of the organization means that money is being made available for agitational purposes as a new offensive against the government gathers force. Gente de Petroleo was responsible for causing a major and very damaging stoppage that almost toppled the government in 2002- 2003.
President Chavez has increased scholarships for students in the integral community medicine program to (Bs. F.) 500 bolivares from April. The President made the announcement during an act welcoming graduates who completed a degree course in Cuba. Chavez singled out for praise all the Venezuelan doctors taking part in the plan because he declares they are an example of a "new medicine" and "exorcizing their profession of the devil of capitalism that has done so much damage." The President has also said that 654 new classrooms will be built with an investment of (Bs.F.) 170 million bolivares.
Speaking to students enrolled in the integral community medicine program, President Chavez says he feels vindicated by the Vatican after the latter issued a list of new sins, among which was excessive wealth. "The Vatican points out that it is a sin to damage the environment, get involved in drugs, and to be rich." The President recalls that several years ago he warned that to be rich is evil and everybody set upon him taking the expression out of its context. "I have never said that to be poor is good ... the idea is that we all live with a decent and dignified standard of living."
Venezuela's representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) and Minister for North America, Jorge Valero says the biggest contradiction in the latest US assessment of countries supporting terrorism is that the US government is not included. The Minister was remarking on a statement from the State Department that it is considering adding Venezuela to its list of rogue countries. Valero is looking forward to OAS general secretary, Jose Miguel Insulza's report after visiting the border area between Ecuador and Colombia at the next extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers. The meeting, Valero forecasts, will support the declaration issued at the summit of the Rio Group rejecting Colombia's incursion into Ecuadorian territory, adding that he doubts whether the US will have sufficient strength to weaken the resolve of Rio Group countries, which rejected the so-called doctrine of "legitimate preventive defense."
Communication & Information (Minci) Minister, Andres Izarra rejects an article appearing in the Miami Herald which states that the US government has appointed a team to investigate how to include Venezuela in the list of terrorist-supporting countries. Izarra says the information should be taken at face value because it is just "another effort of the Bush organization to isolate Venezuelan and continue the political, economic and media war against Venezuela." The Minister states that the US reaction is the latest ploy to cover its defeat at the Rio Group summit.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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