Speaking at a council of ministers meeting broadcast on State television, President Chavez has summarized the principal achievements in Q1 within the framework of the three Rs: review, rectify and re- impulse. Among the successes listed are: a single gateway to deal with red tape and import requests, a national centre of food balance that is being daily monitored re: supply and storage, and a special program to allocate dollars for the food sector. Chavez highlights an increase in the volume of foodstuffs acquired by the agricultural services supply corporation (Casa) and the start of the Petroleos de Venezuela food distribution chain (PDVAL). Other important factors to report in Q1, the President maintains, are the food security treaties with Argentina and Brazil and the nationalization of the Los Andes dairy company. Finally, the council has approved extraordinary resources for the socialist agrarian development fund (Fondes).
President Chavez has announced that the cement industry will be nationaliZed. Speaking on State television, Chavez says the cement industry must embark on the road to Socialism. Reminding viewers that it is the first year of the Villa Nueva Mission, the President has revealed plans to the launch Mission April 13, which will relate to the organisation of communes. The Villa Nueva Mission consists in improving dwellings and strengthening the substitution of slums for decent housing plan. The measures are seen as an attempt by the government to overcome serious difficulties in getting its social housing program on target.
President Chavez has accused the opposition of staging a show in its attack on the government's educational reform proposal. The President comments that he is leaving open an option to continue the debate, delaying the reform and even holding a referendum to decide on the ground-breaking educational reform. Venezuela can choose between two models of educational reform, one from the opposition and the other from the government, the President challenges, because the debate is political and he has no doubt that the opposition will take it up as an issue. Chavez calls on opposition leader, Zulia State Governor Manuel Rosales to present a counter- proposal for national debate. Speaking at a televised council of ministers meeting, the President adds that there is no haste in getting the reform through and he is one of those who believe that it should undergo a thorough debate.
The College of Professors (CPV) has rejected the new educational reform outright. Its life president, Edgar Bazan claims the government wants to impose ideological control over the educational process and states that the CPV is considering a day of national protest or a 24-hour stoppage against the project sometime next week. The reasons for the energetic and categorical rejection, Bazan contends, is because the reform proposes " ideologizing education and indoctrinating students" and academically, it is far from serious, since it rules out ideological pluralism and freedom of thought at the stroke of a pen. "The government will eliminate popular and democratic education and implant a militarist conception of education ... in a regime of this nature, it wants to form submissive, passive, obedient and antidemocratic citizens." In a further accusation, Bazan alleges that the text was drawn up by Cuban technicians, thereby disqualifying and disrespecting the intellectual, academic and professional capacity of Venezuelan professors.
Zulia State Governor, Manuel Rosales and head of the main opposition party, Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) has stated that his party will defend an authentic separation of state powers, the implementation of a rule of law with a democracy that is not just representative but also participative, policies of personal security, distribution of oil wealth and respect for private property. Defining his political position in the run-up to choosing candidates for regional elections this year, Rosales clarifies that there can be no real separation and autonomy of state powers while they are at the service of one person or a political project, stressing that the Armed Force (FAN) must be at the service of the people to guarantee their sovereignty. Speaking about education, the Governor announces that his party believes in " free, open, non-partisan, non-militarist education for a free man, open to thought and universal ideas." The party, Rosales adds, believes in peaceful co-existence with other countries based on respect and solidarity. Rosales has come out against the arms race because he says it causes war. The UNT political party, Rosales proclaims, is an example of Social Democracy and a real alternative to Venezuela ... "it is synonymous with all rights for all people without discrimination and privileges."
Responding to headlines of political persecution against pro-government activists in the (Caracas) 23 de Enero district, President Chavez confirms that the only objective of the security forces in the district is to find the person responsible for placing explosive devices in front of buildings such as the Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Fedecamaras) HQ where one person died. The President considers such acts as terrorist and actions of groups that took to the streets in several Caracas barrios as "vandalism." Chavez calls on people living in the district not to be blackmailed by groups using the name of the revolution and probably financed by the CIA. "These actions are part of a campaign of provocation ... they want to put us against a wall ... these people are not revolutionaries, they are terrorists giving ammunition to the enemy."
Roy S. Carson
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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