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

National Lands Institute (INTI) president, Juan Carlos Loyo states that what he refers to any "private legal tradition" that can be demonstrated in the Rio Turbio Valley in Barquisimeto will be respected. Loyo made the ambiguous statement after meeting private sugarcane producers whose sugarcane lands will be expropriated. INTI has set up permanent round-tables with producers to map out the process of recovering said lands. Loyo insists that the cautionary measure to secure the lands for the State is in accordance with legal procedures. The powerful sugarcane lobby in Lara state has been up in arms, declaring that there is full production and no reason at all for the expropriation. The government thinks different claiming that 80% of the land belonging to the 32 properties in question is unproductive.

Federation of Sugarcane Producer Associations president, Rafael Chirinos has condemned the occupation of lands in Barquisimeto's Turbio River valley, stating that currently 700,000 tonnes of sugarcane is being produced in the valley which amounts to 56,000,000 kg of sugar. If this production is stopped, Chirinos warns, the country would have to import more sugar and at the moment 450,000 tonnes of sugar are being imported owing to national deficit.

The National Guard (GN) has announced the seizure of 1,200 kg of cocaine in Falcon State. GN General Freddie Alonso Carrion says the seizure comes after a month of surveillance and intelligence work. It is believed that the slabs were to be thrown into the sea to be collected and carried to the next stage in transshipment route to Europe or the USA. The General points to a improvised airstrip discovered in the neighborhood as proof and the waterproof covering of the slabs.

Venezuela has put into practice three agreements to supply crude oil totaling 1.408 million barrels a month to Bolivia, Nicaragua and Haiti under special payment conditions. including interest of 20% a year. The agreements are part of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), of which the three countries are members. Supplies to Bolivia will be undertaken by the Petroandina joint venture company consisting of Petroleos and Venezuela (PDVSA) and the Bolivian State company.

Speaking on the La Hojilla TV program last night, President Chavez says the opposition is desperate and characterized by frustration and lack of leadership. At the moment, the President comments, they are attacking the military reserve force, which has been around for several years. The President accuses the opposition of trying to stir up things in the garrisons through a campaign of disinformation pinpointing the reserve force that supposedly is going to substitute the other branches of the National Armed Force (FAN). Chavez concludes that the opposition can talk all they want but the reserve force is in line with the Constitution and the development plan approved in the National Assembly (AN). On the economy, the President announces that that calves from Nicaragua will soon be arriving, the Los Andes socialist production company is producing and supplying the market with dairy products, and the re-nationalization of Sidor steel has been well received by both workers and the people. On Sunday, the President will inaugurate a stone-grinding plant in Falcon.

Speaking about the new April 13 Mission, President Chavez says the first phase consists of an intensive and accelerated plan of providing basic services such as drinking water, sewerage, electrical energy, roads, housing, schools and health. It's an explosion of communal power but on a very concrete level, Chavez proclaims. The second phase will consist of setting up Communes, which the President maintains, represent the integral transformation of society, and Socialist values. The President has confirmed in a Council of Ministers meeting that the mission will begin in 74 municipalities and 181 parishes covering at least half of the population at the moment. Chavez calls on people to organize communal councils independent of political ideology or social class. Speaking to La Hojilla TV show presenter, Mario Silva, Chavez has made it crystal clear that the communal council will articulate all community works and projects.

Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, Ramon Rodriquez Chacin accuses broadsheet El Universal of exercising media terrorism by issuing false statistics on crime in Caracas last weekend. According to the newspaper, homicides have shot up 14% this year in Caracas. The Minister counters that the headlines can easily be contested by comparing the crime rate from Q1 2007 to Q1 2008 which shows an 8% drop in the homicide rate. This is not a triumph, the Minister confirms, but part of the job and if there has been a slight increase in crime last week, it does not surpass the number of crimes registered before the new government public security plan came into force. Such distortions are part of the opposition's political line against the government, Rodriguez Chacin states, but media terrorism undertaken by several private media regarding citizen security will be fought with statistics and numbers.

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