Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round up of news from Venezuela -- April 25, 2008

President Chavez has raised an objection regarding the title of the new school curriculum, insisting that it should not be called Bolivarian because of the political implications. Speaking during the launch of the socialist agrarian development fund in Barinas, the President calls on school parents not to pay attention to those presenting the national curriculum as proselytism. What the government really wants to do, Chavez maintains, is to promote free thinking and technological, scientific and artistic knowledge. Ever since Aristobulo Isturiz was Education Minister, Chavez recalls, he was always of the opinion that the national curriculum should not use the adjective Bolivarian because it has a strong political connotations, which would alienate people who do not agree with the government. The President says he believes that children should grow up with tools that will help then choose and discern for themselves and choose the road that they will walk without being pushed.

During a visit to the Florentino socialist productive- technical centre in Barinas, President Chavez has announced an 300% increase in white and yellow maize cultivation compared to the last 10 years under the Fourth Republic (1988-1998). In the nine years of the Bolivarian government, Chavez points out, production has increased with a daily average of 8,000 kg per hectare compared to 3,000 kg per hectare under the Fourth Republic. Chavez details that in 1988 maize production was around 1.2 million tonnes nationally and in 1998, 980,000 tonnes, in other words a significant drop of around 30%. From 1988 until today, he continues, there has been an increase reaching more than 2 million tonnes a year. Chavez insists that it is a crime on the part of President Bush to use maize production to produce ethanol for cars because it " converts food for people into food for cars of the rich." The President promises that one day Venezuela will be exporting food to other countries.

Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons (OVP), Humberto Prado says he agrees with the measure taken by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) to annul certain articles of the Criminal Code that will allow prisoners enjoy alternative measures to fulfill sentences. Prado recalls that his organisation and other civil society groups have campaigned against what he refers to as the "unconstitutional" criminal code reform, ever since the "National Assembly (AN) in 2005 denied citizens those rights by presenting a reform without consultation from one day to the next." The prisoners benefiting from the TSJ ruling will be those who show good conduct, study, work, are active in sports and cultural activities and with a positive and nonaggressive psychological profile.

Opposition Venezuelan Criminal Forum (FPV) leader, lawyer Gonzalo Himiob says the TSJ ruling is provisional because it depends on the agreement of several government entities. The lawyer alleges that the TSJ decision was not definite and people should understand that it's political and not juridical. The injunction lodged successfully by organizations and families of prisoners, the lawyer argues, can be revoked at any moment and is subject to the approval of local authorities and government bodies. Himiob is leading a campaign to free Metropolitan police chiefs accused of ordering the death of citizens during the events of April 11-13, 2002. The officers have been remanded in custody awaiting trial, which has suffered constant delays.

Central University of Venezuela (UCV) electoral commission president, Tony Chacon has announced the start of the electoral campaign to choose the new university authorities. The first round of voting will take place on May 9 and should there be a second round, it will take place on May 16. The enrollment of candidates for rector, deans and professors' representatives before the faculty council closed on Wednesday. Those voting will have a choice of four lists of candidates to choose from.

State Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson is expected in Caracas today to meet President Chavez to discuss the freedom of three US citizens kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). According to a spokesman for the State Governor, Richardson is on a humanitarian mission, which has been officially approved by the State Department. However, a communique insists that Richardson is not an official emissary of the US government. Richardson has stated that he thinks that President Chavez could play a positive role in securing the release of the hostages and that is the reason why he is embarking on a mission of dialogue with all parties involved in the conflict. The three US citizens work for a US security company, which, it has alleged, is a subcontractor for the CIA.

According to a study released by the national commission for police reform, only 52% of police officials are actively involved in police work, that is, citizen security. It has emerged that 48% are employed as bodyguards for personalities and institutions. The Attorney General's Office fundamental rights director, Allis Boscan has made it be known that this situation will change once the national police law comes into effect. One of the advantages of the new law, Boscan states, is to unify the dispersion that currently exists regarding the role of the police. At the moment, there are 123 different police forces in Venezuela, which Boscan says, will not change.

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