Venezuelan Ambassador to Spain, Alfredo Toro Hardy has written to Spanish newspapers, El Pais and ABC, complaining about their coverage of statements made by retired G-i-C General Raul Baduel. The Ambassador points out that statements attributed to the General in an interview with El Pais contradict his public position while he was army commander and Defense Minister. Since his retirement, Toro Hardy says, the General has entered the political arena seeking to place himself as a natural candidate of the opposition for the next presidential elections and therefore, any statements should be viewed within that context. Constant references to the General and permanent doubts regarding President Chavez government, the Ambassador concludes, leads one to presume that the newspaper has already taken a position on the political situation in Venezuela and contradicts El Pais' principle of impartiality. As for ABC, the Ambassador criticizes its correspondent in Caracas, Venezuelan Ludmila Vinogradoff for a piece written about the Chinese satellite Venezuela will install this year and the government's alleged inability to prevent electricity outages as occurred two weeks ago. The Ambassador recalls that in August 2003 the north-east of the USA, including New York had an electricity blackout which lasted several hours and in the case of Venezuela, the cause of the blackout was a forest fire.During a meeting of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) leadership and delegates, President Chavez announced that candidates to represent the party in regional elections this year will be elected by vote. The following timetable has been drawn up.
Phase 1. Organisation. May 12, 13-14; Re-enrolment of aspirants to the party. Pre-candidates can be postulated by the via the internet or at special points set up in the central plaza of each state capital. The national leadership will review requisites handed in and present a definite list of aspirants to candidates.
Phase 2. May 18-30: Publicity of pre-candidates via forums discussions and talks. No publicity campaign will allowed via the media or attacks against the reputation of any candidate tolerated.
Phase 3. June 1: elections will be automated. 5 million aspirants will be able to vote, even though they have not attended socialist battalion meetings. A single candidate belonging to a parish, municipality and state will be elected.
Phase 4. June 1-2. The candidates will be announced. The person who obtains 50% plus one of the votes or a person who has a majority of 15% more than his rival will be elected.
The President warns that those who are not enrolled or who have
investigations pending should not aspire to be a candidate.
All weekend President Chavez has referred to efforts by opposition groups in Venezuela pursuing a secessionist agenda. Speaking to United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) delegates, the President named the International Confederation for Freedom and Regional Autonomy as one of the groups implicated in the plan to break up Bolivia and causing mischief in other countries, such as Peru, Ecuador Guatemala and Venezuela. The organisation is financed by many North American institutes, Chavez insists, and other governments are also monitoring its plans and activities. The organisation was founded in Guayaquil, Ecuador on September 15, 2006 and concentrates on securing areas of greater raw minerals deposits for transnationals and the USA. The second meeting of the confederation was held in Santa Cruz on September 2007.
More than 3,000 hectares in Apure State have been set aside to produce corn, as well as black and other colored beans. The Venezuelan Agrarian Corporation (CVA) made the announcement indicating that its companies will implement and oversee the ambitious project, which will include production of cassava, tomato, and other vegetables on 900 hectares. One CVA company will provide technical support, tools financing, marketing and distribution.
Agriculture & Lands (MAT) deputy minister, Maria Ferdinand Sandoval paid a visit to the socialist production axis in Guacara (Carabobo) where she says the project has advanced towards sustainable and organic agriculture with an excellent record of production. The Minister was accompanied by the Development Bank of China officials and representatives from the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
152 police officers have been charged with criminal activities. 48 of the officers, accused of crimes ranging from narco-trafficking, kidnapping and extortion to homicides, belong to regional police forces, 47 to the Police Detective Branch (CICPC), 39 municipal police forces, 16 the National Guard (GN) and 5 the State Political & Security (DISIP) Police. Yaracuy is the State with the highest rate of police corruption with 18 police officers implicated in one single case of hijacking a lorry carrying food. Of the 152 charged, 63 are already behind bars, among whom are 13 Vargas State police officers, including its director accused of helping the escape of the Vargas State mayor's nephew. 11 CICPC officers stationed in Caricuao Caracas are said to be still on duty, even though they are involved in a double execution-style murder on February 14.
During his Sunday radio address from Maracaibo (Zulia), President Chavez says this year's regional elections will revolve around those who want war and those in favor of peace. In the presence of the military high command, President Chavez has rejected any attempt to break up Venezuela by opposition elements imitating the Santa Cruz province in Bolivia. The President retorts that Venezuela has lost territory in the past without any shots being fired and he promised that it will not happen again. He challenged the opposition to get themselves an army, if they want a breakaway state. Chavez declares that he has no doubt that the push for autonomy and separation has its origin in Washington. The plan is to take over strategic areas of Venezuelan territory through the Venezuelan oligarchy. People voting in November must remember, Chavez urges, that they are not just voting for local issues but they are also voting for the integrity of national territory, adding that anyone voting for the opposition will be voting for a plan to break up Venezuela, while those voting for the revolution will be voting for the integrity of the homeland.
It has been learned that that the pro-government National Workers Union (UNT) section in Lara State has dissolved to make way for the newly proposed central. The proposal is to include Socialist as the defining factor of the new central. Sources have told VHeadline Venezuela News that there was too much chaos and division in the UNT that rendered the organization ineffective in trade union matters.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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