With the arrest of two important Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) leaders after massive operations in Medellin, northeastern Colombia and Arauquita, the Colombian government has gone on the offensive, saying it will open an investigation into alleged links between opposition Senator and main humanitarian agreement negotiator, Piedad Cordoba and FARC. Colombia's Attorney General, Mario Iguaran has mentioned several names that he would like to summons, such as Ecuadorian parliamentarian Maria Augusta Calle, former Colombian presidential candidate Alvaro Leyva, Colombian Congress members, Wilson Borjas and Gloria Ines Ramirez. Liliana Patricia Obando, former peace advisor Lazaro Rivero, and US professor James Johns are other names on the black list. The majority of the above hold the opinion that the FARC is a belligerent force and should be recognized as such rejecting the Colombian and US governments' condemnation of the FARC as a terrorist organisation. According to a report from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), unemployment is currently standing at 7.9%, down 0.9% compared to the same period last year when the figure stood at 8.8%. INE president, Elias Eljuri says the figure means that there are 100,386 people less on the unemployment list than in the fourth month of 2007. The government forecasts that unemployment figures will go even lower this year and end at around 6%.
President Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales have signed an agreement of military co-operation in Caracas. The memorandum of understanding in matters of security and defense was signed last night by Bolivian Defense Minister, Walter Sanmiguel and Venezuelan Defense Minister, General Gustavo Rangel Briceno. Among the agreements is the possibility of facilitating the opening of a naval school in Bolivia, even though Bolivia has no port. President Morales calls the agreement important because Bolivia now has its own military doctrine and its Armed Forces need space for intellectual and technical preparation. After the signing of the agreement, Morales and Chavez flew together to Brasilia to attend the inauguration of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) meeting.
Active service General Angel Vivas Perdomo has introduced an injunction at the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) constitutional chamber requesting a ban on President Chavez' using the slogan, "Homeland, Socialism or Death, We Will Be Victorious" in each and every component of the Armed Force (FAN). Vivas Perdomo was a director of army finances and is currently one of many officials without assignation. This year he is due for retirement, along with his class of 1978 colleague, Defense Minister, General Gustavo Rangel Briceno. The General argues that the slogan has no link with Venezuelan nationalism because it doesn't represent the sentiment of the whole nation and has a clear ideological political tendency.
According to a report in El Universal broadsheet, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is creating a network of around 300,000 militants that will have a rapid response capability to any call from the leadership. PSUV mobilization and events committee headed by Dario Vivas is responsible for setting up and mobilizing the group. Once the elections for candidates is over on June 1, the new group will undertake what are called "silent mobilization exercises" in several states including border states. Pre-candidates are at the moment engaged on propaganda exercises until May 30 and websites such as Aporrea are ready providing CVs on the candidates so that people will have a better chance of knowing where they're coming from and what their programs are for different state governments and municipalities. Meanwhile, there are difficulties in the internal elections process as can be seen from the suspension of a presentation of candidates in Lara State recently because PSUV leader, Vanessa Davies arrived late for the presentation and the attitude of the pre-candidates themselves did not help either.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.
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