The death of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) maximum leader, Manuel Marulanda has been confirmed. The Colombian government first broke the news two days ago and yesterday, the FARC issued a communique, confirming that its leader of more than 40 years had died of a heart attack. Alfonso Cano will replace Marulanda as the new leader. The communique was sent to Telesur continental TV. Marulanda started his peasant self-defense group in 1948 when Liberal Party leader, Eliecer Gaitan was assassinated. In 1953, members of the guerrilla group accepted an armistice but Pedro Antonio Marin, known as "Sureshot" for his sniping abilities, continued with the support of the Communist Party. The name of Marulanda, which he adopted, was in memory of a trade union leader murdered by the military. 1964 is down as the beginning of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia with the creation of a Southern bloc and a program proclaiming agrarian reform. Marulanda took part in peace negotiations with Belisario Betancur in the 80s, which ended after paramilitaries killed more than 3,000 members of the Patriotic Union (UP) the political wing of the guerrilla movement. Another peace initiative with President Andres Pastrana at the end of the 90s also came to nothing after the Colombian Government broke off talks because of the FARC policy of holding hostages.
The new leader, Alfonso Cano comes from the ranks of the Communist Youth movement in the 70s and was responsible in the 80s for setting up the Patriotic Union but after the assassination of many UP members, Cano joined the military wing in the northeastern part of Colombia that borders with Panama. Since 2002 he has been responsible for setting up the Bolivarian Movement of the New Colombia and has taken part in peace negotiations.
The Colombian government says that it will continue bombardments against all members of the FARC secretariat and its forces throughout Colombia. Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos has stated that his country's security policy will continue the same or even more intensely in the belief that the FARC is on the run. A Centre for International Policy analyst suggests three scenarios for the FARC: disintegration to which he assigns a 25% probability of the group disintegrating after losing its maximum leader. Greater cohesion and increased military action (35%) and partial fragmentation (40%). The authors says it will be interesting to see whether the new leader, who is thought to be more political, will take steps to improve the group's image among poorer Colombians but warns that he may have a power struggle with hardliners.
President Chavez says the US spying mission reactivated via the Fourth Fleet will not stop countries from pursuing their own destiny. During an interview in Brasilia where he attended the foundation of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) summit, the President accuses the US of acts of espionage and provocation. The presence of the Fourth Fleet, Chavez comments, is undoubtedly an attempt to dissuade countries but it will fail because they are using the old Cold War practice of threatening to dissuade ... "we will not be dissuaded."
Julio Chavez, currently Mayor of Torres municipality in Lara's State, has been accepted as a pre-candidate to the State Governorship. The rectification on the part of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) leadership comes several days after continued protests. President Chavez is said to have intervened as PSUV president, clarifying the confusion. The protest started after Chavez' name did not appear on the list of candidates to the State Governorship but did appear as candidate to Torres municipality. Protesters have been complaining that there was clear preferences for the candidacy of current Iribarren Mayor, Henry Falcon. Elections will take place over the weekend on June 1.
President Chavez has announced a total 42 energy projects, costing more than $9 billion aimed at guaranteeing access to electricity on the part of all the Venezuelans and increase national capacity 38.3%. Chavez made the announcement during a visit to inspect work on the third development of the Fabricio Ojeda hydro-electrical plant in Merida. Work is expected to be completed in 2009 producing 257 MW. According to reports, the development has been paralyzed from more than 20 years.
During a visit to Merida, President Chavez has sworn in members of the newly created National Electricity Corporation. Hipolito Izquierdo has been appointed president of the corporation that groups more than 10 companies that generate, transmit and distribute electricity throughout Venezuela. The other members of the board are: Jesus Rangel, Khaled Ortiz, Anibal Rosas, Luis Castillo, Javier Alvarado, William Contreras and Hector Navarro.
CANTV Telecom president and Telecommunications Minister, Socorro Hernandez reports that there are around 133 cooperatives in the company. Contracts have been signed with 33, while 20 are in the process, 53 will shortly be up and running and 21 in the initial stages ... the tally released leaves 6 cooperatives unaccounted for. The statement was made during the anniversary of CANTV's first year as a socialist productive company. The cooperatives belong to the supplies sector mostly. Hernandez adds a profit of one million (Bs.F) bolivares, an increase of patrimony in Bs.F 500 million and taxes payments of more than one billion bolivares.
Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone has criticized Boris Johnson for announcing an end to the Caracas-London deal on a bank holiday and without consulting organizations that represent thousands of carers, single parents and others who would be affected. Livingstone says the announcement was done in a "cowardly" fashion and shows that the new Mayor is more interested in pursuing a "right-wing ideological agenda than improving the living standards of the most deprived people in the capital." Furthermore, he complains, Johnson has not proposed any alternative way to provide cheaper travel to Londoners. There has been no official response from Venezuela, even though Venezuelan Ambassador, Samuel Moncada has commented in public he had aspirations that the deal would be renewed when it expires in August. Johnson has also cancelled Livingstone's plan to send a London bus to Beijing for the Olympics costing £450,000, calling it a "gimmick" and "ludicrous waste of public money."
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick@vheadline.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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