National Anti-Drugs Office (ONA) director, Nestor Reverol says 10 illegal planes transporting drugs have been seized this year. However, he adds, not all illegal flights are transporting drugs. Speaking at the first meeting to discuss the transshipment of drugs, the Colonel points out that drug transshipment planes are included in the list of "non-registered, secret and illegal" flights. Reverol has argued at the meeting that while at least 137 illegal flights took place in Venezuela in 2006, US attempts to count them all as drug planes are irresponsible. According to the Colonel, the ROTHR radar system the US uses to assess illegal flights from other parts of the world has been judged inefficient, which makes Washington's accusations against Venezuela all the more suspicious. "We are always ready to exchange information with all countries of the world in real-time and that has been reflected in the last agreements we have signed with Portugal and Germany ... we have other agreements pending signature." In a meeting to review political consultation mechanisms, Cuba and Venezuela have agreed to continue strengthening strategic bilateral agreements. According to Cuban Foreign Minister, Felipe Perez Roque, the mechanism has become an efficient reference point for strengthening and deepening bilateral strategic relations. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has called the mechanism used "useful" and "relevant" as a means of synchronizing answers to intense situations that crop up at any moment. Both sides agree that the relation the two countries enjoy goes beyond a simple context of international policy and has turned into a historic and strategic brotherhood.
State VTV Channel director, Yuri Pimentel is once again the centre of controversy after implementing and retracting a measure to make private media sources pay for transmitting VTV news items. The majority of media sources in Venezuela have reacted angrily to the price proposal and the measure has forced the resignation of Pimentel's mentor, Communication & Information (Minci) Minister, Andres Izarra. The reason given for the resignation is that the measure had been taken and approved without the approbation of President Chavez. Yesterday, Pimentel, who got himself in a mess as deputy minister of prisons last year, has announced that the measure was being dropped. At a press conference, lame duck Pimentel maintains that VTV ratifies its "commitment to truthful and opportune information" and calls on all other media sources to "make responsible and legal use of the signal which belong to all Venezuelans," namely VTV.
The resignation of Minci Minister Izarra has shook public opinion inside and outside the Bolivarian movement since he has been considered an effective and efficient Minister. The general opinion as of yesterday evening is that there is more in the resignation than what meets the eye. Opposition sources, such as Nelson Bocaranda allege that he is taking the rap for mistakes made by President Chavez, especially regarding recent international gaffes with Germany and Chile and for reactions to the situation in Colombia. Left-wing sources in the government suggest that ambivalence shown by the government to the death of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) leader, Manuel Marulanda and its dilly-dallying with Colombia's Alvaro Uribe has damaged its standing. Other observers, such as editor/publisher Miguel Salazar, claim that Pimentel landed the Minister in a quagmire.
The government is not the only side that has encountered difficulties in deciding on pre-candidates to the regional elections in November. Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) and Zulia State Governor, Manuel Rosales has accused some opposition leaders of breaking ranks and meeting with the government. Rosales also says he has proof that they are receiving financing from the government. The declaration comes after strong rumors of divisions between the two leading opposition parties, UNT and Primero Justicia (PJ), especially regarding the unitary candidate for Maracaibo Mayor.
Rosales criticized the VTV director, Yuri Pimentel's attempt to make private TV channels pay 432,000 bolivares an hour to transmit from the State Channel signal. The idea, he says, was to prevent private channels from showing the government's political events but he welcomes the resignation of Andres Izarra, quipping that at least someone the government has a bit of dignity.
President Chavez has offered a first statement on the death of FARC leader, Manuel Marulanda, stating that nobody should show happiness about the death of another person. Speaking at a United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) meeting in Puerto La Cruz, the President laments the fact that he was not able to meet Marulanda personally to talk about peace, the humanitarian agreement but says he hopes that the new situation generated by Marulanda's death will reactivate dialogue, conversations and that both the government and the guerrillas will reconsider their positions. The Venezuelan government for its part, the President insists, is ready to take up negotiations to secure a humanitarian agreement and cooperate in any agreement that leads to peace in Colombia.
Chavez rejects insistent speculations regarding the location where the video issued by the FARC and officially announcing the death of Marulanda was shot. Chavez points out that the same tactic has been employed by Colombia to hammer its version about the content of supposed computers belonging to Raul Reyes. "They're inventing anything and repeat it so many times that many people end up believing that Chavez sent Marulanda $300 million and I don't know how many rifles and uniforms and that here in Venezuela we protect terrorism and guerrillas."
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment