President Chavez has sent his condolences to the families of four Venezuelan military officers who died in an airplane accident in Bolivia on Sunday. The President says he received news of the deaths of Air Force (FAV) Major Rodolfo Rivas, Lt. Colonel Deyvis Bustillos, Second Lt. Carlos Jatar Medina and AT1 Cesar Bastidas before preparing to leave for a visit to Europe. The officers were on the internationalist mission in Bolivia. National Elections Council (CNE) president, Tibisay Lucena has announced the approval of parity rules for men and women seeking positions in legislative council elections. Lucena says it's a historic decision favoring women. The CNE board has also agreed to norms ruling contingency plans in the automated voting system concerning vote totalization, adjudication and proclamation processes in the November 23 elections. Measures have been put into place to proceed with audits of the automated system and norms for using fingerprint proof machines and guarantees for a one voter-one vote principle. Replying to charges from the opposition, Lucena says the system used in former elections regarding the number of officials at electoral tables will continue, adding that a consultation process has been opened with political organizations in a pilot scheme that is currently being prepared for the first time involving the use of voting book with photographs.
According to Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, the majority of drugs passing through Venezuela have been stopped. The Minister is replying to allegations that 255 tonnes of drugs transit through the country, something he categorically denies. Drug seizures in Venezuela, the Minister states, is on the increase even after the exit of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Among the successes of the government's public security plan in Caracas, Rodriguez Chacin points to the seizure of almost 200,000 Kg of precursor chemicals used to produce drugs. The Minister lays into the United States as a country where less seizures of drugs take place and where consumption is higher than all the countries of Europe together. The US is one of the biggest producers of marijuana, Rodriguez Chacin contends, and that is the reason they are not fighting the drug.
The MIJ Minister comments that the plane flying from Venezuela and seized in Guinea-Bissau with 515 kg of cocaine had a US registration, even though he admits that three Venezuelans on the plane were arrested. The Minister also admits that a plane flying from the Venezuelan city of Barcelona with cocaine was seized in Sierra Leone. An investigation has been opened, he reports, and the hypothesis is that local authorities in Venezuela were involved.
Minister Rodriguez Chacin denies that kidnapping has increased in Venezuela but recognizes that the government has been unable to eradicate the evil. At the moment there are 15 people being held hostage in Venezuela, Rodriguez Chacin confirms, and the government has improved in its efforts to rescue hostages. Comparing statistics, the Minister maintains that in the first semester of last year there were 212 cases, whereas in the same period this year the figure is 140. In the first six months of last year there were 86 charges brought against kidnappers compared to 240 this year.
The European Union (EU) Parliament's Return Directive is being discussed by communities in Venezuela starting with a debate in the 23 de Enero district Caracas. A book called, "The Phantom of Xenophobia Stalks Europe" edited by the Communication & Information (Minci) Ministry and consisting of articles and declarations by the Presidents of Latin America, such as Cristina Fernandez, Fernando Lugo, Evo Morales, Hugo Chavez, Lula Da Silva and the presidents of African countries will aid the debate. Minci director of publications, Gabriel Gonzalez says the leaflet is part of the ministry's policy to the democratize information and create critical conscience in communities.
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has announced the method it will use to select candidates to regional legislative councils. Directorate member, Ana Elisa Osorio says it will consist of three stages. The first will consist of battalions choosing 60% of the candidates. In a second stage State political teams will choose 20% and in the third stage the national directorate will deal with the remaining 20%. On Saturday, July 26 postulations will be accepted for the first time with a parity of 50% women 50% men aspiring to be candidates. The results will be released from July 31 through August 4. Osorio did not fix the PSUV's position regarding candidates from minority parties belonging to the Patriotic Alliance, President Chavez has insisted that candidates from minority parties be given greater participation in the selection of unity candidates to local councils.
According to international analyst, Jose Antonio Egido, President Chavez during his visit to five countries in Europe will strengthen relations in a "just and strategic manner." Speaking on a VTV talk show, Egido points out that Belarus is the most important strategic ally that Venezuela has in Europe because it is a country whose principles rely on just trade, principles that used to guide the socialist camp. The professor argues that the most important stage of the tour is undoubtedly the President's visit to Russia which is an emerging a great power with a great industrial, scientific, military, nuclear and technological tradition. Egido states that the possibility of creating a bilateral investment fund between Venezuela and Russia "will allow relations with that country to develop in the same style as that with Belarus that is to say a just and equal relation."
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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