The announced Socialist Central of Workers (CST) will officially open tomorrow, Friday. According to trade unionist, Juan Reyes, the new trade union central means the breakup of the pro-government National Union of Workers (UNT), since three of the tendencies in the UNT will be joining the new grouping. The new Central will consist of The Bolivarian Federation of Workers, Trade Union Autonomy, and the Alfredo Maniero Tendency. Reyes insists that the new organisation will avoid tendencies and abide by trade union unity. One of the first acts will be to define the statutes, which are currently under discussion for approval and implementation. It would appear that the UNT will continue with the following smaller tendencies: Workers in Revolution Collective, C-Cura and Marea Socialista. Accion Democratica (AD) leader, Henry Ramos Allup has announced three new unitary candidates for Guarico, Aragua, and Anzoategui States, Reinaldo Armas, Henry Rosales and Antonio Barreto Sira respectively. Because Barreto Sira is banned from participating in elections owing to criminal legal charges, Ramos Allup maintains that if the ban is not lifted, then the candidate will be Primero Justicia (PJ) candidate, Gustavo Marcano.
President Chavez has met representatives from Brazil's second biggest bank, the Caixa Economica Federal do Brasil. No details have been given about the motive of the meeting and the agenda discussed.
The Attorney General's office has undertaken an inspection in the maternity area of Barquisimeto Central Hospital. The investigation comes after the death of several children allegedly from a bacteria that contaminated the neonatology area. The team has requested that the hospital authorities hand over the medical history of each of the babies who died with a report on causes of death and the result of any necropsy.
The announcement by the Southern Cone Economic Zone (Mercosur) human rights commission president, Adriana Pena of a visit to Venezuela to assess the ban on opposition politicians seeking public office has infuriated members of the National Assembly. Deputy Desiree Santos Amaral points out that Pena is a friend of Chacao Mayor and aspiring candidate, Leopoldo Lopez, who is desperate to have the ban lifted. Santos Amaral insists that Lopez is banned not only for political reasons but also for acts of corruption and malfeasance of funds during office. Lopez, she says, must face up to a political and administrative as well as judicial ban and should be penalized.
The pressure to get Venezuela to renew anti-drug agreements with the USA continues to mount as Republican Senator Arlen Specter announces that he would like to meet Cuban President Raul Castro and Hugo Chavez during a tour of Latin America in August. Specter forecasts that the US is on the point of opening formal relations with Cuba and says there are real possibilities now that Fidel Castro is not in charge. The Senator admits that he met President Chavez in August 2005 in Venezuela and one of the results of his visit was a meeting between a "Venezuelan official and a US ambassador," which resulted in the setting up a protocol of mutual co-operation in drugs control.
Six Latin American Presidents, mostly from Central America will attend an anti-drugs summit in Cartagena, Colombia. President Chavez will not attend the session but will be represented by Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin.
Energy & Petroleum Minister, Rafael Ramirez complains of an "absolutely irregular situation" on the part of the Barbados government regarding bidding for offshore hydrocarbon blocks. The Minister complains that some blocks inside Venezuelan territorial waters have been put up for tender. The Minister says the Venezuelan foreign office is taking up the matter and in the past such conflicts have been solved through understandings. Ramirez insists that the government is ready to enforce respect for national sovereignty. It would appear that Barbados had initially suspended the international bidding process but started the process again on June 9. A group called the petroleum and defense front denounced the re-launch and with other organizations sent a letter to Minister Ramirez, warning that the Bottom Bay and Crane Bay Blocks are situated in Venezuelan waters.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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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