Venezuela's opposition has been attempting to gain brownie points by defending the visit of Southern Cone Economic Zone (Mercosur) human rights commission delegates to investigate the disqualification ban affecting opposition officials who want to run in the November regional elections. Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) secretary of international affairs and general roving ambassador for the opposition, Timoteo Zambrano has rejected what he calls violence and virulent attacks against commission president, Adriana Pena and member, Mirtha Palacios. Zambrano says the presence of the Mercosur parliamentarians is very important for the opposition in Venezuela. The opposition claims that the ban violates international law as well as the Inter American Human Rights Convention. Banco Central de Venezuela (PCV) is currently operating a campaign to collect old money and exchanging it for the new Bolivar Fuerte (Bs.F) denomination. In Barquisimeto a so-called BCV auto-bank has collected 349,000 old coins exchanging them for 432,000 coins of bolivares fuertes. The initiative was mounted in local banks and branches in the city, which were issued with 17 million coins and notes of the new currency for corporative clients, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, bakeries and the big commercial chains. This week the initiative moves to San Felipe (Yaracuy) and San Carlos in Cojedes.
Five caciques ( chiefs) of indigenous popular power have been in Caracas talking to the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Nicia Maldonado about land problems. Perija Sierra Gran Cacique, Jesus Salvador Fermin says there has been a dialogue with landowners and that the solution to land problems should be peaceful and non-violent. The chief complains that landowners should recognize the legitimate rights of indigenous peoples and reach an agreement. Recently, a national broadsheet claimed that indigenous peoples in Zulia State had lost 98% of their lands, which motivated the meeting in Caracas. Commenting on recent acts of violence in part of Zulia against Yukpa Indians, Gran Cacique Ezequiel Anan insists that indigenous communities do not want to make war and are prepared to listen. However, Anan has made it clear that the indigenous communities reject the media war against them as warmongers.
The president of the Mercosur parliament, Doctor Rosinha has officially declared that the parliament has not authorized the visit of any delegation to Venezuela. The visit of members of the parliamentary human rights commission to Venezuela, therefore, is not official and would appear to be a maneuver on the part of Venezuela's opposition to blow up the case of opposition leaders who have been banned from running in November's regional elections because of legal irregularities occurred while in public office. The end result of the campaign would seem to have opposition leaders, such as Leopoldo Lopez declared international victims of political persecution.
Communication & Information (Minci) Minister, Andres Izarra has appeared as a State witness in the public hearing at the Inter American Human Rights Court (Costa Rica) in the case brought against the Venezuelan State by Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). Izarra has appeared in a private capacity as a witness for the Venezuelan State and former worker at RCTV. Lawyers representing RCTV have attempted to dismiss Izarra's testimony claiming that as Minci Minister he is clearly an interested and biased participant. The RCTV is claiming State-inspired violence against its journalists as far back as 2001. Defense lawyers for the Venezuelan State want the complaints thrown out and declared invalid and have a month to present their case in writing.
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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