The Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) has thrown out a petition lodged by the former Miranda State governor and current candidate to the same post, Enrique Mendoza to have a disqualification ban against him lifted. The ruling means that Mendoza, a top opposition contender, will not be able to run for any public office after an administrative measure taken by the Comptrollership General of the Republic for irregularities while in office. Mendoza calls the ruling unjust and says he will continue his political struggle and work for the unity of the opposition in Miranda State. President Chavez has handed more than (Bs.F) 26 million bolivares to the Jose Obrero University Institute in Petare. The university has been in existence since 1948 and in 1973 was raised to the status of a technical higher education institute. 22 million of the funds will go towards extending institute buildings in Mesuca and Petare (Caracas) and Guanarito (Portuguesa).
National Elections Council (CNE) President, Tibisay Lucena has announced that enrolments for metropolitan and regional councils will be extended till Thursday afternoon.
Venezuelan Ambassador to Spain, Alfredo Toro Hardy continues his crusade against disinformation on the part of the main Spanish broadsheets. Writing to the editor of La Razon, Toro Hardy rejects an article titled "Cocaine arrives from Venezuela." The Ambassador points out that Venezuela has signed 50 anti-narcotic cooperation agreements with 37 countries and Venezuela's contribution to the war on drugs has been praised by diverse ministers of the Netherlands in 2005, the United Kingdom 2005 and 2006, and Italy and Germany in 2007.
On closing the first Young Indo-American Congress in Caracas, President Chavez has called on indigenous peoples to create new ideas in this historical moment and urges them to take up vanguard positions. The President stresses that there cannot not be Socialism in America if aboriginal traditions, culture, ways of life and community means of production are not incorporated.
President Chavez has confirmed that he will be flying to Paraguay on August 15 to attend the swearing in of Paraguay's new President, Fernando Lugo. Chavez adds that he will remain in the country till Saturday when he will sign the first bilateral cooperation agreements between the two countries.
The person leading a team investigating the deaths of 38 Warao indian youngsters supposedly from rabies claims to have received death threats. El Universal broadsheet reports that a team sent by the National Executive to investigate the strange deaths has not reached the area as yet and neither have the promised mosquito nets and hammocks aimed at keeping bats away. It is believed that bat bites are responsible for the deaths. Dr. Clara Briggs, who is part of a multidisciplinary team that drew up the first study, claims that local authorities have not even sent anti-rabies injections to the Delta Amacuro region. Briggs also alleges that she has received threats from the director of the Tucupita municipality epidemiological department, Antonio Perez Diaz. According to Briggs, local authorities have known about the epidemic since September 2007 but have not acted and she accuses them of a cover-up. The Attorney General's Office has summonsed Dr. Briggs for a hearing.
Ministers have been defending the government's decision to raise the price of some basic products. Light Industry & Commerce Minister, Wilmer Contreras says the measures have been taken after sustained conversations with the private sector, during which costs were evaluated and the effects of the world food crisis discussed. A hike in the price of beef is justified because of cost increases, not just in supply but also in packaging and other areas associated with production. As for white maize, the Minister argues that there is no way of importing the product and insists that the government has embarked on an aggressive plan of domestic production to solve the problem. The production of rice in Venezuela has arisen from 700,000 tonnes a year in 1998 to 1.3 million tonnes this year. This year the government hopes to produce around 3 million tonnes of maize as a result of its agrarian reform policy.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.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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