During the launching of Welsh Marxist, Allan Wood's new book, "Reformism or Revolution" in London (UK), Ambassador Samuel Moncada has stated that Venezuela has a message for all the world's peoples in the current economic and financial crisis. The Venezuelan people, Moncada says, rejected the neoliberalism and its consequences as far back as 1989 with the massacre of thousands of citizens in Caracas known as the Caracazo. The Ambassador points out international media played down the Caracas massacre in favor of that of Tiananmen Square and one of Venezuelan's biggest challenges at the moment is to break the international media "iron curtain" on Venezuela. What is contradictory in the media's treatment of Venezuela, Moncada maintains, is the fact that earlier in the year they accused President Chavez of Communism when he nationalized the banks and ordered state intervention in the economy, something that US and European leaders have been pursuing over 
the last two weeks. Alan Woods, leader of the International Marxist Tendency, opened his discourse pointing out that the international economic and financial crisis shows that Marxism and Socialism are back and as relevant as ever. Referring to the current financial crisis, Woods quips that Western politicians like true capitalists are using the people's money to save their class interests and system rather than seek a solution or change in favor of the common good.
Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, Tarek El Aissami has repudiated the shooting and death of the president of Zulia University Student Federation, Julio Soto. The Minister has ordered an immediate investigation and has promised Soto's family that it will find the killers. Soto was killed by two persons after attending the swearing-in ceremony of new student authorities in Maracaibo. The student leader was a member of the Christian Socialist party (COPEI).
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has called on the Venezuelan people to prepare itself for a struggle against anti-imperialism. In a communique the FARC states that its members will be on the front-line in any battle to defend the revolutionary project of President Chavez, if necessary. The organisation also thanks the Bolivarian Continental Coordinating Committee for its homage to FARC leader, Manuel Marulanda last week in Caracas. The document confirms that deaths and treacheries over the last months have shaken the organisation but FARC's political project has been strengthened by encouragement and solidarity from other organizations.
During a visit to Nueva Esparta State, President Chavez has announced that he will shortly open a higher education institute and install a factory that will produce prefabricated dwellings. Chavez has promised that of the 50,000 houses to be built by a joint-venture between the Venezuelan and Portuguese governments, 15,000 will go to inhabitants of the island. The President was in Margarita to support United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidate to the state governorship, William Farinas. Admonishing supporters, Chavez insists that the main reason why there has always been an opposition state governor on the island is because of divisions and infighting among government supporters.
During a joint press conference with Brazilian President, Lula Da Silva, President Chavez says it is important to create a new financial structure in the South. Given the financial crisis that has created havoc in the USA and other nations, Chavez insists that southern countries must not wait for the North to create a new financial architecture but start creating one themselves, which of course will have contact with the world of the North. With their own structures, President Chavez contends, southern countries will be in a better position to maintain and sustain a rhythm of investments in Venezuela and Brazil with all projects secured by common funds. Venezuela has taken the lead in creating joint banks with Russia, China and Iran and is proposing the idea of an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) bank, which so far has met resistance inside the organization.
A meeting of the presidents of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela centered around the financial crisis and responses on the part of South American countries. All four presidents coincide that the financial crisis started in the USA will affect their economies and regional integration. Lula Da Silva admits that nobody knows when the crisis will end with the closure of so many banks in Germany, Holland and other countries. The biggest fear of many countries is that the crisis will have an effect on the prices of raw material and oil on which many countries depend for exports. The general consensus among the above presidents reflect the belief that South American must cut its dependence on the USA and conquer their own sovereignty. The four Presidents have agreed to push forward the proposed Bank of The South, which has unfortunately has run into red tape.
Labor & Social Security Minister, Roberto Hernandez says Venezuela is in full solidarity with five Cubans being held in the USA as spies. After meeting family members of the five in Caracas, Hernandez has announced that the Bolivarian Association of Lawyers is preparing a workshop to show what legal arguments are being used to defend the Five whose names are the following: Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez. They were arrested in 1998 and are currently in prison in Florida pending an appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice in December.
Former Central Bank of Venezuela director, Domingo Maza Zavala has urged the government to take the necessary measures to diminish the impact of the US financial crisis on the national economy. The economist argues that Venezuela is in the path of the financial and economic hurricane because of its almost absolute dependence on oil prices. Maza Zavala says consumers are spending less to honor commitments which in turn will usher in a drop in the demand for oil in the US and he forecasts that oil price increases will proceed at a moderate and slow rate. The economist recalls that the steep rise in oil prices over the last few months was due mainly to financial speculation.
Christian Socialist (COPEI) deputy president, Robert Henriquez says he hopes that the opposition in Bolivar, Yaracuy and the different municipalities of the metropolitan district will follow the example of unity shown in Tachira, where COPEI candidate, Cesar Perez Vivas was selected as the unitary candidate via primaries. Henriquez proposes a similar method in the two States, and urges candidates to behave themselves and stop being irresponsible. In Tachira, there were four candidates vying for the opposition candidacy and only one has come out in support of Perez Vivas. Former State Governor, Omar Calderon and Gabino Paz have still to accept defeat.
Differences inside at the pro-government camp continue to flourish with Patria Para Todos (PPT), general secretary, Jose Albornoz, admitting to serious difficulties in resolving unitary candidates in several governorships. Albornoz has announced that the PPT has withdrawn its support for Lennys Manuitt, daughter of the current state governor. Highlighting some of the problems the PPT is facing, Albornoz points to the refusal of Tarek William Saab in Anzoategui and Raphael Isea in Aragua to accept the support of PPT during the electoral campaign.
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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