VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:
Writing his first newspaper column, President Chavez tells us where he is coming from and describes the two divisions in Venezuela today. Using baseball terms, (the title: Chavez' line drives comes from baseball), the President describes the two teams currently batting and battling in Venezuela as those who want national independence contrasted with those who want to turn Venezuela once more into a colony ... "a Sub-imperial country, a Sub-Republic." There is no way to achieve independence in Venezuela, Chavez contends, than via a national revolution. The President characterizes Bolivarian Socialism as "Socialist Democracy," which he says has already begun. The other team he dubs as "petite-yankee" (pitiyanquis) that has condemned Venezuela to an historical grave and depreciation via Capitalism and its political expression, representative democracy. Another difference is that the independence team has sworn an oath, the same which Simon Bolivar swore in Rome on Monte Sacro on August 15, 1805, whereas the colonialists do not have an oath, a project, or a flag. They turn their flag upside down and use seven stars, Chavez comments, and not eight stars as mandated by Bolivar in Angostura ... "it's a counter-flag and they are counter-Venezuelans, a no-country people." The President refers to himself as a soldier who was trained in the school of commitment and obedience to the legitimate power "orientated towards the collective effort in the search of tactical objectives and strategic ends." Earlier on, Chavez recalls, he became a revolutionary soldier because he accepted the sovereign power of the Venezuelan people as legitimate and superior and has sworn complete subordination to that power for the rest of his days. Referring to the upcoming referendum, Chavez says that if the majority reject it, he will go on another February, namely in 2013 but he warns that if the "No" vote wins, the colony will impose itself. The President highlights the importance of the month of February in his political career, recording his rebellion against the government on February 4, 1992 and the rebellion of the people against the Fourth Republic in 1989.
Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, Julio Escalona proclaims that Israel did not win in Gaza because it neither destroyed Hamas nor its operational capacity. People did not go against Hamas, Escalona asserts, despite pamphlets dropped from Israeli planes ... what Israel did was to withdraw. The UN Security Council had to take a resolution on the destruction and massacre in Gaza to which Israel responded by attacking UN buildings. Escalona reveals that the Security Council took the decision after pressure from the president of the General Assembly, Father Miguel D'Escoto. For the first time, the General Assembly challenged the USA's veto power, setting a precedent in the transformation of the current system of power and world superstructure, which includes the International Monetary Fund. Venezuela's mission to the UN met the challenge and fulfilled its duty to the country and the world, the diplomat concludes, saying those responsible for the genocide in Gaza are the same crowd responsible for the financial crisis, food crisis, global warming and the eventual death of the planet. The answer, Escalona challenges, lies in the reaction of peoples of the planet, recovering their capacity to think and act with autonomy to prevent the spiritual assassination that is taking place through materialism and lack of solidarity.
The new Undersecretary of State, James Steinberg, seeking US Senate approval, says he intends to adopt a clear diplomacy towards Venezuela and relations will include direct contacts that favor US national interests, which include ending Venezuela's links with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and anti-drugs cooperation. Steinberg has told the US. Senate foreign affairs committee that the US has ceded ground too many times to Chavez whose actions and vision for the region neither favor his citizens or the peoples of Latin America. First reactions to the supposedly new policy confirms suspicions of a continuation of the Bush Administration's take on Venezuela. The Obama administration, Steinberg told Senators will seek a more active role in Latin America with a positive approximation which will ignore the "theatrical attempts of President Chavez to dominate the regional agenda." The US. he continues, is waiting for a tangible sign that Venezuela wants to improve relations with the USA and no decision has been taken regarding how to approach the Venezuelan government. Steinberg reinforces the Bush administration line, stating that the success of the war on drugs in Colombia has forced narco-traffickers to change their routes through Venezuela, whose "geography, rampant corruption, weak judicial system and lack of international cooperation" has converted it as an ideal transshipment route. In conclusion, no real change in the US mentality that South America is the USA's backyard and can be sorted out easily. The approach as outlined by Steinberg and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton seems to confirm President Chavez' warning to people in Latin America not to hold out many illusions about the change in US policy towards the continent and Venezuela with the arrival of Obama.
During a visit of Argentinian President, Cristina Fernandez to Venezuela, it has been learned that President Chavez and herself have agreed to hold meetings every three months to review the two countries' bilateral agenda. The decision was announced during the signing of around 20 agreements between the two countries. Fernandez points out that the quarterly meetings will be preceded by ministerial work sessions. Agreements were reached in the areas of food, technology and energy. Both Presidents have expressed the will to continue working for greater integration in Latin America and to strengthen exchanges between the two countries.
The Inter American Human Rights Commissions special freedom of expression rapporteur has condemned the assassination of Venezuelan journalist, Orel Sambrano last week and calls on Venezuelan authorities to undertake a quick and efficient investigation into the assassination, which took place in Carabobo. Sambrano was shot dead last Friday by two gunmen on a motorbike. According to the rapporteur, the journalist was investigating narco-trafficking rings and local corruption. On January 1, press photographer Jacinto Lopez was killed in a criminal incident in Barquisimeto (Lara) and a colleague of his wounded. Another journalist, Raphael Finol was wounded after entering the building of his newspaper, El Regional.
Interior & Justice (Minci) Minister Tarek El Aissami has accused the opposition 24-hours TV news station, Globovision of joint participation in street disorders by opposition students from private universities with the intention of destabilizing the political situation in Venezuela. The Minister made a statement during a visit to Tocuyito penitentiary in Carabobo to install a regional penitentiary council. Globovision, the Minister states, was present when the police seized incendiary devices in a truck used during an opposition student march on Tuesday and started accusing the police chief of planting Molotov cocktails, whereas VTV State television showed clearly what was inside the truck, as well as the driver, whom El Assaimi claims, has taken part in several street disturbances. The Minister also points to the coverage given to the arrest of students belonging to the pro-government La Piedrita group dubbed as "criminals" by Globovision, in contrast to opposition students causing disturbances who were referred to as simple "students."
The Coordinadora Simon Bolivar representing groups in the Caracas district of 23 de Enero is celebrating 51 years of the end of dictatorship in Venezuela, and the 52 years of the foundation of the parish itself with activities that include a cavalcade to support the constitutional amendment proposal to end term limits for all public offices. Among those invited for the day-long activities are Interior & Justice (Minci) Minister Tarek El Aissami, Libertador Mayor Jorge Rodriguez and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba.
In his weekly "Runrunes" column, opposition spin doctor, Nelson Bocaranda has matured a rumor at the Yellow House (Foreign Ministry) that President Chavez is not at all pleased with the performance of his government's Ambassadors to France and the United Kingdom for allegedly wasting money on trips with their families. Bocaranda contradicts his report by highlighting support given by the Embassy in Paris to the Palestinians in Gaza that merited a grafitti protest from Zionist sectors. VHeadline Venezuela News was unable to get any commentary from the Embassy in London. Bocaranda is well known for latching on to rumors and spinning them as truths.
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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