VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:Pro-government Simon Bolivar electoral commands undertook a nationwide electoral trial run on Saturday to test the efficiency of its machinery. Command president and Mayor of (Caracas) Libertador, Jorge Rodriguez says the rehearsal took place in 11,481 voting centers. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and allied parties, Rodriguez points out, are fighting against lies and disinformation on the part of the opposition, one of whose principal aims, he claims, is to sow violence and to create uncertainty among people during the referendum campaign. PSUV vice president, Aristobulo Isturiz highlights the objective on referendum day, February 15, namely to secure a high participation in zones where the government won regional elections and around 80% where the opposition won.
Known as "Peace Walker," Colombian Gustavo Moncayo, whose son remains a hostage of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has announced that he will begin a new walking tour to collect signatures calling for a referendum on a humanitarian agreement with guerrilla forces. Moncayo made the statement in Villavicencio (Colombia) as he awaited the release of four more hostages. The renowned walker says he hopes to collect around 2 million signatures necessary for the Colombian government to accept a referendum on the matter. Last year, Moncayo walked 950 km from South-eastern Colombia to Bogota and entered Venezuela through Tachira State stopping at several State capitals on his way to Caracas where he was received by President Chavez.
Everyone in Venezuela from the opposition to the government has condemned the forced entry and vandalism inside the main synagogue of Caracas.The Israeli government has blamed the Venezuelan authorities for instigating attacks against Jewish targets because of its stand in the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Israeli Foreign Minister, Yigal Palmor says the attack, which took place on Saturday, could not have occurred without the approval of the highest state authorities and she condemns those physically as well is morally responsible for the desecration. Israel has no more message for the Venezuelan government, the Foreign Minister declares, because relations between the two countries were "cut off abruptly" by President Chavez.
According to news sources, a group of around 15 heavily armed people overpowered
synagogue guards and remained within for four hours destroying the main objects
of Jewish culture and spraying graffiti against the Israel State.
The Venezuelan government has been quick to condemn what occurred in the synagogue in Caracas as a criminal act of vandalism. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has promised the Jewish community in Venezuela to investigate and apply justice to those responsible. Maduro brands those responsible for the outrage as an "anonymous group"waging a campaign to discredit the Venezuelan government for its support of the Palestinians. The Minister insists that nobody in Venezuela is persecuting the Jewish religion and that the incident will be investigated. The government's criticism, The Minister contends, is against Israeli elites and not the Israeli people.
Venezuela's Cardinal Jorge Urosa has condemned the attack on the synagogue situated in the Mariperez district of Caracas and calls on all sectors of society to reject religious violence. The Cardinal also states that the country is not interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict and insists that the authorities open an immediate investigation. Venezuela, the prelates insists, is a pacific country ... "we want to seek peace and cannot agree with this political violence ... violence of every type ... now it is anti religious violence, which we reject."
Labor & Social Security Minister Roberto Hernandez has appointed Carlos Millan as special labor inspector to investigate the conflict at the Mitsubishi plant in Anzoategui where two workers were killed by police attempting to evict workers who had taken over the plant. The Minister says the appointment is aimed at speeding up and dealing with all petitions introduced by the workers who occupied the plant since January 20. Millan forms part of a special committee set up by Hernandez. Today Social Security deputy minister, Yvan Delgado Abreu and labor relations director, Ramon Huiza will meet workers to assess their complaints lodged at the Anzoategui inspectorate and set up a timetable of work.
According to the president of exchange administration committee (Cadivi), Manuel Barroso, 94,000 people have been suspended from applying for preferential dollars because they have been unable to legally clarify transactions they made abroad. Speaking on a political talk show on Televen channel, Barroso reports that of the above number, 80,000 did not attend a summons to explain their transactions and of the 17,000 that did turn up, only 3,000 were able to prove a correct use of dollars received. Barroso adds that agents found plenty of dubious invoices and even rubber stamps on passports but without any register of migratory movements. Last year, Cadivi authorized $4.7 billion to credit card holders and this year the assignment of dollars has been cut drastically to stamp out abuses.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick@vheadline.com
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