Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- Tuesday, February 3, 2009

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

Former Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel claims that there are several Colombian paramilitary fronts operating in parts of Venezuela. During his Sunday TV show, Rangel says the groups have connections with narco-trafficking in Zulia State, arms traffickers in Tachira, run a training center in Carabobo State and do money-laundering in Nueva Esparta. In Caracas itself, the political analyst reports, there are five paramilitary groups, known as the El Hatillo, Miranda, Petare and Chacao Fronts. According to Rangel's report, the government is currently investigating and dealing with the irregulars starting with an investigation into the police forces of Chacao and Baruta, which, he claims, have been infiltrated by paramilitaries provided with false ID cards. Speaking about the upcoming referendum, Rangel maintains that the majority of survey polls place the government ahead and he alleges that the opposition is frustrated after the failure of its January 23 protest march ... the dominant tendency among opposition groups at the moment is to abstain.

Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) C-i-C, Gen Freddy Carrion denies news reports that his soldiers have been closing businesses that opened shop, despite a government decree declaring February 2 a national holiday. Carrion says it's completely false and that no orders had been given to close businesses. The situation in Venezuela is completely normal, he insists, adding that some businesses decided to open and did so with complete freedom and tranquility.
Yesterday, President Chavez ordered a national holiday to commemorate 10 years of the Bolivarian Revolution and to celebrate a meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative to the Americas (ALBA) set up as an alternative to the USA's failed Free Trade for the Americas (FTAA) Agreement.

To commemorate 10 years in power, Chavez held a mass rally at the Paseo los Proceres in Caracas where military parades are normally held. Accompanying the President in a cavalcade were the Presidents of Bolivar, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Honduras. The visitors were in Venezuela to attend the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative to the Americas (Alba).

Addressing a huge crowd of followers, President Chavez recalls that 10 years ago a new era in Venezuelan and Latin American politics started and that the region is no longer a backyard of the USA. People can see, Chavez told the crowd, gigantic changes that have taken place, if they compare the Venezuela of 10 years ago to what it is today. As regards Latin America, Chavez continues, 10 years ago it was almost wholly on its knees to the American Empire but today, he contends, the situation has changed and Latin America will be freed. The President made the statement celebrating 10 years of the Bolivarian revolution at a mass rally and cavalcade in Caracas. Tuesday was declared a national holiday. Chavez proclaims that the third period of the Bolivarian revolution has begun and will end on February 2, 2019.

Economy & Finance Minister, Ali Rodriguez has denied that the transfer of $12 billion from the international reserves to the National Development Fund signifies a double monetarization and will produce inflation. The Minister says some of the analysts who have worked in the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) know perfectly well that all contributions from the institution are destined to investments consisting of imported components only ... the dollars are used outside and there will be no inflationary impact in the country. Opposition economists have accused the government of using the transfer to resolve a fiscal deficit but Rodriguez replies that resources from Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for the Fund enter directly into the investment mechanism and because they are converted into bolivares, there is only one monetary process, not two. Attacks from the opposition on the transfer are connected, the Minister insists, to the constitutional amendment election process and are aimed at creating confusion among voters. The resources will be used for productive investment, Rodriguez declares, and $11.1 billion will be spent on the energy and petroleum sector, 5.3 billion on infrastructure works and 3.9 billion to housing and habitat, among others.

National Assembly (AN) deputies, Roy Daza and Earle Herrera are currently in Spain explaining the constitutional amendment proposed by President Chavez to domestic political and social sectors. Both have attended an solidarity act in Madrid celebrating 10 years of the Bolivarian revolution organized by Ambassador Alfredo Toro Hardy and the main Spanish solidarity with Venezuela group. The deputies will be meeting the Spanish press today and holding a series of interviews with different media sources in Spain and mainline political parties.

In the United Kingdom AN deputies, Augusto Montiel and Carlos Echezuria will be explaining the amendment at a meeting organized by the Embassy in London at Bolivar Hall in Central London's Grafton Way at 7.00 p.m. on February 4. The deputies are part of a 25-person group of deputies that have been dispatched throughout the world to inform about the constitutional referendum and explain why the Assembly supports and passed the amendment. The tour comes just a week before the referendum to eliminate term limits for all elected posts on Sunday, February 15. Deputy Montiel is a member of the British-Venezuelan parliamentary group and visited the UK several times.

At the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (Alba) summit in Caracas, the Presidents of Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominica and the Cuban Vice President have signed a food sovereignty and security agreement and set up a transnational food company. President Chavez says the company will start off with a capital of $49 million coming from a food fund set up one year ago at an Alba summit in Maracaibo. The company will be called Grand National and will compete with transnational food companies, Chavez declares, adding that the proposal is to install company HQ on the island of Dominica. The food security and sovereignty agreement will cover member countries of Alba as well as 11 countries belonging to the PetroCaribe scheme and is aimed at increasing sustainable production of food and guaranteeing sovereignty and security. The President has called on member countries not to waste time and to put the agreement into practice at once.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick@vheadline.com

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