Venezuela is quite another kettle of fish! 'Sinverguenzas' (those without shame) may be very much 'guilty as hell!'

VHeadline editor & publisher Roy S. Carson writes: One does not necessarily have to agree or disagree with either side in the current political debate over the implementation of 'inhabilitaciones' (electoral exclusions) ordered by Venezuela's Attorney General Clodosobal Russian. But rather in an effort to seek explanations for why the subject has reared its ugly head in the run-up to November 23 local and regional elections, it has to be recognized that such exclusions are nothing new on the Venzuelan Statute Book, having been part of the legal codex for at least several decades and most definitely way before controversial Hugo Chavez Frias first appeared on the military-political radar in his unsuccessful coup d'etat against President Carlos Andres Perez on February 4, 1992.

Effectively the 'inhabilitaciones' mean that anyone who is charged with a criminal offense (most notably an act of corruption, malfeasance or similar) is prevented from running for political office until such times as the charges are dropped or the defendant has been found 'not guilty' by a court of law.

Confusion, of course, reigns in the political arena with accusations hither and thither that the law is being applied unequally to prevent diehard opposition candidates from standing. Equally it is claimed that President Hugo Chavez himself has ordered the exclusions based on notes in his 'little black book' ... although, quite frankly, it had all the hallmarks of paranoid balderdash.

Elsewhere around the world one would expect a politician, businessman or other person with public responsibility, to simply stand down as a point of personal honor or be forced into enforced suspension from public office as soon as they are charged with any particular public offense and to remain so while investigations continue. The police and other investigative bodies would, of course, make every endeavor to ensure that such investigations be conducted with due observance to the defendant's personal privacy while seeking to protect the interests of the public with due alacrity while not deliberate haste.

But Venezuela is quite another kettle of fish!

The judicial process in Venezuela is painfully slow, despite the best efforts of the central government to drag it kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. It is still majoritarily representative of the dreaded 4th Republic (which preceded President Hugo Chavez' ascent to presidential power in February 1999) and one can easily regard the main justices as fuddy-duddies with legal minds and mentalities stuck in the last century and an unwillingness to submit to change. There is also the endemic problem of corruption in the court system with 'dirty deals' often done to evade legal responsibilities and regular trips by some of the judges and other court officials to bank their wads in Miami or elsewhere in Dade County.

The international wire services and opposition journalists incorrectly believe that all that's needed is for President Chavez to wag his revolutionary finger at a vociferous opponent to have him clapped in irons and taken away ... but this is NOT so! In fact, Chavez himself is pretty tolerant of critique although the same cannot always be said for some of the 'primadonnas' in his administration who claim they've been revolutionaries for the last 25 years ... and they're sticking with the self-belief even if their inept actions clearly speak otherwise.

One may and should criticize the tardiness of the Venezuelan legal system which, when it works, easily comes in on the tail of a snail. Dead slow, STOP! seems to describe the legal paralysis at the best of times with corpulent lawyers running up lavish restaurant bills in their favorite Las Mercedes haunts or rubbing shoulders with political pundits and editorial executives at the Lee Hamilton Steak House at the corner of Avenida El Bosque ... or at the Country Club.

One could say that the 'usual suspects' -- both in and out of government -- should remain 'innocent until proven guilty' no matter that the fact that the 'sinverguenzas' (those without shame) may be very much 'guilty as hell' and the fact that you're best advised to count which of your fingers is missing after every handshake with them.

So ... until wildly controversial concepts like 'judicial alacrity' and 'public honor' are included in the Venezuelan political dictionary, we have to EXclude any thought that individuals will do the right thing and stand aside pending a properly conducted investigation of the circumstances is so far off-field as to not be worthy of immediate consideration.

Of course, one can opine that 'inhabilitaciones' should be erased from the Statute Books but, until such times as the Legislature arrives at a democratic consensus to repeal the highly-debatable concept and replace it with conventional justice and honor ... there ain't much left but to accept the status quo, and, of course, to man the barricades in peaceful protest until such times as the parliamentarians see sense and implement the much-needed change.

Roy S. Carson
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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The End of the Bolivarian Age

March 1, 2008, may be remembered as the day when the sun began to set on the 'Bolivarian empire.' Early that morning, Colombian narcoterrorist leader Luis Edgar Devia alias 'Raul Reyes' was killed by rockets fired by Colombian armed forces into his guerrilla camp in neighboring Ecuador. The incident set off a firestorm that may yet consume the reckless and corrupt Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez. Months before, in January, Chávez's acolytes in Venezuela's National Assembly applauded thunderously when their maximum leader bestowed legitimate 'belligerent' status on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the smaller Army of National Liberation, and recognized them as part of his 'Bolivarian' movement. Chávez was so outraged that the Colombian government would kill his terrorist chum that he hurled himself and his country into a war they couldn't win. He ordered his military to deploy tanks to close the border, choking off vital two-way trade with Colombia. Lieutenant Colonel Chávez may be the only military leader in history to attack his own supply lines. It is very clear that U.S. authorities are carefully reviewing the close cooperation between the Chávez camp and the FARC. Chávez reversed himself within days, as Colombian authorities began to release the first of thousands of damning computer documents that implicate Chávez, officials of the Ecuadorean government, and others in supporting the FARC. His internal opposition, the Patriotic Front, led by respected democrat Oswaldo Alvarez Paz has denounced Chávez's alliance with the FARC as treason against Venezuela.

Chavez warns U.S. after getting Russian warplanes

President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela had taken delivery of 24 Russian Sukhoi fighter jets, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet that his country is ready to defend itself.

"We've received the 24 Sukhoi aircraft," he said Sunday. "They're for defensive purposes; we're not going to attack anybody." The deal included training for pilots and crews, as well as missiles for the fighters.

Chavez said the Sukhoi missiles have far greater range than those of the U.S. F-16 fighter jet, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet to keep out of Venezuelan waters. "Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters [river waters] will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they'll not get through," he said.

The jets are part of a recent $4 billion deal with Moscow, including tanks, transport planes, air-defense systems and AK assault rifles.

In 2005-2006, Venezuela signed a deal to buy more than 50 combat helicopters, 24 Su-30MK2 fighters, 12 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems and 100,000 AK-103 rifles from Russia.

Chavez, an outspoken critic of Washington since coming to power nine years ago, has focused his foreign policy on bolstering ties with countries outside the U.S. sphere of influence.

Current developments in our own nation (USA) are threatening the power of American consuls

In one of his earliest comedies, Woody Allen had a stereotypical pompous U.S. ambassador bellow to an equally stereotypical group of thuggish Eastern European cops that no American could be dragged off and shot without his personal approval.

The ambassador's shout was an understandable, if tortured, explication of something we all know and value: Our diplomatic and consular officials overseas have a primordial responsibility to protect the rights and interests of our citizens traveling and working abroad. The right of people traveling abroad to have immediate assistance from their consulates is so basic that it is enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, a global treaty endorsed by the United States and about 170 other nations.

No citizen is more in need of consular support than one who faces the terrifying ordeal of arrest and imprisonment under a foreign legal system. Immediate access to a consular representative provides trustworthy guidance through the morass of a bewildering judicial process and affords a secure link to home. In some parts of the world, consular assistance is all that stands between foreign prisoners and abuse, torture or even death in custody.

Because thousands of U.S. citizens are jailed abroad every year (sometimes for no good reason), anything that diminishes the power of American consuls to assist them in their time of need is cause for concern. Yet current developments in our own nation are threatening the power of American consuls.

Miss Universe Confesses Taking Plastic Surgery

Dayana Mendoza’s hard work in modelling really gave fruits – she gained the crown of Miss Universe. - Being a model is really great. You show what is new in fashion and you wear gorgeous dresses. As Miss Venezuela and Miss Universe you need to travel the world, spend time with different people and show yourself in different places, this is what I have always wanted – said 22-year-old Dayana. After many years of learning the catwalk and three languages, Mendoza’s hard work finally gave fruits. After conquering the audience’s attention, she won the Miss Universe contest. - I have been in modelling since I was fifteen, I have travelled the whole world, but I felt I needed something more – said Mendoza. After she won, she stated that she is still with her feet on the ground, and that she has the feeling she is floating on her own emotions. Mendoza is the fifth Miss Universe from Venezuela where the beauty contest is like a national sport.

Chavez in Venezuela has been elected and re-elected, but still gets called a tyrant by Bush's step-and-fetch-its

Despite all the blather about democracy, we (USA) did not invent it, do not support it and have, during the recent administration, become less democratic than we were before.

We are and always have been too large a country for a true democracy. That's why the Founding Fathers created a republic. In a true democracy, the people would decide practically all the issues. In a republic, the people delegate that power to elected representatives who serve for a fixed term.

by Charley Reese

A republic is a good form of government provided the people pay attention, fairly judge the performance of their elected officials and boot 'em out of office when they don't cut the mustard. It is a good form of government provided the best people, not the worst, offer themselves to serve in public office.

Our government really does not support democracy, except rhetorically. When the Palestinians had a free and fair election and chose Hamas members to man their government, we refused to recognize the new government. Apparently, the Bush administration's definition of a free election is one that provides the results the president wants.

Most of our "allies" are far from democratic. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are all authoritarian in one form or another. Ironically, Iran does have an elected government, but there again, it's one Bush doesn't like. Poor Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has been elected and re-elected, but still gets called a tyrant by Bush's step-and-fetch-its. China, which is a stern one-party dictatorship, seems to find our favor.

I'd say that if you are a dictator seeking the favor of the United States, you must offer financial incentives, be a supporter of Israel or volunteer for lap-dog status.

If you dare indicate that you are interested in the welfare of your own people and your own nation, you are likely to end up on the president's bathroom list. This basic rule of foreign policy doesn't seem to change regardless of which party occupies the White House.

It also should be noted that people keep insisting that Iran give up weapons it doesn't have while remaining dead silent about the nuclear weapons Israel does have. If our government were truly interested in nuclear nonproliferation, it would support a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East that includes Israel and would not be making deals to increase the nuclear capability of India.

So, the second rule of American foreign policy is that hypocrisy and expedience trump principles.

Internally, we have become decisively less democratic. The present administration has a bad habit of questioning the patriotism and loyalty of people who disagree with it. It spies on everybody without any judicial restraint. It has riddled the government with partisans who are incompetent. It is the most secretive administration in American history. It lies like a drunken fisherman. It puts people in jail and holds them incommunicado without charges. It tortures people. It is contemptuous of the Constitution and especially of the principle of checks and balances.

Congress is too cowardly to do it, but George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are a lot more likely to deserve impeachment than Bill Clinton was. Clinton lied about his private sexual peccadillos, while the Bush administration seems to lie about everything. Clinton lied to prevent a war with Hillary, while the Bush mob lied to get us into a war in Iraq. A big difference, I'd say.

Thomas Jefferson did not believe that one generation had the right to burden another with debt. Our $9 trillion federal debt is a burden on generations too numerous to count. This is almost as serious a civic sin as lying our way into a war.

We seem to be following the familiar path of history where republics slide into empire and eventually a fascist dictatorship. Too bad that freedom, like a good wife, is most appreciated in its absence.

Chavez Says He Will Speed Socialism After November Election

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he will ``accelerate the socialist revolution'' after his party's candidates win regional elections Nov. 23. Some of his ideas, which he calls ``21st century socialism,'' were rejected in a referendum last December. That was because conditions weren't yet ``ripe,'' as they will be later this year, Chavez said late yesterday in a televised address. ``Nov. 23 will kick off the new period of the Bolivarian revolution,'' Chavez said at the campaign event for his United Socialist Party of Venezuela. ``Transition to socialism in a much more precise, planned, accelerated, exact, scientific manner.''

Infighting threatens Venezuela vote

Bitter infighting between political parties struggling to resolve differences and official measures to ban opposition candidates on corruption charges are threatening to overshadow regional elections in Venezuela this autumn. Increasingly evident internal divisions between parties supporting leftwing President Hugo Chávez as well as within the opposition movement – which lacks a clear leader to settle its differences – are in danger of splitting votes on both sides, analysts say, as parties scramble to nominate candidates by the August 12 registration deadline. An added complication for the opposition is that some of its most popular candidates are likely to remain disqualified because of corruption charges, pending a ruling from the Supreme Court. Jennifer McCoy, director of the Americas Programme at the Carter Center, which played a key role in endorsing Venezuela’s disputed 2004 recall referendum, worries about perceptions that electable opposition politicians are being prevented from running to clear the way for government-backed candidates. “This perception has the potential to damage the legitimacy of the elections and those elected in them, particularly if the legal issues are not resolved by the Supreme Court before the candidate registration period,” she said.

London Mayor Boris Johnson blackballs Venezuela; insists sending back US$14 million to sever deal with Caracas

VHeadline Venezuela News reports: London Mayor Boris Johnson -- who replaced left-winger Ken Livingstone on May 1 this year -- is insisting on returning just over UK£7 million (US$14 million) to Venezuela ... almost half the amount agreed in a Livingstone undertaking to provide discount Venezuelan oil in exchange for British transport, environment and urban planning know-how.

Venezuelan officials had signed a deal with London on February 20, 2007, to send two shipments of diesel (worth $32 million) in exchange for advisory services to deal with traffic chaos in Caracas. But Matt Brown, press officer for the London Mayor's Office says London has returned £7 million pounds = $13.97 million. He explains that Transport for London received £16 million of which £9 million had been invested in low-cost transport program and that the amount reimbursed matches the exact difference.

The agreements signed with Ken Livingstone in London expire in two weeks time and it's obvious that white-haired and outspoken Mayor Boris Johnson wants to get rid of any encumbrance a connection with "the Venezuelan Dictator Hugo Chavez" could imply. A press release says simply that "the financial arrangement between London and Venezuela will end on August 20 this year, when the treatment comes to an end."

The big upset in Venezuela-London relations came when Johnson defeated Livingstone at the polls and suspended the Venezuela agreement the minute he took office saying that Londoners should feel uncomfortable with the fact that their buses operate with discounted fuel from "a country where many people live in extreme poverty."

In a headlined article in Sunday's edition of the national broadsheet El Universal, the Venezuela-London agreement was primarily for London to provide consultation on matters of "transport and planning", "traffic signalling and controls" and "environmental quality issues" ... but Johnson's administration says there are sparse details from the Venezuelan side as to what was the scope of such activities and apart from setting up a Caracas office for Transport for London on Avenida Casanova (Caracas's version of London's seedy Soho red-light district) there was no specifics as to who would work there, any conclusions reached and where such activities should take place. London PR-man Brown insists that "the information is zero." The London Metropolitan Mayor's Office says Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) refuses to shed light on the subject, and that any further queries are "outside of our competence." Meanwhilt Venezuela's Foreign Ministry (MRE) claims to be unaware of the news about $14 million wending its way back from the UK to their balance sheet.

While there was some small degree of publicity last year basically warning 250,000 London commuters that 'The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela' was subsidizing their half-price bus tickets, the program initially intended to provide low-cost travel to pensioners, handicapped and unemployed was essentially forgotten about when former Higher Education Minister, Samuel Moncada took over as Venezuela's Ambassador to London late last year and Venezuela-London relations were thrust suddenly into reverse.

Witnessing Moncada's diplomatic incapacity, no government authority responded to Johnson's decision to curtail the agreement, although without any reference to Venezuela, Livingstone was quick off the starting-block to claim that Johnson was more interested in continuing with his right-wing ideological agenda than in improving standard of living of the poorest people living in London.

VHeadline Venezuela News
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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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Chavez urges opposition activists to mind their tongues! PSUV debate should not serve to give flesh to the vultures!

VHeadline Venezuela News reports: On a "high visibility" visit to Puerto Ordaz this weekend, President Hugo Chavez Frias has given the weight of his full political backing and sponsorship to Bolivar State Governor Francisco Rangel Gomez for re-election in November 23 local and regional elections. Speaking to a gathering of his new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) at the regional Francisco de Miranda hydroelectric complex, Chavez said that if there were any doubts about the reason for his visit to Guyana, "it is to give resounding support to Francisco Rangel Gomez!"

Chavez says he wants to encourage internal debate in the Patriotic Alliance of associated left-wing parties that have recently become amalgamated with PSUV but insists that it should be conducted "away from the microphones."

Reminding his supporters (Chavistas) that his proposal for constitutional reforms was narrowly defeated last December 2, the President warned that the party faithful need to work strongly "to prevent a victory for the enemy" ... not just with regard to the governorship of Bolivar State, or Aragua, or Mayor of Caracas ... "we must strengthen our position from the very top!"

Seemingly ignoring the fact that a large number of 'Chavista' voters have build up a formidable electoral rejection of his army comrade-in-arms, Rangel Gomez, Chavez insists that the weekend event was an attempt to recover the Governor's somewhat waning image ... "I come to give my fullest qualified support to the Governor, Francisco Rangel Gomez, but the debate should not serve to give flesh to the vultures ... such discussions can not be held in front of microphones!"

Meanwhile, Chavez has urged opposition activists to mind their tongues! He says "we care about the language used, so as not to fall into provocations ... we will discuss things internally, with hard ideological debates, political discourse and practice ... indeed, this should be our motto!"

President Chavez insists that Francisco Rangel Gomez has been his friend for many years, and listed what be believes to be the Governor;s many achievements during the past few years ... "there are so many reasons why he should remain the governor of this state," he said, adding that the Patriotic Alliance should be careful and understand "that the enemies are not the other factions on the pro-government side but the representatives of the 'Fourth Republic' (Chavez' label for corrupt previous administrations).

Rangel, himself, says he's sure to triumph in November. He said the Bolivarian Revolution is working within the Guayana region even if he senses enemies in the jungle ... "they are not going to silently creep up on us ... we will punch these puppets of the Empire (the United States) back each time they raise their opportunistic heads to attempt to penetrate and destroy what we have achieved here in Venezuela. With the support of the workers, we will continue to triumph!"

Chavez told the PSUV assembly that "the working class must be the spearhead of a wide social alliance in Guayana. Nevertheless, he warned that the first thing he would do, if a 'counterrevolutionary' were to win the regional election in Bolivar state, would eb to demand his/her head on a platter ... "if it happens, 2009 will be a year of war, so I urge the red pro-government alliance to win!"

While the Venezuela opposition has encountered severe conflicts within its ranks, Chavez insists that this is nothing new in the State of Bolivar but it is of "utmost concern" that Rangel Gomez has been drawn into their quarrels. He claims that the opposition has infiltrated the political environment since the Patriotic Alliance has insisted on proposing Manuel Arciniegas for Governor. Nevertheless, with only a few months left to go before the crucial elections, he insists that Rangel Gomez is best placed to govern a state that is so important for Venezuela as a whole.
Referring to the controversy over his television statement, Thursday, that the Venezuelan government will buy Spanish Santander's interests in Banco de Venezuela, Chavez said that Venezuelans can be more confident with their money in Banco de Venezuela once his government finalizes details to buy the bank from Santander.

"Banco de Venezuela depositors will have greater guarantees for their savings ... there will be a lot more security now, with the bank in the hands of the revolutionary socialist government of Venezuela and there will also be a lot more security for workers at Siderurgica del Orinoco (Sidor) now that it is in state hands!"

VHeadline Venezuela News
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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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McCain is quite right Barack Obama did bring up the issue of RACE

VHeadline commentarist Kenneth T. Tellis writes: I think that that Senator John McCain is right on all counts. Barack Obama did bring up the issue of RACE. But it was totally misconstrued by John McCain and his team of Republican clones, or should that be clowns?

Obama has made it abundantly clear that this was a RACE for the presidency. And now to all intents and purposes it has become a ONE HORSE RACE. Barack Obama is in the lead position and has already reached the Winning Post, whilst John McCain is still stuck in the time warp of the Hanoi Hilton, and cannot get to the Starting Post. So, there is no chance that John McCain the Republican candidate cans ever going to win the presidential election and get to the White House. Imagine racing an old nag like John McCain against a young stallion?

• Bookies can now refuse to take bets on John McCain’s chances, because the odds are against him, and he hasn’t got a hope in hell of achieving his pipe dream of the presidency.

So, let call this the Presidential that never was and leave it at that.

Kenneth T. Tellis
kenttellis@rogers.com

Venezuela: Another world is happening!

If you only read the mainstream media, you would think that Venezuela is run by a dictator who suppresses democracy and violates human rights. But the opposite is true. Contrary to media reports, a widespread social transformation is underway in Venezuela, led by a revolutionary government elected by the people with the aim of eradicating poverty and inequality by giving power to the poor. In less than a decade, the revolution has already achieved free education at all levels for all citizens, free health care for 17 million Venezuelans who never previously had access, and millions of people have become direct participants at the grassroots level of a radically new political process. This process has given confidence to the poor majority across Latin America that not only is a better world necessary, it is possible.

100+ people to organize each edition of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias' +5-hour 'Alo Presidente' TV show

VHeadline Venezuela News reports: According to today's (Saturday) editions of the national broadsheet El Universal, it takes more than one hundred people to organize each edition of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias' +5-hour 'Alo Presidente' television show each Sunday. And it takes the team up to 82-hours of solid work to set up each outside broadcast so that things work to the satisfaction of the President, ministerial team and invited guests.

Venezuelan Audiovisual Workers Union organizer, Juan Carlos Sosa ... a senior technician at State TV broadcaster Venezolana de Television (VTV) -- says it is an incredible undertaking to produce each edition of 'Alo Presidente' and while privately-owned Venevision produces a 5-nights-a-week TV soap opera called 'Torrente' with roughly the same number of production staff, they don't have to shift cameras, sound gear, production assistants, microphones, equipment operators, editors and make-up artists as well as lighting, scenery and other personnel for hundreds of miles around the country between each week's edition.

El Universal's Jose Antonio Azopardo quotes Sosa as saying the 'Alo Presidente' team makes phenomenal efforts at the drop of a hat to follow orders to the letter over mountains, savannas, deserts, plains and jungles around Venezuela's twenty-three states.

More than often than not, a week's production odyssey takes them to the most inaccessible regions of Venezuela ... like a recent program broadcast live from a hydroelectric complex in the mountains of south-western Tachira State close to the border with Colombia.

The assignment, under the organizational supervision of the Ministry of Communications & Information (MinCI) was a battle against the clock and stretched VTV's technical and personnel resources to the absolute limit. "The whole production team travelled in convoy overland for seventeen hours and arrived on-site at 6:30 a.m. to go on-air in less than seven hours! The set was up by 10:00 a.m. and we could relax for a couple of hours but we were back on the job 'live on air' at 2:30 p.m. with no breaks until the program ended at 7:30 p.m. and we finally got back to the hotel at midnight to eat and sleep..."

Worst of all, the whole production team can go through the same marathon operation week-in, week-out ... catching only a few hours sleep ... only to wake up to the news in the early hours of a Sunday morning that the whole 'Alo Presidente' broadcast has been pushed aside for a sports event or abandoned completely. The only thing left is to pack hundreds of trunks with technical gear etc., and head off home to begin another round of helter-skelter some Monday morning.

The bonus for the production staff, of course, is that VTV cameramen, sound technicians etc., can count on as much as 58 hours x8 times paid overtime in a routine week's work, plus travelling expenses and hotel accommodation thrown in.

While VTV unions act to protect working conditions and wages for their members, voices are being raised over the phenomenal costs raised by the logistics in such a massive operation on behalf of the President who uses the program as a political platform to promote his new United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). The program usually highlights the many good things that the Chavez government is doing for his people, but at the same time there is little or no air-time given to any critique and members of the political opposition need not apply to make guest appearances on the show! And, since the President and his political party are making no financial contribution to the overall costs of the 'Alo Presidente' show, there is an increasing volume of rejection to why Venezuelan taxpayers should have to foot the bill ... exacerbated VTV president Yuri Pimentel recently decreed that all over non-government TV channels would have to pay the equivalent of US$60 a second for the privilege of re-broadcasting VTV's program output!

Admittedly, Chavez has said that the state-owned VTV channel's "technical equipment" ... and the channel itself are "unsustainable" ... he has blamed TV employees for the mounting costs but they say that the problem is not due to them. Union leader Sosa says "the excessive hours we work does not help the production workers ... it's all down to poor planning. MinCI is not concerned about the overtime since they are not footing the bill ... we lose a lot of time shifting equipment etc., hither and thither and getting people to distant place." Sosa adds that significant savings could be made with better management of time and resources. "It's a matter of administration and coordination ... they can not simply blame the workers."

"Everyone is working with the same enthusiasm, the same commitment, but there is growing malaise ... VTV workers believe it should NOT be like this and that the President (Chavez) is misinformed ... or is being given information that is mis-managed for a completely different purpose. MinCI Minister Andres Izarra was making the same statements two years ago that the President is now using to put the blame on us ... and it is all wrong!"

VHeadline Venezuela News
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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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National Council of Resistance of Iran - Foreign Affairs Committee says Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Venezuela

The Iranian regime’s Air and Space Organization, part of its Ministry of Defense, along with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unit responsible for the missiles program, are collaborating extensively and secretly in the field of missile technology transfer to Venezuela. The IRGC’s commanders even attended the June 2008 Venezuelan military exercise. During the past 5 years, the Iranian regime has established extensive military and political relations with Venezuela, with its investments in that country totaling roughly 10 billion dollar. Mullahs’ former president, Mohammad Khatami, and their current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have each traveled to Venezuela twice, while the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, has also reciprocated with his own trips to Tehran on a number of occasions. In addition to the political and economic relations, in February 2008, a security pact was signed between the Iranian regime and Venezuela, which has thus far remained unannounced. The Ministry of Defense’s Air and Space Organization (which oversees the missiles program) is also active in Venezuela.

Fred Cederholm: Oh yeah ... it's an election year so here is your umbrella, cheers!

VHeadline commentarist and money market expert Fred Cederholm writes: I've been thinking about umbrellas ... about the housing bubble, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, The American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, agenda, and reality. Umbrellas are definitely useful items to have in a backup arsenal of protective gear when the sun is shining, or there is a threat of rain. They even serve to keep the user somewhat dry and protected when there is a gentle drizzle, or shower.

Unfortunately they don't do much good in a monsoon, a hurricane, a tidal wave, flood, or tsunami. An ark would do you far better.

You see the debacle of the housing/ real estate bubble continues to ratchet up on the scales of severity -- growing exponentially in losses, write-offs, impact, and negative spin-offs. The unwinding crisis and ramifications has just progressed up the ladder a few more rungs. We are not yet at the top (or should I say the bottom) --- far from it!

The whole US banking/financial systems behind real estate financing underwriting are in crisis. Far too many people assumed obligations for housing they could not service and could never ultimately pay off under the best of times and conditions. It began as the tragedy of Sub-Prime and Alternate-A loans whereby if the borrower had a pulse, they got the loan at a teaser rate of interest they could only theoretically afford. Mortgage resets triggered a rash of delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures. An already market glut of "spec" houses was joined by a flood of re-sales and walk-aways. The spiraling glut impacted the sales pricing of all properties.

These Sub-Prime and Alternative-A loans were packaged and re-sold to investors as CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligations) where investors bought dollar denominated blocks of "generic" debt that were NOT property specific. The losses, write-downs, and write-offs on these already tally in the hundreds of BILLIONS and we are only getting started. The rush to unload properties keeps impacting the reselling and market values of an ever larger block of homes - originally financed by borrowers who HAD met the more stringent income and down payment requirements of a Fannie Mae and a Freddie Mac. These two had packaged the paper on what "were" a higher quality of mortgage backed derivative investment paper. These, too, are now in the tank and sinking fast.

The on-the-market glut of properties for sale has pushed prices down pretty much across the nation - the largest price declines occurring on the two coasts and in the sunbelt. Households who had enjoyed paper equity gains in double digits saw those completely evaporate and became saddled with mortgage obligations far in excess of their properties sales (recoup) value. They, too, are upside down/underwater. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hold about half of the $12 trillion outstanding mortgage paper and now look at write-offs/write-downs in the trillions for their investors. They can't re-sell or redeem the paper they have out there, much less re-market more for yet new or take-out loans. The system is not only in crisis, it is tottering on the brink of a complete meltdown.

Last week saw the US Congress railroad through The American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. This has been dubbed the "bailout of Fannie and Freddie." If you think this 700-page bill actually "reimburses" borrowers/lenders for "any to-date or future losses" with Uncle $ugar picking up the tab, you are dead wrong! For now the Act authorizes the Treasury/FED to buy up upwards to some $25 billion of Fannie and Freddie paper to fund NEW mortgages for home buyers who meet established criteria. Another bureaucratic watchdog agency is established to keep the forward moving Fannie and Freddie on the up and up. Existing homes owners (and those up beyond their eyeballs in debt) qualify for some new tax credits on the property taxes they pay – even if they don't itemize deductions. The National Debt ceiling is goosed up $800+ billion more!

The brouhaha behind the bill is pretty much spin, hype, and hot air.

It doesn't "fix" anything and certainly won't even mitigate many of the pain ... it only buys some time. Its caveats stress the liability/costs to the taxpayers won't exceed the $25 billion figure, so why is the ceiling on the National Debt being raised 32 times that amount?

Oh yeah… it's an election year so here is your umbrella, cheers!

Fred Cederholm
asklet@rochelle.net

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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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Politics, Beer and Cuban Cigars make for a volatile mix ... nothing to get burned up about, is it?

VHeadline commentarist Kenneth T. Tellis writes: When I read about Cindy Henley McCain the third largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the US having a problem with InBev, which markets its Cuban line of beer, then the fat was in the fire so to speak.

There is John McCain the Republican candidate for President still on with his rants against Cuba and his wife having to choose with making money or refusing to deal with Anheuser-Busch/InBev which have merged. But things are hotting up, because of another problem.

Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, both McCain supporters condemned the merger between Anheuser-Busch and InBev ... their claims are invalid for the simple reason that, InBev is not trading with the Cuban dictatorship, for the simple reason Cuba has an elected government, which the US does not have!

Viz: the 2000 and 2004 US Presidential Elections were both con jobs.

To add to their falsehoods both Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami, Florida accuse the Cuban government of being 'a state sponsor of terrorism.' But, there is no back up for their ridiculous statements. Both Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart are related to Fidel Castro Ruz, the former president of Cuba. From their very statements both these Congressmen are definitely stuck in the TIME WARP of the 1960s.

Now should people who have a good thing going want things to change things?

Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart are raking in money with funds that they receive from anti-Castro Cubans in Florida, and money also being channeled to them by the Bush regime. They have a good life with no worries as long as they keep up the appearances of opposing the government of Cuba. They have in effect sold their Cuban birthright for a mess of AMERICAN potage.

Of one thing I am sure, and that is the story of Cuba's resistance to US imperialism is far from over. Times may have changed, but US corporations are still very angry with what Cuba did in 1959, to their ill-gotten gains. They will never ever forgive a country whose government threw them out on their rears and took over their gambling dens, brothels and drug businesses. Cuba had thrown off the yoke of US corporations and their investors once and for all.

I'd like to tell Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz to give the Yanks cigars ... but as we all know, CUBAN cigars are illegal in the US ... and one can be charged if found with CUBAN cigars on their person.

Of course that's nothing to get burned up about, is it?

Kenneth T. Tellis
kenttellis@rogers.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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Russia's Rusoro Finds Gold In Warm Ties With Venezuelan Govt

Mining in President Hugo Chavez's Venezuela is a risky business, but Rusoro Mining Ltd. (RML.V) is confident cozy relations with the government will help it quadruple output and increase production to 1 million ounces of gold in five years. Investment in the country's mining industry has all but dried up as labor problems and threats of nationalizations have scared international investors away, despite booming commodity prices. Yet Russian-owned Rusoro has been gobbling up mines while cultivating a close relationship with the Chavez administration.

Special powers deadline expires; Final flurry sees 26 new laws land on statute book

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The Enabling Law went out at midnight on Thursday after President Hugo Chavez had put his signature to 26 decrees ahead of the looming deadline when his special powers expired.

Chavez unveiled his last four decrees only hours before the cut-off point. These set out laws for a state agricultural bank, "integral agricultural health," a national railroad system, and the promotion and development of the "popular economy."

Before that, he'd signed decrees on tourism, home loans, consumer interests, pensions, small- and medium-sized companies including "social production units," restructuring and simplifying social security and public administration, and changes at the Economic and Social Development Bank (Bandes).

Chavez shut down the Industrial Credit Fund (Foncrei). He recently remarked that he'd given up the idea of collectives and is thought to favor more conventional small firms. In the military sphere, the National Armed Forces (FAN) acquired the title of Bolivarian.

A string of decrees concerned promotions or confirmed the rank of individual members of the armed forces.
Nine new units of the military reserve corps were created. With the exception of the final four, all the new decrees were published on Friday in the Official Gazette. The special powers were voted into force by the National Assembly in February last year and were in effect for 18 months.

Chavez had used the Enabling Law to put 36 laws on the statute book without having to consult with, or submit proposals to, parliament. Whether Venezuela has seen the back of presidential special powers remains an open question. The Assembly, under the all but absolute dominance of the government, could vote in another Enabling Law.

Caracas Daily Journal News Briefs for Saturday, August 2, 2008

An arrest warrant was issued against Venezuelan-Argentine businessman Guido Antonini Wilson in connection with the suitcase containing $800,000 in cash that was seized by authorities in Argentina last August. The whereabouts of Antonini Wilson aren't clear, and security services are under orders to find him.

One prisoner was killed and eight others injured during violence last Thursday afternoon at a prison in Barinas, President Hugo Chavez' home state. The cause of the fighting wasn't disclosed, but reports say gunshots were heard from inside the prison. The presence of firearms is a frequent feature of life behind bars in Venezuela.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) is scheduled to open the process of registering candidates for the state and municipal elections next Tuesday. CNE President Tibisay Lucena has ruled that aspirant candidates included in a ban imposed by Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian won't be allowed to register.

Venezuela could find itself brought before the InterAmerican Human Rights Court in a case centered on retired Gen. Francisco Uson, according to Hector Faundez, head of the human rights center at the Universidad Central de Caracas (UCV). Uson's legal counsel claims that his rights to due process have been violated.

Antimano, a poor and violent district of west Caracas has been picked as one of several "pilot centers" for a proposed new system of community policing, according to Metropolitan Police (PM) Commissioner Wilmer Flores Trosel. Community policing is based on involving local residents in cooperation with security forces.

An estimated 40 percent of the roads in Caracas are in poor condition, riddled with potholes and even large gaping holes, some large enough to swallow a small car, according to the Venezuelan Society of Civil Engineers. As if you didn't know.

Students marched to the Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ) ... they weren't entirely alone

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): Just in case anybody didn't quite get the message about what they thought of the judges at the Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ), a group of students took a small flock of chickens with them. It was priceless, bless 'em.

They had marched to Venezuela's highest court to protest against the judges' not having ruled on writs submitted by aspirant candidates who've been banned by Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian from standing for election.

Their slogan of the day took the form of a Venezuelan colloquialism involving a rooster – dejar la mamadera de gallo. Roughly speaking, this boils down to the equivalent of the English phrase, Stop trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

It was not the first time that students had set the pace with a little more than a touch of disrespect and irreverence towards their elders. But it was quite the funniest exercise in lampooning people in power they've come up with so far.

There was, of course, a serious side to the protest. Brian Fincheltub of Universidad Santa Maria said they were there on behalf of other people, both young and not so young, who belonged to families of people blocked by Russian. They demanded that the judges rule on the inhabilitados, by which they meant against Russian. "We don't want a country where the authorities don't respond to the demands and necessities of the Venezuelan people," Fincheltub said.

The ban was not their only gripe. There was criminal impunity and sick people turning up at hospital only to find nobody there to attend to their needs. The implication was that it was time somebody else got a crack at running the country.

Not long after the protest against the judges' slow pace on banned candidates, TSJ president Luisa Estella Morales declared a new law constitutional. This law added Bolivarian to the title of the National Armed Forces (FAN) and had been promulgated by a decree published in the Official Gazette that very morning.

Venezuela seeks arrest man caught with suitcase stuffed with $800,000 in cash

Caracas Daily Journal: Venezuelan authorities are seeking the detention of a dual Venezuelan-US citizen caught in Argentina with a suitcase stuffed with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

The Venezuelan Public Ministry said that a court has asked local and international police agencies to capture the businessman.

Argentine airport customs officials confiscated nearly $800,000 from Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson last August when he arrived from Caracas along with functionaries from PDVSA and Enarsa.

Antonini is in the United States and cooperating with authorities there. U.S. prosecutors have accused three Venezuelans and an Uruguayan of acting as illegal agents and pressuring Antonini not to disclose the money's origin.

No-show by Chavez ... ‘Security’ cited for missing drugs summit

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The regional anti-drugs summit at Cartagena got under way Friday with Colombian president Alvaro Uribe playing host and his colleague from the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, in the chair. But President Hugo Chavez wasn't there.

Only the day before, he'd said he'd attend. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro explained Chavez' absence as the result of "reasons of security."

Maduro explained that the president had instead sent a high-level delegation including himself, Interior and Justice Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin and Deputy Foreign Minister for Latin America Francisco Arias Cardenas.

They had come in the name of the president to contribute to "the strategy of combating the cultivation, the trafficking and consumption of drugs."

United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) softens tone after bruising exchanges

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Vice President Alberto Muller Rojas took a soft tone as a week of bruising exchanges with minor partners in the Patriotic Alliance moved to a close.

Speaking on state television channel VTV on Friday, Muller Rojas said, "There have never been differences neither on policy nor on ideology that mark distance between us."

Earlier in the week, Muller Rojas dismissed the Alliance as a "failure" even as President Hugo Chavez tried to smooth ruffled feathers. But Muller Rojas may have taken his cue from an earlier statement by Chavez in which he'd told the minnows to accept PSUV choices of candidates for the regional elections or get lost.

There was no such tough talk from Muller Rojas on the eve of the weekend. "We've maintained and continue maintaining conversations with our allies of always since 1998," he declared. However, he conceded there were "tensions within the movement" during "this electoral process, as has occurred in the previous ones."

Minor parties such as Patria Para Todos (PPT) and the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) say the PSUV is taking too large a share of candidate nominations, and at times without even consulting them. The response to this from Muller Rojas has at times been tantamount to a curt so what.

On the other side of the political spectrum, the opposition continued going round in circles in its selection process, even though Accion Democratica (AD) Secretary-General Henry Ramos Allup claimed full agreement would be reached before the day was out.

Claudio Fermin, one of several contenders who want to run for mayor in Libertador municipality in west Caracas, suggested the opposition should hold a primary election. But by then, voter rights pressure group Sumate said there was no longer sufficient time for primaries.

Venezuelan armored truck robber burdened with debt

More than $315,000 in debt, Miguel Molero went to the bank but not for help. Instead, he attempted to rob a Brink's armored truck in Homestead, police said, and was shot dead by the driver. Molero, 37, a father of three, was identified Friday as the would-be robber killed outside the Wachovia bank, 1101 Krome Ave. A native of Venezuela, Molero used to be a co-owner of the popular Mario's Latin Cafe, 1090 N. Homestead Blvd. The 24-hour restaurant had been profiled in The Miami Herald and last year was included in the annual ''Best of Miami'' New Times issue. He left Mario's and last year opened Varadero's Grill and Bar, 27667 S. Dixie Hwy. It failed miserably. ''He was a good guy. He had economic problems but I don't know why he did this,'' said former co-worker Maria Llevia. Financial records show Molero, of Homestead, was in crushing debt in May. He and his second wife, Yesiel Ramirez, filed for bankruptcy in federal court. They held $200 in their checking account and $2,000 in cash. The only goods they claimed were two bedroom sets and four televisions, worth $700, and $570 in clothing and jewelry.

Media invents Russian military

"CHAVEZ offers Russia site for military base in Venezuela," read the headline of Venezuela’s El Nacional daily. And inside the paper, a report confirmed:

"Russia has sufficient potential to guarantee its presence in different parts of the world. If the Russian Armed Forces want to be in Venezuela, they will be warmly received."

"Chávez: it is possible that a Russian military base will be installed in Venezuela," also affirmed El Universal from Caracas. The text of the article continued by quoting directly from the mouth of Hugo Chávez:

"Russia has many opportunities to position itself throughout the world. If the Russian armed forces want to construct bases in Venezuela, they are welcome to."

With respect to the international agencies: "Chávez offers Russia the opportunity to install a military base in Venezuela," affirmed Reuters. It continued by reporting:

"Chávez stated that, hypothetically, Russia would be welcome to deploy a military base in his country."

For its part, the DPA headline was: "Hugo Chávez offers Russia the chance to build military bases on Venezuelan territory," and also quoted Chávez as saying the following:

"If the Russian Armed Forces want to be in Venezuela, they will be warmly received."

All of these media outlets based their information on statements Chávez made during a press conference from a Moscow hotel after a meeting with Putin.

But in his session with the press, the Venezuelan president did not mention the words "military bases", or use the verb "to be" in reference to the Russian Armed Forces in Venezuela. These were Hugo Chávez’ words verbatim:

I believe that Russia has sufficient capacity for mobilization, aircraft and boats to appear in any part of the world; if they appeared in Venezuela, that wouldn’t be a strange thing. Let them visit the seas of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, if they go to Venezuela they will be welcome, because we’re not talking about the Fourth Fleet here. The Fourth Fleet is a threat to us, and not just to Venezuela, to all of Latin America. If some day, a Russian fleet should arrive in the Caribbean, we’ll hoist the flags, play drums and put on the Venezuelan and Russian national anthems, because it would be the arrival of a friend, arriving to hold out her hand; it would be the arrival of our ally. Today, Russia has become one of our greatest allies in the world. We would welcome her.

It is obvious that being welcome somewhere does not imply that you would stay there, an important and delicate detail if we are referring to a military presence. So that no doubt remains, the Venezuelan Ministry of Communication and Information categorically denied the possibility of Russian bases on Venezuelan soil via the following communiqué:

A new piece of "information" has been circulated by the world media system, according to which President Chávez offered Russia the opportunity to install a military base in our country. Just as any journalist who has seen the President’s press conference – transmitted in its entirety by Telesur and Venezolana de Televisíon, among other stations –this is completely false. At no time did the head of state make any such offer.

Deputy Rafael Gil, president of the National Assembly Commission for Security and Defense, noted that it makes no sense to believe that foreign military bases will be installed on Venezuelan territory because that is prohibited in Article 13 of the Bolivarian Constitution of Venezuela, promoted by Chávez himself.

The idea of Russian bases in Venezuela fits in perfectly with the desire to present Hugo Chávez as a danger to regional stability and the security of the United States. Thus, the media – both international and Venezuelan – invented the story last July 23 of a permanent Russian military base in Venezuela, ignoring the transcript and recording of the press conference that was, evidently, available to them. But the most serious issue is not this, but that, quite probably, none of them will rectify their error, something that would confirm premeditated or malicious forethought. In other words, a crime.

"If Socialism Fails: The Spectre of 21st Century Barbarism"

From the first day it appeared online, Climate and Capitalism's masthead has carried the slogan "Ecosocialism or Barbarism: there is no third way." We've been quite clear that ecosocialism is not a new theory or brand of socialism -- it is socialism with Marx's important insights on ecology restored, socialism committed to the fight against ecological destruction. But why do we say that the alternative to ecosocialism is barbarism?

Marxists have used the word "barbarism" in various ways, but most often to describe actions or social conditions that are grossly inhumane, brutal, and violent. It is not a word we use lightly, because it implies not just bad behaviour but violations of the most important norms of human solidarity and civilized life.1

The slogan "Socialism or Barbarism" originated with the great German revolutionary socialist leader Rosa Luxemburg, who repeatedly raised it during World War I. It was a profound concept, one that has become ever more relevant as the years have passed.

Rosa Luxemburg spent her entire adult life organizing and educating the working class to fight for socialism. She was convinced that if socialism didn't triumph, capitalism would become ever more barbaric, wiping out centuries of gains in civilization. In a major 1915 antiwar polemic, she referred to Friedrich Engels' view that society must advance to socialism or revert to barbarism and then asked, "What does a 'reversion to barbarism' mean at the present stage of European civilization?

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Frias promotes himself to Commander-in-Chief with rank of 4-star General...

VHeadline Venezuela News (Roy S. Carson) reports: In a last-minute decree issued under an congressionally-approved "Enabling Act" granting him special discretionary powers, Venezuela's President (Lt.Colonel) Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias has promoted himself to the rank of 4-Star General and Commander-in-Chief under a modification of the National Armed Forces Act -- LOFA -- as set out in Presidential Decree 6,239, dated August 1, 2008.

Under Article 40 of LOFA it states that "the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has the military rank of Commander in Chief, and is the highest hierarchical authority of the National Armed Forces. The insignia grade and the banner of Commander-in-Chief will be established in respective regulations." Those regulations, prepared and approved by the Ministry of Defense show that the rank of Commander-in-Chief bears with it the rank of "four suns" (the Venezuelan equivalent of four stars!).

Local newspaper reports published today, Saturday (August 2) say the military degree is a Constitutional rank given to the Presidency of the Republic "as a symbol of the subordination of military power to civilian authority."

Elsewhere in Latin America, however, the Presidential rank is only held by the Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba ... retired President Fidel Castro.

VHeadline Venezuela News
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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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Venezuela seeks arrest in suitcase-cash scandal

Venezuelan authorities are seeking the detention of a dual Venezuelan-U.S. citizen caught in Argentina with a suitcase stuffed with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. The Venezuelan Public Ministry said Friday that a court has asked local and international police agencies to capture the businessman. Argentine airport customs officials confiscated nearly US$800,000 from Alejandro Antonini Wilson last August when he arrived from Caracas. Antonini is in the United States and cooperating with authorities there. U.S. prosecutors have accused three Venezuelans and an Uruguayan of acting as illegal agents and pressuring Antonini not to disclose the money's origin. Prosecutors believe it was intended for Argentine President Christina Fernandez's election campaign.

Venezuela cites security in Chavez summit no show

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez failed to show up for a narcotics summit of Latin American leaders on Friday and his government said he did not attend because of security concerns. Chavez, a fierce foe of the United States who often blasts U.S. counter-narcotics efforts in the region, had said on Thursday he would attend the summit led by Colombia, Mexico and other Latin American and Caribbean nations to debate cooperation against trafficking and drug-related violence. 'Security reasons have prompted us to decide that President Hugo Chavez should not participate directly and he has sent a delegation instead,' Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro told reporters on arriving in the Caribbean city of Cartagena. Chavez, a self-styled revolutionary, has called the U.S. war against drugs a failure and an 'imperialist' attempt to gain a foothold in Latin America. He has ended cooperation with U.S. anti-drugs agents after charging they were spying on his left-wing government. U.S. officials say he has made Venezuela a haven for traffickers, charges he dismisses as propaganda.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round up of news from Venezuela -- August 1, 2008

President Chavez has held an important meeting with the Venezuelan Association of Catholic Education (AVEC) at Miraflores Palace. Chavez insists that the option for the poor is the road to follow for countries in the region and emphasizes that it is a road Jesus Christ came to teach us. Education, the President insists, must be free and open so that children can see reality in all its dimensions and then using their free will decide the road they can follow, if they want to go with Judas or the resurrected Jesus Christ to create a world of Justice, which should be the queen of republican virtues.

One of the results of the meeting with the Venezuelan Association of Catholic Schools (AVEC) is a proposal that the technical schools belonging to the church (Invecapi) and run by Irishman, Jerry O'Sullivan should develop productive products. It would appear that agreement between Invecapi and the government training institution, INCES will be renewed. The products of the schools will be purchased by state institutions and placed in government markets. The government, President Chavez says, is ready to provide capital and State contacts for the initiative.

Chavez has also praised the work of Education Minister, Hector Navarro in setting up talks with the Catholic Schools Association (AVEC) and will renew State subsidies that Catholic schools have enjoyed since the 90s. Chavez says the government will support the system as far as funds allow but has left the details to the Education Minister. Chavez comments that he is happy with the document handed to him by AVEC, calling it serious, even though he admits he agrees with 80%, of the content, not 100%. Minister Navarro points out that there are many valid points in the document to improve the curriculum. "I would say that from a scientific and academic point of view the document is relevant."

Venezuela's representative before the United Nations, Ambassador Jorge Valero has presented his credentials to UN general secretary, Ban Ki-Moon. Valero is also Venezuelan deputy foreign minister for North America and multilateral affairs. One of his first tasks, it has been announced, will be to pursue a diplomatic measures against the European Union return directive. The last task of the Minister was Venezuelan Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS) where he pushed for approval of the Social Charter.

Army General, Aref Eduardo Richany Jimenez has been appointed president of the Venezuelan military industries company (Cavim).

Communication & Information (Minci) Minister, Andres Izarra says the purchase of the Bank of Venezuela by the government will follow established procedures of law and with due respect to current shareholders in the bank. The bank is owned by the Spanish Santander Group. Izarra insists that the State will guarantee full work stability to employees at the bank and the government has invited the Spanish group to negotiations to nationalize the bank.

In one of his characteristic and sarcastic broadsides at people he wants to destroy politically, opposition top-dog and well-heeled comentariat, Nelson Bocaranda claims that Venezuelan Ambassador Alfredo Toro Hardy is attempting to buy himself the Spanish nobility title of the Marquis del Toro, a title that nobody in the Spanish royalty has claimed since the last marquis died in 1851. The jibe is aimed at disqualifying the highly successful diplomatic inroads the Ambassador has made since taking office in neutralizing Venezuelan opposition domination in the former Madre Patria.

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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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Venezuela: The nationalisation of Banco de Venezuela

In a television programme broadcasted to the whole of the country on July 31st, President Chávez announced the nationalisation of Banco de Venezuela, the Venezuelan bank owned by the Spanish banking multinational Grupo Santander. 'We are going to nationalize Banco de Venezuela. I make an appeal to Grupo Santander to come here so that we can start to negotiate'. He added: 'Months ago I received the information through intelligence sources that Banco de Venezuela, which had been privatized for years, was being sold by its Spanish owners; that an agreement had been signed between Grupo Santander and a Venezuelan private banker, then the Venezuelan banker needed the permission of the government to buy a bank, this is not a small operation (...) and then I sent a message to the Spanish and the Venezuelan banker, to tell them that the government wanted to buy the bank, we want to recover it. Then the owners said ‘no, we don't want to sell it'. So now I say ‘no, I will buy it, how much is it? We are going to pay for it, and we are going to nationalize Banco de Venezuela'.' The President continued: 'From this moment the media campaign on the part of the Spanish and international media is going to start. They are going to say that Chávez is an autocrat, that Chávez is a tyrant, I don't care, we are going to nationalize the bank regardless'. 'Ladran, luego cabalgamos' (the dogs bark, therefore the caravan is moving), he said, quoting from el Quijote.

President Hugo Chavez Frias plows a runaway freight train into the buffers of anti-Venezuelan media euphoria!

VHeadline editor & publisher Roy S. Carson writes: Like a runaway freight train plowing right into the buffers at the end of the line, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Frias really took a huge chunk out of the international political-economic headlines yesterday (Thursday) when he announced his government's intent to buy out Spanish Grupo Santander's holdings in Banco de Venezuela.

In less time than it takes to shake a donkey's tail the USA-biased international wire services were all over the story gloatingly headlining "another nationalization" ... "Chavez' grab for more power" etc., etc., etc.

In the cold light of a Friday dawn, however, another picture presents itself! Unfortunately the brouhaha overshadows the equally important news that in the dying embers of his franchise to decree on urgent economic issues under Congressionally-granted Special Powers (that ran out yesterday!), today's edition of the Gaceta Oficial (Venezuela's legal gazette) publishes Chavez' presidential decree ordering much-needed reforms to Venezuela's banking code.

Meanwhile, the Spanish government didn't react overly as excited to the news as Reuters, Bloomberg, AP et.al. and already this morning Spain's Grupo Santander sheepishly confirmed that it's "in discussions" with the Venezuelan government on the issue. No shock, horror reaction from Madrid as Santander admitted that it had already been considering the sale of Banco de Venezuela to a private investor group in Venezuela. That "certain undertakings" had been entered into, but that nothing specific had been agreed.

The train crash scenario was of course ready meat on the barbecue for Venezuela's detractors who immediately envisioned a wholesale bank robbery taking place ... the Internet was immediately filled with messages claiming that Chavez is every bit as much a megalomaniac as Carlos Andres Perez (CAP) and then some ... you would have thought the Banco de Venezuela would not be rolling up the shutters this morning and that the bank staff would have turned up for work with no jobs to turn up for. But the lie became evident as Caracas wakened to the usual cacophony of endless queues of blaring 4WD speakers stuck in traffic on the freeways in from Lagunita and assorted other luxury suburbs around the city.

What was forgotten in the hysterical of the media mele was that President Chavez had said that the Venezuelan government would buy Santander's Banco de Venezuela holdings and place the network of high street banks "at the service of Venezuelans." In fact he pledged to pay "a fair price" which is initially estimated at some US$1.9 billion by the Spaniards themselves for 11.8% of Venezuela's total bank lending and 10.7% of total national deposits. Some 300 offices and 3 million clients also form part of the total package nationwide.

Certainly NOT taken by surprise, Santander chairman Emilio Botin had already briefed Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos who had also had discussions with his Venezuelan counterpart, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro during Chavez' visit to Spain last weekend. Somehow or other, Chavez had managed to "shut up" and NOT mention the up-coming deal even when he met and shared levities with Spain's King Juan Carlos.

According to update information, Grupo Santander has a total of 131,819 employees, 65.1 million customers, 11,178 branches and 2.27 million shareholders worldwide and is reckoned to be among the top 10 banking organizations in the world, certainly the biggest bank in Europe. Banco Santander Central Hispano (BSCH) has been buying up banks and has strong holdings in a list of other banks around the world and last month the Santander group announced a possible takeover of Britain's Alliance & Leicester.

But, looking back a spate of years, Banco de Venezuela was in fact one of some eighteen banks that went into receivership when Chavez' predecessor, President Rafael Caldera allowed Venezuela's banking businesses to implode in what began with the Banco Latino crisis in March 1994 with $2 billion in losses and the defection of some 83 bank directors to Florida USA to avoid criminal prosecution. The run on the rest of the banks cost Caldera upwards of $11 billion which was financed by long-term borrowing from international money markets that the Chavez government was left to pay, nevertheless against continued efforts by corrupt financial manipulators who couldn't accept that their corruption had run its course with impunity for all concerned.

Essentially then, the Venezuelan government's impending purchase from Santander of Banco de Venezuela returns the high street banker to Venezuelan ownership and avoids the perplexing problem of letting the cash cow fall into the marauding hands of private Venezuelan interests, mindful of the financial carnage that went before.

Frankly, last night's hysteria and missals of impending doom were a trifle premature although it can be said that President Chavez could have handled the breaking news with substantially more panache. While Communications & Information (MinCI) Minister Andres Izarra seemed forced to call a press conference this morning to explain that the skies had NOT fallen in, he could perhaps more easily have advised the President of 'cause and effect' and the willingness of the anti-Venezuelan media at home and abroad to go into spasms of euphoria at the slightest hint of possibly negative spins on any story under God's heaven.

Roy S. Carson
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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Banco Santander confirms in talks with Venezuelan govt on Banco de Venezuela

Banco Santander confirmed Friday that it is 'in discussions' with the Venezuelan government in connection with the government's interest in Banco de Venezuela. In connection with recent news coverage on Banco de Venezuela, Banco Santander said it had considered the sale of Banco de Venezuela to a Venezuelan private investor group, with whom certain undertakings were entered into, but the sale was not, however, agreed. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had announced on Thursday that he plans to nationalise Banco de Venezuela, one of the biggest Venezuelan banks.

Worker injured at Venezuela Cardon refinery

A worker was injured during maintenance at Venezuela's 300,000 barrel per day Cardon oil refinery, two refinery sources told Reuters on Friday. The sources said the worker, an electrician employed by state oil company PDVSA, received a large electric shock as a result of an error while carrying out maintenance at Distillation Unit No. 2. 'He's in the hospital,' one of the sources said. That crude unit will be offline for planned maintenance until the middle of August, one of the sources said. 'It's part of the planned maintenance that they do every four or five years,' he said. A PDVSA spokesperson said the company would provide a statement about the incident in a press release by midday.

Venezuela's Chavez decrees reform to banking law

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has decreed a much-awaited reform to the nation's banking law, according to the Official Gazette circulating on Friday, though details of the reform were not immediately available. Chavez on Thursday announced his government was nationalizing Banco de Venezuela, a unit of Spain's Grupo Santander.

Spain says will not intervene in Venezuela bank sale

Spain will not intervene in Venezuela's plans to nationalize a large bank owned by Spain's Santander and hopes a deal can be reached shortly, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa de la Vega said on Friday. Spain's Socialist government hopes Santander, the country's largest bank, and the government of Venezuela can reach an agreement through 'dialogue and negotiation' regarding the sale of Banco de Venezuela, De la Vega added. 'We will not intervene,' she told a press conference after the cabinet's weekly meeting.

Las Verdades de Miguel - No. 212 - 1 al 7 de agosto de 2008

Today's (Friday, August 1) issue of Las Verdades de Miguel (Miguel's Truths) -- a Venezuelan weekly political news review and commentary, which often embarrasses top political figures with 'The Truth' -- contains a paragraph in Miguel Salazar's special political gossip column:

Left to rust! The case of Crystallex' application for an environmental permit has become a true soap opera at the Environment Ministry (MinAmb). Quite some time ago the Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG) signed a contract with Crystallex International to operate a gold mine in southeastern Bolivar State. Since then there are many people who have spoken to MinAmb seeking approval for the requested permits. Even the National Assembly (AN) Energy & Mines Committee has basically moved heaven and earth to get things going. There's talk of US$ millions! The Environment Minister said NO to signing the permits because to do so would cause damage to the ecosystem. Oh, what a surprise for everyone when 'Don Rafael' (referring to Ramon Carrizalez Rengifo, the Vice President and Environment Minister Yubiri Ortega de Carrizales' husband) had a word ... and now there are strong indications of a surprise agreement. What happened? When bull-rushes no longer need to whisper evil thoughts. So what then is the purpose of the AN Committee on Energy & Mines!

CNE will abide by a TSJ ruling in favor of Comptroller General's ban on 272 aspiring November election candidates

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The National Electoral Council (CNE) said that it would abide by the Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ) ruling in favor of Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian's ban against 272 aspiring candidates for the November elections.

The statement Wednesday by CNE vice president Janeth Hernandez followed speculation that the CNE might still accept some of the people on Russian's list when registration of candidates starts on August 5.

Mayor Leopoldo Lopez of the Chacao municipality in central Caracas, one of several prominent opposition figures barred by Russian, has said he intends to turn up at the CNE to register. Hernandez' remarks suggested Lopez is in for a wasted journey. "He who appears in the codes of the 'inhabilitations' will be told he cannot put himself forward," she said on state television channel VTV.

In an apparent reference to banned candidates, she added that there could not be any return to "setting the country on fire for personal interests, the laws have to be respected." The 'inhabilitados' also had to respect Russian's decision and the Constitution, too.

Hernandez said the Bolivarian Constitution stipulated that voting was a right rather than a duty, unlike its predecessors which obliged the people to vote.

Impatient locals say go-ahead must NOW be given to the Las Cristinas gold-mining project!

VHeadline Venezuela News reports: An un-bylined article Friday's edition of El Diario de Guayana reports that Thomas Rafael Yepez, president of the former Sifontes Municipal Council, has spoken out about a series of problems that have been generated in the south of Bolivar State, especially because of the lack of companies which could otherwise provide employment and contribute to the integral development of the region as had previously been planned.

In particular, Yepez says that Crystallex (the Canadian gold miner) has been waiting for several years to start up the Las Cristinas project and, when he was chairman of the Municipal Council, he had facilitated that the company should get the required permits to operate, and had been willing to give them every other assistance. "We know that it is massive undertaking to begin with, that it will require large amounts of manpower and that it will generate important regional economic development ... but, unfortunately, at this stage the company has still not received the permits to start Las Cristinas and I do not know what is happening!"

Professor Omelio Head, former mayor of Sifontes municipality says "Crystallex has confirmed that (the Las Cristinas project) is within the framework of strategic enterprises, and should, just the same as other transnationals be well within the administrative context that President Hugo Chavez has outlined. We should see that privately-owned businesses have a very important role to play in our development process."

"It is high time now that the government should grant all the permits to Crystallex for them to start-up the Las Cristinas project. Here in Venezuela we have undertaken a long process to stimulate comprehensive development ... if the government believes that Crystallex is part of that development, the south (of Bolivar State) will come out the winner!"

Minera del Sur (Southern Miners) union representative Paul Zambrano, Antonio Rivas and Themo Fajardo, the Bolivar state cooperative director, feel that the Las Cristinas project must be made a reality since it has complied with all permit requirements ... just the same as other large projects like Las Brisas del Cuyuni in Las Claritas ... not to speak of the thousands of unemployed miners who are waiting for these two projects to start-up and give them much-needed jobs.

VHeadline Venezuela News
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.

HELP US TO KEEP BRINGING YOU THE TRUTH
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