Speaking to 21st Century Socialism website editor, Calvin Tucker, former London Mayor Ken Livingstone says it would be overstating things to call his new appointment in Venezuela a job. Boris Johnson got it wrong, Ken quips, in rescinding the London-Caracas agreement, known as the "oil for brooms" deal, which Livingstone engineered, on grounds that London was taking money from the poor in Venezuela. Livingstone points out that Venezuela has $39 billion in reserves and desperately needs expertise and long-term planning to avoid the planning mistakes London made decades ago. Ken has made a commitment to "pull together a team of people that can go over there and give advice." Former Attorney General, Minister and Ambassador, Ramon Escobar Salom has died. Escobar Salom was an important figure during the Fourth Republic and in 1993 headed the impeachment of President Carlos Andres Perez for corruption. Perez had to leave the presidency and was replaced by Ramon J. Velasquez. According to a family source, Dr Escobar Salom died of prostate cancer.
Fourth Republic dinosaur, Antonio Ledezma has finally obtained the backing of the opposition in his bid for the Metropolitan Mayorship of Caracas after his rival, William Ojeda withdrew his candidacy. The announcement comes after a bitter struggle between the majority Un Nuevo Tiempo party (UNT), which supported Ojeda and Primero Justicia (PJ) and other opposition parties supporting Ledezma.
Former Accion Democratica (AD) congressman and current Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) leader, Alfonso Marquina is leading an attempt to get former Yaracuy State Governor and fugitive from justice, Eduardo Lapi as opposition candidate for the post. Lapi had been placed on the disqualification list of candidates. According to Marquina, a National Elections Council (CNE) resolution banning Lapi's candidacy is based on the fact that Lapi did not sign a list of acceptance. Marquina claims that he did, the signature is correct and he intends to take the matter and signatures to a notary for confirmation.
The new Interior & Justice Minister (MIJ) Tarek Al Aisami declares that Italian citizen, Giovanny Civilli , wanted by the French authorities for narco-trafficking offences, has been captured by Venezuelan security agents. The Minister says this is a new blow to narco-trafficking in Venezuela, and is a reflection of the efficiency of government policies, despite rescinding an agreement with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The capture of the Italian and other narco-trafficking kings, the Minister states, responds to intelligence work on the part of state security organs and international cooperation with allied countries. It is also been announced that former Colombian Minister, Alvaro Araujo Noguera has been extradited to Colombia where he will face charges of kidnapping and having criminal relations with paramilitary groups.
Former Ombudsman and current Ambassador, German Mundarain has taken part in the ninth session of the UN Human Rights Council, where he warned about the impact that the current economic and financial crisis could have over human rights. The Venezuelan delegation has given full support to the appointment of South African judge Navanethem Pillay as the new HR High Commissioner. Mundarain argues that the current crisis will definitely affect the exercise of economic, social and cultural rights of third world countries, making it difficult to reach UN millennium objectives. During the council meeting, delegates are expected to discuss the situation in Darfur, Gaza and the world food crisis.
In the trial against Alejandro Antonini in Miami for failing to register as an agent of the Venezuelan government, it has emerged that Antonini sent President Chavez a letter asking him for $2 million in exchange for his silence regarding a briefcase containing $800,000, supposedly to finance the electoral campaign of Argentinean President Christina Fernandez. It has emerged that the letter was the idea of the FBI.
Patrick J. O'Donoghuepatrick.vheadline@gmail.com
Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.
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