Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round up of news from Venezuela -- September 15, 2008

Defense Minister and General-in-Chief, Gustavo Rangel Briceno is the first military officer to receive four suns (stars) under the new Bolivarian Armed Force of Law. Commanders of integral defense military zones have been promoted to the new rank of Major General/ Admiral. President Chavez gave the commanders their suns at special ceremony held in El Guri (Bolivar State), where a joint military exercise called Patria Socialista IV Operacion Guaraguao took place and integral defense regions were activated for the first time The following received promotions to Major-General: Juan Vicente Paredes Torrealba (Army), Luis Motta Dominguez (National Guard), Jorge Arevalo Oropeza Pernalete (Air Force) and, Felix Antonio Velasquez (Army) and to Admiral: Pedro Jose Gonzalez Diaz (Armada). Operational Command chief, Jesus Gonzalez Gonzalez is promoted to Major General, along with Army C-i-C Carlos Mata Figueroa, Air Force commander Luis Berroteran Acosta, National Guard commander Freddy Alonso Carrion and Popular Militia chief Carlos Antonio Freites Reyes and to Admiral: Navy C-i-C Zahin Quintana Castro.

• According to a report in Notitarde, President Chavez has given himself new military insignia as C-i-C of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FAB).

President Chavez has made it quite clear that he is ready to back the Bolivian government, warning that if the fascist opposition there succeeds in "setting fire" to Bolivia, it will generate a crisis in the whole of South America because gas from Bolivia is needed in countries like Brazil, Argentina and Chile. The President is attending an emergency meeting of the South American Union today in Chile to discuss the recent violence in Bolivia. Chavez will push for concrete solidarity with the Bolivian government that has come under attack from opposition state governors demanding autonomy and refusing to recognize the legitimate government of Evo Morales. Chavez insists that it is time to leave aside talk and embark on concrete actions.

The President has also stated that he has no regrets about words used to describe the United States government over the weekend that caused an uproar both inside Venezuela and abroad. Chavez places the blame for what is happening in Bolivia on the intervention of the United States, which, he contends, supports rebel state governors bent on breaking up Bolivia. Chavez insists that he wants to see relations with the USA based on respect and reiterates that once a new government has been installed in that country, Venezuela will exchange ambassadors. As for internal or external threats, the President maintains, it is necessary to activate the police, social intelligence and social movements to full alert. "Venezuela has been building very solid columns to become an anti-seismic country from a military and political point of view."

Speaking at the closure of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) foundation youth congress and dressed in military uniform, President Chavez has defended former Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, Military Intelligence Directorate (DIM) director, Hugo Carvajal and State Intelligence and Security (DISIP) Police chief, Henry Rangel Silva, accused by the US Department of Treasury of drug-dealing and arms-trafficking with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Chavez insists that Venezuela is actively engaged in the war against drugs and accuses the US government of failing to halt the distribution and consumption of drugs in its own country. Addressing the young people at the Congress, Chavez contends that they must defend their contemporaries from indifference, drugs, vice and delinquency. The decision of the US Treasury involves freezing any assets the three officials may have in the United States, hefty fines and possible prison sentences of between 10 to 30 years.

During his Sunday radio address, President Chavez has announced that 1.6 million children aged from 0-6 have enrolled in school. The announcement was made while Chavez officially opened several new kinder schools called Simoncitos after Simon Bolivar. Science & Technology Minister Socorro Hernandez commented on an agreement with Portugal to build computers for primary school use and talks are being pursued to set up a factory in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the Minister reports that Chinese computers are being assembled in Paraguana for use in secondary schools. Venezuela aspires to have its own industrial model in computers.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com

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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.

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