Monday, September 22, 2008

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round up of news from Venezuela -- September 22, 2008

President Chavez is travelling to China, Russia, Portugal and France. During a short Sunday radio address, the President has announced that he will seek $4 billion to replenish the Chinese-Venezuelan Fund, which is down to $1 billion from $5 billion. Chavez says he will complete negotiations to purchase Chinese K-8 fighter planes and sign agricultural, infrastructure and sport agreements. Speaking about the financial crisis in the United States, Chavez contends that Venezuela has been trying to separate itself from what he calls the "perverse economic mechanism of Capitalism." A key task, the President points out, is to create the Bank of the South to counter the ripples of the banking and financial collapse. Venezuela's financial reserves international reserves are safe from the crisis, Chavez insists, because they are not deposited in US banks.

A presidential press release says that 1,241 projects for Madres del Barrio (mothers of the barrio) committees have received financing. The government has added (Bs.F) 15.6 million bolivares to finance 600 projects, currently running. President Chavez maintains that the handing over of resources to the program is a recognition of the program's gigantic advance and he says he would like to see the program take on a national network character. Chavez proposes several new models to amplify the vision of the program. One of the models he calls "conscience of social duty," which deals with private and social property. Following on a theme broached two weeks ago, Chavez praises voluntary work as part of the march towards a Socialist conscience.

President Chavez argues that the financial crisis affecting the world and Latin America will not affect the Venezuela. "We have been meeting with the Central Bank of Venezuela, the Finance Ministry, financial teams ... the country is continuing its march." Chavez adds that Venezuela has been freeing itself from "that perfect system" to avoid the effects of the financial earthquake.

President Chavez has criticized opposition groups for keeping silent about a conspiracy by some opposition groups to assassinate him and mount a coup d'etat. The President urges the opposition to make a statement in favor of democracy and condemn the attempts by some opposition groups to sabotage the electoral process. Chavez says all attempts by such sectors to produce acts of violence will be resisted and that people should have faith in the capacity of the government to neutralize such adventures.

Venezuelans are waiting the launching of the Venesat 1 satellite on November 1, which will interconnect Latin America and place Venezuelan in a select club of 62 countries engaged in space activity. However, according to a government source, the main use of the satellite will be for social and not trade purposes. Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities manager, Rodolfo Navarro confirms that more than one hundred young Venezuelans are training in China to control and manage the satellite from stations situated in Guarico and Bolivar States. The satellite will be placed in the orbital 78 East position reserved for Uruguay, which will give it greater coverage. Uruguay will benefit by enjoying 10% of satellite activity. The satellite cost $250 million and will provide greater access to TV, radio and Internet, education and medicine, especially in country areas.

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
http://tinyurl.com/n4fg



No comments:

Post a Comment