Elio Cequea's message to Obama: Do you see my point, Mr. President?

VHeadline commentarist Elio Cequea writes: President Barack Obama, I am from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

From 1958 to 1998 two political parties dominated and controlled the Venezuelan political scene. For the most part of those 40 years, Venezuela was considered a model and stable democracy. However, it was all an illusion.

On February 27, 1989, right after the second inauguration of Carlos Andres Perez, the country exploded with riots. There were wide spread protests against the implementation of an IMF-World Bank economic package supposedly designed to take the country out of its economic darkness. The problem was that, as usual, the people at the lower socioeconomic levels were asked to pay the highest price. The result: an estimated number of more than 5,000 deaths, although the mainstream media calculated the number somewhere between 300 and 500.

In 1992, Venezuela's "model and stable" democracy suffered two more violent manifestations of its melanoma. There were two military coup attempts that year, one in February and one in November.

Then, in 1993, the two-party system received its first serious political blow. The founder of one of the dominant parties broke ranks from his creation and was elected president. The former two "main candidates" were relegated to second and third place. That was a clear signal of what was coming round the political corner.

In December 1998, there were elections for the National Congress. Hugo Chavez' one-year-old party won enough seats to become, in its first elections, the second political force in the country. A month later, as expected, Chavez was elected president with 62% of the votes.

Since then, there have been many political changes in Venezuela. Even though all the changes have been promoted by President Hugo Chavez, none of those changes have actually taken place without the approval of the Venezuelan people.

Since Chavez became President in February 1999, there have been a total of 14 major elections in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez and his supporters have won 13 times, 12 of them consecutively. His opponents have won only one. They claimed they won the last one also but that is a matter of interpretation. In any case, there is one significant fact in these elections: the Venezuelan people have elected Chavez as their President in three consecutive occasions. And that is besides his victory in the presidential recall referendum.

Certainly, there have been accusations of election fraud in Venezuela. However, all of them are unjustified. Simply put, Mr. President, there are two telling facts about the "election frauds" in Venezuela. One is that the opposition considers fraud all the elections they have lost. The other one is that they consider legitimate only the two they say they have won ... you can come to your own conclusions.

The same as you Mr. President, I do not believe in ideologies. However, politically speaking, Venezuela has always been, at least since the 1960s, a socialist democracy. The difference between now and then is that now, in my opinion, the Venezuelan people are getting their piece of the pie.

• That, in my opinion, explains Chavez' 13 electoral victories in 10 years.

Mr. President, Hugo Chavez is not a dictator. The Venezuelan government is not a dictatorship. Venezuela is actually a country where there is anarchy of expression and other things. Just read the newspapers. Venezuela is a place where "pacifically" blocking a highway to protest against the government is considered a right protected by the Constitution. Any form of government intervention is considered repression and a violation of human rights. I have told these people: try blocking Pennsylvania Avenue with trash to protest "pacifically" against the US government. When the police ask you to clean it up and leave, make use of your "rights" and refuse. Then watch what happen to your "human rights"…

Do you see my point, Mr. President?

It is true that the relations between the US and Venezuela have been sour for the last eight years ... and they should be. President Bush gave his unconditional support to the Venezuelan opposition. With his support they have tried to overthrow our President at least three times. They almost succeeded once. In that occasion, President Chavez almost lost his life. In addition to that, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy, the Venezuelan opposition staged the media hyped presidential recall referendum. Based on the election results, it proved to be totally unnecessary.

I really believe that change has come to America. Just fifty years ago, anybody
that looked like you was not allowed to sit in the front seat of a public bus.
Now, you are the President!

I celebrate that. Take advantage of this historical opportunity and make it also a change for the rest of the world. Stop supporting the minority in Venezuela and everywhere else as President Bush did.

Mr. President, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a democracy. Hugo Chavez is our chosen President. Lend your support to the Venezuelan government, support democracy, support the majority of the Venezuelans.

Mr. President, as you said in your inauguration speech: "The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

Make it happen!

Elio Cequea
Feico57@att.net

____________________________________

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

Specter of violent confrontation hovers over referendum campaign

Tension is quickly mounting in the campaign leading up to a referendum next month on President Hugo Chávez' attempt to remove a ban on successive re-election.

The opposition party Causa R claimed Tuesday that a ceremony marking its anniversary at El Ateneo in Caracas had come under attack from a group of the president's supporters, or chavistas. It said some of the attackers were carrying firearms. Spokesmen for Causa R said that tear gas canisters had been thrown at the building, and that party members and employees were trapped inside the building.

Claiming that the building was "surrounded" by hardline chavistas, Gabriel Ponte Puerta of Causa R told reporters by telephone that squads from the National Guard and the Metropolitan Police had done nothing to halt the disorder. Ponte Puerta pointed the finger at Lina Ron, a voluble superchavista who founded her own little party because she felt that the top echelon at Chávez' ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and before that, the Fifth Republic Movement )MVR), had gone soft on the revolution.

Ron, it was alleged, had been seen snatching a camera from a woman who was taking photographs. The identity of this individual and whether she was working for the press, or what happened to her afterwards, were not disclosed. For her part, Ron claimed that "ultra right groups" had taken over El Ateneo. The implication of this was that she and her sympathizers were trying to regain the building.

In the meantime, students opposed to Chávez' re-election bid gathered in the Plaza Venezuela district preparing to march to the Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ). Their intention was to demand that Venezuela's highest court rule that the electoral register should be kept open up to the eve of the referendum on February 15. The majority on the board at the National Electoral Council has ruled that the electoral register when it was last updated last December is to be used for the referendum. The rationale for this is that there isn't time to update the register, but critics for whom the CNE has long been an object of suspicion say that as many as 400,000 young people who recently became eligible to vote are in effect being disenfranchised in the run-up to the referendum.

Student leaders said they were awaiting word from Interior and Justice Minister Tarek El Aissami before proceeding with their plan to march to the TSJ. Signs were that El Aissami was far from sympathetic towards the students. Libertador Mayor Jorge Rodríguez of the PSUV had already refused permission for the march, saying the route had already been allotted for other purposes. Rodríguez, a former vice president, is a powerful figure in the PSUV. El Aissami said he hadn't been informed of any such student plan, but added that the march was aimed at stirring up violence anyway.

The response to this from student leaders was that they weren't armed and were not intent on causing trouble. The prospect of an impasse that could end in disorder hung in the air. The ambush at El Ateneo was the latest of a string of threatening incidents since the campaign officially got under way last Saturday. Shortly after dawn on Monday morning, five tear gas canisters were thrown at the office of the Papal Nuncio in Caracas. This attack was attributed to a shadowy group known as El Piedrita (Little Stone), which has claimed responsibility for similar attacks before.

Other targets of aggression are said to have included the residence of Marcel Granier, proprietor of private media conglomerate 1BC, and the headquarters of Globovisión, the private all-news channel that makes no secret of its opposition to Chávez. Two journalists well known for their outright opposition to the Chávez regime, Globovisión anchorman Leopoldo Castillo and Marta Colomina, are also said to have been on the end of unwanted attention from chavista groups. The Caracas headquarters of the opposition Social Christian party, Copei, also came under attack from men on motorbikes armed who similarly threw tear gas canisters.

A car belonging to Ricardo Sánchez, president of the students' Federation of University Centers at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, was set on fire late Saturday. Men on motorbikes were said to have thrown Molotov Cocktail homemade gasoline bombs at the vehicle. Sánchez, who was not inside the car at the time, afterwards said the president would be responsible if anything happened to him or "any other student." Asked about this incident, Rodríguez said he viewed the incident with "suspicion," implying that the car-bombing was a deliberate own-goal by the opposition.

Chávez has called on the security forces to bring a heavy hand against anybody intent on "destabilizing" the referendum campaign. He and senior government officials have labeled students opposed to his bid to "indefinite" re-election as "fascicts."

Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma has been the object of several dubious incidents. He says his office in downtown Caracas was "invaded" last weekend by "paramilitary groups" he links to the president. When Ledezma first arrived at his offices after winning the November 23 election, he found his way barred by men who smashed windows and swore they weren't going to work for him. They were said to be municipal employees. Then Ledezma found himself prevented from entering the building that used to house the old Supreme Court to hold the first meeting of the new city council. The building had been used for that purpose for the previous eight years, when the capital was controlled by the PSUV and its allies.

Ledezma claims that "a plan of indefinite violence" is under way at the instigation of the government. He has raised several allegations of misconduct against his predecessor as city chief executive, Juan Barreto, and claims that last weekend's attack was aimed at removing evidence of Barreto's alleged misdoings in office.

Venezuela tolerates FARC rebels in border region, residents say

Members of Colombia's largest rebel group live openly on or near several Indian reservations in western Venezuela with at least the tacit approval of President Hugo Chavez, indigenous leaders here charge.

Although the border area has long absorbed Colombian refugees fleeing decades of war, members of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have become visible as never before in the last two or three years, buying supplies, looking for medical assistance and forging relationships with indigenous women, said Venezuelan Congressman Arcadio Montiel, a Wayuu Indian.

Leaders of several Indian communities clustered around this town in a wild rain forest area that forms the border with Colombia told The Times over the weekend that the FARC's presence is harming their culture and youth. "They have replaced the caciques, or chiefs, as authority figures and so who do the youths now want to emulate? The rebels," said Javier Armato, a Yupa Indian who is a former Zulia state deputy and onetime Chavez supporter.

During his 10 years in office, socialist Chavez, a fierce critic of the United States, has often expressed admiration and affinity for the FARC. In 2007, Chavez said his country shared a border not with Colombia, but with territory controlled by the FARC. Chavez has toned down his pro-FARC rhetoric since March, when Colombian officials said data from a laptop recovered in a raid on a rebel camp in Ecuador indicated that the Venezuelan leader may have had contact with FARC leaders, even offering them material support. Chavez denied any such contact.

"Chavez sees the rebels as a line of defense in the event of U.S. interference or a civil war," said Montiel, another former Chavista who broke with the president over the presence of the FARC in his home state, Zulia, and joined splinter party Podemos. He was interviewed last week in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. Montiel and several community leaders say the FARC operates camps in the Perija Mountains to the west, where they say the rebels rest and recruit and train Venezuelan Indian youths.

In an interview last year, Chavez political advisor Alberto Muller Rojas acknowledged the presence of Colombian rebels, saying that Venezuela has been a safe haven for more than 1 million Colombians fleeing war over the last several decades. Muller Rojas said the rebels are more Colombia's responsibility than Venezuela's, as long as they don't harm residents. But Indian leaders here say the rebels are slowly corrupting their cultures with arms, drugs and values that are anathema to their ways. They are also slowly taking control of Indian lands by squatting and by marrying indigenous women

On many Saturdays, rebel mule trains descend from the rugged Perija Mountains through the two dozen Indian communities that surround this town, indigenous leaders said. After parking their mules in foothill pastures, the rebels continue on by bus into Machiques, the nearest big city, to make telephone calls, run business errands and go to a market, they said. The supplies are taken back up into the mountains. At other times, they suddenly appear at doorways, seeking food, clothing or medicines. "They don't pay for anything, it's always for 'solidarity.' But you can't say no to them. Nor can you complain about them to others, because someone might inform on you," said one indigenous leader, who requested anonymity because of security concerns.

One reason more rebels are visible in Venezuela is the much more aggressive pursuit by Colombian armed forces under President Alvaro Uribe. But Montiel said it's also because the rebels are here at the "pleasure" of Chavez. An official at the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Machiques, which provides help to 800 Colombians registered as refugees, said that nobody from his office has had direct contact with Colombian rebels, but that he has received an increasing number of complaints from Indians over the last two years. Some in the government insist that the supposed rebels are actually displaced Colombian civilians. But all indigenous leaders interviewed here last weekend disputed that.

"Everyone in the area knows who the displaced are because they register with the U.N. Believe me, the people we see are FARC. How do we know? Because they identify themselves as such," said one local leader, who like others interviewed declined to give his name for fear of reprisal

A Roman Catholic priest in the region says the rebels' presence has brought acts of terrorism. "I can't talk to you about them because they'll kill me," said the priest, who also requested anonymity for security reasons. Although there is a National Guard post 20 miles southeast of here, leaders say the Venezuelan armed forces make no effort to monitor or control the rebels' presence, said Armato, who has had to live in the state capital, Maracaibo, since he first denounced the rebels several years ago.

There is a general climate of insecurity in the border area, with the Chavez government blaming it on Colombian paramilitary forces who cross the border to chase the rebels, while ranchers say the rebels are responsible for a recent wave of kidnappings. "Instead of making friends with the guerrillas, Chavez should be defending the diversity and plurality of the nation," Montiel said.

Chavez to start writing newspaper column

President Hugo Chavez is once again following the lead of his ailing Cuban ally, Fidel Castro — this time, writing a newspaper column. The socialist leader said Tuesday the column to be published in various Venezuelan newspapers will be called "Chavez's Lines ... it occurred to me as one more way to contribute to this battle of ideas," he said.

Chavez said his first column will be about baseball, a sport he once played, and will hit newspaper stands on Thursday. The president says he is pursuing the medium to discuss ideas that "come not from a bat, but from the mind." He is also campaigning for a Feb. 15 referendum that could end term limits for the president and all other elected officials.

While Chavez has canceled his weekly television show, "Hello, President," during the month leading up to the vote, he has increased campaign events — addressing supporters for hours nearly every day. Chavez has long been a close ally of Castro, often pausing during his long-winded speeches to send out a salute: "Fidel, how are you?"

Castro has not been seen in public since falling ill in July 2006, but has regularly written essays that are read on state television, and columns published under the title "Reflections of the Commander in Chief." After handing over power to his brother, Raul, in February 2008, Castro changed the title to "Reflections of Comrade Fidel."

US Chargé d'Affaires advocates respectful dialogue with Venezuela

Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Caracas John Caulfield advocated on Tuesday for a "respectful dialogue" between his country and Venezuela, despite "differences" and said he was optimistic of the upcoming relationship, Efe reported."I think that both countries are willing to start a dialogue that could lead to a normal relationship, because the relationship is not normal now," the US diplomat told Efe at the US Embassy in Caracas, where the inauguration of President Barack Obama was directly watched."Despite the differences we have, and the differences we will have, I think we can hold a respectful dialogue, where we can take issue with certain things, but at the same time, we can realize that we have more things in common than we think," he said.

Vancouver junior mining company Rusoro Mining Ltd beating out rivals to secure stake in rich Venezuelan gold fields

Business in Vancouver (Krisendra Bisetty): A junior Vancouver miner appears to have staged a Latin American coup by winning presidential approval for a hotly contested precious metals venture. Backed by a Russian oligarch and advised by Canadian tycoon Frank Guistra, Rusoro Mining Ltd. is racing to exploit gold deposits in Venezuela -- something that has been tried unsuccessfully before by others.

Although in existence for only two years and operating mines for just half that time, Rusoro is confident it can unlock some of the region’s best deposits in the Kilometre 88 district, a gold rich region in a country where numerous small players are fighting for their piece of turf.

"The government is not happy with the way things have gone down in Kilometre
88," Rusoro's president George Salamis said in an interview. "But it’s confident
dealing with us because we have a track record of production and delivering on
promises."

The company has a unique joint venture covering projects in Venezuela, said Salamis, a geologist who previously worked with former Vancouver miner Placer Dome Inc.

Last week, the country’s president, Hugo Chavez, said that joint venture vehicle Venrus CA would be used to develop the district, which is home to two major deposits, Las Cristinas and Brisas, that combined contain more than 30 million ounces of gold. But Las Cristinas is tied to Crystallex International Corp. (KRY), a Toronto-based gold producer that said it hasn’t been formally notified by the government of any changes to its principal asset ... and neither has Canadian miner Gold Reserve Inc. (GRZ), owner of the Brisas deposit and a target of a hostile bid by Rusoro.

Gold Reserve claims it has spent US$230 million on its key asset, but would be willing to give it up -- for the right price.

However, Rusoro's $120 million offer, which Gold Reserve has asked its shareholders to reject, is substantially less than the value of the company's net cash, equipment and the Brisas investment, it said. As a last resort, Gold Reserve has threatened to seek recovery of its investment from the Venezuelan government, plus potential lost profits, which it said could amount to billions of dollars. Heavily dependent on oil revenue, which accounts for approximately 90% of export earnings and more than 50% of federal budget revenue, Venezuela is reeling from falling oil prices. That may be giving the socialist government the push to finally exploit the country’s gold resources as it seeks to uplift poor communities that surround mine sites and large deposits. "There's a bit of a squeeze on and he [Chavez] is looking to the gold sector certainly to provide a bit of a rescue," said Salamis.

Rusoro is the only foreign company producing gold in Venezuela. Its founding shareholders are members of Russia’s Agapov family, which has been operating small mines in Venezuela since 2002. Salamis said good "synergies" between Russia and Venezuela have helped Rusoro cement its partnership with the government, but he still can’t guarantee that his company will be granted the permits to build the new mines. "We have a fairly good view that we can get these permits in fairly short order, but obviously there’s negotiation work to be done; there’s filings to be done."

In the past year, however, Rusoro has successfully permitted two other assets in
the country, but just two years ago it was a little known exploration company
before it embarked on its gold consolidation strategy.

It's December 2007 acquisition of the Venezuelan assets of a subsidiary of South African miner Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI) -- Gold Fields own 35% of Rusoro -- vaulted Rusoro into the ranks of producers. The deal was followed a few months later with the acquisition of Hecla Mining Company’s Venezuelan assets.

After producing 38,868 ounces of gold at its two mines during the past quarter -- a record amount of gold poured in any quarter and at record low cash costs of US$358 per ounce -- Rusoro now has its sights set on building new mines, which Salamis said would be easier to do with the government as an equal participating partner. "Whatever we contribute, they have to contribute," he said, "so the government would have skin in the game."

And with the government giving guarantees and long-term stability agreements, Salamis expects that financing will be "relatively easy to get a hold of" once the debt markets recover, "especially in a rising gold market and especially with a deposit as strong as the one down there."
Krisendra Bisetty
kbisetty@telus.net

http://www.biv.com/subscriber/05news.asp

Government not to allow for bottom trawling from March

Inshore trawl fishery will be completely prohibited on the Venezuelan coasts from March of this current year, reported on Tuesday Minister of Agriculture and Lands Elías Jaua.Last year, the practice that will be legally eradicated continued, according to the senior official. However, in less than three months, it will be completely banned. Jaua noted that they will also fight against high-sea fish smuggling with foreign ships in exchange for US dollars.He said that the government is to secure the jobs of all the fishermen engaged in trawl fishery, as well as their dependants' means of support.

Venezuela opposition denounces government's plan to foster "radical violence"

Spokespersons for opposition parties Acción Democrática (AD), Primero Justicia and Copei accused, in separate statements, the government of President Hugo Chávez of promoting violence to justify repression, rarefy the pre-electoral environment and worsen poor governance. They also criticize the location of armored vehicles and policemen near universities.

President of AD Víctor Bolívar denounced a plan of "radical violence" prepared by the government of Hugo Chávez against the media, journalists, politicians, unions, civil organizations and universities. "It is a Devil's plan to subdue people by force and intimidation," he said. Meanwhile, secretary general of Copei Alejandro Vivas said that the government's crackdown on the opposition will be useless.

Chaderton: Insulza's statements about Obama, Venezuela are "pathetic"

Venezuela's ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Roy Chaderton, described as "pathetic" the statements made by the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, who said that US President Barack Obama is not trying to pick a fight with President Hugo Chávez.

"The statement of the Secretary General of the OAS on the bilateral controversy between the Venezuelan government and the incoming US administration can only be described as pathetic, disrespectful and silly," said Chaderton, according to a statement issued in Caracas by the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AFP reported.

"I believe that President Obama has said something very general about Venezuela. I think he is not interested in trying to pick a fight with President Chávez. President Chávez is campaigning for the referendum. Then, of course, he has used this issue," said Insulza in an interview with Chilean newspaper El Mercurio. According to Chaderton, these statements try to "trivialize a defamation against a member country of the OAS."

Venezuela has USD 21.5 billion in funds and surplus money

During his annual address to the National Assembly, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez said that "if oil prices are set at zero, I would use the reserves and we would have enough funds to resist and to move forward."

Chávez made that comment after highlighting that Venezuela has enough money available to fill the income gap. To finance this year's budget, the Executive Office set a reference price of USD 60 per barrel. However, Venezuelan oil basket is currently 40 percent below that value. Given this gap, government officials have decided to use special funds, which have resources amounting to USD 21.5 billion, according to figures reported by the government.

At the end of the 2008 fiscal year, the Treasury had a USD 16.2 billion surplus (VEB 35.1 billion), which includes the resources that were not used during the period as well as the additional revenues. From that amount, the money that was allocated to the regions must be deducted. Therefore, there are non-committed funds amounting to USD 11.1 billion. These resources are deposited in the Miranda Fund V and, according to the Ministry of Finance, they will serve to cover the financial planning for the first and second quarters of 2009.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- January 20, 2009

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, Tarek El Aissami has called on the rector of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), Cecilia Garcia Arocha to allow the Police Detective Branch (CICPC) enter the university to investigate and collect evidence surrounding the torching of a vehicle belonging to the president of the student's federation, Ricardo Sanchez. El Aissami questions the speed with which Garcia Arocha blamed the government for the incident. The Minister has backed declarations made by President Chavez to control student demonstrations in the street and calls on opposition students to undertake activities within the framework of democracy and to distance themselves from violent groups.

US-Venezuelan lawyer, Eva Golinger says US intelligence services are using NGOs and private institutions to cover up its intervention in other countries. Speaking on VTV state television, Golinger recalls that in the 70s and 80s, it was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that intervened in Latin American countries directly but claims that policy has changed. The US intelligence directorate, Golinger states, set up five special missions in 2006, three of which we were to counter and concentrate on Iran, North Korea and Venezuela-Cuba but in the last three years the priorities have been Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela. Other experts suggest that the US started working on penetrating Venezuelan NGOs towards the end of the eighties through the Inter American Foundation (IAF) and that today, research on the matter should center on the use of third-flag countries as well as private institutions to relay funding to opposition groups. Another striking and emergent factor is the mushrooming of NGOs inside the opposition camp and indeed new international partisan human rights groups.

Opposition university students are marching this morning from Plaza Morelos to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) to lodge a nullity order against the constitutional amendment. UCV adviser, Jose Manuel Olivares says Caracas Libertador municipality has already been notified of the march. Student adviser of the private Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB), David Smolansky announces that the students will also deliver a formal request at the Attorney General's Office to open an investigation into the torching of a car belonging to student leader, Ricardo Sanchez inside university bounds.

United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) vice president, General (ret.) Alberto Muller Rojas says his party is supporting the decision of President Chavez to try and control public order in Venezuela. The General says the order to control student demonstrations will be undertaken within the framework established by the Constitution ... "the government will not allow any criminal acts undertaken within a legitimate right that all Venezuelans have to protest when there is reason." Current student demonstrations, Muller Rojas points out, coincide with the beginning of the campaign for the constitutional amendment that will allow people to seek re-election in all public offices. The General has rejected attacks organized by the pro-government La Piedrita Collective against the Apostolic Nunicature and tear gas canister attacks in several parts of Caracas yesterday. Such acts of violence are anarchical, the PSUV leader finalizes, and out of line with the PSUV.

Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has announced that Venezuela will take part in the second summit of heads of state from Latin America and Arab countries. The meeting will take place on March 31 in Doha, Qatar. Maduro maintains that the meeting between Latin American and Arab countries are part of different initiatives that have come to fruition over the last few years to promote a pluripolar world.

Culture Minister, Hector Soto insists that the Bolivarian revolution does have a vanguard of artists and intellectuals, despite opposition claims to the contrary. The statement was made during an activity in Propatria in support of the constitutional amendment proposal. The Minister highlights the importance of whole country stating opinions on the matter, declaring that the cultural sector has microphones, soapboxes, and the media at its disposal to let its voice be known. Soto calls on intellectuals to accompany the revolutionary process and not to make a mistake in the strategy to be used to win the referendum because he argues that it is not just a question of propaganda. "It is a ideological battle and one must work with the word ... the task of all writers, and poets is to go to the barrios and countryside to speak with the Venezuelan people. If we think that we will win the amendment with publicity and propaganda, then we could suffer a defeat like in December 2007."

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

Less than 3% of Gold Reserve shares tendered into Rusoro's hostile bid

PRESS RELEASE:

Gold Reserve Inc. today responded to Rusoro Mining Ltd.'s extension of its unsolicited offer of December 15, 2008 to acquire all of the outstanding shares and equity units of Gold Reserve in consideration for three shares of Rusoro for each Gold Reserve share tendered under the Offer.

Doug Belanger, President of Gold Reserve, said, "Rusoro has publicly admitted that less than 3% of the outstanding shares have been tendered into its Offer. We believe that Gold Reserve shareholders are sending a clear message to Rusoro - that the Offer is opportunistic, financially inadequate and significantly undervalues Gold Reserve's assets and its overall contribution to the combined company. Our Board and management team remain committed to ensuring that Gold Reserve shareholders receive full and fair value for their investment. We appreciate the support we have received and encourage all Gold Reserve shareholders not to tender their shares into the Offer and, for those who have, to withdraw them."

Inauguration of new US president will not affect trade with Venezuela

The president of the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Venamcham), Edward Jardine, does not believe that the inauguration of a new president in the Unites States will affect trade relations with Venezuela. Referring to the inauguration of Barack Obama as US President, Jardine said that this event is not going to have "any impact on bilateral trade." "They are two separate things."

The president of Venamcham said in an interview aired in private TV news network Globovisión that "the trade ties between the US and Venezuela have been very strong and have climbed dramatically in the last few years. Estimations suggest that in 2008 bilateral trade stood at some USD 70 billion."

When Jardine was asked about the strategies that the companies affiliated to Venamcham will follow in 2009, he replied that because of the restrictions imposed by the Foreign Exchange Administration Commission (Cadivi), "many of them will be obliged to use different ways to import goods and this will have an impact on the cost of products." Jardine expects "a significant increase in the inflation rate this year. We have heard that the inflation would range between 40 percent and 50 percent in 2009."

The president of Venamcham was also asked about foreign investments in Venezuela. He stated that foreign investments "are a little bit difficult. If I said otherwise I would be burying my head in the sand. However, the companies that are here (in Venezuela) are doing good businesses."

However, Jardine said that exchange control and other regulations hamper Venezuela's competitiveness. "There is a great deal" of measures "which are adverse to business. For instance, everything related to Cadivi. This is a lengthy process. Companies must use a lot of time and efforts to get foreign currency. They are forced to meet these regulations."

Anglo halts nickel mine, sees positive margins

Anglo American Plc has temporarily halted production at its biggest nickel mine in Venezuela and said on Tuesday all its base metals mines have positive margins despite sliding prices. Mining firms have been slashing production as weak metals prices make some operations uneconomical.

Output at the Loma de Niquel mine has been stopped partly due to high transport
costs at the mine, Anglo said in a presentation on its website.

Anglo owns 91.4 percent of the operation, which produced 15,700 tonnes in 2007, accounting for 60 percent of the firm's total nickel output. It is located 80 km southwest of Caracas. Nickel prices MNI3 lost more than half their value last year and were down over 4 percent at $10,950 per tonne ($4.97/lb) on Tuesday, a fraction of a 2007 peak above $50,000.

Anglo estimated cash costs in 2008 at Loma were just above $5 per lb, but said that was not representative since the mine had been hit by a strike and production difficulties. Anglo shares, which shed 44 percent last year, rose 2.1 percent to 1,362 pence by 1300 GMT, slightly outperforming a 1.7 percent rise in the British mining index .

POSITIVE MARGINS

The group also said its base metals operations all had positive margins at current prices, but did not provide further detail.

Anglo's base metals unit, which has driven group profit for the past three years, accounted for 40 percent of total group operating profit in the first half of 2008. Copper is Anglo's most important base metal, accounting for three quarters of operating profit in the unit. Anglo said last month it was halving capital spending in 2009 by more than half to $4.5 billion to conserve cash amid a collapse in metals prices. Total capex in the base metals unit will be reduced by 45 percent to $1.7 billion, but this will have scant impact on overall production, the presentation said.

Barack Obama inherits from the regime of George W. Bush two wars and an economic meltdown of cosmic proportions

VHeadline's Washington DC-based commentarist Chris Herz writes: Today, Tuesday the 20th of January, 2009, the USA and her citizens proudly advance to where the USSR stood before 1991.

A mildly reformist president will now lead the North American empire in the confrontation to the same conjunction of forces that ultimately destroyed the party of Lenin and the Great Soviet Union.

Barack Obama inherits from the regime of George W. Bush two wars and an economic meltdown of cosmic proportions. He must engage in limitless war thousands of kilometers from his own territories for what can at best be only a victory without a victor. For every effort to govern captured Iraq by any means other than with the absolute violence of outright military occupation has failed. Even the puppet government there is likely to reward Royal Dutch Shell with the contracts it was once hoped here would go to Exxon or Chevron. And Afghanistan is an utter basket-case: In that wasteland at the roof of the world there is no prize to be won at all, saving only a route to the sea for the Central Asian oil and gas which must ultimately fall under control of Russia or China. One look at the map tells us why that must be so.

The carefully redacted versions of Osama bin Laden's tape recordings allowed to be shown to US audiences omit the main outline of the master terrorist's strategy. And that remains as it always was: With a spectacular raid induce the corruption which rules the USA to indulge itself in a final orgy of speculative looting of its own homeland, and that once mighty nation must fall. Across the havoc of this war respect for truth compels respect for an astute enemy's masterful analysis and its flawless execution.

And just as its ruinous public finances wrecked the Stalinist state, so also
will the corporate states of America founder upon a spiral of bankruptcy. A
flame of neo-liberalism cannot blaze up in the ashes of a failed
neo-conservatism.

The only possible move for the USA now must be to increase yet further the militarization of its society. On the morn of his taking office, Mr Obama tells us that the remains of all domestic security, social security and the modest public medical care available to our sick and elderly must be laid upon the altars of war. He will "grow" the ground military by some 90,000 troops and continue the world war which he has inherited.

This is the bad news. The good news outweighs it, however.

For the nation of sheep is led by only another sheep. Mr Obama has no courage.

No vision beyond the narrow conventions of US politics. No bold initiatives for him. And best of all, the empire is committed to a fight 8000 kilometers from its bases.

For at least another four years, Venezuela and many others in what was once our American backyard are free to pursue their own destinies.

From the imperial capital

Chris Herz
cdherz44@yahoo.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

Venezuela: tear-gas attack on apostolic nuncio

Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez hurled tear-gas canisters at the residence of the papal nuncio in Caracas on Monday morning, January 19, after a speech in which Chavez denounced his critics, including the country's Catholic bishops. A pro-Chavez mob also threw tear-gas bombs at the home of the director of a Catholic television station that has criticized the Venezuelan leader. In a fiery speech the previous evening, Chavez had denounced student protests against his plans for constitutional revisions that will strengthen his political power. The president advised supporters to deal severely with anyone who would disrupt government operations, and 'spray them with gas.'

Müller Rojas: Opposition protests mark destabilizing lines

Alberto Müller Rojas, deputy chair of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) thinks that the demonstrations staged by the opposition "mark destabilizing lines" implemented after a meeting held by some of their members in Puerto Rico.

"These events show that an attitude of belligerence is kept by part of an opposition directly controlled or associated to factors outside the country," he said.

Also, Müller Rojas said that the PSUV strongly rebuts these actions. In this regard, they back the decision made by President Hugo Chávez to enforce law and order in Venezuela and immediately break up any demonstration, state-run news agency ABN reported.

"Such destabilizing actions should be controlled under the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which ensures all Venezuelans that protests should be peaceful, wherever they come from."

IFJ regrets violence against journalists in Venezuela

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) lamented on Monday the violence suffered by Venezuela's media, resulting in two slain journalist thus far this year.

"January has been a dire month for freedom of expression in Venezuela," said in a press release Gregorio Salazar, the IFJ director for Latin America, Efe quoted. "Two journalists have been murdered, another one survived an assassination attempt and a number of criminal attacks and serious violations against freedom of the press have been conducted, including the decision of the National Assembly (AN) to deny access to the plenary meeting room," added Salazar.

The IFJ denounced the killing of Orel Sambrano, the editor of political weekly ABC, vice-president of local radio station Radio América 890 AM and a columnist of local daily newspaper Notitarde. Sambrano was shot dead last Friday in Valencia, the capital city of central Carabobo state, by two men riding a motorcycle.

Earlier, on January 1st, press photographer Jacinto López was killed in Barquisimeto, the capital city of Lara state. During the occurrence, a colleague of him was injured. The event was attributed to ordinary criminals. Also, Rafael Finol, a journalist working with local daily newspaper El Regional, was shot at his head last week when entering the newspaper head offices.

Venezuela opposition attacked after Chavez speech

Assailants attacked Venezuela's opposition with tear gas on Monday after President Hugo Chavez told police to use gas at anti-government public disturbances ahead of a referendum on allowing the leftist re-election. Venezuelans will vote on Feb. 15 on a proposed change to the constitution allowing Chavez and other politicians to stay in office as long as they keep winning elections.

A similar proposal was defeated in a referendum in 2007 after large and
sometimes violent protest led by students.

Between Sunday night and Monday morning, unknown assailants threw tear gas canisters at the Vatican's embassy in Caracas and at the house of an anti-government media mogul and set fire to a student leader's sport utility vehicle.

Caracas's opposition mayor said gunmen forced their way into city hall on Saturday and gas canisters were lobbed at a student news conference broadcast live on television on Monday. The series of gas attacks and the burning of student leader Ricardo Sanchez's car followed a speech by Chavez on Saturday calling for police to break up public disturbances. "Spray them with gas," he said during the speech, which followed a violent student protest against the re-election proposal last week.

The government said the string of attacks was organized by the opposition in cahoots with television station Globovision to cast the government in a bad light. "Tear gas bombs and burnt cars have already started to appear, curiously along with Globovision cameras," said Jorge Rodriguez, a Chavez ally and mayor for a district in central Caracas.

The Roman Catholic church is unpopular with some Chavez supporters because it often speaks out against the government. Last week Venezuelan bishops said they were "worried" by the proposal to allow Chavez to run gain for office. The Vatican embassy in Caracas provides refuge to Nelson Moreno, a student leader accused of trying to rape a policewoman. His lawyer on Monday blamed the attack at the institution on a group of hard-line Chavez supporters known as Colectivo La Piedrita. The group was not immediately available for comment.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- January 19, 2009

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

The Industrial Bank of Venezuela (BIV) has granted micro-credits worth (Bs.F) 402,498 bolivares to 88 inhabitants of Tachira State. BIV branch president, Willian Garrido Tovar was present to hand out grants, which will be used to develop economic activities, "guaranteeing a better standard of living but with a Socialist attitude," which should benefit the community. Beneficiaries will pay within a three-year period at a fixed 15% interest rate.

The Agricultural Bank of Venezuela (BAV) and Socialist Agrarian Development Fund (Fondas) handed out credits worth (Bs.F) 2.9 billion bolivares to agricultural producers in 2008. Agriculture & Lands (MAT) Deputy Minister for Agricultural Economy and president of the BAV, Richard Canan says 50,000 credits were delivered last year to help producers of strategic crops to guarantee food sovereignty. Canan argues that the government has been supporting small producers, excluded from the traditional system of financing. The BAV closed 2008 with more than 10,200 credits worth more than (Bs.F) 1.4 billion bolivares, which resulted in a harvest of more than 56,000 tons of rice, maize and sorghum.

Three persons have been remanded in custody for alleged corruption against the government's Mission Habitat Foundation. Antonio Marin, Daniel Sanchez and David Maciera were arrested by Police Detective Branch (CICPC) agents when they tried to withdraw (Bs.F) 620 million bolivares from the bank as advance payment for construction work on 7,000 housing solutions in Carabobo State. Officials at the bank were alerted by the rubber stamping and false signatures.

President Chavez has ordered the Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Tarek El Aissami to break up student demonstrations aimed at blocking the streets. Tear gas can be used, Chavez insists, and the leaders of the protests should be arrested. President Chavez made a statement in Carabobo during a ceremony swearing in the National Women's Front for the constitutional amendment.

Opposition Metropolitan Mayor, Antonio Ledezma has announced his intention to set up a a metropolitan coordination office for justice and peace. The declaration was made during the first metropolitan meeting with communities of Caracas that took place in Chaciato's Plaza Brion. Ledezma says the citizens of Caracas can choose the person who will head the new organization.

Caracas Metropolitan Council member, Alejandro Vivas has condemned an attack against the Metropolitan Palace in Caracas by armed groups on Saturday evening. According to a communique, armed groups entered the headquarters of the Metropolitan executive, breaking down doors and armed with weapons. Vivas calls on the competent authorities to open an investigation immediately and on fellow councilors belonging to the government bench to speak out on the matter and condemn such acts of vandalism.

President Chavez has sent a new and clear message to the President-elect of the United States, Barack Obama insisting that Venezuela will no longer be a US colony. Speaking in Caracas to the heads of United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) logistic and operational electoral patrols, Chavez calls for the defeat of the national bourgeoisie, who want him out after receiving lines of action from the new president of the USA. Nobody should have any illusions about Barack Obama, Chavez proclaims, stating that Venezuela is determined to be free and to go through with national independence. Commenting on the recent situation in Venezuela, Chavez told followers that the enemy is seeking to destabilize the government and bring Venezuela once more to the abyss so that the bourgeoisie, full of hatred, can launch a greater persecution. Chavez has also criticized the performance of the opposition state governors in Miranda and Tachira, who he accuses of boycotting government plans and programs.

The Venezuelan Agrarian Corporation (CVA) cereal and vegetable oil division has set in motion a cereal and rice conditioning factory in Agua Blanca (Portuguesa). The president of the plant, Monica Hung says it consists of three phases: conditioning and drying cereals, threshing rice and packaging. At the moment, the plant can store 5,400 tonnes of goods and there are 13 persons on the payroll for the time being with another 30 workers to be chosen by local communal councils. The unit is expected to deal with 5,000 producers who have been financed by the government.

President Chavez has slammed National Elections Council (CNE) board member, Vicente Diaz for holding an individual press conference and declaring the constitutional amendment unconstitutional. The President accuses Diaz off acting as an opposition supporter by holding the press conference after the CNE launched the official referendum campaign. Chavez says only the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) constitutional chamber can decide whether the amendment is unconstitutional.

Executive Vice President Ramon Carrizalez, who has been keeping a low profile for quite a long period, confirms that the government will not allow student groups to violate the rights of other citizens by denying them free transit on the streets and public places. While the government guarantees the right to to meetings and protests, Carrizalez argues, that it must be done within the framework of the law and the government will respond to those who break the law.

Metropolitan Mayor, Antonio Ledezma accuses the government of starting a campaign of violence and sabotage against his administration to stop him from making public irregularities under the administration of former pro-government mayor, Juan Barreto. Making a comparison to the constitutional amendment proposal language, Ledezma quips that the government wants to undertake a plan of "indefinite" violence. A report on irregularities and acts of violence since November 23, the Mayor reveals, will be sent to diplomatic representatives accredited in Venezuela. In the report the delayed handing over of the Mayor's Office and theft of treasury will figure.

Mayor Ledezma also accuses the former administration of irregular financial dealings in the case of handing out almost (Bs.F) 70 million bolivares to set up an Internet platform to a company, which received the money without doing any work on the project. There is also the case of mini fire engines worth (Bs.F) 2.8 million bolivares, which allegedly were never received and Bs.F 2.2 million bolivares for radio communications equipment and accessories that were never delivered.

In his TV talk-show, former Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel reveals that apart from Venezuelan opposition leaders and the owner of TV news station, Globovision, Alberto Federico Ravell, politicians belonging to the Chilean Christian Socialist party turned up for the infamous "Puerto Rico Pact" meeting, along with publicity agents of the Chilean La Tercera tabloid. Rangel suggests that Panama is being used to launch a plan against Venezuela by US intelligence and military. The international airport at Tucume, he claims, is being fitted with a separate terminal and hangers for spy planes, while the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is setting up an intelligence center near the airport to spy on Venezuela's defense system. Rangel contends that some opposition sectors will be concentrating their efforts on creating a financial encirclement against the government, political destabilization by promoting social conflicts and finally, intense intelligence and counterintelligence activity monitored from abroad.

Venezuela has made a commitment to send Brazil monthly cargoes of around 250,000 barrels of natural gasoline from March 1 to February 28, 2011. The agreement was reached during a visit to Venezuela by Brazilian President Lula da Silva on Friday. The two presidents agreed to 13 legal instruments to promote greater solidarity and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, agriculture and industry.

According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE) youngsters only 1% of youngsters reached the voting age of 18 in December. From August 25 through December 5, 2008 16,767 new voters enrolled in the electoral register. According to the opposition, 400,000 people would register, if the electoral register were re-opened. The INE refutes opposition figures. The National Electoral Council (CNE) decided to go ahead with the referendum for a constitutional amendment on February 15, using the electoral register as closed December 15.

Journalist Orel Sambrano was gunned down on Friday last and there is a strong belief that it had to do with his investigation into narco-trafficking, in which the Makled family is said to be implicated. The Makled brothers were arrested on November 14 in the possession of 400 kg of cocaine after security forces raided a family farm. Sambrano was vice president of the Radio America station, an editorial writer for the regional newspaper, Notitarde, a lawyer by profession and professor at the Carabobo University. The journalist was shot and killed by two gunmen riding a motorbike after leaving his vehicle on Friday evening .

Columnist Luis Felipe Colina accuses former Finance minister, Nelson Merentes of receiving $400 million from commissions related to structured notes. According to the journalist, Merentes helped a well-known director of an editorial group connected to the government. Colina ventures that President Chavez is aware of the case and that is the reason why Merentes is being kept at arm's length. There have been rumors that Merentes had been slotted for the post of president of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).

There was no Sunday radio address by President Chavez yesterday. Communication & Information (Minci) Minister, Jesse Chacon has announced that the radio show has been suspended until after the constitutional referendum on February 15.

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