Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin has announced that four hostages to be released by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are together and are expected to be released within the next few days. According to the Minister, the government has received the geographical coordinates to begin the freedom of four Colombian Congress members: Gloria Polanco de Lozada, Luis Eladio Perez, Orlando Beltran and Jorge Gechem. Appearing with Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro and families of the hostages currently in Caracas awaiting the release, Rodriguez Chacin has called on the Colombian government to cease military operations in the liberation zone. According to Venezuelan intelligence sources, the Colombian military has mobilized more than 18,000 soldiers near the liberation area.
According to Comptroller General, Clodosbaldo Russian, around about 400 opposition politicians are legally unable to aspire to posts in regional and legislative elections this year. Among those are Chacao Mayor, Leopoldo Lopez, former Miranda State Governor, Enrique Mendoza and former Metropolitan Mayor of Caracas, Alfredo Pena. In the case of Lopez, Russian points out, there is an accusation pending since 2005 for allegedly diverting resources destined to pay staff working in the municipal education system and firefighters. Mendoza has the case pending regarding the sale of vehicles in 1996 without any public auction process. Mendoza's prohibition to aspire to posts expires in December 7, 2009. From what can be gleaned from media sources many Fourth Republic politicians and personalities have already put themselves forward as candidates.
According to Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, the weekly crime rate has dropped compared to the same period last year from 253 to 141 homicides. The Minister says homicides are dropping thanks to more effective policing ... "police officers are working with greater consciousness and humanism." Last year, the average homicide per week was 52, Rodriguez Chacin claims, and this year in Caracas is down to 31. "There has been a 44% drop in homicides nationally and 40.38% in Caracas." The Minister adds other figures such as: 22,906 drug packets seized in Caracas and 568 citizens caught in the act selling drugs, while 256 persons wanted by the law are being processed.
Federation of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Fedecamaras) president, Jose Manuel Gonzalez has replied to President Chavez' rebuttal that he would not allow the business sector to tell him what to do. In a communique Gonzalez challenges the President to fix a date, time and place for a meeting to which Fedecamaras would come without "fear, threats and offering optimism and confidence." According to the employers' association, government economic policies have led to an increase in shortages, prices and corruption affecting the most needy people in Venezuela. Gonzalez also points out that without a heightened, respectful and free participation of private enterprise the phenomenon of food shortages will be impossible to solve. The organization is also criticizes what it calls a "dangerous tendency to involve members of the Armed Force (FAN) and Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) professionals in the production, distribution and marketing of food, medicine and educational services." Over the weekend there was an explosion outside the Caracas HQ of Fedecamaras in which one person supposedly responsible for placing an explosive device was killed. Fedecamaras calls on the government to investigate who was behind the incident which, it states, threatens peace in Venezuela.
Popular organizations in Caracas have organized a rally today condemning the violence promoted by 24/7 opposition news channel, Globovision. The rally will take place in (Caracas) Plaza Bolivar today and among the organizers are: Coordinadora Simon Bolivar and the Antifascist Front of Venezuela. Aporrea.org has organized a march and rally tomorrow on Wednesday, February 27 (27F) to remember the popular rebellion in 1989 popularly known as the Caracazo. According to the organization, 27F was the beginning of the Bolivarian Popular Revolution and it hopes that the rally will be a sign of the strength of popular power. The march is against bureaucracy and to highlight the real needs of the people, namely housing, services, community infrastructure, roads, health, education land, social security and just salaries.
Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick.vheadline@gmail.com
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