Thursday, July 31, 2008

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's round up of news from Venezuela -- July 30, 2008

The father of a Colombian army officer being held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Gustavo Moncayo has announced that he will go into the jungles with his daughter to search for his son held hostage for 10 years. Moncayo became famous in Venezuela when he walked from Bogota to Caracas to gather public support for the release of his son and earned the name of "peace-walker."

Chrysler of Venezuela has handed the National Anti-Drugs Office (ONA) two vehicles to allow them to carry out their work. ONA director, Colonel Nestor Reverol says the vehicles will be used by the drug prevention team.

The ONA training session on money-laundering for judges and state prosecutors dealing is being organized and financed by the Organisation of American States (OAS) Inter American drug abuse control commission (CICAD). Its director, James F. Mack is prominent at the sessions. Mack is described as a "retired career member" of the US State Department foreign office and has led the "inter-agency task force that coordinated US antinarcotics assistance to Plan Colombia and other countries in the Andean region." It has also been learned that Mack has served in several US embassies in South America, mostly connected to US antinarcotics assistance. Some observers suggest that the visitor will be testing the ground to set up negotiations for a renewal of anti-drugs cooperation between the US and Venezuela.

As the opposition led by affected Mayor of Chacao, Leopoldo Lopez, pursues a campaign to get the inhibition ban against candidates facing legal charges lifted, the National Assembly has denied reports that a delegation from the Southern Cone Economic Zone (Mercosur) human rights commission will come to Caracas to investigate the political ban. AN deputy, Saul Ortega, who is a member of said commission, has denied the rumors as false, saying that the human rights commission has not even met to discuss the matter. The rumors started with a positive declaration from the president of the commission, Adriana Pena.

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and minority parties composing the Patriotic Alliance (AP) have finally met and have agreed to support candidates to state governorships in 10 States. PSUV spokesman and State Governor of Miranda, Diosdado Cabello announced the results of the meeting. There was an agreement also to continue working on unitary candidates for the rest of the States and what is important, Cabello insists, is to have the candidates that the revolution merits. Cabello mentions Aragua, Barinas and Tachira as States where there is no unanimity but a consensus.

According to the Tierra Nuestra Collective, land owners are supposedly responsible for assassinating peasant leader, Ramon Martinez at his home in Bolivar municipality, Barcelona (Anzoategui). Martinez belonged to the local communal council and along with 36 persons, has been occupying 120 hectares in the zone for five years as part of the government's agrarian reform program.

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


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