Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- October 29, 2008

Venezuelan human rights groups report a sharp increase in violence and public insecurity and have called on the Inter American Human Rights Commission (IAHRC) to draw up a report and hand it to the Venezuelan State with recommendations. The petition was made at a hearing during IAHRC sessions. The groups presenting the petition are: Cofavic, Center of Justice and International Law (Cejil), Venezuelan Observatory of Violence and Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons. The groups point out that according to a recent survey undertaken by the Venezuelan Institute of Data Analysis (IVAD), 8 of every 10 Venezuelans (84.1%) think that personal and public security is the biggest concern of citizens. The group monitoring violence states that in the 1980's Venezuela had a homicide rate of 8 per hundred thousand inhabitants. By 2003 there were more than 11,000 victims and the rate rose to 44 homicides. The current rate, they say, is around 49 homicides per hundred thousand inhabitants. Cofavic executive director, Liliana Ortega maintains that there were around 7,000 registered complaints against police officers and agents in 2007, of which only 6% resulted in arrests. The HR organizations confirm that the Venezuela continues to deny entry to the Inter American Human Rights Commission.

Replying to the charges lodge by a series of Venezuelan NGOs at the Inter American Human rights Commission, Venezuelan State representative, German Saltron insists that nobody can deny that there is an economic and social problem but, he argues, the government has created instruments to resolve the problem by applying a economic and social policy of inclusion to reduce poverty and has reformed the current model of police forces.

President Chavez has suggested to his continental allies to act with audacity to confront the financial crisis. The President says the crisis has forced leaders to reflect and act and make decisions to guarantee the future of their countries and the region's human and economic development. Chavez made the statement during a meeting with Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correa in Puyo (Ecuador). Countries of the North are responsible for the crisis and the catastrophe of the 20th century, Chavez maintains, and he criticizes their efforts to re-found the Capitalist system, which, he declares, must be buried once and for all. Solutions to the financial crisis which affect all countries of the world, the President continues, will not come from either Washington or Europe. South America's turn has come ... "we must reflect and act with audacity activating our own mechanisms and not waiting for others to solve our problems."

Seven police officers belonging to Lara State police have been arrested for their alleged participation in the murder of six citizens in Portuguesa State. Interior & Justice Minister, Tarek El Aissami says the officers have been removed from duty until the end of the investigations aimed at determining their responsibility. The six people were murdered on October 23 and discovered tied up with execution bullets to the head and other parts of the body.

The Attorney General has appointed two state prosecutors to investigate evidence presented against Zulia State Governor Manuel Rosales. Documentation against the state governor was presented by Maracaibo Mayor and candidate to the state governorship of Zulia, Gian Carlo Di Martino.

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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