Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Patrick J. O'Donoghue's news and views from Venezuela -- December 9, 2008

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

Ingrid Betancourt has visited Venezuela to thank President Chavez personally for his role in securing her freedom and that of other persons kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). On meeting President Chavez, Betancourt says she told him that what he did was worth it. Mrs. Betancourt is completing a tour of Latin America during which she lobbied for the freedom of all hostages being held in Colombia. Betancourt reveals that the voice of President Chavez gave hostages sight of a light at the end of the tunnel and opened up a real possibility of freedom. After meeting the President, Betancourt has told reporters that Chavez has promised to continue seeking a peaceful solution for Colombia. Addressing the remaining hostages, the former presidential candidate states that this will be their last Christmas in captivity because there is a "chain of love that has been built throughout Latin America that will help them and get them out of there."

17 pro-government state governors have met to give their unanimous support to a constitutional amendment that would allow President Chavez to run for election in the next period. The campaign to collect signatures will start on December 11 and end on the 18th. In the closing document, the state governors called on United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Socialist battalions and patrols, as well as social groups to get the constitutional amendment up and running. During the meeting, the participants took a vow of loyalty to the President promising to fight for a Socialist Venezuela and national sovereignty.

The Public Ministry has accused retired Army General, Victor Cruz Weffer of illegal enrichment and hiding of data in his declaration of assets. The corruption investigation into the General started a few years ago and in 2007, legal proceedings started with a court order preventing Cruz Weffer from leaving the country. Cruz Weffer served in President Chavez' earliest cabinet as Infrastructure Minister and was an important military officer in the military-civilian social program.

A group of Venezuelan trade unionists belonging to the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and the National Union of Workers (UNT) have expressed solidarity with workers in the USA who have taken over the Republic Windows & Doors Co. in Chicago. The workers are demanding redundancy payments and complaining about a wave of dismissals and other abuses in the USA. The Venezuelan trade unionists say they applaud the action as a symbol of resistance and the way forward for workers in all parts of the world. "We believe that there is no other solution to the crisis than control of production by the workers and the people."

In Venezuela, the number of factories that have been occupied by workers is increasing, such as Sanitarios Maracay in Aragua, Vivex in Anzoategui, Ceramica Carabobo in Puerto Ordaz and the Lafarge cement companies in different State, Parmalat milk processing company and Plasti Blow in Barquisimeto.

Seven youngsters have been murdered with shotguns as they listened to music in Yaracuy state. Seven armed assassins covered with balaclavas started the killings at two o'clock in the morning last Sunday. Four of the youth were killed while they were out purchasing more liquor and the rest were killed later. One person, however, survived to tell the story and an investigation has already been opened and support detectives have been flown in from Caracas.

A conflict has arisen in Carabobo regarding the installation of the new legislative council. On Sunday, six deputies elected for the opposition went ahead without other elected members to choose board members and yesterday, the nine deputies belonging to the PSUV presented their own board of directors, creating a stand- off. The outgoing board complains that they do not know which of the two boards they should hand over to. The pro-government party accuses the opposition of rejecting the state constitution and engaging in tomfoolery. The State Governor is a member of the opposition and the so-called Salas family dynasty.

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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