Venezuela News

Venezuela News Archive:

7/02-11/02
to 6/02

World News

World-wide
News Sources

Cuba News

Colombia News

Venezuela Media

Pro-Government

Antiescuálidos

Asamblea Popular Revolucionaria
(Aporrea)

Aporrea Enlaces
gracias por su enlace a AfroCubaWeb

Miranda: Venezuelan government, Miranda Province

South/Latin American Media

La Jornada , Mexico

News Agency New Colombia

NarcoNews

Trinicenter , Trinidad: Venezuela news

Cuban Media

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (Esp)

AIN (Eng)

Centro de Información para la Prensa

CubaWeb

Granma (Esp, in Cuba)

Granma (English)

Granma (Español)

Juventud Rebelde

La Jiribilla

Notinet

Prensa Latina

Radio Havana (Eng)

Radio Havana (Esp)

Trabajadores

US Media

Embassy of Venezuela in the
United States
of America

Central America Daily

El Nuevo Herald

Miami Herald

Miami Herald Cuba News

Newstrove: Venezuela News Search

South America Daily

ZMag Venezuela Watch  

European media

BBC Mundo - América Latina

Rebelión

Sodepaz

African Traditions in Venezuela

Ashe

InfoIfa

Cuban culture in Venezuela

Ile TunTun , Havana and Venezuela

Luis Calle:
Matanzas Oba who taught in Caracas

Venezuela in the News
Archive: 12/02

The unstated subtext in Venezuela is the role of race & identity  - to the white upper class, which controls the press, Chavez is a "mico mono," a long tailed monkey, a reference to his African heritage. In reality, Chavez has African, Indian, and European heritage, was elected 8 times by Venezuela's poor, and  is practicante de la religion Yoruba.

¡Gran Marcha del Sur Oeste este sábado en Caracas!  12/31/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: Yet another massive display of popular support for Chavez, to be ignored by the mainstream media.

Buying gasoline at CITGO stations help Venezuela's democracy  12/31/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: "The WALL STREET JOURNAL brought to our attention that CITGO is a wholy-owned subsidiary of the national Venezuela oil company. The attacks on the overwhelmingly democratically elected government of President Hugo Chavez deal directly with the reforms that this government is instituting: including land reform, labor rights and protection of the nationally owned assets. Many go into affect on January 1st, thus explaining the push at this time to have Chavez resign. Otto Reich and Company have their dirty hands in the mix despite the sanctimonious declarations of "neutralilty" emenating from Bush, Inc. It is part and parcel of the US policies to foist FTAA and privitization on Latin America. In addition to our statements and acts of solidarity, the proposal is that we purchase gasoline from CITGO. In filling our tanks, we inform the franchised dealer that the reason we are buying CITGO gasoline is to show our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and democracy in Venezuela."

Militares opositores a Chávez en la protesta del 10 de Octubre en Miami  12/31/02 Comandos F4: Narcoterrorists openly getting training from ex-Venezuelan military putchist in Florida, today, as reported by their organization, with many photos: ""El 10 de octubre es un día impredecible en Venezuela". Con esta contundente frase comenzó una entrevista al capitán Luís García, de la Guardia Nacional de Venezuela, en un finca-campamento de entrenamiento en Homestead."

PDVSA a plena capacidad en un mes  12/31/02 Juventud Rebelde: "Por otra parte, se conoció la detención por la Policía de la Seguridad del Estado del general de la Guardia Nacional (GN) Carlos Alfonso Martínez, uno de los oficiales rebeldes que desde el 22 de octubre ocupan la plaza Altamira de Caracas para provocar la caída del presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, dijo EFE. Martínez tiene abierto un proceso de investigación por su participación en el golpe de Estado del 11 de abril contra Chávez. La presencia de Martínez y otros militares desleales en Altamira fue criticada por el secretario general de la OEA y mediador en el diálogo nacional, César Gaviria, quien les conminó a quitarse el uniforme para dedicarse a la política, recordó el cable."

Trinidad and Tobago ships gasoline to Venezuela  12/30/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "PETROTRIN'S recent decision to ship gasoline to Venezuela will have no effect on its regular customers, the company's public relations officer Oliver Flax stated yesterday. This in response to reports in a daily newspaper that Petrotrin has agreed to ship US$15 million worth of gasoline to strike-torn Venezuela in the wake of a formal bail-out request by the Hugo Chavez administration facing revolt and a series of crippling strikes which have led to food shortages and dry pumps at Venezuela's service stations. It was reported that Petrotrin responded to this request by establishing a pro quid trading arrangement in which Venezuela will supply crude to Petrotrin in exchange for refined products, mainly gasoline."

La Federacion Nacional de Trabajadores de PETROECUADOR resolvio poner a disposision del gobierno bolivariano un grupo de 20 tecnicos para apoyar las tareas de arranque de los pozos petroleros  12/29/02 Rebelion 

Hugo Chavez and Venezuela's poor versus everybody else  12/29/02 Yellow Times: "And once again, the private, corporate media in both Venezuela and the United States are answering their paymasters' call by printing and reporting wildly one-sided affairs that virtually omit reference to the vast and consistent pro-Chavez rallies around the country."

Presidente Chávez: "La limpieza en PDVSA debe ser total"  12/28/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: "Desde el muelle de Guaraguao el Jefe del Estado refirió que la reactivación de la industria petrolera estatal, luego de acciones de sabotaje por parte de un grupo de ex ejecutivos de la nómina mayor, “es una batalla política, moral, social y económica porque PDVSA es nuestra principal industria y estaba siendo manejada con el criterio caprichoso de una supuesta meritocracia que se creyó dueña de esta industria que pertenece a todos los venezolanos; de ahí la importancia de esta batalla que estamos librando hoy”.

Venezuela: El General que derrotó un golpe militar  12/28/02 Rebelion: "En esta primera parte de la entrevista, el General de División RAUL BADUEL, Comandante de la 4 División de Blindados y de la 42 Brigada de Infantería de Paracaidistas, Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales (FAN) de Venezuela, revela, desde el interior de la resistencia militar-cívica, cómo fue derrotado el golpe de Estado del 11 de abril, 2001, contra el gobierno democrático de Hugo Chávez. En torno a su desconocimiento de la junta golpista se agruparon 14 generales con mando de tropa de 20 batallones (20.000 hombres) con artillería, tanques, paracaidistas y fuerza aérea, un poder superior al de los golpistas. El ultimátum de estos militares patrióticos y constitucionales a los golpistas, difundido públicamente en la tarde del sábado 13 de abril por una radio local venezolana, combinado con una operación comando que le salvó la vida al Presidente Chávez ---organizada desde la base de Baduel en Maracay--- hicieron fracasar la asonada militar."

Chavez Frias thanks Brazil and Caribbean countries for support in oil war.  12/28/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "President Hugo Chavez Frias has publicly thanked Brazilian Fernando Cardoso and president-elect Lula da Silva for sending 520,00 barrel of gasoline on the "Amazon Explorer" which docked in Puerto La Cruz on Saturday. Chavez Frias has let it be known that he has received gestures of support from the governments of Jamaica, Curacao, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and the Dominican Republic. Trinidad & Tobago, the President says, will send 300,000 barrels of gasoline to cover the deficit until refineries start up again. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members have offered help, along with the Russians, which is expected to send a committee of businessmen to help reactivate the oil industry."

"Huelguistas admiten que han perdido control de industria petrolera"  12/27/02 Aporrea, Venezuela 

Exxon confirma indirectamente acusaciones de "bloqueo internacional contra PDVSA"  12/27/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: Exxon-Mobil enforces bloquade of Venezuelan Oil. "Con unas declaraciones completamente sin sentido ("las firmas propietarias de los tanqueros no pueden cargar petróleo mientras continúe la situación de fuerza mayor") o por lo menos con una explicación muy poco didáctica, la portavoz de Exxon-Mobile intentó explicar por qué no estaban embarcando crudo venezolano en sus buques. Sus explicaciones francamente no convencen, ni tampoco desmienten las acusaciones del gobernador y comisionado presidencial venezolano Ramón Martínez de que todo esto es causado por un "bloqueo internacional contra PDVSA". - Recall that Exxon is Standard Oil of New Jersey, whose #2 stockholder up to WWII was IG Farben, the giant Nazi chemical combine. Exxon sold oil to the Nazis well into 1942.

Cuba acusó a la oposición venezolana de mentir otra vez  12/26/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: "Como se podrá apreciar, Arturo Juan Escobar Capote y Carlos de Jesús Valdés Acosta emigraron de Cuba hace largos años, al igual que otros muchos miles que, procedentes de este país, residen en Venezuela sin relación alguna ni contacto con las autoridades cubanas; el primero de ellos, desde hace casi 10 años, y el segundo, desde hace más de 30 años."

Más detalles en denuncia de Ramón Martínez: "transnacionales ordenan a 14 tanqueros no cargar en Venezuela"  12/26/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: will they make high profits as prices in the US go up?

Venezuela imports fuel as oil sector still halted  12/26/02 Reuters: thanks to big oil's de fact Venezuela oil embargo.

Venezuela: marcha de las antorchas  12/24/02 BBC: Asamblea Popular Revolucionaria (aporrea.org) had a cartoon showing this as a KKK march.

Se recupera industria petrolera: arrestan a oficiales de buques Caura y Ambrosio, nombran a nuevo oficial de Yavire, finaliza descarga de Pilín León y Bárbara Palacios y atracan buques con gas licuado  12/24/02 Prensa Latina 

Oficiales de policía opositora denuncian graves irregularidades en la Plaza Altamira y en el cuerpo policial, a la vez que hacen pública su renuncia  12/24/02 Rebelion: "Durante una rueda de prensa transmitida por VTV desde el Hotel Meliá Caracas, tres oficiales de la policía del municipio Chacao de Caracas (bajo el régimen del alcalde Leopoldo López) denunciaron entre otras cosas que los civiles que actúan como guardaespaldas de los ex- militares en rebeldía en la Plaza Francia, han violado infinidad de normas de seguridad, y nada se ha hecho a nivel de autoridades municipales para corregir las irregularidades. "Incluso disparan al aire alegremente para amedrentar, o se apuntan entre sí cuando tienen algún tipo de disputa, o hacen requisas y revisan a las personas sin tener autorización alguna para ello." Durante la llamada masacre de Altamira "yo vi 4 personas con el dedo índice en el gatillo de armas de fuego. Esto es algo inaceptable para los que conocemos sobre protección del orden público... Personas vestidas de civil, que custodian a los militares que ahí están, transgreden infinidad de normas" ¿Por qué el Alcalde permite que ahí se transgredan infinidad de normas? dijo uno de los oficiales denunciantes."

Chávez: Saboteadores de Pdvsa serán detenidos inmediatamente  12/23/02 Rebelion 

El pueblo celebró llegada del Pilín León en Caracas y Bajo Grande  12/22/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: note the proportion of black people in the fotos below - "El pueblo celebró masivamente la recuperación del buque Pilín León; Los amigos de Clase Media en Positivo Zulia informan que "espontaneamente una inmensa muchedumbre de Maracaibo y San Francisco acudieron a la refineria para darle vitores y bienvenida al buque Pilin León. Mas de un kilómetro de automoviles se apilaron en la via hacia la refineria desafiando la escasez de combustible y una inmensa marcha de miles de personas adeptos al gobierno bolivariano del presidente Hugo Chavez lanzaron consignas en contra de los golpistas de PDVSA, CTV, FEDECAMARAS y del gobernador Manuel Rosales. (...) Mujeres, jovenes, niños, hombres de todas las clases aglomerados como un solo cuerpo, patriotico, revolucionario y consustanciados con su lider, presidente legitimo y constitucional de la Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela: Hugo Chavez Frias"

Striking crew of tanker is detained by Venezuela  12/22/02 Miami Herald: "Leaders of the 20-day-old general strike accused Chávez of using a Cuban crew to pilot the Pilín León, which had been moored offshore after the crew joined the strike. Carlos Fernandez, a strike organizer and president of the Fedecamaras business chamber, said the use of Cubans ``violates national sovereignty.'' A source at the Cuban Embassy in Caracas, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied the assertion, calling it a ''lie.'' State TV said Venezuelans were piloting the ship. Chávez's rivals often accuse the president of being too close to communist Cuba."

Fotos de la protesta en Los Angeles en favor del gobierno de Chávez  12/21/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: note the proportion of black people in these fotos.

Presidente Chávez supervisa movilización de buques y reactivación de PDVSA  12/21/02 Aporrea, Venezuela: "El Presidente de la República Hugo Chávez Frías llegó a la ciudad de Maracaibo a fin presenciar el atraque del B/T Pilín León al muelle de Bajo Grande, barco que recuperado por marinos leales a la Nación y que estuvo en manos de una tripulación opuesta a los intereses de la patria que lo mantuvo secuestrado por varios días en la boca del Lago de Maracaibo."

Multitudinaria marcha chavista responde a opositores golpistas  12/21/02 Granma: "Decenas de miles de seguidores del presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, marcharon este viernes para defender la revolución bolivariana en respuesta a una marcha opositora, reportó AFP. Ataviados en rojo y con la boina del mismo color que identifica al mandatario nacional, los partidarios del proceso revolucionario partieron de los populosos barrios del Oeste de Caracas, Catia y Caricuao, pero también del exclusivo Este, en Parque del Este, hacia la sede principal de la estatal Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)."

Buque Tesseo zarpará con 600 mil barriles de crudo hacia EEUU  12/21/02 Venpres: 'Puerto de Guaraguo, 21 Dic. Venpres (Félix Amaya) - Este sábado atracará en este terminal petrolero el tanquero Tesseo, tercer barco que lo hace en los últimos días propiedad de Pdvsa, el cual es conducido por una flota internacional de bandera panameña, con el objetivo de abastecerse con 600 mil barriles de crudo al igual que lo hicieron el Josefa Camejo y El Nereo que zarparon ya hacia Corpus Christy, EEUU, con la misma cantidad de crudo abordo. La información la suministró Antonio Balladares, encargado de operaciones y seguridad marina de Guaraguao, estado Anzoátegui, quien explicó que el suministro fue ya reestablecido hacia los Estados Unidos. Asimismo, informó que otros 5 buques de la misma capacidad están listos para entrar en puertos venezolanos del estado Zulia, específicamente en La Salina, al igual que en el puerto de Bajo Grande que ya está operando normalmente. Explicó que El Nereo cargó en el muelle 5 de Guaraguao y el Tesseo lo hará en el muelle 7 con combustible y crudo para Corpus Christy."

Bush Administration Stumbles Again in Venezuela  12/21/02 Washington Post: "With so many in the Bush administration able to speak Spanish, the phrase "No aprende ni a palos"should have a familiar ring. If not, one need only examine the White House's recent actions regarding Venezuela to understand that the words refer to someone who never learns--just doesn't seem to get it--even when hit upside the head with a stick." Si, señor!

Transcripción de la conversación donde vicealmirante Huizi Clavier autoriza contaminar lago  12/19/02 Aporrea, Venezuela 

STRATFOR: U.S. ready to evacuate in Caracas  12/19/02 Petroleum World: "Hotel industry sources in Caracas tell Stratfor that the U.S. embassy has quietly rented the equivalent of nearly two floors of the Marriott Hotel in the El Rosal district, which has a heliport, for use as "a congregation point for evacuating U.S. citizens." Stratfor was unable to confirm this report directly with the U.S. embassy in Caracas, but sources at the Marriott Hotel verified its accuracy."

Washington maneuvers toward Venezuelan coup  12/19/02 World Socialist: "On December 13 the White House issued a statement effectively solidarizing itself with the demands advanced by the alliance of Venezuelan employers, the US-funded trade union bureaucracy and the political parties of the country’s oligarchy. “The only peaceful and politically viable path to moving out of the crisis is through the holding of early elections,” the statement said. Under Venezuela’s constitution, Chavez is to remain in power until the end of 2006. He could be subject to a recall referendum—in August of 2003 at the earliest—provided those seeking to oust him secured sufficient support for such a vote. For his term to be cut short, the constitution requires that more people vote to remove him in such a referendum than the number who voted to place him in power in the last presidential election. Washington’s undisguised contempt for such constitutional considerations is the clearest signal that it is prepared once again to support a right-wing military coup, as it did last April when Chavez’s opponents succeeded in ousting him for two days. He was returned to power in the wake of a popular uprising in the streets of Caracas."

U.S. Intervening Against Democracy in Venezuela  12/18/02 Alternet: "For two weeks during this country's business-led strike, the privately owned stations that dominate Venezuelan television have been running opposition "infomercials" instead of advertisements, in addition to what is often non-stop coverage of opposition protests. "I am sure there is money from abroad," asserts Moncada. It's a good guess: Prior to the coup on April 11, the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy stepped up its funding to opposition groups, including money funneled through the International Republican Institute. The latter's funding multiplied more than sixfold, to $340,000 in 2001."

AP’s One-Sided Venezuela Coverage  12/18/02 NarcoNews: "The very structure of the AP -- the impersonal bureaucracy through which this huge volume of information is filtered -- encourages “desk reporting” from foreign correspondents. This means gleaning stories from the local commercial newspapers and taking phone calls from Embassy, political, and corporate spin-doctors rather than going outside and talking to the real people their stories concern. According to many familiar with the organization, AP correspondents are typically wined and dined by the English-speaking elites in the Third World outposts where they are assigned."

African Venezuelans fear new U.S. coup against President Chavez  12/18/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "This month, for the first time in history, Venezuelan people of African descent have total control of their historic Black university, the Instituto Universitario Barlovento [034 23 11 71 - 23 14 59]. They are already planning a university administered hotel and a restaurant for students, faculty and the community. This is an achievement of a lifetime, and the people of Barlovento gather around their seat of higher learning to reflect on their success… These dreams of the African Venezuelan people may be deferred if the United States replaces Chavez with a rightwing businessman as president. Currently, three Blacks are state governors elected by the people; the secretary of education is black; two Indigenous Venezuelans are congresspersons elected directly by the people; Indigenous Venezuelans have the complete right to claim their historic lands; land is protected and available to Black and Indigenous Venezuelan farmers so that they can now engage in farming for the first time in generations; and Venezuelans of African descent are participating in conferences against racism around the world and establishing strategic relationships with international organizations. They have attended Congressional Black Caucus conferences in 2000, 2001 and 2002; the pre-conference against racism in Chile in 2000; and the United Nations World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. The African Venezuelan community in Barlovento also hosted the Second International Reunion of the African Latin Family in 1999."

On Tuesday the US State Department warned of a possible "violent eruption."  12/18/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "Today's conflict which, in large part is between the wealthy light-skinned elite and the dark-skinned poor. Nearly 80% of the population lives in poverty and there is a strong correlation between poverty and dark skin. Chavez, who is of black and indigenous origins, has concentrated on improving the living conditions of the poor ... his policies have included land redistribution for poor farmers, title to the self-built homes in the barrios (poor neighborhoods), steady increases in the minimum wage and of public sector salaries, and the enrolment of over one million previously excluded students in school."

Vocero de SINTRAP denuncia riesgo de desastre en tanqueros por acercamiento de lanchas  12/17/02 Asamblea Popular Rewvolucionaria: "Explicó que por los respiraderos o escapes de ese buque se emiten vapores altamente inflamables que por acción de la brisa podrían llegar hasta las lanchas próximas, cuyos motores emiten chispas, las cuales podrían causar (¡Dios nos ampare!) una explosión de dimensiones gigantescas que haría palidecer el derribo de las torres gemelas de Nueva York, pues podría destruir a toda la ciudad de Maracaibo. Asimismo, advierte el vocero de la grave omisión de las televisoras golpistas que se han dedicado a aupar a estas lanchas cargadas de Oposicionistas sin advertirles del grave peligro que corren ellos y el resto de la población de Maracaibo."

América Reborn: 32 Nations Back Venezuela - Historic OAS debate turns América right-side-up again  12/17/02 NarcoNews: "One hour and some minutes ago, the Organization of American States (OAS), for the first time in the organization’s history, rejected a major United States initiative. The OAS backed, by a vote of 32-0 – with two countries not counted – a resolution to support the continuance of the democratically elected government of Hugo Chávez of Venezuela."

Caos en Caracas  12/17/02 Red Bolivariana: "La oposición crea caos en el Este de Caracas, trancan calles y los últimos reportes indican que en algunos sectores han roto el pavimento de algunos sectores. Los disturbios que se localizan principalmente en los municipios Chacao y Baruta al este de la capital venezolana han creado un gran caos en la ciudad, según vecinos de la Caracas informan que en algunas trancas se han hecho con apoyo de la policía de Chacao, Baruta y de la Alcaldía Mayor de Caracas que dirige el opositor Alfredo Peña. También reportan que en algunos puntos se ha arrancado el pavimento y los divisores metálicos de la autopista."

Gobierno de Venezuela obtiene apoyo unánime de la OEA  12/17/02 Red Bolivariana: Texto del resuelve del OAS: "Respaldar plenamente la institucionalidad democrática y constitucional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, cuyo gobierno preside Hugo Chávez Frías, y rechazar categóricamente cualquier intento de golpe de estado o alteración del orden constitucional venezolano que afecte gravemente el orden democrático."

BBC's Distorted Venezuela Coverage  12/17/02 Trinicenter: "The Organisation of American States has called on Venezuelans to find a "peaceful democratic constitutional and electoral solution" to the standoff, but did not explicitly call for early elections." - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2582137.stm. This is a deliberate distortion to what was stated by the OAS. The OAS was quite clear in their support for the democratic process in Venezuela and BBC knew that the opposition's call for early elections is unconstitutional but they keep emphasizing it as if the call has merit."

U.S. Sees Venezuela Crisis 'Deteriorating Rapidly'  12/17/02 Washington Post: deteriorating for Bushie Boy? "The Bush administration on Monday said it supported a referendum on Chavez and backed away from its earlier call for early elections that could violate the country's constitution or require its amendment."

Chavez foes spiraling out of control  12/16/02 Boston Globe: "When opposition leaders get together to plan their strategy for ousting President Hugo Chavez, they usually spend their meetings sitting around a table screaming at one another."

White House Venezuela Error Backfires - Bush Withdraws “Elections” Demand; “Strike” is Over  12/16/02 NarcoNews: Victory! - "White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, earlier today, withdrew that demand with some not-too-fancy semantic footwork: “Early elections, in the sense that of course, there is a referenda (sic) that can be held earlier that is a reflection of the manifestation of the will of the people and this is the process that is anticipated in the Venezuelan constitution," Fleischer told reporters earlier today." The strike is over, the oil workers are back to work, tankers are on the way, and even the shops in the wealthy district are open.

Venezuela: An Anemic Strike Needs a Blood Transfusion  12/16/02 Radio Progresso, Miami: "Joao [Gouveia] is a contract killer, competitor to "The Jackal". He flew from Lisbon to Caracas December 5 landing at Simón Bolívar International Airport. He had a contract to keep. He was an important piece in the important turn of events, that since December 2, are taking place in Venezuela… On December 6, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Joao, who perhaps thinks that OAS is a new product on sale, left the "Tres Santos" and turned on the corner of Pilita Street headed to Baralt Avenue. He was carrying a Glock with three magazines, each with 15 bullets. Around 7 p.m. he reached Altamira Plaza, where people from the opposition were demonstrating. He surveyed the crowd, maybe staring momentarily at a beautiful woman. He chose a group. And then he shot randomly until the three magazines were empty of the 45 bullets. He killed three people and wounded almost 20 more. He tried to escape, but was captured. Immediately, the opposition accused the government. But Gouveia upon being deposed said, according to journalistic and official sources, that he had received 35 million bolivars (about $30,000 dollars) and pointed the finger at former general Enrique Medina Gómez – one of the leaders in the failed April coup now demonstrating in Altamira plaza – as the key man in the operation. In the streets, common Venezuelans now ask themselves: Who gains from the crime?"

Huge demonstration bolsters strike against Chavez  12/16/02 Sydney Morning Herald: "The Venezuelan government has increased pressure in recent days, threatening to replace striking oil industry employees with foreign workers, suggesting other exporting countries would supply its clients and indicating Venezuela would import fuel if needed. But the business and union leaders heading the protest insisted the strike, launched on December 2, would continue indefinitely. Petroleos de Venezuela President Ali Rodriguez conceded on Saturday that Venezuela's state oil company was largely paralysed. "This is affecting the country, the government is standing firm but the country is being severely punished," said Rodriguez, among the few officials of the oil firm who has remained loyal to Chavez."

Control social de los medios de comunicación televisivos y sanciones para petroterroristas  12/15/02 Asamblea Popular Revolucionaria: "Este Paro patronal insurreccional y terrorista de Fedecámaras, CTV y de la Coordinadora Democrática, busca producir con la escasez de gasolina, y en consecuencia de otros renglones de energías así como también de alimentos, medicinas, agua, y materias primas, las condiciones para un nuevo golpe de estado. De forma desesperada y descarada, tienen intensificado un ataque despiadado de desinformación, violencia y odio por parte de los medios de comunicación propiedad de la burguesía, en especial los televisivos. Estos han creado un terrorismo colectivo en los televidentes, radioescuchas y lectores."

Venezuela on brink of second coup - The President's supporters are preparing for a last stand  12/15/02 Observer, UK: "Ricardo Marques, the meeting's chairman, organised people into teams - transport, communications, first aid, security - that are to be activated if word comes through that the military or large crowds of opposition are approaching the presidential palace. Distributed at the meeting was a photocopied page showing the supposed salaries - about £500,000 - of some of Chavez's opponents, executives at the state oil company, PDVSA. A straw poll of people at the meeting indicated that their average wage was £15 a month. It is this disparity that has fuelled Chavez's popularity among those who see him as their champion, even as all the major institutions - business, the media, the unions, the church - call for his removal. The leading trade union federation, CTV, which represents skilled workers in a national workforce where 50 per cent are employed 'informally' and are not unionised, has been one of his most vocal opponents. 'Tomorrow, we need to be be near the palace,' said Marques, as he called for volunteers to man the teams. 'And we have to explain to people what we stand to lose if there is a coup.' Groups like these, the chavistas, are portrayed by the opposition as part of an dangerous lumpen mob, just as the chavistas see the opposition as an elite fighting to exclude the poor from power."

Cuban exiles lend a hand to opponents of Venezuelan president  12/15/02 Sun Sentinel, Florida: "Exiles of Chávez's "Revolucion Bolivariana," are building on a decades-old alliance that developed when thousands of Cubans fled Fidel Castro's rule and settled in Venezuela more than four decades ago. Since then, Chávez's pro-Cuba policies have rankled many Cuban exiles, who have embraced Venezuela's cause and helped organize protests, denounced Chávez in radio and newspaper editorials and brought the country's plight to Washington's attention… "I owe a huge debt to Venezuela, and now I can begin to repay it," said Jesus Permue. He heads Cuban Unity, an exile umbrella group composed of 35 organizations that has helped Venezuelans organize rallies in Miami's Bayfront Park… According to Esquivel, the Cuban Council has helped organize meetings between Venezuelan exiles and key members of the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., as well as delegates from the United Nations and members of Congress. He thinks these meetings over the past three years helped spawn an awareness that led to President Bush's declaration Friday demanding that Chávez hold a general election." One rabid group of white supremacists helping another.

Venezuelan military defy court injuction  12/15/02 Sydney Morning Herald: "Soldiers blocked the gates of Caracas police stations in defiance of a court injunction handing the stations back to the opposition mayor, stoking tensions as government supporters and detractors demonstrated in the streets."

Venezuela: 90 por ciento de nómina contractual de Pdvsa esta trabajando  12/15/02 Venpres: "Más del 90 por ciento de la nómina contractual de Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) y la que se encuentra al frente de las operaciones del holding se encuentra en sus puestos de trabajo, afirmación que desmiente las declaraciones de algunos voceros energéticos."

Venezuela: PDVSA regaining control of production  12/15/02 Vheadlines: 'PDVSA regaining control of production, according to blue collar petroleum workers union (Fedepetrol) president Rafael Rosales. After meeting with Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) president, Ali Rodriguez Araque, and Energy & Mines (MEM) Minister Rafael Ramirez in the Miraflores Presidential Palace, Rosales stated the company's management was regaining control of operations in Zulia State, with many workers now arriving to work. Operations in Lake Maracaibo, in Zulia State are key to the company, as that is where a great amount of the nation's petroleum is pumped."

Venezuela - Arab News Editorial  12/14/02 Arab News: the Saudis weigh in - "Despite is vast mineral potential which includes very large quantities of coal, iron ore, bauxite and gold, Venezuela remains a one-horse economy. The Venezuelan currency, the bolivar, was long kept strong by oil wealth, which made imports cheap. This meant that local producers were unable to compete economically with foreign goods. No substantial economic alternatives have developed to the energy industry. It was this economic dominance that was so abused by Chavez’s bickering political predecessors. While they made sure that PDVSA remained a center of technical excellence, they steered its revenues into their uneconomic projects designed purely to line their own pockets and those of their cronies. It was this cycle of corruption and inefficiency which left 85 percent of Venezuelans on the bread line, which Chavez promised to fix. Unfortunately, in tackling the entrenched interests that undoubtedly center around PDVSA, he has ended up taking an ax to the organization itself. There was no carrot in his approach, just stick and it has lost him the support even of those PDVSA employees who accept that their organization needs reform. It is hard to see where the president can go now. The strikers have vowed to continue until he quits office. The military is becoming increasingly uneasy and even many of Chavez’s poorest supporters are beginning to question his wisdom. of the man they once idolized." Let it not be sais that the Saudi princes ever weighed in on the side of the poor!

Canada fears Venezuela could destabilize region  12/13/02 Forbes: Canada breaks rank with the US - "But Foreign Minister Bill Graham was cool to U.S. calls for early elections, saying the people of Venezuela themselves should work out a solution to their problems."

Bush’s Desperate Venezuela Statement - Read Between the Lines: The Coup is Falling Apart  12/13/02 NarcoNews: “Six elections in the past four years in Venezuela, all of them won by President Hugo Chávez and his supporters, all of them deemed fair and free by national and international observers (including by delegates of the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties who were present to observe them), are not enough. We need a Seventh Election in four years because we don’t like the results of the first six. We, in the Bush administration, are deeply offended that Venezuelan law awards the presidency to the candidate who won the most votes. That’s not how we did it in the U.S. We will only be happy when a minority of citizens can impose a president. If we allow Venezuela’s majority decisions to stand, they might start exporting democracy to the United States. In any case, we insist that Catherine Harris be allowed to count the votes, and Jeb Bush should print the ballots, next time in Venezuela.”

Venezolanos a la calle convocados para defender al gobierno  12/13/02 Prensa Latina: "Al cumplirse ocho meses de la victoria popular sobre el golpe de Estado del pasado mes de abril, las organizaciones que apoyan al Ejecutivo llamaron a sus partidarios a concentrarse frente al palacio de Miraflores desde horas de la mañana. A participar en la demostración se convocó no sólo a los chavistas de Caracas, sino a los residentes en los estados cercanos de Carabobo, Miranda y Vargas, lo cual augura una importante concentración. Pero el objetivo no es solamente la fecha, sino una movilización especial ante lo que los dirigentes gubernamentales señalan como necesidad de enfrentar intentos opositores de provocar desórdenes ante el fracaso del paro nacional convocado por ellos." The Company's action plan must be in full swing by now...

'Rebel oil executives' fired in Venezuela  12/12/02 BBC: "The Government of Venezuela's embattled President Hugo Chavez has sacked several rebel oil executives in an attempt to break a general strike that has crippled the country's oil industry."

Bush Administration Pushes "Regime Change" in Venezuela  12/12/02 Counterpunch: "A little noticed retraction published in the Chicago Tribune on April 20 summed up the extreme prejudice of our major news organizations against the president of Venezuela: "An editorial on Sunday mistakenly said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had praised Osama bin Laden. The Tribune regrets the error."

Declaraciones de Chávez sobre la actual situación  12/12/02 Rebelion: "Ustedes lo saben, aquí se puso en macha un gigantesco plan de sabotaje. Yo le comentaba al Presidente Uribe, por ejemplo que lo que aquí está pasando se puede comparar con lo que ocurre a veces en Colombia cuando un cuerpo armado le coloca una bomba a un oleoducto o a una torre petrolera y la vuela. Aquí afortunadamente no las han volado y estoy seguro no las van a volar, pero es una especie de subversión encorbatada y muy capacitada que penetró la industria, se la expropió a los venezolanos hace bastante tiempo. Gente que ha creído que PDVSA es de ellos."

MEM toma acciones contundentes en PDVSA; se reestablece exportación de crudo y se preparan sanciones contra gerentes saboeadores  12/12/02 Rebelion: "A PDSVA se le ocasionaban daños de más de 40 millones de dólares diarios, pero el esfuerzo de trabajadores, población y FFAA se han reestablecido la operación en nuestra principal industria. Hay sabotaje PLANIFICADO CON MUCHO TIEMPO, pero gracias al apoyo técnico de trabajadores de PDVSA y de trabajadores voluntarios se han reestablecido las operaciones y continuarán reestableciendose."

Racist Rage Of The Caracas Elite  12/11/02 Guardian, UK: "Opposition spokesmen complain that Chavez is a leftist who is leading the country to economic chaos, but underlying the fierce hatred is the terror of the country's white elite when faced with the mobilised mass of the population, who are black, Indian and mestizo. Only a racism that dates back five centuries - of the European settlers towards their African slaves and the country's indigenous inhabitants - can adequately explain the degree of hatred aroused. Chavez - who is more black and Indian than white, and makes no secret of his aim to be the president of the poor - is the focus of this racist rage." El Mico Mono...

A People Defends its Democracy Against Media Power  12/10/02 NarcoNews: "Enough already with the lies: At the hour that I write you the people of Venezuela have left their homes to rescue their petroleum industry and put an end to the lies of the Venezuelan private-sector media. Thousands and thousands of Venezuelans assemble peacefully in front of the headquarters of Globovision, Venevision, RCTV, Televen and Meridiano TV in Caracas. And in the city of Maracay, the people have taken TV5 and the daily El Aragüeño, calling upon President Chávez “to govern,” and referring to the mass media as “media terrorists.” Other groups march now toward the offices of the newspaper El Nacional. For more than a year the Venezuelan Media has substituted the opposition political parties, fabricating an absolute matrix of opinion against the democratic government of President Chávez."

The People Rise Up Against Venezuela's Commercial Media  12/10/02 NarcoNews: "An amazing sight: Thousands of people have surrounded the headquarters of five commercial television stations (RCTV, Globovision, TVS, Meridiano TV, Venevision) and are treating them to one hell of a cazerolazo (pot-banging). They are shouting "medios golpistas!" (putschist media) and "terroristas!". The channels have stopped (probably only briefly) broadcasting anti governmental propaganda and are at last giving some pro governmental demonstrations some coverage."

Venezuelan Majority Takes to the Streets, Coup Plotters Hide  12/10/02 NarcoNews: "On Monday night, the Venezuelan majority - unwilling to allow an upper-class economic coup d’etat that poses dishonestly as a “strike” to unseat its democratically elected government - took to the streets on a scale only seen once before in the nation’s modern history; as they had last April, when they turned back a military coup d’etat. By early Tuesday morning the masses had every Commercial TV station in the nation surrounded. Their weapons were nonviolent and theatrical: pots, pans, fireworks and thousands of defiant but smiling faces… The bluff of the former ruling class and its media – that their top-down imposed sabotage of the Venezuelan economy and oil industry of the past week is somehow a popular “strike” – has been called. The “strike leaders,” including corrupt oil union boss Carlos Ortega, have, in recent hours, disappeared from public view, abandoning their own supporters among the upper classes. To make sure the coup plotters don’t flee the country, the neighbors of Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas have surrounded the airport as well. The coup supporters, including the rogue ex-military officials from April’s attack on democracy who in recent days have called unsuccessfully for military coup, promptly abandoned Plaza Altamira last night, their physical base: the public stage they had occupied continuously for the past few weeks."

The Crisis in Venezuela - What Happened in Altamira Plaza?  12/9/02 Counterpunch 

Why Are the Coup Plotters So Impatient? …And How Venezuela Can Defeat Them Legally  12/9/02 NarcoNews: "The second reason for the pro-coup haste is the entrance in vigor of various important laws that come into effect on January 1, 2003, that touch vital interests of the economic elite: Among them, the Land Law that affects not just the large plantation owners in the country but also real estate speculators and vacant lots in urban zones. The Hydrocarbon law is even more important because it will permit the dismantling of the meta-State of the petroleum business PdVSA, the corrupt oil group that controls the economic life of the country and that is an integral part of the New World Energy Order of George Bush."

Venezuela: WHAT HAPPENED IN PLAZA ALTAMIRA?  12/9/02 Vheadlines: "After a detailed coverage of the shooting at Plaza Altamira, commercial TV stations at once started identifying one of the suspects connecting him to the government of Hugo Chavez Frias via images conveniently shown to the public a few days earlier . As in last April s coup attempt, the network of private TV channels has summarily judged, found guilty and condemned the President of Venezuela as an assassin based on evidence that was collected, shown and assessed by the print & broadcast media at their complete whim."

Thousands rally to protest Venezuela shooting  12/8/02 Times of India: "As tens of thousands of people marched to demonstrate support for the embattled Chavez, thousands of protesters gathered to stage their own rally. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people clad in black converged at the Plaza Altamira to mourn those gunned down during a protest Friday night. The government confirmed that three people were killed and 29 wounded, but local media said a further two had died of their wounds. Seven people were arrested after an assailant opened fire on demonstrators at the square." A CIA connected gunman hard at it?

Venezuela: The Fire Down Below  12/8/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "FOR the discerning eye in those among us who lived through the tense years of the Cold War, the events in Venezuela are playing themselves out in classical State Department styling. With international eyes focused on the showdown in Iraq where the Americans are clearly setting the stage for yet another invasion, this time to unseat Saddam Hussein and replace him with a White House-friendly regime, not many people outside of South America and some Caribbean countries are bothered about the seemingly permanent state of unrest that has gripped Caracas. And even here many believe that Hugo Chavez looked for his troubles, so let him fend for himself. Few people recall that here was a young rebel who defied the odds of a coup-maker and won some 80 per cent of the popular vote in two successive elections. Or that in the process, he all but annihilated the traditional parties that had controlled Venezuela's politics for decades, sharing between them the spoils of an oil-rich nation in which the bulk of its citizens live in squalor. He was seen as the strongman who would deliver the downtrodden from a state of persistent poverty. He would stop runaway corruption that has bedevilled resource-rich countries like his own, Nigeria, Angola and Brazil, to name a handful, in which the leaders looted the treasuries in a most vulgar manner."

Venezuela protests block oil exports  12/7/02 AP: "The five-day-old general strike has virtually halted all oil shipments from Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter and a top supplier to the United States. . Captains anchored tankers offshore, tugs stopped guiding ships from Venezuela's oil-rich Lake Maracaibo and dock crews stopped loading oil and natural gas. Operations at several refineries were shutting down in a process that takes several days." The oil boys mounting another coup.

Venezuela: tropas abordan petroleros  12/7/02 BBC Mundo 

Denuncia Chávez sabotaje contra la industria petrolera venezolana  12/7/02 La Jornada, Mexico: "Confirmado, que se busca la ingobernabilidad, dicen a La Jornada fuentes cercanas al presidente."

Crónica de muertos anunciados  12/7/02 NarcoNews: Reich & Co at it again.

Venezuela: Startling revelations and relevant questions  12/7/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: The Company hard at work - "Writing in this week's Quinto Dia Miguel Salazar says, "a foreign intelligence agency has been charged with controlling delivery of money from a powerful international economic community to the axis of subversion encouraged by a strengthened ultra-right ... the agency is responsible for actions aimed at capturing sympathy among the military ... one of its delegations was expelled from the State Political & Security (DISIP) Police as soon as the director appointed by Caldera left ... it's estimated that there are more than an hundred agents on the payroll ... the agency's political action section has recruited top figures in Venezuela giving them considerable financial resources ... opposition leaders, mayors, State Governors, trade unionists, NGOs, human rights activists, church leaders, parliamentarians, oil sector figures and government officials receive money ... the connection to the government is through a lady close to an influential official. More serious: there is a special ops division specialized in psychological warfare, assassinations, sabotage and paramilitary actions ... psychological warfare and infiltration is centered on the media."

Satan Cries, "Take Aim" - Going After Hugo Chavez  12/6/02 Counterpunch: "On November 25, 2002, the Washington Times (which seems to have the inside word on the Bush White House) ran a story that attempted to tie the Venezuelan government of Hugo Chavez to the FARC and ELN revolutionary forces in Colombia. In the story, a couple "dissident" military officers claimed that the Venezuelan military has turned a blind eye to FARC encampments inside Venezuelan territory and has even given arms to some FARC units. The so-called "dissidents" are military men who are loyal to groups within Venezuela that engineered a failed coup last April and who appear to be trying to organize another one (with the assistance of the United States). They have a vested interest in destroying the Chavez government. Since they can't do it via democratic means, they hope to do it through military ones. The Washington Times story was important for two reasons-it seemed to be a straightforward piece of propaganda released by some Pentagon or CIA propaganda office, and it is an attempt to tie Venezuela's popularly elected government to groups designated "terrorist" by the US government."

Venezuela: Two dead, twenty injured following gun attack  12/6/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "The gunmen are described as opposition hoodlums who used automatic weapons against defenseless passers-by on Avenida Francisco Miranda. Interior & Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello has come out strongly to repudiate what is now being dubbed the Plaza Altamira Massacre and has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation to establish responsibilities. Government officials are denying opposition claims that the attack was ordered by President Hugo Chavez Frias."

President Chavez Frias has accused merchant navy action as act of piracy  12/5/02 Vheadlines, Venezuela: "In a broadcast address this morning President Chavez Frias has accused Merchant Navy Captain Daniel Alfaro of committing an act of piracy by using a government ship to sabotage the distribution of gasoline."

Venezuela: Rebel Merchant Navy Captain evokes Cuban card and HR abuses as reasons for rebellion.  12/5/02 Vheadlines, Venezuela: "Alfaro pulled out the Cuban card and elemental human rights abuses and hammered home his crew’s disagreement with Aquatic Spaces Institute director Rear Admiral Marcial Gonzalez Castellanos’ statement that things in the Merchant Navy were "hunky-dory."

“Rich Man’s Strike” Fails in Venezuela - Anti-Strike Multitudes Flood Open Market to Defend Democracy  12/2/02 NarcoNews: "Today’s attempted “strike” in Venezuela – the fourth this year attempted by pro-coup elements of the oligarchy, the country’s former rulers, foreign interests, and that nation’s corrupt and dishonest Commercial Media – is, by all accounts, an abject failure, limited to wealthy neighborhoods while the great majority of Venezuelans work and shop today in open defiance of the strike call."