Haiti

Venezuela Media

Venezuela in the News

LLAMAMIENTO DE CARACAS  1/29/04 Jiribilla: "Convocados por las ideas de Bolívar y Martí, los escritores venezolanos y cubanos reunidos en la ciudad de Caracas los días 26, 27 y 28 de enero de 2004, hemos decidido, tras intensos y fructíferos debates, hacer público el presente llamamiento:"

Venezuela - Es indetenible la ola de cambios sociales  1/29/04 Jiribilla 

Women Protest US Award to Venezuelan Coup Leader Gustavo Cisneros  1/29/04 Venezuela Analysis 

Defienden a médico cubano de conducta agresiva de televisoras  1/27/04 Aporrea: "El pueblo de El Pensil les respondió porque estamos agradecidos de este médico cubano, y le salimos al paso a esta gente. Este médico ha hecho una obra muy buena, y no vamos a permitir que nadie, absolutamente nadie, nos saque a este médico cubano que ha hecho maravillas con la salud de nosotros. El atiende muy bien; en mi caso yo no podía caminar, y gracias a este médico hasta tacones me puedo poner y tenía años que no lo hacía”.

Pionero del Software Libre Richard Stallman critica firma de contrato de Miniesterio de Educación de Venezuela con con Microsoft  1/27/04 Rebelion 

Oscar Heck: Hungry opposition vultures waiting for Chavez to die from his injuries  1/27/04 Vheadlines: "The Venezuelan opposition has continuously demonstrated their admiration for the USA, its policies and its ways of life ... using USA-style rhetoric such as: rogue states, evil, dictator, communist, fascist, tyrant, terrorists, insurgents, axis of evil, weapons of mass destruction ... in association with Chavez ... and democracy, liberty, civilized and freedom when describing themselves. So grand is the Venezuelan opposition’s love for the USA that they even invited the USA to militarily invade Venezuela. It is therefore no surprise that the Venezuelan opposition were able to accuse Chavez of having “terrorist” relations with “evil dictators” such as Moammar Gadhafi ... which would eventually lead to Venezuela compromising its “freedom” and “democracy.” "

Hugo Chávez quiere imponer un modelo político absurdo y anacrónico que nos está llevando a la ruina moral  1/25/04 Desayuno, Venezuela: "Se trata del Cardenal Rosalio Castillo Lara, uno de los cuatro purpurados con que ha sido distinguido nuestro país… Acota que incluso ha hecho un diagnóstico clínico del Presidente Chávez, concluyendo que "tiene una mente enferma, es un paranoico"." Diagnostico de la Iglesia Catolica.

I Encuentro de escritores Cuba – Venezuela  1/23/04 Aporrea 

Vicepresidente Rangel: Organismos de seguridad e inteligencia venezolanos detectaron un sospechoso traslado de explosivos desde Colombia a Venezuela  1/23/04 Aporrea: "Al culminar la actividad señaló que si existen indicios reales de que el país está a las puertas de un nuevo asalto a la Constitución Nacional “por supuesto que hay indicios: primero por los informes que están manejando los organismos de seguridad e inteligencia venezolanos, de un sospechoso traslado de explosivos desde Colombia a Venezuela, estamos tras la pista de esa operación. Pero también está la información que proviene de los propios círculos de la oposición, la desesperación, la angustia, ellos saben que si pierden el tren del revocatorio, lo han perdido prácticamente todo”."

Nora Castañeda, head of Venezuela’s Women’s Bank, coming to San Francisco  1/21/04 SF Bay View: "Nora Castañeda, president of the Women’s Development Bank of Venezuela, now on a U.S. tour, will speak in San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 29… Event sponsors actor and activist Danny Glover, who was recently in Venezuela, Hari Dillon, president of the Vanguard Foundation, Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers Union, KPFA Station Manager Gus Newport and others will participate in the event. San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano has put forward a resolution to declare Jan. 29 Nora Castañeda Day in San Francisco. Selma James, London-based widow of “Black Jacobins” author CLR James, the international coordinator of the Global Women’s Strike, which is hosting Ms. Castañeda’s U.S. tour, and Nina Lopez of the GWS Bolivarian Circle/UK will provide introductory remarks and translation… Calling attention to the lives of Venezuelans of African descent, Nora Castañeda says: “As a Mestiza (the Venezuelan name for those of African, Indigenous and other mixed race descent), I don’t face as much discrimination as a Black woman who is discriminated against for being poor, Black and a woman. If I say I am Black, people tell me, ‘No, you’re not Black; you’re Mestiza.’ And when they call me Mestiza they are saying that I don’t face as much discrimination as a Black woman does. But I am Black, because there is Black in my veins and I will not forget it.” Martin Luther King Day was recently declared a national holiday in Venezuela."

Chucho Garcia Interview - Racism and Racial Divides in Venezuela  1/21/04 Venezuela Analysis: "However, the TransAfrica Forum delegation, in its final press conference in Venezuela, made this its central topic, saying that, yes, racism in Venezuela is alive and well, despite the fact that practically all Venezuelans that they spoke to denied it. They mentioned several incidents that seemed fairly obvious to them, such as news commentators referring to their trip as being a “burned” tour – in a reference to their skin color. Also, a prominent opposition spokesperson referred to the delegation as “monkeys” – a fairly common deprecatory term Venezuelans use for people of African descent. Also, the cartoonist of one of the major newspapers, El Nacional’s Zapata, caricatured their visit, making obvious negative reference to their racial background… The Afro-Venezuelan network has compiled a list of over 1,000 racist comments that have appeared in Venezuela’s media in the past year and half… Unfortunately, all of this is awfully unscientific and will probably thus not convince the majority of Venezuelans who have been raised by the notion that there is no racism in Venezuela. The need to research and find hard data on racism in Venezuela is, however, precisely one of the demands of Venezuela’s Afro-Venezuelan network."

TransAfrica Forum Delegation Left Venezuela With a Very Positive Image of the Bolivarian Project  1/21/04 Venezuela Analysis: "After their return to the US, Venezuelanalysis contacted Mr. Bill Fletcher in his office in Washington DC, from where he kindly agreed to an exclusive interview which we now present to our audience… What is your view, after having visited Venezuela, about what Venezuelans think of the Chavez administration? It was interesting to see regular people everywhere waving the Venezuelan constitution. This is quite different from the people in the US. People made very clear to us that the constitution represents the kind of society they want to live in. We did not detect any preconditioning on the part of the people for this genuine feeling. We also noticed that the anti-Chavez sentiment is real, especially in the media. Racism was directed not only to Chavez and his followers, but also to our delegation, making racial remarks against us in newspaper cartoons, e-mail that we received, and newspaper editorials. The opposition to Mr. Chavez did not respect the point made by our delegation and dismissed us without taking seriously our observations and analysis."

Chavez Appoints Brother as Ambassador to Cuba  1/21/04 VOA 

US warns of imminent threat to US interests in Caracas  1/19/04 Petroleum World: "In a notice to Americans in Venezuela, the US embassy in Caracas said an attack on a US target might occur in a three-day window beginning on Sunday and signalled that it might involve a bombing."

Columnist patronizes poor ol' Danny Glover using religious pilgrimage as racial front  1/19/04 Vheadlines 

King's legacy lives on -- in Venezuela  1/16/04 USA Today: "I was delighted, therefore, when I traveled with others from the TransAfrica Forum to celebrate King's birthday in Caracas, Venezuela. We went with Minister of Education Aristobulo Isturiz to open a school named after King. It's among more than 3,000 ''Bolivarian'' schools created since Hugo Chavez became Venezuela's president in 1999. The schools, open all day, provide two meals and a snack to poor children. There's also a new Bolivarian University, which increases higher education's availability, especially to poorer students. Further, more than a million adults have taken literacy classes in the past two years."

Wackenhut, empresa de la CIA implicada en golpe y acciones conspirativas, incumple leyes laborales en Aragua  1/15/04 Aporrea 

Demystifying Africa's Absence in Venezuelan History and Culture  1/15/04 Venezuela Analysis: By: Jesus "Chucho" Garcia. "Editor's Note: This article is being posted here in connection with the recent visit of a TransAfrica Forum delegation to Venezuela. An interview with Jesús García, who is the director of the Afrio-Venezuelan Network, on the current situation of Venezuelans of African descent will follow soon." … "From 1937 to the present, Arturo Uslar Pietri, the celebrated Venezuelan writer with the greatest influence on the white elite, has kept this official discourse alive in his writ­ings and his addresses to Venezuelan intellectuals concerning issues of modernity and the nation. Uslar Pietri's premise is that "Blacks did not arrive" in Venezuela "with a culture that visibly affected the construction of our national identity."[3] He asserts that "Blacks did not make a racial contribution beneficial to the nation. Our racial blend has not enabled us to transcend the original ingredients. In general terms, those members of what we might call the current Venezuelan race are as incapable of comprehending modern and dynamic concepts of work as were their ancestors. This means that if we cannot substan­tially modify the ethnic composition of our population, it will be virtually impossible to change the course of our history and to make our country a modern nation."[4]"

"Racismo en Venezuela está vivito y coleando" afirma presidente de TrasnAfrica Forum  1/14/04 Aporrea: "Durante una rueda de periodistas este martes, resaltó para ilustrar su afirmación, que en algunos espacios de la prensa nacional la visita de la organización que integra ha sido objeto de ataques "que rayan en la idiotez y en el racismo". "No se dejen engañar cuando les digan que aquí no hay racismo (...) Donde quiera que existe racismo ya el conflicto está presente", insistió Fletcher. Al respecto agregó, que ese conflicto algunas veces funciona de manera interna, socavando todo incentivo de progreso que se pueda emprender. La presencia de esta delegación de progresistas afroamericanos no tiene como función hacer ningún juicio a la política venezolana ni hacer el papel de árbitro, sino que esta visita sirve para intercambiar opiniones con representantes del sector oficial, de la oposición y de otros "quienes no se encuentran en ninguno de los dos bandos". Negó, con mucha vehemencia, que esta visita sea "chavista", tal como lo han reseñado algunos medios de comunicación venezolanos, al tiempo que apuntó que en su país sólo se conoce una versión de lo que ocurre en Venezuela. Luego de visitar varios barrios, ubicados en diferentes regiones de Venezuela, esta delegación pudo evidenciar el alto predominio de negros en esos lugares."

Chavez's Clowning at Summit Hits a Chord in Latin America  1/14/04 Pacific News: "According to the Buenos Aires daily Pagina 12, reporters were awaiting the conclusion of a key meeting between the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and President Nestor Kirchner of debt-crushed Argentina, when Chávez passed by. "Have you seen the photos that they've been sending from Mars?" he asked the crowd, referring to images of a flat, scorched-looking landscape the U.S. space vehicle has been transmitting. Chávez's punch line: "It looks like the IMF has been there too." "

US Plans to Overthrow Venezuela President?  1/14/04 Pravda: "Hugo Chavez is sure that over half of the signatures are falsified. He says that if the checkup turns them down, Washington may treat him as an enemy of democracy who has sabotaged the referendum and thus must be overthrown. The Venezuela president emphasizes he will draw attention of the world to the problem at the summit of the American continent presidents that started in Mexico on Monday." That is, if they turn the microphone on...

Trans Africa Forum: there's racism and discrimination in Venezuela after all  1/14/04 Vheadlines: "Insisting that the delegation did not come to Venezuela to create any conflict, Fletcher referred to opposition media racist characterizations of President Hugo Chavez Frias as a clear example of racial discrimination and says he is surprised at the high level of racial factor negation that the group's visit has aroused in Venezuela. "If we don't confront the heritage of Western Hemisphere invasion, colonialism, slavery and segregation, racism will undermine every attempt at social progress." Trans Africa colleague, James Early insists that the group did not come to Venezuela to start accusing people and but to meet and talk with their African-Venezuelan brothers. "They have been told that some barrio inhabitants are denied access to discotheques because of the color of their skin." "

Militares rebeldes venezolanos solicitan en Miami invasión del ejercito de EE.UU. a Venezuela  1/13/04 Aporrea: sources report that there are many arms now inside Venezuela and the situation is very tense - En el Programa “Maria Elvira Confronta” del lunes 12 de enero, el cual es conducido por la señora Maria Elvira Salazar en el canal 22 local de la ciudad de Miami, se le preguntó al militar rebelde venezolano Luis Piña si él estaría de acuerdo con una intervención militar a Venezuela por parte de los Estados Unidos, y que si a él le gustaría ver a los U.S. Marines pisando su patria Venezuela con la intención de derrocar al actual Presidente Hugo Chávez… El programa Maria Elvira Confronta es uno de los más vistos entre el publico hispano del sur del estado de la Florida en EE.UU. En el mismo se ha entrevistado a individuos como el dictador militar chileno Augusto Pinochet, quien, a pesar de contundentes evidencias de sus actos de genocidio, cuando fue entrevistado en el programa dijo ser “un ángel que actuó por amor a su país”."

Sorprendido Chávez en Monterrey. Desorganización en la Cumbre  1/13/04 Aporrea: "Cuando Hugo Chávez, alcanzaba 3 minutos de intervención "inexplicablemente" se perdió el audio. Debo decir que a ninguno de los mandatarios anteriores (al menos escuche a 7) le sucedió esto. La interrupción se produjo en el preciso momento en el cual el Presidente de Venezuela formulaba, en un tono muy sereno, sus críticas al ALCA como una propuesta que no ayudará en nada al desarrollo. Los siguiente 2 minutos no hubo sonido. Este fue repuesto cuando el HCF daba las gracias a Fox e invitaba a reflexionar a sus colegas." Hugo was COINTELPRO'd.

President Hugo Chavez Frias urges Venezuelan foreign reserve switch from US$ to €uros  1/13/04 Vheadlines: "Meanwhile, Chavez Frias says that Venezuela has lost substantial gains by keeping all of its monetary reserves in the declining US dollar ... he says it would make sense to have part of those reserves in €uros as the international currency of choice ... Venezuela's international reserves have grown from about US$14 billion (€10.95 billion) in January 2003 to $21.4 billion (€16.74 billion) at the beginning of this month."

Condoleezza Rice: refrain yourself from speaking of Venezuela!!  1/12/04 Vcrisis: "Can you not see that Danny Glover is talking? How do you dare to utter words of constitutional respect? Are Venezuelans not living in a paradise land ruled by the most benign, pro-active and forward-thinker of the Americas since Simon Bolivar? Silence!! Let us hear the sage words of Mr Glover on the struggle of African-Venezuelans in Venezuela. I felt the need to come out of my self-imposed ban to comment on some issues. It appears that everyone is quite pissed owing to the visit of the third tier Hollywood actor to Venezuela. Why should we give a flying fu*** about this loser anyway? Who gives a shit about what he thinks? What audiences is he to manipulate in Chavez’ favour?"

Venezuela Will not Tolerate any Intervention in its Internal Affairs, According to Chavez  1/12/04 Venezuela Analysis: "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez welcomed a delegation of U.S. African-American activists and said that his country will not tolerate any intervention from Washington, in response to negative comments from U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice… Later in the program, President Chávez suggested to actor Danny Glover that he make a movie about ‘el negro Andresote,’ a slave who organized a rebellion against slave owners in Venezuela. Glover responded, "it's a deal!" "

Danny Glover praises Venezuela's education minister ... opposition bristles  1/12/04 Vheadlines: "The Black Americans' visit to Venezuela has raised controversy and created a somewhat irrational response among opposition sectors that deny the existence of racism in Venezuela, accusing the Venezuelan President of artificially whipping up non-existent racial tensions and hatred. Analysts suggest that it is time for Afro-Venezuelans ... such as Barlovento-based and Unesco-sponsored, Jesus Chucho Garcia ... and other domestic black experts to speak out on the matter and place the debate on a more equal footing."

Danny Glover is Making a Difference  1/12/04 WORK, Rochester, NY 

Chavez calls Condoleezza Rice an "illiterate" following sharp criticism  1/10/04 AFP: "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dismissed US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as a "true illiterate" for accusing him of not playing a constructive role in Latin America."

Bolivarianos venezolanos residentes en EE.UU. serán entrevistados en La Lámpara de Diógenes este Viernes  1/9/04 Aporrea 

Condoleezza Rice: Referendo permitirá a Chávez demostrar su apego a los procesos democráticos  1/9/04 Aporrea: "A pesar de las declaraciones del Vicepresidente de la Republica José Vicente Rangel en donde califica de “impertinentes” algunos comentarios del gobierno estadounidense, Condoleezza Rice se convierte hoy en la tercera funcionaria de alto nivel que opina sobre el proceso político de Venezuela en el transcurso de una semana."

Media Misinforms About Situation in Venezuela, According to African-American Activists  1/9/04 Venezuela Analysis: "Education and Sports Minister Aristobulo Isturiz, a black man of African descent, couldn’t hide his satisfaction at the way the American delegation answered tricky questions from local anti-Chavez journalists. Isturiz has been described as a "monkey" or "chimpanzee" by opposition journalists in the past. He will join the delegation at the inauguration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Bolivarian School at the predominately black town of Naiguata. Some local news media only briefly mentioned the presence of the Americans in their newscasts. Others decided to ignore it complelty."

Afro-American activists say media misinforms about situation in Venezuela  1/9/04 Vheadlines: "Black Afro-Venezuelan Education, Culture & Sports (MECD) Minister Aristobulo Isturiz will join the delegates at the inauguration of the Bolivarian Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s School in the predominantly black town of Naiguata (Vargas) ... reportedly he could not hide his satisfaction at the way the American delegation handled tricky questions from anti-Chavez journalists who have in the past described him depreciatingly as a "monkey" or "chimpanzee." "

Chavez Frias: The laughing stock of the international financial community?  1/9/04 Vheadlines: the writer was a member of the first board of directors (1975-1979) of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), following nationalization of Venezuela's oil industry, Coronel has worked in the oil industry for 28 years in the United States, Holland, Indonesia, Algiers and in Venezuela.

Danny Glover y Bill Fletcher Jr. en Venezuela: medios estadounidenses no reflejan realidad venezolana  1/8/04 Aporrea: "Muy emocionado declaró sentirse, por su parte, Danny Glover, protagonista de los filmes "Arma letal" y "El color púrpura", quien aseguró que no podía desperdiciar la oportunidad de ser parte del momento histórico que se vive en Venezuela. Glover definió el proceso venezolano como un intento de hacer un país integracionista, en el que caben todos sus ciudadanos, y confirmó que "lo que se recibe en Estados Unidos, es básicamente desinformación". Lo que dicen los medios allá, agregó, no está acorde con la realidad venezolana y es por eso que hemos venido a escuchar y aprender no sólo de los políticos, sino también de la sociedad civil."

EEUU apoyó golpe de Estado en Venezuela afirma TransÁfrica Forum  1/8/04 Aporrea: ""El gobierno de Estados Unidos obviamente apoyó el golpe de Estado en Venezuela en abril de 2002 , de hecho, es un gobierno hostil" hacia uno de los presidentes que en este hemisferio "ha sido elegido tal vez con mayor democracia que en cualquier parte", así lo afirmó el presidente de la organización TransÁfrica, Bill Fletcher, al término de una reunión con funcionarios venezolanos en la Vicepresidencia de la República." Quoting Bill Fletcher, of TransAfrica and formerly Assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO as well as formerly the vice president for international trade union development programs for the George Meany Center of the AFL-CIO.

Venezuela's Chavez Ogles Reserves Before Election: David DeRosa  1/8/04 Bloomberg: "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wants his country's central bank to fork over $1 billion for his administration to invest in agricultural projects. If the bank refuses, Chavez says he's ready to assume control of it."

Group Slams U.S. 'Disinformation' Against Venezuela  1/8/04 Reuters: "The delegation from the TransAfrica Forum, which studies African-American issues, began a week-long visit to Venezuela that included talks with political leaders and visits to schools and social programs in the racially mixed South American nation."

Afro-American celebrities on week-long visit to see Venezuela with their own eyes  1/8/04 Vheadlines: "Venezuelanalysis.com is reporting that TransAfrica Forum president Bill Fletcher, actor Danny Glover, and US Service Employees International Union (SEIU) vice president Patricia Ford have started a week-long visit to Venezuela to see the results of the 'peaceful revolutionary process' led by President Hugo Chavez Frias… The delegation was accompanied today by Venezuelan Ambassador to Washington, D.C., Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, and included actor Danny Glover, Bill Fletcher, the international vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Patricia Ford, professor of criminology and director of the Department of Urban Studies (Washington, D.C.) Sylvia Hill, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) economist Julianne Malyeaux and the vice president of the TransAfrica Forum, Selena Mendy Singleton et.al… Tomorrow, Friday, the group will attend the inauguration of the Bolivarian “Martin Luther King, Jr.” School in the Caribbean coastal town of Naiguata, where large numbers of Afro-Venezuelans live ... it will be the first official recognition in Venezuela of the leadership of one of the most important civil rights leaders from the United States in an event hosted by Minister of Education, Culture & Sports, Aristobulo Isturiz and Ambassador Alvarez Herrera. The delegation’s presence in Venezuela will also launch the official recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a day of national celebration in Venezuela where a high percentage of the population traces its roots back to Africa ... the holiday has been celebrated in the United States since January 20 (1986) despite significant controversy, and is the only federal holiday commemorating an Afro-American. They have also been invited to meet local community groups, members of the women’s rights movement, government officials, educators and opposition leaders and will take part in President Chavez Frias’ weekly radio and television program 'Alo Presidente' on Sunday. Continuing to next Monday, the group will visit several working class neighborhoods in Caracas and meet with community activists."

Associated Press reports Danny Glover and black American activists visit Venezuela  1/8/04 Vheadlines: "The Associated Press is reporting that actor Danny Glover was among a delegation of black American activists who began a 9-day visit to meet President Hugo Chavez Frias and study the situation of blacks in Venezuela… Andres Izarra, spokesman for the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington D.C., said the delegation also includes Patricia Ford of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), economist and writer Julianne Malveaux and James Early, director of Cultural Heritage Policy at the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage."

Venezuela: Provocations by Misinformed US State Department Spokesman Will Not Affect Relations  1/7/04 Venezuela Analysis: 'Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel commented this Tuesday in relation to statements made by US State Department spokesman, Adam Ereli, about alleged reports that Venezuela and Cuba are creating and funding an effort to cultivate anti-American sentiment in Latin America."

Anti-FTAA Speaking Tour: AfroVenezuelan Network  1/6/04 AfroCubaWeb 

¿Por qué una red de organizaciones afrovenezolanas?  1/6/04 Fundacion Afroamerica: "Nuestra constitución bolivariana, en su preámbulo, expresa un compromiso con “un proceso de refundación de la Republica a través de profundas transformaciones sociales destinadas a establecer una sociedad democrática, soberana, responsable, multi-étnica y pluricultural, constituida por hombres y mujeres iguales, niños y niñas que son el interés superior del estado, en correspondencia con los valores de pertinencia e identidad nacional”. Es precisamente en este marco de transformación institucional que las organizaciones afro, comenzaron desde hace varios años, a buscar reconocimientos en la esfera de lo cultural, social, jurídico, educativo, agricultura, ambiente, para estimular la inserción social de las poblaciones afrovenezolanas y minimizar la exclusión estructural de los últimos años."

Comunidades afrodecendientes en Venezuela y América  1/6/04 Fundacion Afroamerica 

Cisneros-Miami-Dorado crime connection behind seized US$2.5 million?  1/5/04 Vheadlines: "A disenchanted US State Department source told VHeadline.com today that "it may be seen as a cynical question but, in the knowledge of everything that has gone before with USA covert support to Venezuela's anti-government rebels, it would be a given conclusion that the White House is up to its neck with Cisneros in plotting against Chavez Frias." ...Meanwhile, back in Caracas, Finance (Hacienda) Ministry officials say that as much as US$18 million may have passed illegally through Caracas international airport in the month of December alone. Interior & Justice (MIJ) officials are already on the track of massive amounts of black market dollars which have been used to finance black propaganda campaigns against the government and to pay for opposition acts of terrorism against government installations. Sources say that leading members of a shadowy Group 5 and right-wing extremists on the fringe of Coordinadora Democratica (CD) have been fingered and that Venezuelan authorities have already established an organized crime connection "Cisneros-Miami-Dorado" also linked to the majority owners of the now near bankrupted El Nacional newspaper and activists in discredited political parties Accion Democratica (AD) and Primero Justicia (PJ)."

Opinion & Editorial Commentary - Danny Glover travels to Venezuela to show his support for the Venezuelan Blacks  1/4/04 Petroleum World: "The pretended purpose of the trip is, in itself, an indication of the distorted nature of your visit. You are coming to Venezuela to "study" the situation of the Venezuelan blacks. Sir, you are being a racist. You would be hard put to find "blacks" in Venezuela, except in villages such as Curiepe. In Venezuela almost everybody is dark. We are a mestizo country, Sir. We have no black oppressed minority in Venezuela, but a great mass of mestizos and mulattos lacking running water, decent schools and hospitals, running like rabbits to get home before sunset arrives, together with murderers and robbers; lacking decent employment and the required amount of daily calories. Are you telling me that, in the middle of this social chaos produced by the most inefficient and corrupt government we have had in modern Venezuelan history, you are coming to "study" the situation of blacks in the country? As they say in your native San Francisco: Give me a break."

Venezuelan Customs seize $2,500,000 illegal shipment of US banknotes  1/4/04 Vheadlines