Venezuela News

Venezuela News Archive: 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 (ANNCOL) : Venezuela coup news

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: 7/02-11/02

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.

Venezuelan dissident generals sacked  11/30/02 BBC: "Fifteen senior military officers have been discharged after calling for civic disobedience against Venezuela's President, Hugo Chavez. The seven generals and eight colonels have been demanding the president resign and want general elections to be held to find a replacement. The officers are part of a group of more than 100 dissidents who have been occupying a square in the capital, Caracas, for more than a month." One of their members recently revealed they had been storing arms there.

Presidente denunció paro terrorista del 2 diciembre liderado por Carlos Andrés Pérez  11/24/02 Venpres: "Tras calificar de terrorista la paralización del lunes 2 de diciembre, motorizada por la Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CTV) en estrecha sintonía con Fedecámaras, el jefe de Estado destacó las declaraciones, desde República Dominacana, hace dos días, del ex presidente Carlos Andrés Pérez, a quien calificó de "capo mayor", y cuyo planteamiento citó textualmente: "En Venezuela correrá sangre y Chávez caerá, en breve, gracias al paro indefinido que se ha convocado". El primer mandatario venezolano, Hugo Chavez Frías, hizo esa denuncia en en su programa Aló Presidente N° 128, transmitido desde el sector San Lázaro, en la comunidad de El Winche, sobre la cual comentó además que, por un lado, no le dieron cobertura los medios comunicacionales privados del país y, por otro, el "formato es parecido al del 11 de abril (...) El paro convocado para el 2 de diciembre tiene una carta bajo la manga, tiene un puñal ahí, agarrado en la espalda, para tratar de apuñalar de nuevo a la Constitución Bolivariana y al pueblo venezolano (...) y no lo vamos a permitir, en el terreno que sea estamos dispuestos a combatirlo y en el terreno que sea lo vamos a derrotar".

Golpista y terrorista el llamado al paro, dijo gobierno venezolano  11/21/02 Trajabadores, Cuba: "No hay antecedentes en Venezuela de semejante descaro y de tan flagrante violación al orden constitucional y sólo sectores desesperados, incapaces de respuestas democráticas, apelan, cínicamente, a manipular así a las fuerzas armadas, agregó."

Capitán del Ejército denuncia planes golpistas al abandonar plaza Francia  11/21/02 VenPres: "El capitán (Ej) Pedro Sánchez Bolívar, uno de los militares disidentes que se encontraba en "desobediencia legítima" en la plaza Francia, de Altamira, denunció este miércoles al grupo de oficiales y demás seguidores castrenses quienes se pronunciaron en contra del presidente de la República, Hugo Chávez Frías, y en pacto con el titular de la Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CTV), Carlos Ortega, quieren llevar a cabo el paro general indefinido, que sin importar su éxito, "genere desorden, violencia y muerte", para lo cual almacenan armamento tanto en el sótano de la esa plaza como en el Hotel Four Season."

Chavez's military takeover of police provokes clashes  11/20/02 Independent, UK 

Alfredo Peña's Little Army  11/20/02 NarcoNews: "In the poorer districts of Caracas, the Policia Metropolitana (PM) has never been looked upon with very high regard. Judging by what I’ve heard and seen, and on many occasions I've had the opportunity to see the PM at work in the city center, this police force is probably about as brutal and corrupt as Mexico's Federales. In fact, there's a local saying here that goes something like this: better to fall into the hands of muggers than into the hands of the PM. As if this wasn't enough, since the beginning of this year the PM has acquired another appealing feature: it has become an instrument of brutal repression of pro-governmental demonstrations. Under the authority of the greater Caracas mayor Alfredo Peña, one of Chavez' most notorious opponents, the “Metropolitana” has grown increasingly effective at breaking up "Chavista" demonstrations through the systematic use of massive doses of highly potent tear gas and, more and more frequently, through the use of firearms loaded with real bullets. The PM played their first major political role on April 11th of this year when they accompanied an illegal opposition march on Miraflores presidential palace that produced a cloud-cover of chaos allowing a media-driven coup d'etat to take place. That afternoon, Venezuelan commercial television showed images of a few pro-government demonstrators who, for several minutes, fired automatic pistols over the railing of the Puente Llaguno bridge which overlooks the Avenida Baraldt, a main artery that leads towards Miraflores. Private Venezuelan television channels showed these images over and over while a commentator explained that the shooters were assassins who were deliberately killing "peaceful" demonstrators in the opposition march. What these TV channels failed to show their viewers was the wider-angle camera shots that allowed one to observe that other individuals on the bridge were ducking for cover and were quite obviously being shot at by an unseen aggressor. The unseen aggressor, as the pictures and videos of Venezuelan independent media were to reveal, was none other than the Policia Metropolitana. The independent media images, as well as many eyewitness accounts, filled the gaps in the story: the metropolitan police was using firearms, including long-range sniper rifles, to clear the Avenida Baraldt of the government supporters who were attempting to block the path of the insurrectionary opposition march. The images also revealed that the opposition march was a good distance behind the PM shock troops and out of the firing range of the Puente Llaguno shooters. Despite these images, the numerous eyewitness accounts, and the fact that there were many more "Chavistas" killed (14 out of 18) and injured on April 11th than opposition demonstrators, the opposition leaders and their media watchdogs have stuck to their version of events."

Venezuela: Illegal weapons dumps  11/20/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "Illegal weapons dumps in Plaza Altamira and Four Seasons basements ... Venezuelan Army Captain Pedro Sanchez Bolivar -- one of the rebel officers who has camped out in Plaza Altamira for the past several weeks -- has revealed that anti-government opposition forces have been storing quantities of arms and ammunition. Sanchez Bolivar says he has been deceived into believing that his fellow rebels were seeking a democratic solution. In a shock announcement, he has told reporters that rebel General Enrique Medina Gomez has conspired with trade union leader Carlos Ortega to incite protesters "to create general mayhem, violence and to kill if necessary" to force a military takeover of the Chavez Frias government… In late breaking news, it has been revealed that the rebel officers have received financial support from "a North American embassy" as well as huge sums from Venezuelan business personalities."

Protests over Caracas police takeover  11/18/02 BBC: The Caracas police was notorious for its participation in the coup earlier this year.

Chávez: “Quisieron convertir la PM en punta de lanza armada de oposición”  11/18/02 Rebelion: "El Presidente de la República, Hugo Chávez Frías, durante la edición número 127 de su programa Aló Presidente, realizado desde la Parroquia El Valle de Caracas, aseguró que quienes dirigían la Policía Metropolitana "quisieron convertirla en una punta de lanza armada de la oposición".

Power struggle for Caracas police  11/17/02 BBC: "Shots were reportedly fired around police headquarters between supporters and opponents of the takeover. The Caracas force has been told to report directly to the national government, and not to the anti-Chavez mayor, Alfredo Pena."

Government Holds Peace Talks With Foes  11/9/02 LA Times: "President Hugo Chavez's government and his opponents held wary talks in a quiet mountain seminary aimed at negotiating an electoral solution to their long-running political conflict."

10 hurt as Chavez backers crash rally  11/5/02 AP 

Venezuela: "EE.UU. nada debe hacer"  11/4/02 BBC Mundo: "John Coatsworth, Director del centro Rockefeller para estudios Latinoamericanos de la Universidad de Harvard, es uno de los más renombrados expertos sobre la región. Dialogó con BBC Mundo sobre la situación de Venezuela, sus perspectivas, y la postura de Estados Unidos."

Venezuela: Reich sugiere elecciones  11/1/02 BBC Mundo: como en Florida!

VENEZUELA : RADICALIZATION IMPOSED  10/24/02 Radio Progresso: "Recently, President Chavez announced that every locked-out factory could be taken by the workers, reopened and managed jointly by its occupants, as has happened in Argentina and other neighboring countries. Discussing the possibility, Venezuelan Ambassador to Cuba Julio Montes told me that the measure (joint management) is contained in a presidential decree that’s already approved. Its execution only depends on the attitude of entrepreneurs in the announced strikes. If the decree is enforced, a new phase in the Venezuelan process would surely shock the system's essence. At the same time, it would suddenly confer power to the working communities and therefore the government. All this may happen well beyond the will of its leaders. This scenario would place Venezuela on the road to social change common to these processes: radicalization of measures through what some call a typical situation of action and reaction. Others simply identify this development as the theory of the screw, or, in other words, whoever turns the screw the tightest is most likely the winner."

Senior Military Officers Call for Uprising Against Chavez  10/24/02 Stratfor: "A group of 14 senior Venezuelan officers of the National Armed Forces (FAN) declared themselves in open disobedience against President Hugo Chavez at about 1730 ET Oct. 22 in Caracas. In a statement broadcast nationally by private television stations and the Union Radio network, army division Gen. Enrique Medina Gomez, the spokesman and apparent leader of the dissident officers, demanded the immediate resignation of Chavez and new general elections."

Abortado intento de asesinato de Chávez  10/21/02 Rebelion: "Durante la transmisión de su programa Aló Presidente, el presidente Chávez denunció el aborto de un magnicidio contra él a su llegada de una gira por Europa. Según Chávez, el día Viernes en la noche, al hacer una escala en Canadá para reabastecer combustible, recibió una llamada telefónica del ministro del Interior y Justicia Diosdado Cabello, alertándolo de no aterrizar en el aeropuerto internacional Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía, ya que existía un plan para asesinarlo. "Eran como las 8 de la noche del 18 de octubre de 2002. Resulta que a un cuerpo de Inteligencia llegó la información, menos mal que a tiempo, acerca de un presunto movimiento de armas, que se llevaba a cabo por parte de sujetos desconocidos en el Paseo "La Zorra", en la Parroquia de Catia La Mar del Estado Vargas. Se comisionó un grupo de funcionario civiles y militares para ir a investigar". "Allá llegó el equipo. Como a las 20 horas, es decir a las 8 de la noche, estaban acercándose al lugar y fueron repelidos por una granada fragmentaria, les lanzaron una granada y disparos de armas de fuego. Un grupo entonces de choque estaba allí, con capacidad de respuesta armada." Dice el informe: "reciben fuego de armas, les lanzan una granada, afortunadamente son gente bien entrenada y pudieron guarecerse del ataque. Observaron a varias personas que se desplazaban rápidamente por la playa, entre los quiscos ubicados en la arena de la misma y el rompeolas, por lo que la comisión procedió a realizar varios disparos con el fin de evitar el escape de las personas involucradas en tal hecho. Sin embargo, montaron un vehículo cercano y escaparon."

Chavez 'foils assassination plot'  10/20/02 BBC: "According to the president, security agents intercepted a group of armed men near Maiquetia on Friday night and a gunfight ensued. The plotters escaped, he said, but left a Swedish-made AT4 bazooka - a weapon used by Venezuela's army - and a map showing the flight path of the presidential plane. A diary and a mobile phone containing the numbers and names of "civilian and military coup-plotters" were also recovered, but Mr Chavez gave no details saying an investigation was under way."

Presidente Chávez Frías: “Hemos abortado un magnicidio”  10/20/02 VenPres: "Hemos abortado un magnicidio", anunció el presidente de la República, Hugo Chávez Frías, al referirse al intento frustrado de asesinato en contra de su persona, en la madrugada de este sábado, en ocasión de su regreso de la gira que hizo por varios países de Europa y que gracias al trabajo de inteligencia de los organismos de seguridad del Estado, ese suceso fue impedido. La denuncia la formuló en el programa dominical “Aló Presidente” número 123, transmitido desde el Palacio de Miraflores, donde el Primer Mandatario venezolano explicó en detalle, salvo los elementos que debe reservarse para no contaminar las investigaciones, esa develada acción contra su vida."

Venezuela: vinieron por otro 11 y tuvieron otro 13  10/13/02 Rebelion 

So, What Happened Thursday in Venezuela?  10/11/02 NarcoNews: "A day after the march, all the hysterical shriekers have been proved wrong, and in many cases intentionally dishonest. The opposition march came and went. Most news sources said there were hundreds of thousands. The LA Times said "About a million." The corrupt Venezuelan press said "more than a million" or "two million." The Independent of London said "tens of thousands." In any case, it was no bigger, nor different, nor did it include a wider base than that of the same old same old from the upper classes, the same as many a previous opposition march."

Thousands protest in Venezuela  10/10/02 MS-NBC: "FOUR PEOPLE were wounded during an early morning gunfight between police and Chavez supporters in western Carabobo state, said Antonio Mustafd, Carabobo state public security secretary. The “Chavistas” were using trucks to block a highway leading into the capital city, trying to prevent Venezuelans from the provinces from reaching the march. Witnesses said Chavez supporters seized the trucks at gunpoint and blew out the tires. The gunfight broke out when police tried to disperse the government sympathizers, and one police officer and three civilians were hurt."

Venezuela coup attempt 'foiled'  10/6/02 BBC: "Earlier in the day security officers took away documents Mr Chavez said were evidence of the plan during a raid on the house of former foreign minister Enrique Tejera. The raid took place after loyal military officers infiltrated meetings by opposition members at the house."

The "Distorters Without Borders"  10/5/02 NarcoNews: real dirt, as always.

De nuevo los Estados Unidos intervienen en los asuntos venezolanos  10/5/02 Rebelion: "Nuevamente el gobierno de los Estados Unidos a través de su Embajada en Venezuela, irrespeta al Gobierno y al pueblo venezolano al emitir públicamente un comunicado donde se inmiscuye en los asuntos internos del país."

On Venezuela and Democracy  10/2/02 NarcoNews: "In Caracas, Venezuela today there is a major conflict, from the rhetoric, one would believe that it was a battle between an authoritarian government and a grassroots democracy movement. What will be described here is the white (or red, or green) washing of an anti-democratic movement, orchestrated to appear as a genuine grassroots opposition movement by the most powerful forces in this country."

African Venezuelans fear new U.S. coup against President Chavez  9/25/02 SF Bay View: "Another topic on their minds and hearts is the fate of President Hugo Chavez. He is Venezuela’s first multiracial president and is called “Negro” (nigger) by his detractors because of his African-Indigenous features. Behind the enemies of Venezuela and Hugo Chavez are very large sums of money being spent to destroy the dreams of the people who historically have been discriminated against because of race, economic ideas, etc."

Hugo Chávez Frías: un hombre, un pueblo  9/10/02 Nodo50: extensive interview.

Dossier n.5 será investigado por la Asamblea Nacional  9/6/02 Rebelion: "La prensa reseña un documento que devela un supuesto plan conspirativo para reeditar en los próximos días un golpe de Estado como el del pasado 11 de abril. El documento, presentado al pueblo venezolano por el presidente de la Asamblea Nacional Willian Lara, y los diputados Desiree Santos Amaral y Tarek William Saab, para que sea objeto de una investigación por parte de la Comisión Delegada y precisar su veracidad, está suscrito por un equipo técnico asesor de la Comisión de Estrategia de la Coordinadora Democrática (CD), y presenta un plan desestabilizador con nombres, fechas y acciones concretas a desarrollar en lo que han denominado el "septiembre negro", con el objetivo de generar caos y un alzamiento militar contra el presidente Hugo Chávez."

Uncle Sam is pressuring Venezuela to cheat  9/4/02 Petroleum World: "According to the Independent Digital (UK), London oil traders and sources close to OPEC said that the US has approached oil ministers in Venezuela, Nigeria and Kuwait and attempted to obtain promises that those countries will produce more than the OPEC-agreed quotas if Middle Eastern supplies are disrupted by military action. Saudi Arabia is already lobbying for the US to get OPEC members to agree with an output increase, plus there is also the fact that they have said that they would meet any shortage in world supply."

Venezuela has discovered a new light crude oil deposit  8/27/02 Vheadlines: "in Lake Maracaibo, according to Deputy Energy & Mines (MEM) Minister Bernardo Alvarez. "This year we've found a considerable petroleum deposit which is expected to hold reserves of around a billion barrels ... but a lot of investigation is needed, and it'll need plenty of developing and investment to exploit it."

Venezuela finds oil deposit at Lake Maracaibo - Official  8/26/02 Petroleum World: "The discovery was made in the Tomoporo area in the huge Lake Maracaibo in Zulia State. Amid falling reserves of light oil, the discovery is potentially promising, Alvarez said. The outgoing deputy, who is supposed to head the Venezuelan Embassy in the U.S. shortly, added that state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela SA (E.PVZ) soon will give detailed information on the deposit. Venezuela is one of the top suppliers of crude oil and refined products to the U.S. and one of the prime exporters within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC."

Chavez supporters protest at ruling  8/24/02 BBC: "More than 100,000 supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have marched through the capital, Caracas, to protest a court ruling clearing four military officers accused of taking part in a failed coup in April."

US tells Venezuela to respect constitution, Supreme Crt  8/22/02 Petroleum World: "To avoid strains in its relations with the U.S., Venezuela would do well to search for constitutional solutions to its domestic political problems. That was message U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Otto Reich delivered to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton at meetings Tuesday in Washington." Just as the US Constitution is respected by the US Government?

Venezuela's press power  8/19/02 Le Monde Diplomatique: "Never even in Latin American history has the media been so directly involved in a political coup. Venezuela's 'hate media' controls 95% of the airwaves and has a near-monopoly over newsprint, and it played a major part in the failed attempt to overthrow the president, Hugo Chávez, in April. Although tensions in the country could easily spill into civil war, the media is still directly encouraging dissident elements to overthrow the democratically elected president - if necessary by force."

Chickens in Paris, Eggs in Caracas - Scrambled Priorities of "Reporters Without Borders" Precede Shooting  8/18/02 NarcoNews: "Perhaps since the organization "Reporters Without Borders" turns a blind eye to attacks on Community Journalists who are Venezuelan, it will not be so blind in the case of the attacks on the European cameraman Dupret. We repeat that "Reporters Without Borders" receives 44 percent of its funding from the European Commission, which reports to the Parliament that employs Mr. Dupret. We urge our many European readers to alert members of the Parliament and the Commission of the direct responsibility - through its knowing and complicit silence about events which it was warned about two days prior - of "Reporters Without Borders" for the attacks of July 31, and August 1 and 2 against press and public freedom in Venezuela."

Truth and Justice In Venezuela  8/16/02 Black World Today 

Oil Deal With Cuba challenged in Ven court  8/16/02 Petroleum World: "Venezuelan opposition politicians filed a court case contending that the Venezuela-Cuba Energy pact is illegal because it wasn't approved by Congress and Venezuela's Supreme Court is considering the oil-assistance pact legality, according to AP." The same Supreme Court that was bribed to ignore the criminal acts of senior military officers during the coup.

PROTESTS ERUPT IN VENEZUELA OVER DEFINITIVE SUPREME COURT DECISION NOT TO TRY COUP LEADERS  8/15/02 Radio Havana: "During his weekly radio program "Alo Presidente," broadcast on Sunday -- just a few days before the latest legal ruling -- the Venezuelan leader accused the Supreme Court of bowing to pressure and possibly accepting bribes to rule in favor of the four military officers who took part in April's attempted coup. Hugo Chavez said he has evidence that some of the Court justices were being manipulated by people who have a lot of money, warning that the Venezuelan people would not stand idly by while those responsible for violating the Constitution get away scott free."

Violencia en Caracas  8/9/02 BBC Mundo: "Por lo menos siete personas resultaron heridas en Caracas durante los disturbios que se desataron tras el rechazo de la Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela a la propuesta de procesar a cuatro altos mandos involucrados en la crisis institucional de abril pasado. Los seguidores del presidente Hugo Chávez quieren ver a los militares castigados por lo que califican como traición."

Cannon Fodder  8/8/02 The Committee to Protect Journalists: "Over coffee one morning in May at a café not far from Plaza Bolívar in downtown Caracas, a journalist from one of Venezuela's private leading daily newspapers is describing the events surrounding the April coup and the disastrous implications they have for the nation's media. She doesn't mince her words. "The president is on one side and the media owners are on the other," she says. "We journalists are in the middle, completely defenseless, exposed to attacks from both sides."

Venezuela: surge grupo armado  8/5/02 BBC Mundo: "Sin embargo, el presidente Chávez y otros funcionarios sugirieron que es toda una fabricación de los opositores."

PDVSA privatization priority for coup conspirators  8/1/02 Trinicenter, Trinidad: "The privatization of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) was a top priority for April 11 coup d'etat conspirators. According to some analysts, the Bush II Clan and Spain’s Repsol oil co would have been the main beneficiaries and PDVSA’s US subsidiary Citgo would have gone to media mogul Gustavo Cisneros and US partners."

La policía judicial identificó a francotiradores del 11-A  7/26/02 Rebelion: the Caracas April 11 shooters have been identified, the American among them is listed as "Robert F. Mckigth," possibly a misspelling.

Sesionará Comisión de colaboración Cuba-Venezuela  7/21/02 AIN: "En esta ocasión se analizarán las posibilidades de cooperación en los sectores de salud, cultura, educación, industria azucarera, deporte, educación y educación superior, medio ambiente, transporte y agricultura, precisó."

VENEZUELA QUIERE CONTRIBUIR AL LOGRO DE LA PAZ EN COLOMBIA  7/19/02 Radio Havana: El jefe de Estado venezolano, Hugo Chávez, dijo que está dispuesto a hacer todo lo necesario para contribuir al logro de la paz en Colombia.

Si hay méritos Fiscal General está dispuesto a juzgar al Presidente Chávez  7/19/02 Venpres: "Sobre las acusaciones ante el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia y el Ministerio Público contra el presidente de la República Hugo Chávez Frías, por presuntos delitos de malversación de fondos públicos, expresó el fiscal general, Isaías Rodríguez, que de haber pruebas fehacientes contra el denunciado, no dudaría en someterlo a juicio, lo cual reveló este viernes, en conferencia de prensa, ofrecida en su despacho. De esa manera responde a las múltiples críticas que han surgido en su contra, por la comentada amistad entre él y el Presidente, aspecto que le impediría accionar contra la cabeza del Poder Ejecutivo. Incluso, se han realizado manifestaciones frente a la sede del Ministerio Público solicitando su renuncia por no darle, hipotéticamente, celeridad a los casos, donde aparecen señalados funcionarios o personas ligadas al Gobierno."

BBC Video on the coup  7/15/02 BBC 

President Chavez Frias plans to rule for another 11 years  7/15/02 Trinicenter: "The President, talking during his weekly radio show, said that he no longer faces a threat of being deposed by a coup, following the failure of the April attempt and intends to rule until 2013. "The world is confident in Venezuela and its government," the President said. "Anyone who thinks there is going to be another shock or coup should forget it."

Venezuela: Fracasa marcha golpista armada  7/12/02 Rebelion: "El pueblo bolivariano en general, las coordinadoras populares, un gran número de Círculos Bolivarianos, Los Tupamaros, la Asamblea Popular Revolucionaria, la Asamblea Popular Revolucionaria de Coche y un sinúmero de otras organizaciones populares estan en la Avenida Sucre a la altura del sector Agua Salud, preparados para la defensa del palacio. Un gran número de militantes del partido MVR se encuentra en El Calvario muy cerca del palacio de Miraflores. Los grupos independientes exigiremos que se nos permita llegar tan cerca del palacio como lo ha hecho el MVR."

The US State Department has gone on the offensive again, urging the Organization of American States (OAS) to insist on its offer to facilitate Venezuela's process of dialogue between the government and the opposition.  7/11/02 Vheadlines: "Some left-wing analysts suggest things are now going the USA’s way and have begun to question the wisdom of recent Chavez Frias appointments: Opus Dei right-winger Roy Chaderton Matos as Foreign Minister (MRE), Tobias Norbrega Suarez as Finance (Hacienda) Minister and conservative Colonel (ret.) Luis Enrique Prieto Silva as Defense Minister."

Trinidad & Tobago used as an anti-Chavez Frias staging ground  7/11/02 Vheadlines: "The announcement last week by Prime Minister without a Parliament, Patrick Manning of Trinidad & Tobago at the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting at Georgetown (Guyana) concerning the proposed natural gas pipeline from Trinidad & Tobago to Puerto Rico, including the French Antilles, is potent proof that Manning is now positing himself as Bush’s proxy in the Caribbean to limit the energy plans and policies of the government of President Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela."

Troop movements and meetings with the Armed Force High Command have had a somewhat 'cooling off' effect  7/11/02 Vheadlines 

Former US pres Jimmy Carter ends Venezuelan mission,disappointed mtg declined  7/10/02 Petroleum World: "Opposition parties missed a chance to ease Venezuela's crisis by refusing to meet President Hugo Chavez, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said at the end of a peacekeeping mission."

Carter begins Venezuela mission  7/7/02 BBC: "Former US President Jimmy Carter has begun a four-day visit to Venezuela to try to mediate in the country's political crisis."

Venezuelan Independence Day 2002: Inclusive? Black Power? Emancipation of the majority poor?  7/5/02 Vheadlines: "Referendums will most probably be used as a barometer to gauge whether “blacks and coloreds” are edging towards political power on a national scale and whether Neighborhood Watch Committees will start exerting their power inside the MVR to present grassroots leaders to replace what increasingly appears to be the treachery of Solidarity, Movimiento Al Socialism (MAS) and Pablo Medinas of the Chavist Revolution."

A TALE OF TWO COUPS  7/1/02 Gregory Palast: "In an interview Chávez told me: 'I have the written proof, I have the time of the entries and exits of the two military officers from the United States into the headquarters of the coup plotters - I have their names, who they met with, what they said on video and still photographs.' He elaborated: 'I have in my hands a radar image of a military vessel that came into Venezuelan waters on 13 April. I have radar images of a helicopter that takes off from that ship and flies over Venezuela and of other planes that violated Venezuelan air space.' "