Venezuela Analysis: News Briefs

Venezuela Launches New Child Care Program

Xinhua — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:55:56 -0430

CARACAS, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced the launch of a new child care social program designed to assist children in situations of risk or separation from their families.

Chavez announced the three-step social program at a ceremony here to mark the annual National Day for Children and Teenagers, observed on the third Sunday of July.

For the first nine-month step, Chavez has approved a budget of over 122 million U.S. dollars.

By Xinhua

Brazil, Venezuela to Lend Bolivia US$530 Million for Cross-Continent Road

AP — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:38:30 -0430

RIBERALTA, Bolivia-- Brazil and Venezuela are promising US$530 million in low-interest loans for Bolivia to complete a highway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Brazil is pledging a 20-year, US$230 million loan to pave 315 miles (510 kilometers) of roadway, while Venezuela is promising US$300 million for the rest.

Presidents from all three countries inked the deal Friday in rural Bolivia.

By AP

Ecuador, Venezuela Build Oil Refinery on Pacific

AFP — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:28:59 -0430

EL AROMO, Ecuador - Venezuela and Ecuador plan to build the biggest oil refinery on South America's Pacific Coast, to wean Venezuelan crude away from US refineries, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced here Tuesday.

"Instead of having refineries in the United States, we decided to keep them here in our geopolitical context," Chavez said as he launched the project together with Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa.
By AFP

Murder Rate Down 27%, Drug Confiscations Up 9% in Venezuela

ABN/Venezuelanalysis.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:31:48 -0430

July 8, 2008 (ABN/venezuelanalysis.com)—Venezuela’s murder rate dropped 27% in the first half of 2008, relative to the same period of the previous year, said Venezuela’s Minister for the Interior and Justice, Ramón Rodriguez Chacín yesterday. Meanwhile, the amount of smuggled drugs that were confiscated in this same period rose by 9%, from 26.3 tons to 28.7 tons.
By ABN/Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan Priests Open Pro-Chavez Church

Christopher Toothaker - AP — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:10:04 -0430

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A fledgling church that openly backs President Hugo Chavez is raising the ire of Venezuela's Roman Catholic hierarchy, preaching the Gospel alongside socialism.

Founders of the newly created Reformist Catholic Church of Venezuela, based in the western city of Ciudad Ojeda, say that supporting Chavez's socialist ideals goes hand-in-hand with Christian aims of helping the poor.

By Christopher Toothaker - AP

U.S. embassy in Venezuela says receives bomb threat

Reuters — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:54:20 -0430

CARACAS - The United States Embassy in Venezuela received a bomb threat on Thursday, an embassy spokeswoman said, though the embassy has only closed the parking lot and not the embassy itself.

"Someone called in (a bomb threat) and said there was something in the parking lot. We are just checking the cars that are there," spokeswoman Robin Holzhauer said.

"People have not been able to come into that parking lot, but the embassy itself is open," she said.
By Reuters

Police capture man suspected of killing journalist in Venezuela

AP — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:48:27 -0430

CARACAS, Venezuela: Police in Venezuela have arrested a man suspected of killing a television anchorman.

Federal Police Chief Marcos Chavez says 24-year-old Isaac Oberto Mollera Zarraga was collared Thursday with the help of a sketch circulated in the media.

Anchorman Javier Garcia was found slain in his apartment last week, his body riddled with stab wounds. Garcia worked for Radio Caracas Television which has been critical of the government.

Authorities have not given a motive for the killing.
By AP

Chavez Candidate Leads Caracas Mayor Race, Poll Says

Daniel Cancel - Bloomberg — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:30:21 -0430

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's candidate for mayor of Caracas, Aristobulo Isturiz, is the front-runner ahead of the November election, according to the first poll of city voters.

Isturiz, a former education minister who now hosts a show on state television, had the backing of 39 percent in the June 6-19 poll by Caracas-based Hinterlaces. Leopoldo Lopez, a Harvard-educated opposition leader who met with Barack Obama on June 21 in Miami, trailed with 30.1 percent.
By Daniel Cancel - Bloomberg

Chávez and Paraguayan President-Elect Fernando Lugo Discuss Economic Relations

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:20:17 -0430

Mérida, June 20, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- The President-elect of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, made his first diplomatic visit to Venezuela Wednesday and Thursday. Lugo and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez attended a Catholic mass in the Caracas barrio Curicuao, and discussed future bilateral relations.

“I hope the friendship between Venezuela and Paraguay may be a symbol of brotherhood and solidarity within Latin America,” said Lugo, a retired Catholic Bishop, upon arriving in Caracas.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Chávez and Castro Discuss Food Crisis and Energy Strategy in Havana

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:25:39 -0430

June 18, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez met with former Cuban President Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

“With Fidel we conversed for almost three hours yesterday, and today almost two more hours, walking through the garden. Today we reviewed our entire plan for energy exchanges and the strengthening of refining capacity and petroleum and petro-chemical production,” Chávez told the press Tuesday.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuela’s PDVSA Projects Increased Oil Production

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:20:03 -0430

June 18, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- The Vice President of Exploration and Production of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, Luis Vierma, announced Tuesday that this year’s goal is “to increase production and arrive at 3.45 million barrels per day (BPD),” which would be 245,000 BPD higher than the current rate of production.

To achieve this goal, a $15 billion investment is planned, a 50% hike over last year’s investment.

PDVSA plans to be producing 4 million BPD by 2010, and 5.8 million BPD by 2021, Vierma confirmed.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Chavez Revokes Intelligence Law to Make Clear Path for New One

Venezuelanalysis.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:41:40 -0430

The National Law on the Intelligence and Counterintelligence System, which has stirred much controversy, was officially revoked on Wednesday, via a law-decree, the same mechanism by which the law was originally passed.

President Chavez promised, though, that the National Assembly will revise the law and pass it at a later time, perhaps sometime next year. Chavez’s 18-month authority to pass laws by decree expires in July.
By Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan Supreme Court OKs Impeachment Proceedings Against Governor

Venezuelanalysis.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:05:00 -0430

Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled that impeachment proceedings against the governor of Yaracuy state, Carlos Gimenez, have merit. The governor has been accused of corruption because he allegedly did not open state contracts for competitive bidding.

The president of Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice, Luisa Estella Morales, announced the decision on Tuesday, following a debate amongst the judges about the merit of initiating proceedings against Gimenez.
By Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan Newspaper Vice-President Murdered

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:38:25 -0430

Mérida, June 3, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- Pierre Fould Gerges, the vice president of the daily Venezuelan newspaper Reporte Diario de la Economía, died Monday night after being shot more than a dozen times by a motorcyclist in a Texaco gas station in the Chuao sector of Caracas near the newspaper’s headquarters.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Presumed DEA Official Arrested in Venezuela

Venezuelanalysis.com/Aporrea.org — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:43:40 -0430

May 30, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)—Venezuelan National Guard officials arrested a man in western Venezuela on Thursday, who says he works for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The individual, when first stopped at a military checkpoint known as Orope, presented a Canadian passport. However, upon being searched because he was acting suspiciously, officers discovered a French passport and a Venezuelan ID card on him.

Under questioning, the person said he works for the DEA, but is traveling privately to the city of Maracaibo.
By Venezuelanalysis.com/Aporrea.org

Venezuelan Unemployment Drops to 7.9% in April

VTV — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:24:41 -0430

The unemployment rate in Venezuela fell to 7.9% in April 2008, showing a 0.9% reduction in comparison to the same month last year, when it reached 8.8%, according to a monthly report on labor in Venezuela, said the President of the National Statistics Institute, Elias Eljuri.

The 0.9% drop of the unemployment rate represents 100,386 unemployed Venezuelans less in the interannual period, according to the Venezuelan official.
By VTV

Venezuela to build 50,000 houses for poor families

Xinhua — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:47:27 -0430

CARACAS, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government announced Wednesday that it is to build 50,000 houses for poor families in six urban complexes, Housing Minister Edith Gomez said.

The houses will be built by the Housing Ministry in populous sectors in the capital like Lecuna Avenue, Montalban, La Rinconada, and on the outskirts like Filas de Mariche, Guarenas and Vargas.

By Xinhua

Youth & Children Orchestras of Venezuela win Asturias Arts prize

EuroNews — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:45:44 -0430

t is the beginning of the Prince d'Asturias prizewinners season, and in Oviedo, northern Spain, the winner of the Arts prize has been announced. Last year Bob Dylan won, and took home a cheque for 50 000 euros, a diploma, and a handsome Jean Miro staute for over four decades of music-making. This year's Prince d'Asturias arts prize, the 28th, has gone to the Youth and Children orchestras of Venezuela.
By EuroNews

McCain to Prevent Venezuela and Bolivia from Becoming Another Cuba

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:41:43 -0430

On Tuesday, U.S. presidential candidate John McCain told supporters at a Cuban independence day celebration in Miami that, if he becomes president, he “will work to impede Venezuela and Bolivia from following the same path of failure that Castro followed in Cuba.”

Senator McCain also criticized rival presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, for being willing to meet with the leaders of Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran without preconditions. McCain said such meetings would put U.S. national security at risk.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

U.S. Violated Venezuelan Airspace, Says Defense Minister

Telesur — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:26:33 -0430

Venezuela's Minister of Defense, Gustavo Rangel Briceño, denounced on Monday, May 19, that a U.S. fighter jet violated Venezuelan airspace on Saturday night, one day after Caracas complained about a Colombian army’s incursion into Venezuelan territory.

According to Rangel, who read out loud an excerpt of the conversation between the Venezuelan control tower and a U.S. pilot, explained that the latter was not aware he was in Venezuelan territory and that his course was set to the Caribbean Curaçao island during a flight exercise.
By Telesur

Venezuela Stops Open-Pits and Gold Mines

Reuters — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:04:13 -0430

CARACAS - Mineral-laden Venezuela on Thursday shut the door to new gold projects and threatened other mining and logging concessions in a step by leftist President Hugo Chavez to tighten control of natural resources.

Environment Minister Yuviri Ortega said the South American country will not give permits for any open-pit mines and will not allow companies to look for gold in its vast Imataca Forest Reserve.

By Reuters

Venezuelan Workers Halt Hecla Gold Mine Operations

Reuters — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:24:10 -0430

CARACAS, May 7 (Reuters) - Venezuelan workers have halted operations at the Isidora gold mine, run by a subsidiary of U.S. miner Hecla Mining Co, to demand President Hugo Chavez take over the unit, a company official said on Wednesday.

The stoppage follows a renewed wave of nationalizations this year affecting the cement and steel sectors, and comes just days after other companies said Venezuela denied exploration permits to two gold miners operating in the same region.

By Reuters

Venezuela’s Justice Minister Launches New “Humanist” Prisons

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:19:11 -0430

Mérida, April 29, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)—Venezuela’s new “socialist” penitentiary system will be inaugurated by the end of this year, according to the Venezuelan Interior and Justice Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín.

As a step in this direction, the construction of Venezuela’s first “humanist” prison, which is "one of the most modern facilities worldwide,” was finished last week in the city of Coro, the minister reported last week.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan Military Destroys Colombian Paramilitary Camp in Venezuela

Kiraz Janicke - Venezuelanalysis.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:09:49 -0430

Caracas, April 29, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) - The National Armed Forces of Venezuela has detected and destroyed a camp presumably used by Colombian paramilitaries only 500 meters from Venezuela's border with Colombia in the municipality of Catatumbo, in the state of Zulia.

The camp was discovered on April 24 by military personnel during a routine patrol and reconnaissance as part of Operation Sierra 2008. The operation was initiated on April 17 and is aimed at combating the cultivation of illicit drugs and the cocaine trade from Colombia.

By Kiraz Janicke - Venezuelanalysis.com

Don't Sanction Venezuela US Senate Report Urges

Pablo Bachelet - Reuters — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:53:46 -0430

WASHINGTON -- Sanctioning Venezuela for allegedly supporting a Marxist Colombian guerrilla group would make Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez more popular and diminish U.S. standing in Latin America, warns a report released Monday and prepared by the Republican staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Several lawmakers, including Florida Republican Reps. By Pablo Bachelet - Reuters

Venezuela to Sell $4 Billion in Bonds

AP — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:16:06 -0430

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela is selling $4 billion in government bonds as part of an effort to slow inflation and strengthen its currency, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

The government offered $1 billion more than initially planned in the dollar-denominated bonds because demand was strong. The Finance Ministry said orders for the bonds had topped $9.3 billion.

The bonds are attractive to companies seeking to skirt Venezuela's currency exchange controls to obtain hard currency needed for imports.

By AP

Venezuela and Iran Sign Cooperation Accords for Economic and Social Development

James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:15:55 -0430

April 24, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- During the Fifth Iranian-Venezuelan Mixed Commission meeting in Caracas Wednesday, Venezuela and Iran signed 6 bilateral cooperation accords in the areas of industry, energy, agriculture, housing, infrastructure and physical education.

“The alliances between Iran and Venezuela are to plant the seeds of a pluripolar world of the future, to establish its base and construct its pillars,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro declared.
By James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuela To Sell US$3 Billion in Bonds

AP — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:14:34 -0430

CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuela will sell US$3 billion (1.9 billion) in government bonds on local markets in bid to boost economic production, slow soaring inflation and strengthen its currency, the Finance Ministry announced Monday.

Most of the dollar-denominated bonds will be available only to Venezuelan companies that produce goods domestically, according to a statement issued by the ministry. These companies need cheap access to dollars to boost production.

By AP

Chavez warns that "Bolivia is on the verge of exploding"

El Universal — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:04:07 -0430

Caracas – The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, warned that "Bolivia is on the verge of exploding" and admitted that it was the principal reason behind the convoking of an extraordinary summit of the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas (ALBA).

"It is the empire that wants Bolivia to explode. It is the fascist right who do not want dialogue or anything. They only want war in order to kick out president (Evo) Morales", said Chavez in a telephone call to the program Dando y Dando, on Venezolana de Televisión.

By El Universal

Venezuela Passes Oil Windfall Profit Law

Reuters — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:24:04 -0430

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's parliament passed a law obliging oil companies to give windfall earnings to the leftist government when world prices are above $70 a barrel, a legislator said on Tuesday.

Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said the new law would bring in an estimated $9 billion annually at today's prices.

President Hugo Chavez, who has for years squeezed more revenue from oil companies operating in the OPEC nation and nationalized all foreign-run oil fields, wants the funds to be spent immediately on social programs in this election year.

By Reuters