US Military Commander: Venezuelan Government has no Links to Terrorists Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010
General Douglas Fraser, Chief of the United States' Southern Command, confirmed yesterday that the Venezuelan government has no relation to the Basque separatist movement ETA nor the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Speaking to the US Senate, Fraser admitted that although the Southern Command has "continued to watch very closely for any connections between illicit and terrorist organization activity within the region" there is no evidence to link the Venezuela government with the armed rebel groups. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
Venezuela's revolution achieves social gains Posted: Saturday, March 13, 2010
By: W. T. Whitney Jr. March 12 2010
A revolution makes a difference. For the corporate media, however, what happens to people's lives and dignity goes by the boards, focused as they often are on stories aimed at casting Venezuela as a pariah state. Under discussion here is the business of a socialist revolution.
The National Institute of Statistics released data recently showing that poverty rates fell from 70 percent in 1996 to 23 percent last year, with extreme poverty dropping from forty to six percent. Venezuela's Human Development Index, a United Nations tool for composite surveys, advanced from 0. 802 in 2000, one year after President Hugo Chavez took office, to 0.844 in 2007. In one recent year Venezuela moved from 62nd in the world to 58th, from the "medium" range of rankings to "high." Full Article : peoplesworld.org
The Accusation that Links Chávez with ETA and the FARC is Fraudulent Posted: Thursday, March 4, 2010
By Gonzalo Sánchez March 4th 2010 - Tercera Información, Axis of Logic
In an impressive and well coordinated smear campaign, the Spanish corporate media has launched a preemptive strike against President Hugo Chávez. The print media included Público, El País, ABC, El Mundo, La Razón, Cadena Ser, COPE, Libertad Digital as well as the TV Channels.
The media campaign then spread world-wide to the BBC, CNN, Fox News and of course the internet was flooded with this explosive story. As usual, the finger of guilt was pointed at Venezuela and President Chávez in particular.
The devil is in the details and the following text shows how the media as well as the Spanish Judge concerned, have worked up yet another attack on the Bolivarian revolution with virtually no real evidence to support such accusations. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
Venezuela's Chavez Announces Currency Devaluation Posted: Saturday, January 9, 2010
By Kiraz Janicke January 09, 2010 - Venezuelanalysis.com
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced a devaluation of the official exchange rate of the bolivar currency and the creation of a second rate denominated the "oil bolivar" for non-essential imports, in a nationally televised address on Friday.
The bolivar would be devalued from 2.15 per dollar to 2.6 per dollar, Chavez said, while the "oil bolivar" will be pegged at 4.3 per dollar. The measure represents a 17 percent and 50 percent devaluation respectively.
The Venezuelan government moved to regulate foreign currency exchange in 2003 after a two month long bosses lockout in the oil industry aimed at ousting the democratically elected Chavez from power caused an estimated $20 billion damage to the economy. The latest devaluation is the first since an 11 percent devaluation in March 2005. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
Venezuela to Demand Extradition of Banker Detained in the U.S. Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced yesterday that United States authorities have detained former banker Eligio Cedeño, who recently fled the country to avoid charges over embezzling millions of dollars.
The president said that Cedeño, the former president of Canarias and Bolivar Banks, was detained in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and that Venezuela will seek his extradition.
Cedeño, is in currently in the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and was "detained because he left Venezuela illegally and was trying to illegally enter the United States," Chavez said. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
A Decade of Propaganda? The BBC’s Reporting of Venezuela. Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Researchers at the University of the West of England, UK, have exposed ongoing and systematic bias in the BBC's news reporting on Venezuela. Dr Lee Salter and Dr Dave Weltman analysed ten years of BBC reports on Venezuela since the first election of Hugo Chavez to the presidency in an ongoing research project, and their findings so far show that the BBC’s reporting falls short of its legal commitment to impartiality, truth and accuracy. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
Hugo Chavez in Cuba: I came here to stay forever Posted: Monday, December 14, 2009
During his closing address at the 8th Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Americas, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Frias said that since his first visit to Cuba, his humble life has been marked forever by the giant that is Fidel Castro, and then he read a letter sent to him by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, in which he recalls their first meeting, and made touched comments about the ideologies of Bolivar and Marti, concerning Latin American integration. Full Article : cadenagramonte.cubaweb.cu
Lessons from Venezuela Posted: Friday, December 11, 2009
Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria Enrique Fernando Arrundell could not have offered his advice on Nigeria's management of its petroleum resources at a better time. The anchor of government's argument is that higher prices would draw foreign investors to the down stream sector of the industry.
Professor and Minister of Information Dora Akunyili had solicited Venezuelan investments for our refineries.
Mr. Arrundell's response was without diplomatese. He launched a profound lecture on Nigeria's oil and gas.
"In Venezuela, since 1999, we've never had a raise in fuel price. We only pay $1.02 to fill the tank. What I pay for with N12,000 here [in Nigeria], in Venezuela I'll pay N400. What is happening is simple. Our President [Hugo Chavez] decided one day to control the industry, because it belongs to Venezuelans. If you don't control the industry, your development will be in the hands of foreigners... Full Article : vanguardngr.com
Chavez's Historic Call for a Fifth Socialist International Posted: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Caracas -- Addressing delegates at the International Encounter of Left Parties held in Caracas, November 19-21, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez stated "the time has come for us to convoke the Fifth International." Faced with the capitalist crisis and the threat of war that is putting at risk the future of humanity, "the people are clamoring for" greater unity of left and revolutionary parties willing to fight for socialism, he said.
Like his call in 2005 to build "21st Century Socialism" and his call in 2006 for the creation in Venezuela of a new, mass revolutionary party - the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) - Chavez's call to unite the left in a new International is historic. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
An Alternative Vision of Healthcare Posted: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The People Before Profit Community Healthcare Project Visit to Venezuela: An Interview with Netfa Freeman
by Gregory Elich
In June, the People Before Profit Community Healthcare Project visited Venezuela in order to assess the state of its healthcare system. The People Before Profit Community Healthcare Project models itself on the Cuban community-based approach to healthcare, and has established a project along those lines in a small neighborhood in Washington, DC. The visit was therefore directly relevant to its own project's goals. Netfa Freeman is an organizer with the organization, and he discusses here what the delegation saw in Venezuela. Full Article : monthlyreview.org
Venezuela is no tyranny Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2009
As Latin Americans witness the return of dictatorship – with Honduras suffering political executions, widespread repression and condemnation from human rights organisations about curtailing of press freedoms – it seems a strange time for the media to repeat opposition allegations that Venezuela is becoming a tyranny.
Venezuela is far from the "dictatorship which has a facade of democracy" described by General Raúl Baduel, who has been accused of corruption. What kind of tyranny oversees a 70% increase of participation in presidential elections, as Chávez has, or the government holding 13 free and fair elections in 10 years? Full Article : guardian.co.uk
Venezuela and U.K. Sign Anti-Drug Trafficking Agreement Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Mérida, October 9th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- During a two-day visit to Caracas by the vice-minister of foreign affairs of the United Kingdom, Chris Bryant, Venezuela and the U.K. strengthened their mutual commitment to combat drug trafficking and prevent drug consumption. Bryant also recognized Venezuela's increased efforts to put a halt to the illegal drug trade. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com
Hugo Chavez rocks Moscow
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brings the house down with his multi-talented performance on stage in front a group of university students in Moscow. --russiatoday.com