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Telephone Call from Chavez to "Reyes" Allowed Colombians to Locate FARC Camp Elpais.com.co-EFE A telephone call that the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, would have made to the guerrilla leader "Raul Reyes,"1 permitted location of the encampment, according to reports from Colombian intelligence, RCN Radio divulged today. The telephone call took place Wednesday the 27th of February, the day in which four Colombian Congressmen (Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Pérez, Orlando Beltrán, Jorge Eduardo Gechem), kidnapped for almost seven years, were liberated.2 "Chavez, emotionally moved by the liberation of the kidnapped prisoners, called Reyes (alias of Luis Edgar Devia) and told...

"Sonia" declared guilty in U.S. The FARC guerrilla Nayibe Rojas Valderrama was found guilty of the crime of narcotics trafficking and on the 4th of May they will inform her of the total of her sentence.   ____________________________________________________________________________________ Tuesday, 20 February 2007 Through several days of deliberations, the jury, composed of 12 persons, made the decision in spite of the guerrilla's defense having presented "proof" that she was innocent of the charges of narcotics trafficking. "Nayibe is innocent of having committed any crime against the United States, she is a simple campesina1 who does not have the words to...

The rule of law is disappearing in Venezuela Marcel Granier, President of Radio Caracas Television (Inter-American Press Agency) The reaction of President Chavez is verbally violent and crude each time someone dares to have a different opinion. ____________________________________________________ President Chavez verbally announced his decision to close Radio Caracas Television, a channel which for more than 53 years and with the best facilities draws the greater audience, moreover of being the television broadcaster that employs the most people in Venezuela. Thus culminates a long chain of aggressions against journalists, employees, managers, and shareholders of the independent media. He is trying to...

Chávez lashes out at Mexico On the same day the Calderón administration took steps to ease rocky relations with Venezuela and Cuba, Venezuela´s Hugo Chávez on Thursday hurled personal insults at his Mexican counterpart Wire reports El Universal Viernes 02 de febrero de 2007 On the same day the Calderón administration took steps to ease rocky relations with Venezuela and Cuba, Venezuela´s Hugo Chávez on Thursday hurled personal insults at his Mexican counterpart. Chávez´s ire was raised as he attacked Calderón for comments the latter made in Davos, Switzerland, last week criticizing countries that "nationalize industries" and "interfere in the...

(12:07 p.m.) Rosales announces front against authoritarian pretensions of the government Caracas. - The Governor of the State of Zulia and ex-presidential candidate, Manuel Rosales, warned the national government today that the Venezuelan people will fight to safeguard their democratic principles when facing the coming presidential announcements which they are awaiting. The leader assured everyone that the citizens are not so defeated as they would make themselves out to be and he guaranteed that he will work jointly and in an organized way against any authoritarian pretension. He said that the activity of an organized society with clear objectives will...

DEA confirms nexus between Mexican narcotics traffickers and the FARC We know the contacts, they assure us; they are confident in the support of the new regime Jose Carreño El Universal (Mexico City) Wednesday 31 January 2007 WASHINGTON. - The United States anti-drug agency (DEA) assured [El Universal] that it knows who the contacts are between Mexican narcotics traffickers and the guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The head of operations of the DEA, Michael Braun, assured that the FARC obtains between 500 million and a billion dollars by their drug-related operations [annually]. Narcotics trafficking, he added,...

VIOLENCE IN PROTESTS SUPPORTING A CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY Deputies evacuate the Congress amid insults and gas The police pushed back hundreds of protestors from the zone bordering the National Congress Tuesday January 30th, after confrontations occurred between the police and protesters who demanded the restoration of a Constituent Assembly. A contingent of police with anti-disturbance armored vehicles and material pushed back the protestors who surrounded the building and broke up violent groups. The Congress had begun its session to debate the documentation remitted by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) on the calling of the popular consultation for the Constituent Assembly, which...

The Christian Democratic Organization of America warns about risks of Populism and calls upon related parties to work to remove rulers like Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro from power. By: Jose Contreras and Adolfo Sanchez Venegas Sunday 28 January 2007 | Hour of publication: 12:47 p.m. The Christian Democratic Organization of America (ODCA) will promote the transition to democracy in Cuba and the liberation of political prisoners and will strive for the recovery of those governments in Latin America which are in the hands of the Left, the President of the body, Manuel Espino Barrientos, indicated. In a press conference,...

Monday, 22 January 2007 Risks in Bolivia _____________________________________________________________________ The majority support with which President Evo Morales was elected placed him in a promising position to obtain Bolivian governability. Moreover, the significant improvement of the prices of the principal Bolivian exports of soy, minerals, and gas, the discovery of important reserves of hydrocarbons, plus the structural adjustments carried out by preceding governments, allowed for favorable expectations for the neighboring economy. Nevertheless, the methods of Morales in advancing his controversial electoral promises are preventing his capitalizing upon the auspicious conditions under which he assumed office. The combination of discouraging governmental measures against...

Mercosur Summit: Evo generates an impasse and discomfort with Colombia In an encounter dealing with subjects such as how to unite the region, the President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, replied strongly yesterday to unexpected criticisms made by his colleague from Bolivia Evo Morales and requested the Venezuelan Chief Executive, Hugo Chavez, who intervened in favor of the Bolivian, to understand the "legitimate right" of Bogota to clarify whatever doubt could arise in the region over the Colombian situation. The impasse was produced during the session of speeches of the second and last session of debates of the Chief Executives of...

(03:02 PM) Enabling Law approved in first discussion Caracas. - The National Assembly this afternoon approved unanimously and in first discussion a law which enables President Hugo Chavez to legislate by decree during [a period of] 18 months. The second debate will be carried out next Thursday, a day in which its definitive passage is forecast. Chavez was authorized "to dictate by decree . . . with the force of law, with statutory urgency," the President of the National Assembly, Cilia Flores, said after deputies approved the petition of the Chief Executive by a show of hands, as reviewed by...

Caleron: tension was surpassed; reform is urgent He recognizes that narcotics trafficking gangs can put the state in danger Roberto Rock El Universal (Mexico City) Wednesday 17 January 2007 Institutions and the constitutional regime will surpass the challenge which the electoral crisis of last year signified, President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa assured today. For the first time since his arrival to the presidency, Calderon made an evaluation of the post-electoral situation which [the country] lived through in 2006: "It was a panorama of generalized anxiety. I saw the imperious necessity of assuming power with all its consequences, with control of the...

Ecuador aligns itself with Venezuela, Bolivia, and Cuba In speeches against imperialism and neoliberalism, the presidents of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, and Bolivia, Evo Morales, and the Ecuadoran President-Elect Rafael Correa, who should assume the government of his country Monday, expressed common ideological and political agreement Sunday. Chavez, Morales, and Correa, who also exalt the figure of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, met together in Zumbahua, an indigenous [Ecuadoran] locality 90 kilometers south of Quito, for a symbolic inauguration of Correa before the indigenous peoples [of Ecuador]. In a speech before a multitude congregated in the central plaza, Correa emphasized that "[Latin]...

Marines settle in at San Lazaro1 Andrea Merlos & Ricardo Gomez El Universal Mexico City Thursday 30 November 2006 1:40 a.m.   At least ten trucks of the Marines of Mexico2 arrived in the early morning this Thursday at the Chamber of Deputies with 40 soldiers, each one of whom put himself in place on Congreso de la Unión Avenue. One day before the Toma de Protesta3 of Felipe Calderon as incoming President of the Republic, security was reinforced to the maximum in those squads who are covering the area up to the corner of Viaducto and Congreso de la...

Deputies act out new confrontation at the rostrum After the quarrel, the PRD Deputy for the State of Mexico, Alberto Lopez, had to be evacuated from the sessions room in a wheelchair Ricardo Gómez & Andrea Merlos El Universal Mexico City Tuesday 28 November 2006 4:56 p.m.   A new confrontation among federal deputies of the National Action Party (PAN) and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) was provoked at the foot of the rostrum of the Chamber of Deputies, which continues to be occupied by legislators of both factions. At 4:13 p.m., the legislators of both groups were...

Rosales: Chavez wants to terrorize people so they do not vote Caracas. - In a press conference with foreign correspondents, the opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales, qualified as a great "irresponsibility" of President Chavez that he is threatening and intimidating the people of Venezuela through phrases attacking the communications media and the collective body of the Venezuelan people, furthermore that he is inventing coup d'états and supposed plots or acts designed to raise tensions in the street. "What we are reading between the lines are two things: the first is that he wants to terrorize people so they do not...

Carter Center will limit itself solely to observing system of automated voting Caracas. - The representative of the Carter Center in Venezuela, Hector Vanolli, made known today that he signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the members of that organization, which will function as watcher in the presidential elections, and the rectors of the National Electoral Council (CNE). "It established an agreement by which the Carter Center deploys in Venezuela a mission of an exclusively technical character, whose only focus of attention is going to be the system of automated voting." He explained that due to the limited character...

Rosales says that he is tied with Chavez in the polls Caracas. - The opposition candidate Manuel Rosales assured today that the polls reflect a technical tie between his candidacy and that of President Hugo Chavez. "The most important thing in a poll, and it's what the experts indicate, translates itself in the tendencies" and "at this moment they reflect what can be defined as a technical tie, (because) I don't know if he (Chavez) is a few points ahead or if I am," Rosales said in an interview with a German television station replayed by the Globovision network,...

Chavez threatens private television stations with closure Caracas. - President Hugo Chavez warned Friday that he is disposed to close those television channels who lend themselves to spreading messages of "hate" and non-recognition of the authorities during the December 3 election campaign, AP reported. "A television channel which lends itself to the spreading of the messages of terrorism, of hate, of war, or calling for the non-recognition of the authorities, it has to be closed," Chavez declared during an event held with sympathizers on the Island of Margarita. Chavez denounced that "new destabilizing plans" existed for the next elections...

Venezuela's presence in Mexican presidential investiture unconfirmed Mexico City. - The government of Venezuela still has not confirmed whether it will send a representative to Mexico to the presidential investiture of Felipe Calderon, the 1st of December, according to the official list circulated today by the Mexican presidency. The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who is seeking reelection in the elections which will be carried out in his country the 3rd of December, up to now has avoided recognizing Calderon's victory, among other reasons since he considers there were "strange things" in the Mexican elections. According to information released...

APPO will beseige PFP in Oaxaca's Zocalo Capital Plaza The State Council of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca agrees not to permit either entry or exit to one single element of federal forces Jorge Octavio Ochoa & Alejandro Torres/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Wednesday 15 November 2006 2:28 p.m.  The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) will beseige, starting the 25th of November, the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) who are located in the historic center of the capital and for two days APPO will not permit either entry or exit to...

APPO will reactivate blockades in Oaxaca They also agree to extend their protests against the government over which Felipe Calderon Hinojosa will preside if when he begins his mandate Ulises Ruiz Ortiz still remains in his position [as Governor of Oaxaca]. Alejandro Torres & Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Monday 13 November 2006 1:17 p.m.   Reinstalling barricades, taking state public offices and town councils, and the closure of major highways are some of the conclusions which the constituent congress of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) approved upon concluding its work early...

Reporting confrontation between PFP and students in Oaxaca The cordon of federal agents fell back about 200 meters and they returned to the starting point, the terminus of University Avenue Jorge Octavio Ochoa, Alejandro Torres & David Aponte/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Thursday 2 November 2006 11:20 a.m.   A confrontation between students of the Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca (UABJO) and elements of the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) is being reported. The uniformed officers are being practically bombarded by a rain of stones, sticks, molotov cocktails, and fireworks, from the interior [of the University] to...

PRI members ask Segob to investigate financing of APPO The National College of Adherent Organizations of the PRI [Institutional Revolutionary Party] calls for the clarification of those who have supported the more than 160 days of protests which were carried out in Oaxaca Jorge Teherán El Universal (Mexico City) Tuesday 31 October 2006 6:31 p.m.   Organizations of the PRI demanded today of the Governmental Secretary, Carlos Abascal Carranza, to make publicly known who they find behind the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO), since it is known that "these movements cost." In a press conference, organizations adhering...

They are marching in Oaxaca in support of Ruiz They are demonstrating in favor of the intervention of the Federal Preventive Police; they thank President Fox; they repudiate APPO Alejandro Torres, David Aponte & Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Tuesday 31 October 2006 12:18 p.m. Sympathizers of Governor Ulises Ruiz are carrying out a march in the streets of the city of Oaxaca, in which they are shouting slogans against the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO). The demonstration left around 10:30 a.m. from the Seven Regions bridge on Porfirio Diaz, and...

PFP utilizes armored cars to advance to the capital plaza of Oaxaca The armored cars have begun throwing streams of water against members of APPO Alejandro Torres, Jorge Octavio Ochoa & David Aponte/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Sunday 29 October 2006 2:05 p.m.  At 1:52 p.m. the movement of the armored cars of the Federal Preventive Police began on the international highway. The armored cars have begun throwing out streams of water against the protestors. This is the first occasion in which the Federal Police are using these vehicles. Without stopping to sound their horns, the PFP...

PFP arrives in Oaxaca; commerical air traffic closed Six Boeing aircraft have landed at the Benito Juarez International Airport with federal components; Bell type helicopters are also observed Jorge Octavio Ochoa and Alejandro Torres/Correspondents El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Saturday 28 October 2006 12:15  An intense mobilization of aircraft of the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) can be observed at this time at the Benito Juarez International Airport of this city. At 11:53 in the morning a Boeing airplane landed registered as XCMPF of the Federal Preventive Police, in the disembarkation quarter which it carried out this morning. On...

Blockades Suffocate Oaxaca They are provoking chaos and bottlenecks all over the city, by the closure of streets and main highways which APPO began this morning Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Friday 27 October 2006 12:55 p.m.  Absolute chaos and bottlenecks throughout the city were occasioned by the blockade of streets and main highways which the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) began this morning. The main international highway 190 has been closed since the earliest hours today as well as the Las Riveras de Atoyac highways, which were the only alternatives for...

Return to classes approved in Oaxaca During the consultation of Section 22 of the SNTE, 31,078 teachers voted "yes" and 20,387 made theirs "no." The tentative date for the return to the classrooms will be next Monday Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Thursday 26 October 2006 4:04 p.m.  After eight hours of waiting and in absence of union leader Enrique Rueda Pacheco, today the wishes of the assembly of Section 22 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) made known the official result of its consultation on the return to classes. From the outskirts...

APPO gives ultimatum to Ulises Ruiz to resign within 72 hours They announce that as of Friday they will put into effect throughout the day a blockade of major highways in all the state and they will maintain the barricades throughout the city Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent El Universal Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Tuesday 24 October 2006 1:49 p.m.  As of Friday a blockade of major highways will be put into effect throughout the day in all the state [of Oaxaca], barricades will be maintained throughout the city and for the first time since they began this movement, all the population will...

Government compiles proof of the presence of the FARC in Ecuador The Foreign Minister, Maria Consuelo Araujo, and the Minister of Defense, Juan Manuel Santos, say they will have shown in brief that the insurgents are taking refuge in Venezuela and Ecuador Sunday, 22 October 2006 Last Thursday, President Alvaro Uribe denounced [the fact that] the guerrillas Raul Reyes, the alias of Luis Eduard Devia, is hiding in Ecuador, and Ivan Marquez, whose true name is Luciano Marin Arango, is doing so in Venezuela. After the statements, Ecuadoran authorities asked the Colombians for evidence that Reyes, the FARC's principal...

They voted to resume classes in Oaxaca, teachers reveal The consultation within the teacher's union showed a result of 26 thousand teachers in favor of a return to classes and 15 thousand against the proposal, according to sources within Section 22 of the SNTE1 Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Saturday 21 October 2006 8:40 p.m.  According to sources in Section 22 of the SNTE who were within the assembly, the consultation among the teacher's union showed a result of 26 thousand teachers in favor of a return to classes and 15 thousand against the...

APPO whips Rueda The leader of Section 22 of the SNTE1 receives a series of criticisms on behalf of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca, who described him as a "traitor and sellout." Jorge Octavio Ochoa / Correspondent El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Friday 20 October 2006 1:20 p.m. The leader of Section 22 of the SNTE, Enrique Rueda Pacheco, this morning received an official series of criticisms on behalf of the sympathizers of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO), who catalogued him as a traitor and sellout. Meanwhile, the tension within...

Teacher's Union Accepts Resumption of Classes in Oaxaca The Secretary General of Section 22 of the SNTE,1 Enrique Rueda Pacheco, makes known that next Saturday they will set the date for the return to the classrooms. Liliana Alcantara El Universal Mexico City Thursday 19 October 2006 7:02 p.m.The Secretary General of Section 22 of the SNTE, Enrique Rueda Pacheco, informed everyone of the decision of the teacher's union of resuming classes in Oaxaca after five months of conflict. He made known that next Saturday they will set the date for the resumption of classes, which could be Monday, October...

Chile Last Hermogenes Perez de Arce Could the prinicpal promoter of Bolivian pretensions against Chile be seated in the Security Council, thanks to Chile? Of course I am accustomed to Chileans not paying attention to me, and that is one of the worst defects of this country, but now it results in something particularly grave. Why do we continue speaking of the vote in the Security Council of the UN as a "matter of international politics," of whether or not to support "a government which intervenes in the internal affairs of other countries," of which "Chavez sets forth a...

APPO begins evacuating government offices Brigades of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca are carrying out tours of [government] premises to remove personnel. Reporting marches in support of Governor Ulises Ruiz. Jorge Octavio Ochoa / Correspondent El Universal (Mexico City) Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Wednesday 18 October 2006 1:30 p.m. -- Brigades of the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) began tours of government offices around 1:00 p.m. to evacuate all personnel who work there. The first point which they visited was the Secretary General of Government, on República road, and afterwards they moved to the...

COPEI1 denounces CNE for wanting to bring "mute" international observers Caracas. -- The Secretary General of COPEI, Luis Ignacio Planas, complained strongly that the government, through the National Electoral Council (CNE), wants to bring "mute" international observers for the December presidential elections. "It does not make sense to make an effort, and that we Venezuelans, with our money, should pay the passage and the per diem expenses of the observers so that they come to engage in electoral tourism in Venezuela." The question is "how can they impede the watchers from saying that which they observe in the Venezuelan...

Lara: It was an error of the opposition to compete with Fitcar Caracas. -- The planners of the electoral campaign of opposing candidate Manuel Rosales "committed a serious error to put themselves in competition with the International Caracas Tourism Fair (Fitcar) 2006, in the judgement of the Minister of Communication and Information, William Lara. After traveling throught the different pavilions which are located on the Francisco de Miranda Air Base, [Lara, who] also serves as the National Coordinator of National Tactical Command(CTN) of the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) asserted that the public attendance at the Rosales meeting today came mainly...

IAPA worries that Venezuela "is going the way of Cuba" "It is itself creating a repudiation against the media with the motto 'kill the messenger.'" "The strong rhetoric worries [the IAPA], but it rules out some type of immediate rupture." Mexico City -- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) showed its preoccupation with Venezuela directing itself towards a similar scheme as that of Cuba of the persecution of freedom of expression on the part of the state. It also warned that in countries like Mexico the press is the victim of organized crime. "It worries us that Venezuela is...

Rosales will lead "Caracas Avalanche" Saturday Pedro Pablo Peñaloza El Universal (Caracas) The director of the First Justice Party, Liliana Hernandez, member of the campaign command of Manuel Rosales, summoned the followers of the opposition candidate to concentrate themselves next Saturday in Libertador Avenue [in Caracas]. Hernandez specified that the act of support for the Governor of the State of Zulia1 will be named the "Caracas Avalanche" and it is scheduled to begin at 10:00 in the morning. "The idea is that, besides demonstrating in favor of the victory of the National Unity candidate [i.e. Rosales], we are calling...

Movement of Naval Troops Reported in Salina Cruz [Oaxaca] Alberto Lopez El Universal (Mexico City) Sunday 1 October 2006 Juchitan, Oaxaca -- Neighbors of the port city of Salina Cruz and Huatulco [Oaxaca] reported "an unusual movement" of naval troops from the end of last week. "We have seen the arrival of planes, armored cars, and helicopters," said a source who asked to remain anonymous. Military sources confirmed the versions of witnesses, even though they clarified that the movement of troops corresponds with a program of combat practice which is regularly carried out in a joint form between Marines...

Helicopters Flying Over Oaxacan Encampments Due to the presence of Navy forces in the airspace of the zone where protestors of the teacher's union and APPO are located, a maximum alert is decreed; warning that a dislocating operation may be carried out tonight Jorge Octavio Ochoa/Correspondent El Universal Oaxaca City, Oaxaca Saturday 30 September 2006 5:00 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., two Navy helicopters flew through the airspace over the center of Oaxaca City; at 4:50 and 5:00 p.m. new overflights appeared, apparently in reconnaisance. From La Ley radio, the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) called for...

Rosales accuses "Fat Fish" of the Government Opposition candidate Manuel Rosales attributed the events which occurred in La Paragua1 to "the fat fish of the government, who have a big business in [the sale of] gasoline, contraband gold, and diamonds." In a visit to Trujillo, where he carried out a campaign visit, Rosales condemned the acts. "It is one of the most clear manifestations of how an authoritarian government stimulates criminal acts and insecurity in Venezuela. The deed in La Paragua is the action of a few spineless military men, who are not the majority, who felt themselves handsome...

The Oaxacanization of the Country: From the Myth of Fraud to that of Ingovernability It was left clear this week, the connection between the insurrectional strategy of Oaxaca and that of AMLO, which already seems to be weakening between desertions and the universal loss of prestige. The difference is one of perspective: For AMLO and his landscaped spaces it was considered vital to exhibit as a survival certificate the oxygen tank which he offered to the Popular Assembly of the People (sic) of Oaxaca (APPO) to identify its goal with that of the defeated presidential candidate: that of preventing...

Rosales Promises to Exchange Arms for Vouchers of 5 Million Bolivares1 Caracas -- The unitary opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales, formulated today the security plans which form an integral part of his governing strategy and promised to create and preside over a National Council of Justice and Security. He explained that this body "would render an accounting of the security of the country and will incorporate within itself the President of the TSJ [Supreme Tribunal of Justice], the General Prosecutor of the Republic, the Public Defender,2 and the Ministers of Defense, Interior, and Justice." Furthermore he announced a "true disarmament...

In nine states Rosales surpasses the President Elvia Gomez El Universal (Caracas) Jose Vicente Carrasquero, manager of the campaign command of the opposition candidate, announced that next Wednesday Manuel Rosales will present his government plan in the matter of citizen security, while later he will expound upon ideas in matters of housing construction and about the treatment the military sector will have which, he put forth, will be strictly attached to that which the Constitution forsees. In a press conference, accompanied by the ex candidate for the presidency of the republic, Roberto Smith (Venezuela First Party), Carrasquero explained that,...

Bachelet's price for supporting Chavez After the speech of the Venezuelan president, the critical comments of the [Venezuelan] Ambassador in Santiago Victor Delgado are what has endangered the inclination of the Chief Executive for this country [to support Venezuela's candidacy for a seat on the UN Security Council] By Sergio Espinosa V. When Hugo Chavez abandoned the podium of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Wednesday the 20th, the echo of his inflammatory speech against the President of the United States, George W. Bush, and his histrionic gestures still resounded in the ears of incredulous listeners. The members of...

Osama Bin Laden Could be Dead The Saudi secret services have come to believe that the founder of Al Qaeda is dead. If it is confirmed soon, the information has arrived in the nick of time for American President George Bush, seriously abused by public opinion polls with less than two months before the elections The information which we reveal today results from an intelligence note classified "Defense Confidential" emanating from the General Directorate of External Services (DGSE).1 The French secret services have passed it on to the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and to the Interior...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: Since this is a "portal" site, to specifically locate the original article in Spanish select "Judicial" from the menu bar at left, then scroll down to the article entitled "Las Farc ofrecen defender a Venezuela en caso de invasión estadounidense" and then click "Ver mas" just below the article title and to the right ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colombia's FARC offers to defend Venezuela in case of a U.S. attack (Translation) The active armed group made its offer to Venezuela to fight against the United States if it eventually invades the nation. In a document of greetings released by the FARC1 to...

Evo Morales takes the coca leaf to the UN and defends it After unexpectedly wielding a green coca leaf in his right hand, Bolivian President Evo Morales demonstrated Tuesday before world leaders one of the many injustices which he came to raise before the United Nations. Before the initial surprise and reserved applause immediately afterwards, Morales said that to criminalize the coca leaf was an "historic injustice." "This leaf represents the Andean culture, the environment and the hope of the people," said Morales, who before being President was the leader of the Bolivian coca growers. "It is not possible...