At least 38 tribespeople in Venezuela, including several children, are thought to have died after being attacked by vampire bats.

Source: Digg.com
Article: timesonline.co.uk

Venezuelan President Hugo Ch?vez has spent close to $33 billion to influence the regional politics of Latin America, helping to finance the economies of nations such as Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, a former U.S. intelligence official has testified before the U.S. Congress.

The Venezuelan government also provided resources to Colombia's FARC guerrillas, the Basque separatist group known as ETA and Islamic organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to Norman Bailey.

Bailey briefly held the post of Venezuela and Cuba program manager for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence last year, a position that coordinates information-gathering for areas considered top priorities. Bailey, now with the Institute of World Politics and the Institute for Global Economic Growth, testified that Venezuela continues to present a "clear and immediate" threat to U.S. national security, ``especially due to the broad and ever-increasing ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Bailey testified Friday during a hearing on Venezuela by the Western Affairs Subcommittee of House Committee on Foreign relations.

He questioned Washington's "passivity" in confronting the excesses of the Ch?vez government and criticized the arguments by some U.S. government officials that it "will ultimately destroy itself," and that any U.S. measures against Ch?vez could make petroleum prices spike.

Bailey said the impact of a U.S. embargo on oil imports from Venezuela could be countered by releasing around two million barrels a day from the U.S. strategic oil reserves. In contrast, he said, for Venezuela, "the effects would be devastating".

Bailey also denounced the close relations with Iran that have been "assiduously cultivated" by the Ch?vez government.

Source:miamiherald.com
Author:Casto Ocando

The vice president of a Venezuelan newspaper was shot and killed by a gunman who police said could have confused the victim for his brother the president of a daily that has closely covered corruption cases.

Pierre Fould Gerges, vice president of the Reporte Diario de la Economia, was shot about a dozen times by an assassin on a motorcycle Monday night, newspaper editor Jose Palmar told the Venezuelan broadcaster Union Radio.

"Everything indicates it was a hit," Palmar said, adding the 48-year-old was shot about a dozen times and that the gunman stole nothing during the attack outside a Caracas gas station.

The possible motives remain unclear, but the victim's brother Tannous Fould Gerges is the newspaper's president and has reported receiving threats while the newspaper has covered corruption cases.

Police said the Fould had been driving his brother's car when he was killed on Monday night, raising the possibility his killer confused him with the newspaper's president.

Source: Associated Press
Reference Article: El Universal Digital

Various armed groups from Caracas' '23rd of January' parish declared themselves to be on revolutionary strike this Thursday, in order to protest against the repression shown towards them by officials from the DISIP (Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services), following the detonation of an explosive device in the entrance of the Fedecamaras (Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce) building last February 24th. This explosion caused the death of Hector Serrano, a suspected member of one of the area's collectives.

Glenn Martin, a representative for one of the groups, indicated that the violent demonstrations were also taking place in protest against the private media, especially Patricia Poleo and the evening newspaper 'El Mundo', which, by his estimation, were those who had been singled out.

Furthermore, he noted the irony in the fact that "the opposition are awarded with an amnesty law, whilst populist groups are reprimanded", for which he called upon the various collectives to reject these actions, as much from opposition groups as from the "revolutionary government's own right-leaning members".

The "populist strike"
This Thursday morning the entrances to the '23rd of January' neighbourhood of Caracas were closed off by groups of hooded people who were protesting against 'repression'. According to information from the media, government-supporting organisations based in the area decided to 'kidnap' the neighbourhood, burning tires and firing weapons.

Source: NoticieroDigital.com
Gallery: Populist Strike.
Related Article: ChavezSupporters Also Support ETA.

An analysis published today by Aristimuño Herrera & Associates draws attention to an increase in arrears in 36 of the 47 Venezuelan banks. The increase in credit card fees is one of the causes.

A rise in the rate of arrears has been observed in the accounts of banking institutions, with rates of 1.14% in February 2007 increasing to 1.34% in January 2008 and 1.41% in February.

Of a total of 47 commercial and universal banks, 36 have seen their rate of arrears increase in the last 12 months. This figure, according to Aristimuño Herrera & Associates, will continue to increase through the year. This will strike in unison with a fall in the banks' profits, which will without doubt hang over the system in a negative way.

The economic slow down which will occur in 2008, along with an increase in interest rates, is a highly detrimental combination for the solvency of Venezuelan banks' credit portfolio.

The maximum rate of interest that banks can charge for credit card loans has now risen to 32%, which is evidence for the increase in arrears for this credit, which now represents 14% of all loans, equal to Bs.F 14,733,193. Banks have done away with sending out unsolicited credit cards, just as with the phrase "Buy now, pay later". Credit cards are the easiest form of borrowing to use and the hardest to pay back- in periods of economic cooling things are aggravated even more by the increased cost of borrowing.

At Aristimuño Herrera & Associates, they predict that credit cards will be one of the biggest headaches for banks this year. Furthermore, they foresee 2008 being a difficult year for banking in general, as financial obligations are not met.

Tied up assets belonging to banks increased from Bs.F 733,266,000 in February 2007 to Bs.F 1,472,102,000 twelve months later- an increase of 100.8%.

In February 2008, uncollected debts outstanding were covered by 156.2%, but in the same month last year, they were covered by 203.34%. Seven banks are now below 100% in the cover of their bad-debt portfolios.

Faced with a fall in profits and an increase in arrears, the outlook for banks is not promising.

The greatest reason behind the increase in arrears for consumer credit is that, on the one hand, Venezuelans are spending more, and on the other hand they are now starting to strongly feel the effects of spending in the last quarter of 2007, especially when there are no bonuses to receive and with an increase in interest rates in parallel to an increase in inflation and an overall decrease in the economy (it will grow less than the 8.4% achieved in 2007).

Since October 2007, the average amount of a bank's assets has increased by 6%, placing itself at 23.12%, and the same rate for credit cards is currently at 31.03%.

However, we must bear in mind that the impact on additional credit spending in banks was behind the Venezuelan Central Bank's decision to raise interest rates for savings accounts, costing Bs.F 1,747,906,000, which represents 38% of net profits for the banking sector in 2007. This is without even considering the fall in takings from credit for the manufacturing sector, since the interest rate is now fixed at 19%, compared to a previous average of 25%, meaning a decrease of 6%. In a portfolio of Bs.F 7,386,888,000, these 6% are equivalent to a decrease in takings of Bs.F 443,213,000.

Banks are thus looking to compensate for this increase in their costs combined with the decision taken this Tuesday by the Venezuelan Central Bank to regulate certain banking commissions, along with an increase in interest rates and its associated impact on the rate of arrears.

Source: economista24.com

The biggest threat in the region is not Colombia but Venezuela. Mr Chávez has recently veered towards outright support for the FARC. Colombia alleges that the captured laptops show that he gave the guerrillas $300m (and also that the FARC is seeking uranium for a 'dirty bomb).

Mr Chávez's mismanagement of Venezuela's oil boom has made him increasingly unpopular at home. His regime runs a risk of imploding. A cornered Mr Chávez might think of a border skirmish as the perfect distraction and as justification for more repression at home.

Even as they scold Mr Uribe, Brazil and other South American countries should warn Venezuela that it is destabilising the continent?and it is high time it stopped.

Read more (original article): economist.com

The leader of the PPT Andrea Tabare confirmed today (11th February 2008) that the demonstration outside the British Embassy concerning the EXXON - PDVSA dispute will take place this Wednesday at 11, and went on to accuse those who do not attend of being "traitors to their homeland".

The PPT gave its "completed and unlimited support" to the PDVSA and to the actions which "businesses as much as the State are carrying out against the aggression and this shady deal which British and American courts have tried to impose against our sovereignty and natural resources" stated Tabare.

Tabare indicated that the protest will be a sit-in demonstration and that they will hand over a document detailing their rejection of the courts' demands and "showing the disapproval of Venezuelans."

The Venezuelan public are urged to take to the streets this Wednesday in defence of "their country and their sovereignty", and those who refuse will be considered as "traitors to their homeland."

The party also suggested the creation of a special commission incorporating every profession (workers, unions, students, amongst others); in order to monitor and support any activities undertaken (by the government and PDVSA).

On the other side, the National Assembly ordered the publishing of a list containing all the politicians and senators who "approved the liberalisation of the petrol industry so that legal action may be taken; since they are also implicated in treason. They accepted a process of international arbitration, they accepted that these agreements would be settled in foreign courts and in foreign languages, and we are now suffering the consequences of their unpatriotic actions."

In Venezuela, they are now standing in line to get powdered milk. Not whole, 2%, 1%, or skim, but powdered. Not chocolate or strawberry in half-gallons, quarts or pints, in cardboard or glass, but powdered.

It isn't just milk either. Beef? Good luck. Sugar? Try again. Chicken, eggs or rice? Not in Venezuela.

The food shortage is so bad, that Venezuela imported 74,000 tons of food items last month, just to avoid a 'food crisis'. Chavez has demanded that food producers increase production, but the country still faces shortages.

It is undeniable is the inability of socialism to meet the needs of people. In Zimbabwe, they face the same problems, for the same reasons. And respond in same socialist fashion.

While Venezuela earns record proceeds from oil exports, consumers face shortages of meat, flour and cooking oil. Annual inflation has risen to 16 percent, the highest in Latin America, as Chávez tripled government spending in four years.

The bolivar has tumbled 30 percent this year to 5,250 per dollar on the black market, the only place it trades freely because of government controls on foreign exchange. That compares with the official rate of 2,150 per dollar set in 2005. Chávez may have to devalue the bolivar to reduce the gap and increase oil proceeds, which make up half the government's revenue.

Chavez's socialist policies will reduce Venezuela to the same level as Zimbabwe, despite the record oil revenues. There are already food shortages, and inflation. For $10,000,000 Zimbabwe, you can buy one gallon of Heartland Creamery milk, but not much else. The strong bolivar will follow the same path.

Only, in Venezuela and Zimbabwe, there isn't any milk to buy. Telling someone, 'I bought a gallon of milk today' would be a big deal. People would want to know where you bought it and was there any left.

Socialism fails everywhere it is tried. It always has, and always will. While capitalism may be the unequal distribution of wealth, socialism is the equal distribution of poverty. The only exception is the ruling elite.

I doubt Hugo was waiting in line for powdered milk.

Source: allamericanblogger.com
Aditional Info: msnbc.msn.com
Related Gallery: It is not Ruanda, it isn't Darfur, it is Venezuela

Down here a man named Hugo Chavez has gained control of the country by being its president. While his intelligence is that of the current American president, he also dreams of power and especially more power. You can just imagine him as Palpatine from Star Wars: Episode III (I know, it sucked, but my point stands) screaming "POWER!" and frying Samuel Jackson... motherfucker. And true enough, during his reign of terror he have tried to change the constitution of the country so he can become the president till his time is up. Which he predicts is 2050. As if his health and the world's will last that long. Anyway, while the man may appear funny, and could be the interest of many comedians, he also have a bad influence on his country. He is certainly a divider.

Chavez is largely supported by the poor people of Venezuela, because he promises them better uh... stuff? Dunno really what he does for them. But what is worse is that the rest of the world is largely ignoring what is going down in Venezuela. Yeah, we hear it on the news, yeah, we read about it. But do we really care? Do we really have room for more caring? We already pretend to care about Afghanistan and Iraq. And North Korea and Pakistan. And Kenya and Sudan. And economics and terror. And so on and so on. Our caring usage is simply too much.

No excuse. Humans can care unlimited. That or you can simply revert your caring to other things.

Read the complete article at: www.sviip.dk

Amendments proposed to Venezuela's constitution increasing presidential emergency powers would jeopardize the protection of fundamental rights at times when they are most needed, Human Rights Watch said today.
The proposed changes would eliminate the constitutional prohibition on suspending due process guarantees during states of emergency. They would also eliminate specific time limits on states of emergency, giving the president de facto power to suspend due process and other basic rights indefinitely.

Human Rights Watch is particularly concerned that these provisions could lead to suspension of fundamental rights in violation of international law, as the proposed amendments would also eliminate the requirement that such restrictions meet the requirements, principles, and guarantees established in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights.

These amendments would enable President Chávez to suspend basic rights indefinitely by maintaining a perpetual state of emergency, said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

Suspension of Due Process Guarantees
President Hugo Chávez's supporters in the National Assembly originally proposed completely eliminating the constitutional prohibition on suspending due process rights during states of emergency.

This proposal would allow the president to suspend other fundamental due process guarantees, including the presumption of innocence, the right to be tried by an independent and impartial tribunal, the right against self-incrimination, the right not to be convicted for a non-existent crime, and the right against double jeopardy. In addition, the proposal appears to allow for the suspension of the rights of a defendant to know the charges and have access to the evidence against him.

Other Fundamental Rights at Risk
Under the proposed amendment, the constitution would explicitly protect a number of rights from suspension during states of emergency. These include the right to life, the right to personal integrity, the right not to be sentenced to prison terms exceeding 30 years, and the prohibitions against torture, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearance.

The proposed emergency powers would also allow the president to suspend indefinitely the right of citizens to information, a right that is integral to the protection of human rights and accountability.

Expansion of the President's Emergency Decree Power
The proposed changes would greatly enhance the president's power to impose and maintain the states of emergency in which these basic rights could be suspended.

It would broaden the circumstances in which the president could impose states of emergency, to include not only catastrophes, calamities and other similar situations, but also cases where a certain and imminent possibility exists for the occurrence of situations capable of originating catastrophes, public calamities and other similar situations. This is of concern, because, as the UN Human Rights Committee has made clear, not every disturbance or catastrophe qualifies as a public emergency which threatens the life of the nation and would justify restrictions or suspension of protected rights.

The proposal would eliminate the existing time limits on states of emergency, leaving it entirely to the discretion of the president to determine when an emergency has ended. Under the proposed amendments, the president would still be required to seek congressional approval for an emergency decree (within an eight-day period), but would not need authorization to extend it. The proposal would also eliminate the power of the National Assembly to revoke the state of emergency.

The reform would also eliminate the requirement that the Supreme Court review the constitutionality of the decree regulating the suspension of rights during times of emergency. Although the proposed amendment indicates that rights should only be suspended temporarily, it provides no mechanism for ending the suspension so long as the state of emergency remains in place.

Source: HRW.ORG

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