Monthly Archives: October 2012

Oct
26
2012
Posted by
admin
Comments

In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/26/12

gold In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/26/12

Courtesy of: El Universal

Last Sunday, former Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua visited Fidel Castro in Cuba, stating he “is doing very well” amidst speculation over his health. Despite Venezuela’s withdrawal from the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, it continues to hear human rights cases against the government; now that the Venezuelan presidential race is over, the pace of housing construction has slowed remarkably in Caracas. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s crime rate soars as Caracas has become one of the hemisphere’s most violent cities amid declining poverty; NGOs call for a debate on the government’s proposed cable TV regulation, which would restrict content and limit government criticism on cable networks in Venezuela. Recently, the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report ranked Venezuela 180 out of 185 countries among those most difficult for investment; the IMF confirms gold sales made by Venezuela’s central bank in August, leaving bullion reserves at 362.05 tons; the opposition criticized electoral authorities for allowing pro-Chávez candidates to switch voting districts to run in different states in the December gubernatorial elections. Lastly, a resolution by the Venezuelan Ministry of Education establishes education councils charged with bringing up “a new citizenship” in Venezuela’s youth. The councils have been criticized as being used by representatives of Chávez’s party to deepen his socialist revolution within the educational system.

Castro ‘doing very well,’ Venezuelan politician says, CNN

Havana (CNN) — Fidel Castro “is doing very well,” Venezuela’s former vice president said Sunday, showing reporters a snapshot of the former Cuban leader that he said was taken the day before. Speculation has surged over Castro’s health in recent weeks.

Despite Venezuela’s withdrawal, IACHR still hears cases against it, El Universal

If the government was under the impression that by initiating its withdrawal from the Inter-American Court on Human Rights that organization would cease their probes into cases involving Venezuela, it was wrong, as evidenced by the fifteenth ruling against the nation.

Sluggishness of housing works, El Universal

The frenzied pace of most government works is now in the past after the presidential election, as verified in a tour by El Universal. The construction pace plunged in a complex of more than one thousand dwellings on the Los Leones bridge, La Paz, west Caracas.

Venezuela crime soars amid declining poverty, Al Jazeera

Caracas, Venezuela – With some 19,336 murders last year, Caracas has become one of the western hemisphere’s most violent cities and one particular criminology expert had a front row seat the other day, experiencing the overwhelming insecurity first-hand when robbers stuck a gun in his face as he rode home on the bus.

NGO calls for debate on cable TV regulation in Venezuela, El Universal

Representatives from several organizations belonging to the NGO Monitor Legislativo (Legislative Monitor) discussed the upcoming Venezuelan legislative agenda.

Spending Jumps 33% in Venezuela’s 2013 Budget Proposal, Fox Business

Mr. Giordani presented to Venezuela’s national parliament the annual budget proposal, which set expenditures at VEF396.4 billion bolivars, or just over $92 billion at the official exchange rate.

Venezuela among the countries with more obstacles to investments, El Universal

Venezuela is among the countries featuring more obstacles for opening a business, according to a study prepared by the World Bank entitled “Doing Business 2013.”

IMF confirms gold sales made by Venezuela’s central bank in August, El Universal

Venezuela sold 3.73 tons of gold bars in August, thus leaving its bullion reserves at 362.05 tons, according to figures disclosed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Reuters reported on Thursday.

Venezuela opposition criticizes movement of pro-Chavez candidates between voting districts, Fox News

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan opposition leaders complained Thursday that electoral authorities allowed some candidates allied with President Hugo Chavez to switch voting districts and run in different states in December’s gubernatorial elections.

Minister: education councils aim to bring up “the new citizen” in Venezuela, El Universal

Resolution 058 of the Venezuelan Ministry of Education provides for the establishment of education councils in the basic education subsystem. Such councils intend to bring up “a new citizenship,” which involves providing “integral education for the new man and woman, for the new republican,” according to Venezuelan Minister of Education Maryann Hanson.

 
Oct
25
2012
Posted by
admin
Comments

Venezuelan Assembly Considers New Media-Control Law

hugo chavez Venezuelan Assembly Considers New Media Control Law

Courtesy of: Reuters

Having secured reelection, Hugo Chávez has signaled his intention to pivot back to his most extreme socialist policies. After presenting a more moderate face as a candidate, Chávez has pledged to deepen his socialist revolution as president. The pace of expropriations slowed in the politically crucial months before Oct. 7, but now the administration promises to begin nationalizing private companies with renewed vigor. Just weeks after his victory, even the remaining trace of Venezuela’s independent media, already one of the most harassed, has been put on notice.

The Chávez-friendly National Assembly appears set to approve legislation that extends the government’s strictest information-control requirements to cable TV. Previously the most severe restrictions – enshrined in the Ley Resorte law – applied only to broadcast television stations. These entities were required to abide by content requirements and to air Chávez’s “cadena” addresses at a moment’s notice. The Assembly’s proposed law would extend these restrictions to Venezuela’s private cable stations as well.

This legislation, which includes the Orwellian proposal to ensure “the enforcement of cultural information,” could deal a blow to Venezuela’s scant remaining free media. In addition to forcing stations to broadcast cadenas, the law would also limit the amount of “foreign” content aired on Venezuelan cable stations, infringing on Venezuelan TV viewers’ ability to get news or commentary from sources outside the country. Carabobo state Rep. Miguel Cocchiola, a member of the opposition, calls the law “a tool [for the government] to enhance communication hegemony.”

During the election, Chávez’s abuse of his cadena power was well documented, as it allowed him to saturate Venezuela with campaign propaganda and interrupt coverage of Capriles campaign events. Meanwhile, the Capriles campaign was forced to pay for airtime, while many noted that compiling the resources needed to match the reach of the state media would have been an impossible task. According to the watchdog group Transparency International, Chávez used cadenas for more than 87 hours during the campaign.

Such attacks on free media are nothing new for Chávez’s “21st Century Socialism,” which militates against the free economy and free media alike. From the closure of the popular network RCTV to the constant fines and sanctions levied against Globovision, Chávez has systematically censored, harassed or otherwise silenced privately-owned media outlets he deems critical of his persona or government.

Multiple watchdog groups have affirmed that independent media remain an endangered species in the country. Since 2005, defamation of the president has been punishable by six to 30 months in prison. Mr. Chávez has revoked the broadcast license of at least 240 radio stations – nearly 50 percent of all radio stations in the country – perceived as critical of the government. Today, Chávez controls at least two national radio networks, six television channels, 72 regional television stations, four newspapers and over 600 radio stations across the country.

As expected, news coverage on government-owned television is far from balanced. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, during the last week of September – just days before the Oct. 7 election – government news channel VTV dedicated 18 hours of coverage to Chávez. Its tally for Mr. Capriles was 30 minutes.

 
Oct
19
2012
Posted by
admin
Comments

In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/19/12

Venezuela Chavez Maduro In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/19/12

Courtesy of: AP

Less than a week after winning reelection, Chávez swore in his new Vice President, former Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and six other cabinet ministers. On Monday Chávez will submit his fiscal year 2013 budget to the National Assembly, largely based on his socialist model. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Venezuela’s inflation rate will reach almost 20 percent by the end of the year. The country’s international reserves are also far below an optimal level. Recent political polarization is threatening freedom of speech in Venezuela, as a new report reveals “mistreatment, detentions, insults, confiscation of equipment, and fundamental rights violations” against journalists, camerapersons, and others in the press. Meanwhile, Chávez has begun to develop Venezuela’s defense industry with plans to build drones with the help of China, Russia and Iran. Chávez breaks diplomatic ties to Paraguay with his decision to expel their diplomats following the ouster of his ally, former President Fernando Lugo. Simultaneously, Chávez’s ties to former Brazilian President Lula are strained after Lula said in a recent interview that Chávez should prepare for his succession. In most recent news, the Venezuelan National Assembly stirs up controversy as they take steps to regulate cable TV.

Venezuela’s Chavez swears in vice president, 6 other ministers in post-election shake up, The Washington Post

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez swore in his new vice president and six other Cabinet ministers on Saturday, less than a week after winning a new mandate to extend his self-styled Bolivarian revolution.

Venezuela’s 2013 budget bases on socialist model, El Universal

The Venezuelan Government on Monday will summit to the National Assembly a FY2013 draft budget that will be based on the socialist model.

Venezuela Official Inflation Just Under 20%, Latin American Herald Tribune

CARACAS — According to the government’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), Venezuela’s September inflation came in at 1.6%, above the value in August of 1.1%. Factoring in September’s rate, inflation for the first nine months of the year has been 11.5%. One-year inflation stands at 19.98%.

Venezuela’s international reserves far from optimal level, El Universal

Venezuelan international reserves remain below the optimal level (USD 26.8 billion) established by national authorities.

Polarization threatens freedom of speech in Venezuela, El Universal

The Venezuelan Press Block (BPV) presented a report on Sunday at the 68th Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) General Assembly, held at the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, denouncing increased aggressions against journalists, due to political polarization in Venezuela.

Venezuela serious about producing drones, UPI.com

CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 16 (UPI) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is pursuing plans to develop a home-grown defense industry topped by a drone built reportedly with Chinese, Iranian and Russian help.

Venezuela’s government expelling the last of Paraguay’s diplomats in Caracas, envoy says, Fox News

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela’s government has decided to expel Paraguay’s remaining diplomats from the country, the top envoy at the Paraguayan Embassy said Wednesday. Charge d’affaires Victor Casartelli said that he and three other Paraguayan diplomats in Caracas were told by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry to leave within three days.

Venezuela’s oil exports to Asia to jump to 2.8 million bdp, El Universal

State-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) is in negotiations with India’s Reliance Industries and Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) for investments in the Ayacucho and Boyacá oil fields, informed on Wednesday Pdvsa’s Corporate Planning Executive Director, Fadi Kabboul, at a press conference in India.

Venezuela’s Chavez should prepare for succession: Lula, Chicago Tribune

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Venezuela’s newly re-elected president, Hugo Chavez, should start preparing to hand over power, former two-time Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday.

Venezuela’s National Assembly to regulate cable TV, El Universal

The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) is to make a law for the regulation of subscription television services, informed the President of the People’s Power and Media Committee of the AN, Darío Vivas, deputy for the ruling party United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).