Human rights

all the facts and news in Venezuela on Human rights and how it influences all decisions made by Hugo Chavez as president implications for Human rights of the Venezuelan people

Apr
1
2011
Posted by
editor
Comments

In Case You Missed It… Weekly Roundup: 4/1/2011

In this week’s roundup…from a controversial accolade to serious allegations of involvement in drug trafficking and his friendship with the embattled Iranian leader, President Chávez always makes for some interesting headlines.  To check out more on our musings find us on Twitter @whatsnextvz or via StumbleUpon.

U.S. Losing Big Drug Catch The Wall Street Journal
At the height of his power, Makled, a Venezuelan citizen of Syrian descent, smuggled 10 tons of cocaine a month into the US from Venezuela, according to officials. He controlled Venezuela’s most important port and allegedly added to his transport empire by, in effect, stealing an entire airline, according to a lawsuit in Venezuela filed by the airline’s former owner.

Debating the merits of a press prize for Venezuela’s Chávez Christian Science Monitor
Prompting an international debate on journalism philosophy appeared exactly what an Argentine university wanted when it awarded a prestigious press prize this week to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Venezuela Aims To Pay Less Than $2.5B In Exxon, Conoco Case – PDVSA, The Wall Street Journal
CARACAS (Dow Jones)– Venezuela aims to pay less than $2.5 billion to Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and ConocoPhillips (COP) for assets that the government expropriated nearly four years ago, a spokesman at the country’s state oil company confirmed Thursday.

Williams Files Arbitration Claim After Venezuelan Seizures, Bloomberg
Williams Companies Inc. filed for international arbitration against Venezuela, seeking compensation for two natural-gas compression facilities taken by President Hugo Chavez in 2009. Williams filed for arbitration with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes on March 25, said Jeff Pounds, a spokesman for the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based pipeline operator. He declined to comment on how much the company is seeking in compensation.

Chavez and Gaddafi — best friends forever?, The Washington Post
I recently wrote an article on the likely exile destinations Col. Moammar Gaddafi would have to choose from if he decides to flee Libya. Venezuela made the list, if for no other reason than President Hugo Chavez has been so outspoken in his support for the Libyan dictator. Even as Gaddafi revealed himself as a murderous tyrant willing to mow down his own citizens in order to cling to power, Chavez continue to voice his support for his “friend.”

Obama freezes out Chavez, while Iran comes courting, The Washington Times
During his five-day tour of Latin America, President Obama covered just about every hot-button topic – Libya, drug violence, immigration, trade – but not once did he publicly mention Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The omission stands in stark contrast to the danger that analysts say Mr. Chavez poses to U.S. foreign policy with his ever-deepening ties to Iran and continued support for guerrilla groups across Latin America.

 
Mar
25
2011
Posted by
editor
Comments

In Case You Missed It…Articles Roundup Week of 3/25/11

In this week’s roundup…a new round of paranoid and delusional assertions from Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez coincide with proof of his dwindling popularity and a new scandal regarding state-owned PDVSA.

Venezuela’s Chavez Claims US Plans To Thwart His Reelection, The Wall Street Journal

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that the U.S. and its allies have plans to sabotage his bid for re-election in 2012 as part of an “imperial” doctrine to control the world’s oil supply. “I know of the plans that they have for Venezuela, infiltrate the country, create [unstable] conditions for 2012,” Chavez said. “They should not even think about it!” Speaking during his weekly program, “Hello! President,” Chavez also denounced the “indiscriminate bombing” of the UN-sanctioned military intervention in Libya as motivated by the oil-rich country’s resources.

Poll suggests Venezuelans split between pro- and anti-Chavez camps; one-third undecided, The Canadian Press

A poll suggests Venezuelans with a preference are split between President Hugo Chavez and the opposition, although a sizable one-third are undecided about whom they would vote for if elections were held soon. Leon said the opposition politicians with the most support in the latest poll were Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda state, 17 percent; former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales, 9 percent; Pablo Perez, governor of Zulia state, 7 percent; and Leopoldo Lopez, a former Caracas District mayor, 7 percent.

Venezuela Opposition Blocked From Discussing PDVSA Pension, The Wall Street Journal

Opposition legislators in Venezuela have been blocked in the national parliament from discussing the apparent use of the state oil company’s pension fund in a Ponzi scheme run by a former financial adviser to Petroleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA. A proposal to bring the matter before the National Assembly was rejected last week by the ruling-party majority.

Chavez enacts decree allowing pro-government militias to receive weapons from military, The Washington Post

New rules authorizing Venezuela’s military to distribute weapons to pro-government militias took effect Tuesday, raising concern among critics who say the armed groups could be used by President Hugo Chavez to cement his hold on power.

Hugo Chavez Decries Capitalism….On Mars, The Wall Street Journal

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who routinely blames Capitalism for many of the world’s troubles, pointed elsewhere in the galaxy for his latest critique, saying Tuesday that the economic system may have destroyed life on Mars. “I have always said, have heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars,” the firebrand socialist said on Venezuela’s state television.

 
Mar
18
2011
Posted by
editor
Comments

In Case You Missed It…Articles Roundup Week of 3/18/11

In this week’s roundup…President Hugo Chávez’s legacy of corruption, expropriations, and ties to terrorist groups and rogue leaders, the newest addition to his list of “enemies” of his socialist revolution, President Barack Obama’s first trip to Latin America and what it means to regional leaders like the Venezuelan strongman, and one of Venezuela’s symbols of corporate productivity and responsibility turns 70.

Gustavo Coronel: The Four Hotbeds of Corruption in Venezuela, Latin American Herald Tribune

Hugo Chávez became president of Venezuela in 1998 on the strength of his promises to stamp out corruption. Venezuela had been a democratic showcase for the hemisphere from 1958 to the early 1970’s but after receiving a huge oil income in the mid-1970 the quality of government deteriorated and waste and corruption set in. By 1998 most Venezuelans were deeply disappointed and wanted a radical change. They got it with Hugo Chávez.

Pollster: Private sector is vital to supplying the market, El Universal

The supply of products in the domestic market should not be left in State hands only, said Luis Vicente León, the director of polling firm Datanálisis.

Leftist leaders in Latin America should be ashamed of embracing Moammar Gadhafi, Rome News Tribune

Hugo Chávez is trying to come to the rescue of his friend and fellow “colonel,” Moammar Gadhafi. The Venezuelan president has offered to mediate Libya’s civil war, and warned against any foreign intervention in support of Libya’s opposition, which now controls much of the east of the country, including the port of Benghazi, home of the Hugo Chavez soccer stadium.

What Obama Must Do On His First Official Trip to Latin America, Fox News

The perceived lack of interest by the United States also sends a message to Chávez and like-minded leaders that they can abet corruption, illicit drug trafficking, Iranian adventurism and terrorism with impunity.

Chávez Tries to Rally Venezuela Against a New Enemy: Breast Lifts, The New York Times

President Hugo Chávez is known to have expressed little patience for imported leisure pursuits like golf or Scotch whisky tippling. Now he has reserved some ire for another practice that is beloved in Venezuela: breast augmentation surgery.

VenEconomy: Polar, One of Venezuela’s Assets, Latin American Herald Tribune

On Monday, March 14, Empresas Polar celebrated its 70th anniversary and a long history of productivity, innovation, and successes. It is not in vain that Empresas Polar has become the standard-bearer of transparent management and corporate and social responsibility in Venezuela. Since March 1941, Empresas Polar has been innovative in the brewing of beer, establishing international quality standards.