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Jan
25
2013
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 1/25/13

el pais newspaper In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 1/25/13

Courtesy of: Reuters

This week: With Hugo Chávez still absent, Venezuela considers a US proposal to return DEA agents kicked out of the country eight years ago; Venezuelan state-run oil company PDSVA’s debt spikes 150% in five years; Venezuela’s high court dismisses request for medical board to assess Chávez’s health condition; and allies and adversaries of Chávez hold separate rallies to mark the anniversary of Venezuela’s democracy. Venezuelan Vice President Nicolás Maduro travels again to Cuba to visit ailing Chávez; amidst uncertainty over Chávez’s health, dozens of nations with favorable oil ties to Venezuela worry about their future; leading Spanish newspaper El País withdraws front-page exclusive photo of Chávez in Cuba saying it’s fake; and Maduro claims to be the target of an assassination plot, but fails to provide proof of the claim. Lastly, trying to fill the void of Chávez’s 45-day absence, the government churns out images, slogans and sound bites of the president; Foreign Minister Elías Jaua admits that Chávez still faces the most complex phase of his recovery after cancer surgery; the Venezuelan government tries to crack down on used cars, one of the last refuges against its growing inflation; and the IMF forecasts a drop in Venezuela’s oil revenue and a reduction of its economic growth.

Envoy says Venezuela open to better ties with U.S., Reuters

Venezuela’s government is open to improving troubled ties with Washington and is considering a U.S. proposal for the return of anti-drug agents kicked out of the country eight years ago by President Hugo Chavez, a senior official said.

Pdvsa’s debt spikes 150% in five years, El Universal

Venezuelan state-run oil company Pdvsa is under significant pressure, amidst its obligations with the central Government and the need to invest in core activities, which has translated into higher debt.

High court president dismisses request for a medical board, El Universal

“We have standing information about the health condition of the Venezuelan president,” Luisa Estella Morales, the president of the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ), told state-run TV channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) on Monday evening during an interview.

Allies and adversaries of Chavez hold separate rallies to mark Venezuela democracy anniversary, Associated Press

Allies of President Hugo Chavez took to the streets of Venezuela’s capital by the thousands on Wednesday to commemorate the anniversary of Venezuela’s democracy amid uncertainty about the president’s health more than six weeks after he underwent cancer surgery in Cuba.

Venezuela VP Maduro Arrives in Havana to Visit Ailing Chavez, Businessweek

Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana yesterday to receive instructions from cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez on a regional summit taking place this week.

Venezuela oil deals: Poor nations worry about future, BBC News

As Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez continues to receive medical care in Cuba after a fourth cancer operation, many small countries across the region have their own reasons for carefully monitoring his health.

Leading Spanish newspaper El Pais pulls back edition with fake photo of Chavez, Associated Press

Leading Spanish newspaper El Pais says it withdrew and reprinted Thursday’s edition after discovering its front-page exclusive photograph supposedly showing ailing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez being treated in Cuba was a fake.

Venezuela’s vice president says he’s target of assassination plot, Reuters

Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro said unidentified groups had entered the country with the aim of assassinating him and the head of the National Assembly as President Hugo Chavez recovers from cancer in Cuba.

Hugo Chavez a potent symbol in Venezuela as cult of personality flourishes during long absence, Associated Press

While Venezuela’s sick president recuperates from surgery behind closed doors in Cuba, at home he is more visible than ever.

Chavez Faces Most Complex Phase of Cancer Recovery, Businessweek

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez still faces the “most complex” phase of his recovery after cancer surgery last month in Cuba, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said yesterday after returning from a trip to Havana.

Venezuela Ready to Crack Down on Clunker Car Inflation Refuge, Bloomberg

Venezuela’s government is preparing to crack down on one of the last refuges against the fastest inflation in Latin America — used cars.

IMF forecasts drop in Venezuela’s oil revenues, El Universal

In its World Economic Outlook Update report for 2013, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut by 0.3% its growth projection for Latin America and the Caribbean, and estimated growth in the region at 3.6%, AP cited.

 
Oct
26
2012
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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.

 
Jun
29
2011
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Trafficking in Persons 2011 Report

The US State Department has included Venezuela on a list of nations that could face sanctions along with Cuba, Costa Rica, Panamá and the Dominican Republic for their lack of action in combating human trafficking. The 11th edition of the Trafficking in Persons Report did not see much progress in Venezuela’s efforts to  combat human trafficking, for which it can face a number of sanctions ranging from the suspension of non humanitarian and non commercial aid to the US opposing IMF or World Bank financing.

According to the report presented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Venezuelan women and girls are found in conditions of sex trafficking within the country, lured from poor interior regions to urban and tourist centers, such as Caracas, Maracaibo, and Margarita Island”.

The report also stated a number of reforms that must happen in order for Venezuela to get on the right track when it comes to combating human trafficking. These reforms include:

  • Modifying its current laws in order to prohibit and adequately reprimand any type of human trafficking
  • Intensifying its efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of forced prostitution and slave labor
  • Prosecuting and jailing the traffickers
  • Providing better specialized assistance to the victims
  • Identifying the victims among vulnerable groups
  • Improving the current databases in regards to these types of felonies

The listing of Venezuela in the report is likely to further deteriorate the already fragile diplomatic relations between both countries. Both countries lack the representation of ambassadors in their territories. Furthermore, the US imposed economic sanctions on the state owned oil company, PDVA, for their dealings with Iran.