V	E N E Z U E L A		maps ¤   ¤   ¤ states   ¤ relief   ¤ photos Þ   mil sat
	new Venezuela Hugo Chavez borders oil arms sales drugs Roni Bowers human rights U.S. State Dept ACILS v. Pres.Chavez U.S. Congress Commerce Pentagon NGO UN Rep. McKinney reading   § E.Golinger & J.Bigwood Chavez per Che's daughter Hugo Chavez
	measuring Venezuela for invasion It has W.Hemisphere's largest oil reserves.

República Bolivariana de Venezuela
govt 1 2   embassy

Congress gives fast-track status to Chavez powers legislation
10.3.00   AP

Influx Burdens V^z
10.10.00   S.Wilson WashPost ForeignSrv pA28

Chavez sends tanks to Colombia border in dispute 3.2.08   P. Rondon, P. Markey, J. Vey, D. Alexander Reuters Caracas  Hugo Chavez moved tanks to the Colombian border and mobilized fighter jets on Sunday, warning Bogota could spark a war after its troops struck inside another of its neighbors, Ecuador. Reacting to Colombia's killing on Saturday of a Colombian rebel over the border in Ecuador, a Venezuelan ally, Chavez also withdrew all of his diplomats from Bogota in the worst dispute between the neighbors since he came to office in 1999. "Mr. Defense Minister, move me 10 battalions to the frontier with Colombia immediately, tank battalions. The air force should mobilize," Chavez said, adding he will bolster his military's presence along the 1,400-mile (2,200-km) border. "May God spare us a war. But we are not going to allow them violate our sovereign territory," the ex-paratrooper added on his weekly TV show. Colombia's military said on Saturday troops killed Raul Reyes, a leader of Marxist FARC rebels, during an attack on a jungle camp in Ecuador in a severe blow to Latin America's oldest guerrilla insurgency. The operation included air strikes and fighting with rebels across the frontier. Chavez, who had warned a similar operation in Venezuela would be "cause for war," threatened to send Russian-made fighter jets into U.S. ally Colombia if its troops struck inside his OPEC country. Colombia had no immediate reaction to Venezuela's military movements. Prior to Chavez's statement, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe denied violating Ecuador's sovereignty, saying the operation was in response to fire from across the border. But the leftist govts of Venezuela and Ecuador questioned the accuracy of his account. Ecuador withdrew its ambassador in protest. "Colombia has not violated any sovereignty, only acted in accordance with the principal of legitimate defense," the govt said in a statement. Washington, which backs Uribe's fight against the rebels with its largest military aid outside the Middle East, said it was monitoring developments after Chavez's "odd reaction." France called for restraint on all sides, saying it underlined the need for the negotiated release of FARC hostages, including the most high-profile captive, French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. The FARC said in a statement the killing of one its leaders who had been involved in hostage talks should not affect moves to free captives, according to the Venezuelan govt. Uribe, who is popular at home for his tough stance against the rebels, has often jousted with neighbors over spillover from the four-decade conflict. But he has managed differences with pragmatism and disputes have rarely moved past rhetoric. Uribe says rebels take refuge in frontier areas and neighbors urge him to stop violence seeping over borders. Chavez has been in a diplomatic dispute with Uribe for months over his mediation to free the rebels' hostages. Uribe says Chavez used the talks to meddle in Colombian affairs. The Venezuelan called the rebel leader's death the "cowardly assassination" of a "good revolutionary." "I am putting Venezuela on alert and we will support Ecuador in any situation," he said. Uribe is "a liar, a Mafia boss, a paramilitary who leads a narco-govt and leads a govt that is a lackey of the United States," Chavez added. Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue thinktank in Washington and a critic of Chavez, said the Venezuelan was playing with fire even if the spat could distract from his domestic problems such as chronic shortages of some foods. "It maybe is a measure of how concerned he is about his own domestic support," he said. "I don't know how far he is going to go with this, but it is a risky political action."

Why were Mexican students at rebel camp in Ecuador?   3.7.08   Franco Ordonez (Charlotte Observer), K.G.Hall, S.Brodzinsky McClatchy Newspapers Mexico City   At least 5 Mexican nationals were present at a rebel camp where a top insurgent commander was killed last weekend in Ecuador, leaving Mexicans to speculate on why they were there. Experts say that it's the first time Mexican nationals have been known to die alongside members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Latin America's oldest guerrilla group. Their presence added to questions of a possible link between FARC and a spate of pipeline bombings in Mexico last year that cut off fuel supplies to major industrial operations, including a Volkswagen factory. Mexican police officials noted then that the bombings, claimed by the Popular Revolutionary Army, or EPR, differed radically from the group's previous targets of ATM machines and other "nuisance bombings." The police said then that the pipeline bombings, a common FARC tactic in Colombia, were so sophisticated that whoever did them may have received special training. Also present in the Ecuador camp were an unknown number of Chileans. Ecuador security minister Gustavo Larrea said Friday that as many as 4 Mexicans were killed in the 3.1.08 attack. A fifth Mexican, 26-year-old Lucia Morett, survived. The Mexicans and Chileans apparently were planning to speak before a FARC meeting when they were killed. Journalists given a tour of the camp organized by the Ecuador govt Thursday were shown a classroom area and what appeared to be an agenda for the meeting. Mexican news outlets identified the dead as Juan Gonzalez del Castillo, Natalia Velasquez, Fernando Franco Delgado, and Soren Ulises Aviles Angeles. The National Autonomous University of Mexico said Morett, Velasquez, Delgado and Gonzalez del Castillo were students there. The newspaper El Universal said Aviles Angeles was a student at National Polytechnic Institute. Both Morett and Gonzalez del Castillo were members of a radical student group that supported the FARC, according to the group's Web site. Friends and classmates described Gonzalez del Castillo and Morett as "activists" and "internationalist militants," but not guerrilla fighters. El Tiempo, leading Colombian newspaper in Bogota, quoted Morett saying in a bedside interview that she received explosives training. Her parents denied the report. Larrea told reporters there that "more than 10, a large group" of young people under 24, died in the attack that also killed the FARC's No. 2 commander, Raul Reyes. Larrea said members of the student group were "studying" the oldest armed rebel movement in South America. But university officials said they had not sent any group to study the rebel movement. FARC has a history with Mexico and UNAM. The rebel group once had an office there, but it was closed after 9/11 attacks in the United States, when the FARC was declared a terrorist group. Colombian officials have said for months that their intelligence shows the FARC has been operating clandestinely throughout Mexico. Now, they say, they have pictures of Mexicans being trained. "Don't forget that we now we have photos of Raul Reyes with many Chileans and Mexicans who were conducting training to take back to their countries. We don't know with what purpose," Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said in Belgium Thursday. Some students continue to be sympathetic to the rebel group's causes. Posters supporting the FARC decorate some walls in the Philosophy and Letters school. Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez, who sent troops to the border with Colombia after the 3.1.08 raid, was a quite public face in Mexico during the 2006 presidential election. President Felipe Calderon, a conservative, won the election by a slim margin after running ads comparing his chief rival, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, to the radical Venezuelan president.

Documents uncovered from the computer of dead rebel leader Reyes, FARC's second-in-command, also reveal a discussion of drugs and arms sales with unidentified Lebanese militants who offered to bring the weapons to Mexico where they could be picked up by the FARC.
In an 4.8.07 letter, a guerrilla identified as "Daniel" writes that an associate "with great economic power" was offering to broker a deal with Lebanese militants to buy missiles.
"They offer arms of all class, including missiles..." Daniel writes. "They have airplanes, boats and they assume the responsibility to deliver what they buy at the border."

Another possible FARC link with Mexico is in the drug trade. FARC has long been accused of raising funds by selling cocaine, and Mexico is on a major route of illegal drugs heading to the U.S. market. Diego Enrique Osorno, a Mexico City reporter at Milenio newspaper, who covers guerrilla groups, said the drug cartels have guns, economic power and police influence. But they lack military intelligence, he said.
"Imagine if they join forces with the FARC," he said. "That's a combination that's more explosive than ever."
That's exactly what happened in Colombia where guerrilla groups got involved in the drug trade to fund their operations.

Of continuing concern in the United States is that the FARC has been holding U.S. contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves hostage since 2003 when their small plane crashed in southern Colombia. Documents recovered from Reyes' laptop suggest that the FARC has proposed exchanging some 40 hostages, including the three U.S. military contractors, for hundreds of rebels currently in Colombia's jails.

Well armed chaos rank# 24   Mat Honan US Arms Sales Action Atlas Vz , like many other countries, continues to be buffeted by world economic crisis. Despite a $1.4 billion bailout loan from IMF, oil-rich nation was spiraling toward economic chaos at press time. However, $1.8 billion worth of weapons sales President Clinton approved since 1993 means at least it's well-armed chaos. Among equipt Vz purchased or obtained approval to purchase from U.S. companies are 2 LockheedMartin F16 fighters, 11 amphibious assault vehicles, & thousands of rounds of ammunition. Much of money Vz committed to military spending goes directly to LockheedMartin to service & maintain 24 previously purchased F-16s. Due to country's economy, the Vz govt is not exactly stable. Hundreds died in 1989 antigovt protests. 2 failed 1992 coup attempts in 1992. & Pres. R.Caldera suspended basic constitutional guarantees 1994-1996. In some border regions, those rights have yet to be restored. Overall human-rights record dismal. Human Rights Watch 1998 report, "Security forces resorted to systematic abuses, including torture, extrajudicial executions, and the disproportionate use of lethal force. … Police committed at least 90 extrajudicial executions between Jan. & Aug. 1997. Local human-rights groups reported indiscriminate arrests, torture, & arbitrary killings in the Apure state … where constitutional guarantees continued to be suspended due to incursions by Colombian guerilla groups." US State Dept reached same conclusions. "Govt's human-rights record continued to be poor in certain areas and includes extrajudicial killings of criminal suspects by the police and military, torture and abuse of detainees, failure to punish police & security officers guilty of abuse, arbitrary arrests & excessively lengthy detentions, illegal searches, and corruption & severe inefficiency in the judicial and law enforcement systems." Goes on to state "Perpetrators of extrajudicial killings act with near impunity, as govt rarely prosecutes." However, the Clinton administration still deems Vz a responsible enough govt to send some of our most lethal exports. Vz foreign minister says Castro visit Venezuela 10.7.00   AP Havana   Castro will travel to Venezuela Oct.26-30 to join Caribbean & Cent.Am state heads signing oil trade agreement. … Castro last visited Vz Feb.99 Chavez's inauguration. OPEC summit, oil reserves help stabilize oil prices 9.30/00   T.Carl AP Caracas   Chavez, who spent much of summit championing developing nations rights & criticizing industrialized world for high oil taxes, also was driving force behind OPEC production cuts starting last year. T.Petkoff, editor-in-chief of Tal Cual opposition newspaper frequently critical of Chavez, praised the president's summit efforts. Vz presses Ford, Firestone to compensate victims 9.30.00   A.Olson AP Caracas   Vz pressed local Ford & Bridgestone/Firestone officials Friday to reach compensation agreements with 104 victims of accidents involving Ford Explorers equipped with Bridgestone/Firestone tires. State consumer agency Indecu wants M.Casigena, Ford Motor Co. subsidiary pres., & A.Fernandez, Firestone's subsidiary pres., to meet the first group of 50 victims starting Wednesday, agency head Samuel Ruh said. If they can't reach an agreement, Indecu, granted powers by Vz 's attorney general, [ more fast track courts ] will seek to impose fines, Ruh said. Ford Vz spokesman Ricardo Tinoco said Casigena has not yet decided how to respond to Indecu's subpoena for the Wednesday meeting. Tread separation, blowouts and rollover crashes involving vehicles with Firestone tires have been linked to 101 deaths in the U.S. and 46 in Vz. Many of the crashes involved the popular Ford Explorer. Both the automaker and the tire manufacturer have been criticized for not immediately reporting problems or taking action at the first signs of trouble. Ford executives have said their first reports of tire failures came in August 1999, when the automaker replaced Firestone tires on 6,800 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers in Saudi Arabia. Ford did not notify U.S. authorities of the recall in Saudi Arabia or 15 other foreign countries until nearly a year later. Bridgestone/Firestone, under pressure from U.S. regulators, announced a recall of 6.5 million tires there 8.9.00.

Venezuela's Chavez reelected   The leftist aims to alter the constitution so he can serve indefinitely. 12.4.06   Chris Kraul L.A. Times Caracas   Hugo Chavez was resoundingly reelected Sunday, setting the scene for a promised "deepening" of his socialist revolution and a broader role as leftist lightning rod on the world stage. With about 80% of the ballots counted, Chavez had captured 61% of the vote, compared with 38% for Manuel Rosales, election officials said. His reelection is expected to further Latin America's move to the left after victories by five left-leaning presidential candidates in the region in little more than a year. Chavez, who pledges to revise his nation's constitution to allow him to serve indefinitely, may try to fill the leadership void created in July by the illness of Cuba's Fidel Castro, supporters say. Relations between the firebrand Chavez and U.S. are at an ebb because of suspicion by the Bush admin over Chavez's overtures to Iran, his billion-dollar arms purchase agreements with Russia, and what Washington says is his lack of cooperation in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. Venezuela is the fourth-largest supplier of oil to the United States, and revenue generated by high crude oil prices has allowed Chavez to wield considerable influence among his neighbors through energy subsidies and aid programs. Chavez, addressing a crowd in front of the presidential palace, bellowed, "Long live the preordained popular victory. Long live the reign of socialism, the future of Venezuela…. Another defeat for the North American empire. Another defeat for the devil. Down with imperialism." Rosales conceded Sunday night, saying he was up against "an entire state, all the power of a govt in all its structure and dimensions." "Tonight we have to recognize that they beat us," said Rosales, addressing supporters at his campaign headquarters. The governor of oil-rich Zulia state, Rosales mounted a challenge to Chavez in September after opposition parties belatedly rallied around him. Despite his decisive loss, observers credited Rosales with laying the groundwork for a new opposition movement. His campaign complained of several irregularities, including refusals by National Election Commission officials at some polls to open ballot boxes for audits, as is legally required, and the keeping of voting booths open past the deadline. Chavez and other govt officials said the election was a success with no "relevant" irregularities. "This is my fourth election where my govt has been tested, and you can see the dynamism and depth of Venezuelan democracy," Chavez said after arriving before noon at a polling place in the poor January 23rd neighborhood in Caracas, driving an old Volkswagen Beetle. "It's a happy day for Venezuela." Chavez, who was imprisoned after a failed coup attempt in 1992, was first elected in 1998 and reelected in 2000. He withstood a recall vote in 2004. Observers say he will waste little time in reshaping the Venezuelan Constitution to advance his "socialism for the 21st century," which includes opposition to U.S. economic policies, among them a regional free-trade agreement. Constitutional revisions probably will include unlimited reelections, Chavez told reporters. Without the change, his upcoming term would be his last. Carlos Escarra, a Chavez confidant and congressman, said in an interview Sunday that he and other legislators would meet this week with Chavez to plan for a sweeping new constitutional "architecture" that would strengthen the legal standing of presidential decrees, such as the transfer of ownership stakes in businesses and factories to worker cooperatives. Legislative approval of such a revision is considered a foregone conclusion because Chavez loyalists occupy all of the 165 seats in Congress. Opposition candidates boycotted congressional elections in December 2005. Opponents fear that the constitutional revisions might produce a more authoritarian state. Although acknowledging his popularity among Venezuela's poor, Chavez's critics say he has weakened democratic institutions by taking control of the judiciary, Congress and the military, leaving little room for dissent. "What is coming is not the deepening of the revolution, because there is none, but of the authoritarianism of Chavez," said historian Agustin Blanco Muñoz of the University of Central Venezuela. Human rights lawyer Asdrubal Aguilar fears that Chavez will use a constitutional assembly to "liquidate political plurality…. He wants to eliminate diversity and replace it with a personal relation with society." Voters waited hours to cast ballots. Lines stretched for blocks, and there were reports of polling machine failures. Opposition voters such as university student Sheila Bermudez, interviewed near the American School, claimed the breakdowns were "tortoise maneuvers" to discourage supporters of Chavez's opponent.

But long waits to vote were the norm even in pro-Chavez, lower-class neighborhoods such as Las Minas. Store manager Noreliza Iza said her three-hour wait was typical for Venezuelan elections and was "acceptable."

The Chavez victory had been predicted by virtually all pollsters, who cited his lavish spending on social programs and public works. Escarra said the victory would extend "the leadership of Chavez and Venezuela in the world."
Since last year, left-leaning candidates have won presidential elections in Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Bolivia, although not all adhere to Chavez's agenda. Escarra predicted that Chavez would "fill the leadership space" created by Castro's illness.

Chavez has rhetorically pummeled the United States in recent years while seeking to counter U.S. influence with oil-financed aid programs to Argentina, Bolivia and the Caribbean. Of most concern to the United States are his commercial relations with Iran and his arms deals with Russia.
Chavez this year signed agreements to buy scores of Russian military airplanes and helicopters. He also sealed a deal with Moscow to build an assault rifle factory here.
"Soon we will be selling them to countries in Latin America," Chavez told reporters last week.

Chavez also criticized Bush in the Thursday interview, saying the U.S. president would "not accept the new world is multipolar, that it won't kneel before the United States."
Chavez plans to launch additional massive public works projects, including lumber, steel and aluminum factory cities in eastern Venezuela, and to build another bridge over the Orinoco River, in addition to the $1.2-billion span opened last month.
The links to Brazil, as well as a proposed natural gas pipeline to Argentina, are part of Chavez's southward development push.

He said his plans also included extending trade relations with China, which announced $5 billion in planned investments here. China and Venezuela also established a $6-billion fund to finance social projects in Venezuela. Chavez also said he planned to increase the construction of subsidized housing, which totaled 120,000 units this year.
When he took office in 1999, Venezuela was "lost, a ship sinking at sea," Chavez told reporters. "Now Venezuela has direction…. Yes, we have committed mistakes, and there are many things left to do. That's why we are getting 6 more years."

Elected 12.98 Chavez inaugurated 2.99 deposed 4.12.02 restored 4.14.02 national referendum 7.99 to decide if new Constitution should be enacted. Constitution drawn up in record time & approved in natl referendum 12.15.99 Vz then hit by worst natural disaster in S.Am history, half a million homeless, estimated 50,000 lost their lives in floods & landslides. To re-legitimize his govt, asked country to approve or disapprove of what he had done for 18mo. in office. 7.30.00 Re-election returned Chavez Frias & his govt with resounding democratic majority.

Chavez returns to power 4.14.02   BBC Ousted Vz pres. Hugo Chavez made a dramatic return to power, 2 days after being forced out by the country's military. He formally resumed his presidential powers in a televised ceremony at the Miraflores presidential palace in the capital, Caracas. U.S., which had previously said Mr Chavez's ousting was not a coup, responded to his return with stern words. National Security Adv. Condoleezza Rice said Mr Chavez should heed the Vz people's message that his policies "were not working" and that he had dealt with them in a "high-handed fashion". Calling for national reconciliation, not a witch-hunt, she said: "We do hope that Mr Chavez... takes advantage of this opportunity to right his own ship which has, quite frankly, been moving in the wrong direction for some time." The UK welcomed Mr Chavez's return to power, saying that any change of government should be achieved by democratic means. Earlier, a helicopter carrying Mr Chavez landed near the palace after bringing him from the Caribbean island of Orchila, where he had been detained. The surprise turnaround came after the interim leader appointed to replace Mr Chavez resigned in the face of massive street protests and the loss of military support. Vice-President Diosdado Cabello was then sworn in as president, but said he was simply waiting to return the country to his ally, Mr Chavez. The smiling Mr Chavez raised his fist in jubilation as he moved through crowds of supporters into the Miraflores palace. "Venezuela would not tolerate an autocracy," Mr Chavez said, once inside the palace. After being formally reinstated, Mr Chavez made an emotional televised address, appealing for calm & national unity. Thousands of supporters sang the national anthem and set off fireworks, while a military band played. "Today we are celebrating a new democracy," said one man who grabbed a microphone to greet Mr Chavez. An unemployed man, wearing a tattered shirt, said: "The people want him back. He works for the poor." … Mr Chavez fell from power early on Friday after military leaders blamed him for the deaths of at least 13 people in violent anti-govt protests in the capital. The country had been in the grip of a national strike, triggered by workers at the state-owned oil firm PDVSA, who were angry at appt of Chavez supporters to the company's board. Mr Carmona, 60-year-old leader of the Fedecamaras business chamber, lost support after dissolving the National Assembly. He was soon forced to reverse his decision after armed forces chief General Efrain Vasquez said he would only support Mr Carmona if the congress was restored. He was then forced to suspend the inauguration of his new cabinet. While this was happening, police were firing water cannon & tear gas to disperse tens of thousands of Chavez supporters who had surrounded the presidential palace which had been taken over by troops loyal to Mr Chavez. Reports said at least 9 people had died in clashes between the police & demonstrators. It is still not clear whether General Efrain Vasquez will now back Mr Chavez. Several tv stations in Caracas have been taken over by supporters of Mr Chavez. U.S. denies backing Chavez plotters 4.16.02   BBC The Bush administration denies encouraging ousting of Vz Pres. Chavez. The statement follows reports in American press indicating that U.S. officials had met opponents of Mr Chavez. White House spokesman said Tue. that officials met Venezuelan opposition leaders but told them they would not support a coup. Chavez was reinstated Sunday amid big street protests by supporters against the military coup which removed him from power last week. U.S. State Dept told BBC they are withdrawing all non-essential diplomats & their dependents from the country, as well as warning Americans to avoid travelling there. The spokeswoman said the order was a precautionary move, amid fears of renewed political violence. The warning says Venezuela is currently a "volatile & unpredictable" country for Americans to visit. U.S. has withheld support for Mr Chavez, saying his return to power does not amount to a full restoration of Venezuelan democracy. Controversy surrounds the meetings held between the Bush administration and opposition leaders in Venezuela. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "Our message has been consistent. The political situation in Venezuela is one for the Venezuelans to resolve peacefully, democratically and constitutionally." One unidentified senior official quoted by NYTimes said that members of the Bush administration had met an anti- Chavez group several times in recent months, but the U.S. insisted the Venezuelans use constitutional means to remove Mr Chavez. "They came here to complain," the official said. "Our message was very clear: there are constitutional processes. We did not even wink at anyone." But a Defense Dept official said the administration's message was less categorical. "We were not discouraging people," the official said. "We were sending informal, subtle signals that we don't like this guy. We didn't say, 'No, don't you dare,' and we weren't advocates saying, 'Here's some arms; we'll help you overthrow this guy.' We were not doing that." Mr Chavez has called for national unity and on Monday announced talks on the way forward with state governors and local mayors, including those from the opposition. The planned meeting will name a reconciliation committee to give voice to opposition concerns. However, there appears to be no sign of reconciliation with the U.S. on the part of Mr Chavez. He says a plane with U.S. registration numbers was at an army airstrip on Venezuela's Orchila Island, one of 5 places he was held in captivity during his brief removal from power. Mr Chavez has also upset the Bush administration by announcing that Venezuela, world's 4th largest oil producer, will continue supplying oil to Cuba. The interim govt which briefly replaced Mr Chavez had decided to suspend the exports. Vz & Hugo Chávez Frías 10.13.99   M. L. Trigos-Gilbert Go Inside   José Vicente Rangel, Vz politician, "Who cares if you have freedom of speech if no one listens to what you have to say." In most democratic countries, democracy has proven to be limited. In Vz , there has been giant corruption running political & economic entities. N.American missionaries are concerned for crimes taking place due to new law that tries to take care of old unsolved legal cases. People have been in jail for 5 years, though crime merited two, and still have not been tried. The implemented law gave many freedom. There were few mistrials or appeals since there were few trials. Hugo Chávez decided this is not going to take place anymore. 11.14.99   Col. Hugo Chavez said he wanted to change the national flag if they win the elections. Currently Chavez is president & in the last elections won 120 of 131 Assembly seats. … Vz has new name with constitutional change: República Bolivariana de Venezuela. However, flag will remain same. per 5.28.00 campaign for affirmation plebescite 18mo. after election

Vz president names 3 women to his Cabinet 8.27.00   C. Toothaker AP CARACAS   Pres. Chavez appointed 3 "revolutionary" women as top ministers Sunday in what had previously been a male-dominated Cabinet. Chavez, re-elected to fresh 6 year term on July 30, stressed reshuffling 14 member Cabinet does not represent a change in the govt's economic & social policies. "Just like in a baseball game changes are made … but game strategy remains the same," Chavez said Sunday during his weekly radio program, "Hello President." Replaced labor minister served as vice president to special assembly which drafted a new constitution tailored to Chavez's specifications. New Commerce Minister is president of state import-export bank, and Deputy Health Minister will take the job of environment minister. These were not Chavez's first female appointments. Last year he named Atala Uriana, a Wayuu Indian, to the top environmental post. She left office after a few months to join the constitutional assembly. Chavez called all three new ministers "revolutionary women" who are dedicated to his self-proclaimed "peaceful and democratic revolution" in this nation of 23 million. Few Cabinet changes had been expected, despite heavy criticism by many business leaders & economic analysts of Chavez' economic team for its state-oriented economic policies. "This is more of a cosmetic change than anything else," said Teodoro Petkoff, former planning minister now director of a local newspaper critical of the govt. Analysts had speculated that VP Isaias Rodriguez, expert in labor law who is drafting a plan for Venezuela's new social security & pensions systems, could be named labor minister, but he was left in his post. Political analysts see Rodriguez as a moderate voice in the govt which has served to counterbalance Chavez' radical governing style and fiery leftist rhetoric. U.S. aid OK, but no troops in Venezuela, president says   1.13.00   B.Jones AP CARACAS   Vz Pres. Chavez declined an American offer yesterday to send two shiploads of troops and equipment to help after devastating floods, saying his country can handle the work on its own. The announcement came a day after Pentagon officials said one Navy ship had left from Norfolk, Va., en route to Venezuela, and another was scheduled to depart yesterday. USS Tortuga and the USS Nashville were to transport bulldozers, tractors & engineering equipment along with 450 Marine & Navy engineers who were to help clearing part of key coastal road damaged in floods last month. "I want to clarify before Venezuela & world that N.Am troops are not going to come to Venezuela," Chavez said. "If they want to send machines or other types of equipment we are open to that, and we are very thankful for the intention to help." US played key role in intl efforts to assist Venezuela, providing airplanes, ships, soldiers, water purification machines, medicine, money and other aid. Chavez accepted the initial U.S. aid with open arms. Chavez said yesterday that the disaster relief effort had moved into a second phase following rescue & evacuation of tens of thousands of flood survivors. Chavez's 'plane of shame' 4.16.02   Mike Ceaser BBC When hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans filled the streets of Caracas demanding the resignation of Pres. Chavez, one of many factors which fed their anger was the president's new aeroplane. Chavez was forced from office after military leaders turned against him, only to be returned to office 2 days later. The officers said they became disgusted with Mr Chavez's leadership after 13 people were shot dead and dozens wounded during a demonstration. The shooting may be seen as Mr Chavez's crucial error, but his decision to buy a new presidential Airbus A-319 was also seen as a blunder. Mr Chavez had ordered the plane after seeing one belonging to a sheik of the United Arab Emirates. While most Venezuelans agreed that the president's 30-year-old Boeing needed replacement, the new Airbus's $65m price tag struck many as outrageous in a nation with two-thirds of its people living in poverty. The plane became the subject of public ridicule. "I am totally convinced that the Airbus will not be much used by Chavez," wrote Martina de Jesus to the El Universal newspaper, "because Chavez will not have anywhere to go. Nobody invites him, nobody wants him as a visitor." But Mr Chavez's core supporters, primarily Venezuela's poor who feel disenfranchised & cheated by other govts, called the aeroplane controversy yet another attempt by the media to muddy the ex-president's image. Political analyst Manuel Malaver, critic of Mr Chavez, called the plane justifiable. "It is a luxury," he said. "But I wouldn't criticise it so much. It's true that the nation needed it." Chavez became sensitive to the issue, and the new plane was delivered to the country during the Easter Holiday and parked in the hangar of a provincial airport. The media caught only glimpses of the new plane, which newspapers nicknamed 'the plane of shame'. But the secrecy may have backfired, as exaggerated accounts proliferated about the plane's luxuries, including an account that said it had a whirlpool bath on board. The president, anxious to protect his image, declared that the plane was part of his "Bolivarian revolution for the poor". "You know what," he said in a radio address. "The [old Boeing] is going to be the first plane of a mass tourism company so that the poor people can go see [the national park] Canaima, so that they can go to the Caribbean islands." Chavez also embarked on a detailed economic analysis, pointing out that the plane cost only $3.75 per air mile in fuel, whereas the old Boeing cost $4.54. Chavez emphasised that the new plane had lower maintenance costs, longer flight time, and that despite all of this it could still carry more passengers. "See for yourselves the level of savings, in the middle & long terms," he said. "The savings are significant." During the last week of anti-Chavez demonstrations many protesters, who termed him a communist, carried signs calling for him to fly in his new plane to Cuba. In fact, Mr Chavez is yet to use the new plane, which would have belonged to his successors had he not been reinstated. first claims of vendido Chavez faces serious challenge in coming election 3.21.00   Global Intelligence Update

A new way for V^z might not be easy
2.18.99   Alexander's Oil&Gas Lat.Am rpt

Former coup leader Chavez takes office in V^z
2. 2.99   L.Newman CNN

Give V^z 's Chavez a chance
12.13.98   St Petersburg Times

10.1.00   commentary

V^z per Fed. Amer. Sci. also
Refugees 1 6/14/00
Resistance media:  

forums

Gay life in S.Africa cyberspace
1.3.00   "   M.Nel Daily Mail & Guardian

United Nations   research links

[ it is also bound, at least in principle, by the UN treaties it is signatory to. ]

… At border, Chavez said he's determined to "defend price of barrel of oil, which is of paramount importance for our people". "We agree with what Chavez is lobbying for", head of Iraqi Oil Ministry's economic section, Abdulillah al-Tikriti, told AP. US said Chavez's trip confers on Saddam legitimacy he doesn't deserve. U.S. State Dept spokesman Richard Boucher says it's "particularly galling" that first state visit to Iraq since Gulf War is being made by democratically elected leader.
Chavez, very popular at home, has record of bucking US foreign policy. He nurtured ties Cuba & China and hailed Libya as "model of participatory democracy". Chavez's Mideast tour has taken him to Kuwait, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & UAE. Unlike those OPEC states, Iraq is not part of cartel's quota system, but its exports of nearly 2.6 million barrels per day under U.N. aid program can in no way be ignored.

… Chavez Middle East trip designed to drum up support for 9/27/00 OPEC summit of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in Caracas. Saddam, who rarely leaves Baghdad because of security fears, was unlikely to attend. Chavez's visit has bore fruit in Iraq nonetheless. Iraqi Oil Ministry officials have said they regard V^z , previously notorious buster of OPEC production quotas, as "oil-producing partner" with whom they can coordinate plans to counter influence of heavyweight Saudi Arabia.
Chavez's visit also appears to have made Iraq change its view on his proposal for an oil price band, system under which OPEC members would automatically increase production if prices got to high & decrease if prices got too low. In past Iraq rejected idea. Chavez's goal is price of $25.

6/28/99 "Colombian Refugees in V^z Intimidated to Return, Paramilitary Offensive Endangers Lives"
HRts Watch   V^z & Colombia authorities recently intimidated refugees into returning to areas where they may face death. Letters V^z Pres. H.Chávez & Colombian Pres. Pastrana urging future Colombian refugees be allowed to remain in V^z until claims are thoroughly reviewed. "Families have been intimidated into returning to Colombia despite well-founded fear of paramilitary attacks." said J.M. Vivanco, exec.dir. Americas Div. Human Rights Watch. Forces under Carlos Castaño, leader of United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC), entered Catatumbo region of Colombia 5/29/99, detaining & killing people whose names appeared on lists. Colombia's Public Advocate reported paramilitaries at single roadblock killed at least twenty people & abducted up to fifteen more. As attacks continued, over 600 refugees, most women & children, left La Pista village for V^z . According to intl observers in V^z , more than 100 sought refugee status.
Instead, V^z govt transferred them to National Guard barracks, denying them access to UN Refugee HighCommission reps & other humanitarian groups. UNHCR was also barred from 6/11/99 meeting between V^z & Colombian authorities, who apparently agreed to repatriate refugees & ignore asylum claims. Also 6/11/99, V^z authorities allowed Colombian army colonel in charge of Catatumbo region to speak to refugees. Witnesses reported his intimidation that anyone who did not return or reported collaboration between army & paramilitaries would be considered guerrilla supporter. Families returned to Colombia despite continuing paramilitary offensive in region.
"A policy of intimidating or forcing refugees to return to Colombia without first guaranteeing their security can have devastating consequences," said Vivanco. He cited 1997 forced return of 300 Colombian refugees from Panamá. Several later appeared on death lists & at least one was murdered. Both Colombia & V^z signed UN Convention on Refugees & its later Protocol, which prohibit refoulement, or forced return, of refugees. Convention also obligates signatories to cooperate fully with UNHCR to assist refugees & ensure well-being & safety.
caseletter to Chavez (spanish)

Derechos Humanos V^z

9/15/00 " V^z Indians topple pylons to halt power line"
CARACAS Reuters Ltd   Indians in V^z 's remote Amazon region knocked down seven electricity pylons in renewed protest against high-voltage power line to Brazil being built through their ancestral homeland, a spokesman for the local Indigenous Federation said yesterday. Indigenous leaders said construction of the 470-mile (750-km) link was ruining their livelihood & affecting a fragile ecosystem across tracts of national parks and Amazonian forests. "A group of Indians opposed to the project knocked down the towers" on Wednesday morning in an area close to the Brazilian border, said the spokesman, who requested anonymity.
The action was confirmed by state power company Edelca, in charge of the delayed project. A spokesman said it was the first such incident since five electricity towers were knocked down a year ago in a similar protest. $400 million project to supply energy to N.E. Brazil & intl gold mining co. in V^z supposed to have been completed in December 1998. Line runs through Canaima National Park, V^z 's top tourist destination and home to Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall at over 3,200 feet (975 meters). Canaima was declared a World Heritage Site in 1994. About 24,000 Indians live in the area.

11/11/99 " V^z 's New Constitution to Include Indigenous" J.R.Leal
ENS   After weeks of negotiations that brought the constitutional process to a halt, a nearly unanimous vote has inclusion of indigenous peoples in V^z 's new constitution now being written. Representatives of each V^z indigenous ethnic group, chiefs & common Indians, elders and women carrying infants congregated for 2wks in Oct.99 & early Nov. in hallways of Congress where Natl Constitutional Assembly is writing new constitution for V^z . They were lobbying to be considered as natural warranters of V^z rainforest protection & preservation by being original inhabitants of the land.
Lawmakers, said granting rights with words "Indigenous Territories" & "Indigenous Peoples" pose future threats for natl sovereignity of V^z . One member brought out some old armed forces intelligence reports that talked about obscure links between indigenous communities & Colombian narco-guerrillas, & supposed existence of subversive Amerindian movement. Govt lawmakers passing from one chamber of Congress to another had to zig-zag between Indians with saddest of faces standing against background of placards attached to the walls, pictures of their lands before & after mining, signs reading "We Say NO to the Electric Line in Gran Sabana," & "For the Right to a Proper Education for Indigenous.

Their lives & cultures under assault as underground minerals of all kinds have attracted miners, from illegal garimpeiros to organized multinational projects such as Las Cristinas complex on Bolivar State. Epidemics of yellow fever decimated their populations brought by miners & others from outside world. Cattle & agricultural industries have destroyed their forest homes. But after 2 weeks of negotiations that brought constitutional process to a halt, on 11/3/99, nearly unanimous vote approved inclusion of indigenous peoples in new constitution. V^z indigenous people have constitutional rights as aboriginal peoples who need clean & pure habitat.
The words "indigenous peoples" and "indigenous habitat "will be in Constitution. "Territory" was changed for "habitat," said Asibulo Isturiz, Constituent member in charge of handling indigenous controversy, "because we can use concept "indigenous peoples" w/o worry in future used to declare Indigenous Free Determination. Habitat instead of territory was chosen also because indigenous people need more than just land, they need land pristine & pure, the forests, mountains & savannahs, the habitat where those Indians live. Isturiz said.

7/30/98 "Pemon Indians blockade intl hwy in fight against power project"
Mining & logging is big business surrounding Canaima Park; critics suspect abundant electricity catalyst for mining & logging inside Park itself. Recent report from UNESCO stated that project could well encourage mining and logging in park, yet the UN agency seems to have done little else to oppose it.
Fiona Watson, Co-ord. Campaigns for Survival, said is yet another so-called development project, which will leave the Pemon people worse, not better, off. It violates just about every national and international law guaranteeing their land rights.

[ it's not like the Pemon are off the grid. They have been doing fine for a long time with highly localized system using 7-8' poles easily replaced when needed according to other reports which are damned hard to translate well from Spanish ]

4/11/99 "FARC to announce the sentence against rebels who murdered US nationals"
Bogota AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE   FARC leader said would announce punishment to be meted out to rebels who killed three US citizens within the next two months, the Colombian Ombudsman has reported. The rebel leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Manuel Marulanda, known as "Sureshot", refused to be drawn on what the sentence might be, Jose Fernando Castro said Saturday. That would have to await the outcome of an internal investigation, Marulanda told him. And although he admitted that the killing of the three US activists was a "grave error," he was steadfast in his refusal to hand the culprits over to Colombian or US authorities.
Marulanda made the pledge in a meeting Friday with Castro in a so-called demilitarized zone designated for peace talks between the FARC, the country's largest and best-equipped insurgency, and President Andres Pastrana's govt. Kidnapped on February 25, found in March just inside Venezuela's border with Colombia. Their bodies were riddled with bullets and bore signs of torture. The leader of the division responsible for the executions, led by Commander Gildardo, murdered the three US citizens without consulting the FARC leadership, according to Marulanda.

3/6/99 "US kidnapping victims dead"
The Guardian   3 bodies found near Venezuela's border with Colombia yesterday were believed to be those of Americans kidnapped in Colombia on Jan.25. The authorities said they had been shot. Seized at reservation 200 miles from Bogota, where they were working with the U'wa Indians, who won a lawsuit against Occidental Petroleum in 1997 that prevented the Los Angeles-based company from exploratory drilling on traditional U'wa territory. United Press reported today that the bodies of three US, two Indian & one young Colombian environmental activist were found bound & blindfolded Thursday in field just across the Arauca river in Venezuela by a farmer who heard a volley of gunshots and went to investigate.

4/26/98 pixotes street kids   V^z youth at risk*
10/29/94 "V^z Crime wave"
The Economist   … sprawling makeshift slums that ring the capital. But the bloodbath acted out every week under the bare light-bulbs of the barrios … Around 60% of Caraquenos live in these slums. Many are people, or their children, who flocked in from the countryside - even from other countries - in the oil-boom days of the 1970s. Then, as a local saying puts it, life was ``easier than a low-hanging mango''. Not now. The economy has shrunk - as has the flow of state handouts. … bloody riots of 1989, when unofficial estimates claim that 2,000 people died in the crackdown.

Development Pgm incl Human development Report
Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organisation re K
Refugee index   FIDH   regional & national news
U.N. 1999 Refugee midyear report   2000 report pdf
Decolonization UN

House

US is V^z 's most important trade partner, but preferential agreements between V^z & other Latin America countries put U.S. exports at disadvantage. US will work to increase access of US goods, services & investments to V^z market through bilateral agreements, planned Free Trade of the Americas Agreement (FTAA) & WTO commitments. V^z is major importer of US products, with a current purchasing level of $5.4 billion dollars (18% lower than previously as result of current V^z recession). US continues active outreach program to inform US companies about opportunities in V^z market, with special emphasis on small & medium sized exporters.
V^z 's economy remained in sharp recession in 1999; temporary dip in oil prices & political uncertainty caused sharp decline in investment. USG encourages broad-based growth through continued economic reform, incl economic diversification and reduced spending on nonproductive activities and negotiation of bilateral investment treaty.

State Dept 1999 Human Rights, Trade, Narcotics< /a> , Terrorism & Intl Religious Freedom reports re V^z

9/21/00 "DIAMONDS: THE ROAD FROM KIMBERLEY" Peter Hain
FCO Minister to Diamonds Conf. Pretoria
As Britain's Minister for Africa … we invite other producing, processing & importing states, such as Brazil & Venezuela, which have not been part of the Kimberley process. And others, such as Australia and India, which have had some or only very recent involvement in Kimberley.
3rd UK/Carib. Forum Georgetown GY 2002

[ In S.Am, guerrillas FARC et al have shown tremendous ethical standards in establishing alternative infrastructure and restraint with individual murders but no massacre or noncombatant terrorism.
In Africa, you have cannibals slaughtering anyone within reach as std operating procedure.
But America wants to go to war in Colombia while in Africa US refuses to commit troops after its corpses dragged down mainstreet. ]

[ corporate welfare never sleeps ]

[ same Harken GWBush crashed & burned for his first insider trading fortune ]

V^z zlanet.com/oil/>oil report
San Jose Accord, agreement whereby V^z and Mexico supply oil to region on easy terms. 10/2/00 Chávez announced Caracas Energy Pact signed 10/19/00 with dozen Cent.Am & Caribbean countries, among them Cuba, to supply 80,000 barrels a day to the region. Chávez disclosed 10/6/00 Cuba would pay for the oil with "medical services & consultation in sports". It ofers oil at cheaper rates and easier terms but leaves out Guyana

9/30/00 "OPEC summit, oil reserves help stabilize oil prices"   T.Carl
CARACAS AP   OPEC's summit this week, coupled with U.S. decision to release oil from its reserves, stabilized oil prices though producers failed to make commitments to pump more. Pres. Hugo Chavez said OPEC could increase production if necessary, although the oil cartel claims current production is enough. … Light sweet crude price $30.84 a barrel Friday on NYMercEx, up 50 cents from Thursday but well below the 10-year highs of mid-September $36barrel. If OPEC fulfills promise to increase Oct. output by 800k barrels/day. OPEC ended second summit in 40 years pledging to put aside longtime differences among its members and unite to demand "fair" stable oil prices. Only two years ago, OPEC was on deathbed with $10barrel crude.
Underscoring unity theme, foes Iran & Iraq held highest-level meeting since 1997 on Friday to discuss upgrading diplomatic relations frayed since 1980-88 war, another victory from Aug. ME tour incl Iraq for Chavez, who spent much of summit championing developing nations rights & criticizing industrialized world for high oil taxes. Chavez also was driving force behind OPEC production cuts starting last year. He made sure Caracas spruced up for summit. T.Petkoff, editor-in-chief of Tal Cual opposition newspaper frequently critical of Chavez, praised the president's summit efforts.

9/26/00 "Oil boom brings no relief to Venezuelan poor"
LA TAZAJERA V^z Reuters   Most residents of slum in V^z oil heartland have no drinking water, toilet or electricity. So where are the benefits of soaring fuel prices that enraged Western consumers? As heads of OPEC gather in Caracas amid pleas from developed nations to lower oil prices, dirt streets & tumbledown shacks of La Tazajera on the shore of Lake Maracaibo show no signs of bonanza. "This is a forgotten village. It has been here for years and the govt has ignored it," said 35-year-old Nava, part of an army of unemployed in the slums of Maracaibo who scavenge for part-time work in the oil industry.
Dusty village is typical of the South American nation, where more than half the population lives in poverty despite the biggest oil reserves outside Middle East. 1960s heyday, when V^z was world's largest oil exporter & Caracas one of its most expensive cities, is long gone. First sight of Caracas is dirt-poor shanties that spill down mountainside, housing 2 million, a third of capitol's 6 million inhabitants. For oil-rich western state of Zulia, Lake Maracaibo oil has brought its own problems.

1,000 people of La Tazajera are sheltered by 20ft embankment from polluted waters of South America's largest lake, where hundreds of oil rigs stretch to the horizon producing more than a million barrels of crude a day, about half of Venezuela's oil exports. Dike is starting to crack. OPEC founding member V^z embarked on 1960 disastrous nationalization experiment that slashed its oil production and killed off foreign investment nationalization . Billions of dollars from oil exports encouraged a bloated nanny state & lined corrupt politicians' bank accounts. Volatile fuel prices pitched economy from boom to bust for 3 decades, eroding living standards & bringing V^z once- flourishing middle class to its knees.
Nevertheless, petroleum remains a sacred cow. Govt attempt to remove fuel subsidies in 1989 provoked bloody demonstrations; V^z gasoline remains among the cheapest in the world, about 1/10 of price in Europe. Although oil industry employs only about 30,000 people from 24million population, promise of work there still represents an escape from poverty for ordinary Venezuelans.
Rueben Mavarez, a 12-year-old from Maracaibo who pitched his baseball team to the Little League World Series last month, described his dream as either to play for the Atlanta Braves or work in state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). For Javier Blanco, 53, who joined PDVSA 20yrs ago amid optimism of nationalization, the lure of oil is still a good wage & guarantee of job for life. "Oil has been our past and it will be our future for a long time to come," he said, on the deck of a drilling rig in Lake Maracaibo. Like predecessors, leftist Pres. Chavez pledged to end V^z reliance on oil which accounts for 3/4 of exports. But, after 20 months, his govt is more reliant than ever on high oil prices to fund runaway spending & boost recovery from last year's recession.

Chavez rebutted pressure from Western govts to lower cost of fuel. Chavez billed this week's summit as forum to consolidate support for strong oil prices, which he describes as "fair" for needs of developing nations of OPEC.Despite oil riches, V^z like other Latin American states has fallen victim to demographics. Its population tripled in 40 years amid a wave of immigrants and a baby boom. Urban migration created rambling shanties, home to millions of young families, often dangerously lacking any urban planning or basic infrastructure. One such shantytown was El Larense, which sprang up beside an oil pipeline in the outskirts of Maracaibo. Henrique Colinas, 23, moved there 6 years ago in search of work, abandoning the rural town of Mene Grande, cradle of V^z oil industry. When oil duct outside their homes burst 5mo. ago, villagers had minutes to gather belongings before oil caught fire & razed 24 houses to the ground.
"If it had been night, about 200 people would have died, because that was all houses before," Colinas said, gesturing to a barren patch of land beside his corrugated iron shack. With pressing economic needs, ecological issues have taken back seat in oil development. Defunct wells abandoned in Lake Maracaibo now home to colonies of oil-black cormorant and local boys practicing their diving. El Larense is one of handful of shanties around oil installations of Lake Maracaibo to suffer environmental damage. In some, the state has tried to improve housing & services and limit pollution problems. Mirage of V^z's oil wealth still persists in these sweltering slums. People of La Tazajera & El Larense are waiting for govt to resettle them, encouraged by promises from the populist Chavez. "Venezuela is a rich country, with oil and plenty of land. … They must move us from here, give us dignified homes," said Nava, invoking the oil mantra of V^z poor.

8/15/00 "Chavez drives OPEC & oil higher" A.Touati
Algiers Reuters   As oil price hits highest levels since Gulf War, V^z President Hugo Chavez is still encouraging OPEC leaders to stand together to keep oil prices "fair". Sept. crude oil prices US$31 per barrel in response to lower supply and have risen some 15% in last 2 weeks. At end of tour of member states Chavez said any fall in prices below the present level would be like passing a "death sentence" for producers like V^z . He added that the cartel should never fall on its knees again. "We have made an evaluation of all the scenarios during this tour & we insisted on necessity of keeping just prices." Many OPEC countries suffered budget shortfalls in after the oil price crash of 1998 and 1999. Since March 1999, when change of V^z govt brought OPEC's worst output quota buster into line, cartel enjoying rare period of unity & prosperity with relatively high levels of quota compliance.
After fuelling sky-high oil prices last year with drastic export curbs, Chavez seeking to raise political profile of organisation that fell into obscurity for years as result of political disputes, quota busting and even war. Chavez hopes time is right for tighter integration in fractious cartel as it approaches its 40th birthday by touring world to invite member states of OPEC to cartel's first summit in 25 years in Caracas at the end of Sept.

Jan.00 DOE country report Hugo Chávez won V^z 's presidential election 12/98 with 56% of vote, running on populist agenda against established political order. Chávez has won overwhelming support from V^z 's poor, ½ of population, and hope to benefit from Chávez's promises of higher living standards and ending corruption. V^z endured difficult economic conditions in last few years. 1999 Oil price recovery insufficient to reverse contraction of the economy. Devastating floods & mudslides ravaged V^z 12/99 & added another financial burden to country, killing as many as 50,000, leaving over 100,000 homeless, and destroying businesses and public buildings. Economic conditions are expected to improve this year, especially if oil prices remain strong. Positive GDP growth rate predicted for 2000, after negative rates in 3 of last 5 years.
Pres.Chávez introduced important changes in recent months. 131-member Constituent Assembly rewrote 1961 constitution which passed overwhelmingly in 12/99 public referendum. New constitution increases presidential term from 5 to 6years & allows president to run for re- election. Senate eliminated and opposition-dominated Congress suspended until new elections expected in late winter or early spring 2000). Military's political influence increased, & civilian control over military has decreased. Govt control over economy increased, reducing autonomy of the Central Bank. Military officers' postings now incl head the Central Budget Office & Chief of Staff. In early January 2000, the Infrastructure Minister resigned in the wake of Chávez's decision to appoint an army general as head of a state urban development body.

[ these are populist reforms ? Challenged on staffing govt from military ranks, Chavez replies "I work with those who get the job done." ]

[ that's populist reform ]

[ $3 million FY2001 in MilEd & NarcTrng aid to protect brand new billion dollar loan in a country led by new constitution & sanction busting, OPEC cheerleading populist. Leads to wonder how much of $billion US goods are munitions. ]

1/13/00 "ExportImport Bank $100million to finance Ven. natl oil co. capital equipt. purchase"
Export-Import Bank of US $100 million medium-term credit guarantee facility will finance export of US capital equipment and services to support oil exploration, production, refining and other activities by subsidiaries of Petroleos de V^z , S.A. PDVSA, V^z 's govt-owned oil company.

11/25/99 Daily Mail & Guardian   … oil price rocketing since reiteration of Saudi Arabia, V^z & non-OPEC Mexico commitment to cuts until the end-March expiry. Iraq's announcement it will also suspend crude exports under oil-for-food deal with UN sent crude shooting to $26barrel last week.

6/16/99 "Chavez Frias orders troops to oilfields to protect investments" P.J. O'Donoghue
VHeadline   After picket lines disrupted work at eastern Anzoategui Jose industrial complex, and in major move to protect foreign investments, President Hugo Chavez Frias asked Defense Minister General Raul Salazar to increase the presence of troops at Venezuela's oil installations. … protesters, egged on by trade union officials, blocked entrances to stop workers from entering "commandeering 4 trucks carrying propane … the protesters opened the taps several times, allowing gas to escape to preempt teargas attacks from the National Guard (GN) riot squad." Utilty co. complains a disaster could have occurred if the gas had ignited.

10/26/99 " V^z president denounces public sector strike"
World Socialist Web   Hugo Chavez, V^z 's populist president, denounced thousands of public employees who marched to protest his policies. Set to strike next week, Workers demand almost $4 billion back wages owed since 1997 & 20% raise approved in May yet to take effect. Chavez, on official Singapore visit, threatened public workers, "I am not afraid to fight, so come on. I love a street fight." He claimed that protests are being politically orchestrated by his opponents.

2/16/99 "Iran to Dispatch Delegations to Region Aiming to Boost Oil Prices
Tehran Times … MidEast Economic Survey noted sharp 250,000 bpd reduction in V^z production which it said marked distinct tightening of that country's compliance with output cut program under new regime of President (Hugo) Chavez. V^z produced 2.95 million bpd in January, still above its quota of 2.845 million.

3/6/00 "Malaysian Firms Eye Peru's Amazon Jungle"
LIMA IPS   Malaysian logging companies, which already chopped down the forests in their own country & are currently exploiting more than 1.5 million hectares of Brazil forest, have now set their sights on Peru's Amazon jungle. ''With the support of several representatives of Peruvian logging co., the Malaysian group is lobbying Congress and maneuvering to delay and gut the bill on forests and fauna, which was to be enacted last year,'' said Roger Rumrrill, intl consultant on matters involving the Amazon jungle.

VenBusiness Portal de Economía y Finanzas de V^z

7/97 The Rothschilds of the Mafia on Aruba Transnational Organized Crime v.3 #2   In September 1992 the Cuntreras, top level Sicilian mafioso whose extended clan were the money launders for both US & Europe in effectively equidistant Ariba, were expelled from Vz . 'A failed coup d'état [ Chavez went to prison for his role ] shocked the country & there was widespread unrest. The govt was anxious to show firmness in matters of security,' says Vladimir Gessen, head of Vz Anti-Narcotics Comm. In surprise action, the brothers were apprehended, held incommunicado and were almost secretly smuggled out of the country, as if it concerned one of their own drug transports. It was imperative they could not contact people on the outside who could have used their political connections to stop the expulsion. In 1983 Italian police summarized investigations in Bono+159 report identifying Cuntrera & Caruana as pivot of well organized network moving heroin up to US & money down. It was the first time the clan was thoroughly examined. In fact, police had uncovered part of supply line for Pizza Connection. But, while US Pizza Connection trial resulted in conviction of significant segment of network, authorities didn't find real link between North-America & Sicily in Vz , where the Cuntrera-Caruana clan had set up their headquarters at the start of the 1970s, buying hotels and founding a string of businesses in Caracas and Valencia. Most intriguing of dozens Cuntrera- Caruana enterprises was cattle-breeding co. on extended ranch in Barinas state, close to Colombian border. It had its own private airstrip. Vz intelligence-service DISIP special task-force looked at farm called Ganaderia Rio Zapa, established in 1971. Shareholders of firm represented creme-de-la-creme of Mafia heroin-movers in those days. DEA spotted them investigating Napoli brothers of NY Gambino Family. Antonio Napoli had moved to Vz & was partner in Cuntrera business. At time DEA HQ figured the trail irrelevant; nevertheless, special agent Tom Tripodi sent to Caracas. DEA-analyst Mona Ewell told reporter Claire Sterling that Tripodi 'came back with the whole thing'. "We saw Cuntreras & Caruanas. Security around their homes was incredible. … They had control in Vz like you wouldn't believe. … We saw their businesses, all fronts for paper- shuffling. What these people handled was money. Their names had been coming up for years on the money. Historically, they worked money. They did it for cocaine as well as heroin … It was tremendous operation, and going on a long, long time. In 1984, money laundering was not a crime in Vz . The clan used Aruba as trampoline for cocaine to North America. Island has been smugglers' paradise, since colonial times. Most of the merchandise went to Maicao, a semi-legal staple-town in Colombia at Vz border on La Guajira peninsula. Its national representative is senator S. S.L.Gutierrez, better known as the Marlboro Man. Like father before him, Santa the Marlboro Man made his fortune smuggling cigarettes and liquor. La Guajira was place of bonanza marimbero, 1970s marijuana boom, when U.S. discovered Colombian. Cocaine replaced marijuana when Col.govt under US pressure sprayed the fields with pesticides. 'In 1983 Vz currency, bolivar, collapsed on account of debt-crisis, & bills could not be payed to the Arubans any more.' Then it really started. Smuggling economy needed re- structuring. Whole infrastructure was turned around: now it was used for cocaine trafficking & money laundering. … clan has had some serious set-backs with the arrest and conviction of some of their most prominent bosses in 1996. 4/12/00 "DEA Congressional Testimony, Michael S. Vigil Special Agent in Charge, Caribbean Field Division DEA, US DoJ Before Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy & Human Resources 3 primary smuggling routes for cocaine through Haiti: from Colombia into Haiti via general aviation conducting airdrops at sea from source countries, via Panama or Venezuela, by commercial shipping. from source countries, via Panama or Venezuela, in coastal vessels or fishing vessels. Operation Columbus: Multi-national regional effort involving island nations of Caribbean in addition to Colombia, Venezuela & Panama. Operation focused on air, land, & maritime interdiction, eradication &anp; clandestine airstrip denial. DEA's Santo Domingo Country Office and Trinidad & Tobago Country Office served as the northern and southern command posts. UNICORN system, Unified Caribbean On-Line Regional Network where DEA loans equipt to participating agencies, provides training to host-nation counterparts, as well as installing & implementing system, used to facilitate exchange of actionable intelligence. Op.Columbus's principle objectives: Development of cohesive/cooperative environment among source & transit countries, Disruption of drug trafficking activities, consolidation of the counterdrug efforts in the Caribbean transit zone, continued development of a comprehensive regional strategy. Op.Columbus planned & initiated by Caribbean Field Division to severely impact drug trafficking activities in the Caribbean & source country areas. Columbus was implemented through interdiction & eradication efforts, enforcement operations involving the use of undercover agents, confidential sources, Title III intercepts, and surveillance. Operation Conquistador: 17-day multinational drug enforcement operation involving 26 countries of the Caribbean, Central & South America. Operation was simultaneously launched 3/10/00 in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Anguila, St. Martin, British Virgin Islands, Barbuda, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Aruba, Curacao, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Primary objective of Operation Conquistador was to develop an effective regional strategy intended to disrupt drug trafficking activities & criminal organizations operating throughout the Caribbean. Main objectives development of cohesive & cooperative environment between source & transit countries; integration within each country of all counterdrug entities; continued development of a comprehensive regional strategy; Facilitate exchange of information between the participating countries with the use of UNICORN; mentoring & training of counter-drug entities in host countries ; Impact & disrupt drug trafficking organizations in the Caribbean area & source countries. Command & control of operation was executed from DEA Caribbean Field Division in San Juan, PR, with forward command posts in Trinidad & Tobago and Dominican Republic. US Coast Guard provided expanded presence of interdiction assets throughout the Caribbean and executed air & maritime command and control of sea & airborne drug interdiction assets from all countries. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms BATF conducted traces of all seized weapons. Operation concluded on March 26, 2000. Although arrests & seizures in Operation Conquistador were extremely impressive, they were secondary to the cooperation & coordination among 26 countries that participated in this endeavor. Despite limited resources & infrastructure in many of the countries, all responded with notable efforts & results. Throughout the duration of the operation, all participantsexchanged information with each other through the UNICORN system.

Vz govt unhelpful in war against drugs, U.S. says   The declaration is likely to further sour relations between the countries. Chavez govt says America has no right to label others as pariahs.   9.16.05 Paul Richter, Chris Kraul L.A. Times Wash.D.C.   The Bush administration declared Thursday that Venezuela had failed to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking, a move likely to worsen already strained relations between the countries. The administration said the govt of Hugo Chavez had reduced anti-drug cooperation with U.S., replaced qualified drug officials with unqualified political loyalists and, through neglect, allowed more narcotics to flow through its borders to U.S. and Europe. Venezuela "has been a disappointment," Office of National Drug Control Policy dir. John P. Walters, told reporters, adding that Chavez "acts as if he no longer wants a productive relationship with U.S." The administration's move, part of a congressionally required report, came amid continuing friction between Washington and Chavez, a populist with strong ties to Cuba who has expressed strong anti-U.S. sentiment. Washington has charged that Chavez is a regional troublemaker who is undermining democratic institutions in Vz and threatening to destabilize neighboring countries through support for radical leftist groups. Vzn officials, anticipating the move in recent weeks, have complained publicly that U.S. has no right to label others as pariahs. An official at the Vz Embassy in Washington declined to comment on Thursday's declaration. Although it does not involve financial penalties, branding Vz uncooperative in the fight against drugs is a symbolic slap that is certain to anger the Chavez govt. U.S. is required to cut off aid to countries that do not cooperate in the anti-drug effort. In this case, the White House waived the requirement so it could continue to fund a series of small programs aimed at developing political parties and other democratic institutions in Vz. That move also may annoy Chavez: The administration hopes to continue to fund groups that may include some of the Vz president's political opponents, analysts said. The move "reflects a bilateral relationship that has steadily deteriorated," said Peter DeShazo, who was State Dept second-ranking diplomat for Latin America until last year and is now director of the Americas Program at the Ctr for Strategic and Intl Studies in Washington. A significant amount of Colombian cocaine and heroin passes through lightly protected borders into Vz en route to U.S., officials say. In past years, Vz has cooperated with DEA efforts to monitor and impede the flow of drugs from laboratories in the Colombian jungle. Those efforts have suffered as relations between Washington and Caracas have grown increasingly strained. In July, Vz complained that DEA agents were spying on the govt, and suspended some cooperative undercover operations, including so-called controlled deliveries, or sting operations, involving drug shipments originating in or passing through the country. The U.S. has since suspended visas of 2 Vz national guard officers suspected of being involved in drug trafficking. Vz officials have recently said they would like to build a new relationship. U.S. law enforcement agents who asked not to be named expressed dissatisfaction in interviews this week over a new U.S.-Vz "working agreement." It gives U.S. agents less latitude in carrying out anti-drug operations compared with British and Russian agents fighting organized crime there. In a news conference with Walters, acting asst secretary of State for narcotics and law enforcement Nancy J. Powell said Thursday's declaration resulted from the Vz govt's refusal to cooperate in anti-drug efforts and data-sharing programs and from a "negative publicity campaign" against the DEA. The U.S. process that determines whether a country is deemed to be cooperating in the war on drugs has long been controversial among Latin American officials who question whether the nation that is responsible for the lion's share of demand should be censuring others. Some analysts wondered whether the U.S. "name and shame" approach would bring more cooperation or further complicate a troubled relationship. "Whatever substance there is to Vz authorities' cooperating or not will be different to extract from the now-spiraling political conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela," said Washington Office on Latin America sr associate John Walsh. "The drug war is now one more politicized issue in U.S.- Vz relations." Wash.D.C. thin-tank Inter-American Dialogue Caribbean programs dir. Daniel Erikson said the relationship between the countries had been repeatedly buffeted by events, including a comment last month by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that the U.S. should assassinate Chavez. "Given the whole political climate … it's going to be like getting Humpty Dumpty together again when it comes to U.S.-Vz cooperation," Erikson said. The annual drug report named one other country, Myanmar, as failing to cooperate on anti-drug work. The nation has also been named in previous years. 3/27/98 "Cop may get new trial in case linking CIA to drug trafficking" BROWARD DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW pB1   Allegations of CIA involvement in drug trafficking from S.Am could mean new trial for former Miami-Dade police officer 1/5/98 "Contra-Crack Guide: Reading Between the Lines" J.Meldon Miami Herald   Vz Natl Guard Gen. Ramon Guillen-Davilla was indicted on charges of shipping up to 22 tons of cocaine to US between 1987 & 1991. According to the Miami Herald, Guillen was the CIA's most trusted man in Vz and the senior official collaborating with the CIA on narcotics control. Guillen claims CIA knew all along what he was doing. To date he has successfully resisted extradition, but accomplice Adolfo Romero Gomez was convicted in Miami last October on cocaine trafficking charges. Key witness testified that he overheard Romero and Guillen discussing deals with the Cali cartel. 2/16/97 "Drug war often finds CIA at odds with DEA" D.LaGesse Geo.Rodrigue Dallas Morning News pJ1   Interagency relations reached nadir a few years ago when DEA & CIA clashed over Vz Gen. Ramon Guillen Davila. Drug enforcement officials say CIA counterparts let Gen. Guillen ship at least a ton of cocaine to the U.S.. CIA spokesmen say two of their agents made regrettable decisions in case. They say the agency does not condone allowing drugs into the country even when it might advance US foreign intelligence goals. But CIA went too far in helping the Vz become a CIA informant, former & current DEA officials have said. From 1987 to 1991, Gen. Guillen was in charge of National Guard unit partly financed by the CIA. CIA agent wanted it to smuggle cocaine in an effort to infiltrate a Colombian cartel. DEA officials say they warned the CIA the operation violated federal law. Fed. law enforcement agencies are forbidden from letting drugs reach US streets through investigations such as sting operations or working up chain of criminal syndicate. Gen. Guillen went forward anyway with cocaine scheme under supervision of his CIA contacts in Vz, DEA officials say. Customs agents later intercepted 1990 shipment of 1,000 lbs [ sic. was kilos, not lbs ] at Miami airport & traced it to Gen. Guillen. Other shipments had already made it to America's streets, according to DEA officials. Last November, Miami grand jury returned sealed indictment against Gen. Guillen, who remains in Vz. One CIA agent resigned after the incident. Another was transferred. The case illustrates the risk of working alongside the CIA, whose agents operate in secret and aren't responsible for enforcing U.S. laws, some former DEA agents say. "It's very dangerous to have intelligence people involved in the drug-smuggling business in any way, shape or form," said Tom Cash, former DEA agent in Miami. But administration of former President George Bush felt CIA had unique assets & abilities for counter-drug effort, and increased the agency's role. To help bridge the distrust, the CIA in 1989 established its Counter Narcotics and Crime Center, similar to its Counter Terrorism Center that opened in 1986. DEA joined after the interagency clash over Gen. Guillen's case in Vz. Program worked well while he was involved in the early 1990s, said Roger Mackin, a former CIA official. "But it is very personality dependent," he said. Colleagues also look suspiciously at participants, said Mr. Wankel, who worked within the interagency effort. "I was not real popular within the DEA." Interagency work led directly to the arrest of leading traffickers in Cali, Colombia, he and and other officials agree. "Five years earlier, there was nobody even dreaming of being able to do something like that," said Mr. Mackin. The agencies agreed to a "linear kingpin" strategy that targeted specificnarcotics organizations. Instead of the DEA making as many cases as it could, or the CIA gathering as much information as it could, they agreed to pursue cartels until they had arrested their leaders. The intelligence community now routinely provides more timely information - tactical intelligence rather than long-term, strategic analysis, participants agree.

11/24/96 "U.S. reportedly indicts Venezuelan general" St. Petersburg Times   The smuggling took place while he was chief of Venezuela's National Guard anti-drug bureau between 1987 and 1991, according to the newspaper. Guillen is living in Venezuela. The sealed indictment in Miami did not implicate the CIA in the drug-trafficking, the Herald said. In 1992 Guillen was arrested in Venezuela on charges of drug trafficking, and was released several months later when the charges were revoked by a Venezuelan judge. "CIA, COCAINE AND DEATH SQUADS" According to Annabelle Grimm, official of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency interviewed by CBS "60 Minutes." ( 11/20 NY Times first broke story), "I really take great exception to fact that 1,000 kilos came in funded by US taxpayer money," said Grimm. A thousand kilos is over a ton of pure cocaine. 1990 shipment arranged by Mark McFarlin of CIA, previously in El Salvador where he worked with "anti-guerrilla forces" in the early 1980s. What possible reason could CIA give for arranging to ship a ton of cocaine into the U.S., where it was then sold on the streets? It was done to "gain the confidence" of Colombian drug traffickers, explained the agency. 1991 CIA drug-smuggling event Ms. Grimm described was later found to be much larger. Florida grand jury & Wall St Journal reported it to involve as much as 22 tons. Gen. R. Guillen-Davilla indicted just days after CIA dir. John Deutch left Los Angeles in 1996. Guillen is an acknowledged CIA asset/agent & was storing the cocaine in a CIA warehouse.

Pentagon

U.S. 'contractors' fight Colombia drug war
3.2.01   Jared Kotle Project

Defense Dept support to V^z relief
12.21.99 DoD News Briefing K.H.Bacon

Also delivered a lot of bottled water, chlorine & iodine. 2nd, delivered fwd air refuel pkg FARP to refuel copters from air & ground. Already hundreds of sorties evacuated 4,000 people & delivering supplies. 2 teams, Engineering & Medical Assessment. Tragically, supplying body bags by thousands. Humanitarian goods from OFDA, State Dept office of foreign disaster relief, pledged $3million of blankets, medicines, body bags coming in 727s from Miami have been taking that material in.

US SouthCom Gen. Wilhelm outlines counterdrug strategy"
6.22.00   USIS

Wash.D.C.   Transnational threats associated with illegal drug trafficking are greatest menace to peace & prosperity in the Western Hemisphere, Gen. Charles Wilhelm, commander-in-chief of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee panel.
"In region that fears no external power, essentially at peace with itself, and on per-capita basis, spends less on arms than any other region of the world, transnational threats are greatest dangers to regional stability. Corrupting influences of drug trafficking, money laundering & organized crime are undermining the foundations of democracy & impeding economic development," he said.

U.S. counterdrug strategies in region against these transnational threats based on conviction that drug trafficking organizations "are not invulnerable," Wilhelm said. "With right amount of effort, drug trafficking profit reduced."
Gen.Wilhelm plans for supporting ongoing counterdrug activities & all U.S. forces' withdrawal from Panama by year end. Initiatives for greater coordination within region. Colombia "is headed in the right direction." Now produces 75% of world's cocaine & its govt lacks control over nearly 40% of countryside.
Wilhelm "cautiously optimistic" military restructuring & govt efforts to negotiate settlement with insurgent groups will make Colombia's security forces "more competitive" in the anti-drug war. Cent.Am countries more aggressive stance against narcotics trafficking & increasing US support incl maritime agreements with several countries for drug interdiction efforts and has provided tactical airlift support for host nations, "enabling them to respond instantly to intelligence cues," Wilhelm said.

Joint Task Force Bravo located at Soto Cano Air Base in Republic of Honduras, represents main presence in Cent.Am for US military. JTF-Bravo is primary agent for Commander in Chief, U.S. S.Command to promote multinational cooperation in Joint Area of Operations. The JAO includes Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, & Belize.
SecDef Cohen in
In 1998 28 U.S. troops in V^z .
V^z armed forces

NGOs damage control Vz disaster relief S.Am. links Lat.Am. links environment Youth orchestra in Vz targets troubled kids 8.1.00   AP New youth orchestra organized in Vz this past year is helping former street kids & gang members; first in Latin America whose members are former street kids, gang members, drug users, & abused children it's one of 162 youth orchestras founded in Vz since 1975 by Natl System of Children's Orchestras, organization that uses donations & govt grants to bring music to this poor S.American nation. Last year, organization decided to start symphony in Gustavo Machado Center, facility that offers refuge & therapy to disturbed & abused children in Vz . Organizers pleased with accomplishments in its first year. Of 52 boys & girls ages 9 thru 17, many given up drug habits & shown increased self-confidence & diligence in their education. On two successful tours this year, orchestra gave 12 concerts, performing for President Hugo Chavez at nation's premier theater. Many other students expressed interest in joining; orchestra's impact is likely to intensify.

Co-operative Republic of Guyana per UTx embassy timeline Vz dispute In June 1997 Clinton admin prepared to send new ambassador to GY apparently unaware that prospective nominee helped to undermine the restored leader. … After Jagan left Wash.D.C. 10.25.61, Kennedy met in secret with his top national security officers. Still-classified documents depict in unusual detail a direct order from the president to unseat Jagan, say govt officials familiar with the secret papers. Though many presidents have ordered the CIA to undermine foreign leaders, they say, the Jagan papers are a rare smoking gun: a clear written record, without veiled words or plausible denials, of a president's command to depose a prime minister. In short order, things started going badly for British Guiana. Deal was arranged in the early to mid-'80s between VP Geo.Bush, Panama's Manuel Noriega & the Iranian leadership: US$8 billion deposited in Banco Nacional de Panama on behalf of Colombian cocaine king Pablo Escobar was "lent" to George Bush. Of this, US$4 billion was shipped by plane to Iran where it was exchanged at a ratio of one good bill for two counterfeit bills. On the return trip, the 707 aircraft's cargo container carried 2 shrink-wrapped pallets containing $4 billion each. The 707 arrived at Howard/Albrook Air Force Base in Panama where the pallets were offloaded under armed guard of the Panamanian military. The counterfeit notes were re-deposited into Escobar's account at the Panama central bank. Under no circumstances could the counterfeit bills be permitted to leave the bank vault for fear of devaluing the US currency with forged notes. The other half of Escobar's "good" money was placed into the hands of Nana DeBusia, grandson of Guyana's first democratic leader & owner of many U.S. & foreign banks. DeBusia was chosen by the CIA's Wm Casey to launder the massive sum into numerous bank accounts under the joint signatures of VP George Bush & Director Casey. Debusia was indicted by the U.S. on 32 counts incl bank fraud. The CIA stepped up in his behalf and stated that it would not be in U.S. best interest to prosecute Debusia. He was facing several hundred years in prison if convicted. He was subsequently acquitted on all counts. Guyana's territorial disputes mean more military demand   9.26.00   Caribbean & Cent.Am Rpt GY's difficult relations with Vz & Suriname, despite high-level diplomacy at S.Am summit in Brasília at end of August most alarming recent development came 9.11.00 when Surinamese gunboat crossed Corentyne river to GY territory & allegedly fired on GY boat 3 months after Surinamese vessel expelled Canadian offshore oil drill licenced from GY waters claimed by both countries. G.Pres. Bharrat Jagdeo & S.Pres. Ronald Venetiaan meeting in Brasília & Jamaica in weeks. Pres. Jagdeo face-to-face meeting with Pres. H.Chávez in Brasília to reassure accord with Beal Aerospace Technologies on commercial satellite-launch facility in Essequibo implied no military threat to Vz . Handed Chávez copy of agreement with Beal, even though yet to be laid before parliament or debated in GY. Vz 's expressed suspicion launch site was nothing more than cover for full-scale US military base on Vz doorstep. Jagdeo assured Chávez no question of allowing U.S. troops to set up a base. Vz not reassured. Weak GY military is open invitation to Wash.D.C. to provide security for US assets. Suriname request for copy of oil contract turned down though Jagdeo later said he willing to hand over. Both disputes strengthened GY oppositon who argue country's military capability should be boosted immediately. Suriname acquired 8 gunboats and several patrol aircraft in recent years and used them effect. GY reduced to borrowing a commercial fishing boat belonging to U.S. co. to patrol its territorial waters. East 2/3 GY in most official Vz maps, shown as 'Territorio Esequibo' or 'Zona en reclamación'. Meantime, Vz govt recognized State of GY incl bilateral arrangements like hydroelectric power sale to this claimed territory. In 1835 Schomburgk, a German naturalist, at the request of the British govt, marked limits of GY colony: Vz frontier established in Essequibo river. According to Vz, British territories invaded outside line 1835-1897. By end of 19th cent, Vz demanded more than 62000 km² from from Britain. In 1895 situation tense & U.S. forced arbitration: intl commission (British, Americans & Russians: Paris 1899) gave larger part of disputed area to Britain, drawing frontier now. 1970 treaty between Vz & GY reconsidered Paris frontier. 1489 Ch.Columbus sail GY coast 1595 SirW.Raleigh led to El Dorado in GY 1580 Dutch trade starts 1621 W.India Co. 1666 British Dutch war 1750 Dutch slaves 1796-1966 British colony 1834 manumission 1840 map starts border dispute 1857 found gold & diamonds, peak 1894 1871 London & NY telegraph 1899 Vz loses when border set 1905 Export rice Depression riots & WWII 1952 Universal sufferage 1961 autonomy 1964 CIA meddles 1966 independence 1967 Surinam occupation 1971-75 Nationalized mines & mills 1974-78 Jim Jones 1974 Party claims sovereignty over govt 1980 Opp. leader killed & govt restructure 1992 Opposition coalition wins election 1999 natl airline & util. privatized 8.11.99   current Pres. takes office oddly:   People's Progressive Party Civic joint slate declared winner of 12.97 general elections despite claims by People's Natl Congress, former ruling party. Janet Jagan was sworn as 5th Exec. President of Republic in secret/private ceremony & Samuel Hinds appointed PM 1999 J.Jagan resigned as Pres. from ill health. Under A Team formula agreed to by PPP & Civic (ruling coalition), PM S.Hinds resigned, B.Jagdeo appted PM paving way for Jagdeo's appt to 6th Pres. as stipulated in Constitution. Hinds then reappted PM. Infrastructure per GY consulate 4 Land Dev. Schemes provide vast arable land acreage with drainage & irrigation. Sea & river defense construction & maintenance to prevent flooding. Road network for easy farm to market access. 7 Govt sponsored fish facilities w/ berth &, off-load piers, repair & refrigeration facilities Area 13k sq.mi Pop 715k Lang English, Amerind Life 1996 av. 58yr male 63yr female Govt republic   capital Georgetown currency Guyanese dollars G$ Ag potential fish & forest Industry bauxite, sugar, rice mill timber, fish/shrimp, textiles, gold, diamonds 9.25.00   U.S. Def.Sec. Cohen & Dutch Def.Minister haggle price for Aruba as Colombia/Vz invasion base Europe's first moon probe launch seen next month 8.29.03   Reuters Amsterdam   Europe's first moon probe is expected to lift off from French Guiana at the end of Sept. 2003 after its voyage was delayed twice in recent weeks, the European Space Agency (ESA) said 8.29.03. The scheduled launch of the Ariane-5 rocket carrying the SMART-1 moon probe was delayed from 8.28.03 & 9.3.03 at request of consortium with commercial satellite on board, the ESA said. "The expectation is that the launch will now take place at end of September," ESA said. A date for the launch would be announced next week. The probe, which will orbit the moon to study its surface, is expected take around 16 months to reach its destination. It will search for signs of water in moon craters and try to shed light on lunar origins. U.S., Europe deadlock over satellite navigation 2.2.04   Reuters Wash.D.C.   U.S. & European negotiators have failed to break a deadlock over technical standards for Europe's planned multibillion-dollar Galileo satellite navigation system, both sides said on Monday. U.S. has offered to share its satellite know-how if the Europeans agree to a radio frequency that Washington says would curb potential interference with what it deems a critical, coded military signal. Some Europeans contend the U.S.-backed plan would undercut Galileo's accuracy in the name of defending allied security while in fact boosting U.S. business interests. "We agree it would be good that we both use the same frequency," said European Commission spokesman Anthony Gooch in Washington, negotiating on behalf of the 15- nation European Union. But in 3 days of talks that wound up here on Friday, the commission stuck to its preferred option, known as Binary Offset Carrier or BOC (1.5, 1.5), rather than the U.S. choice known as BOC 1.1, Gooch said. "And we hope the U.S. will see the merits of adopting 1.5" for the civilian signal on its own next generation of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, he said. Contrary to the U.S. view, the Europeans believe their preferred signal structure, or modulation, would protect coded military signals while boosting Galileo's performance, Gooch said. A U.S. govt official, on the other hand, said U.S. had sought to show the 1.5 signal would degrade U.S. & NATO capability to jam an enemy's use of GPS signals. At issue is the "M Code," which can shut enemies out while preserving allied access. Still, Washington is optimistic a deal may be reached within the next couple months, said a State Dept participant in the talks who asked not to be named. Both U.S. & EU want Galileo & GPS, a dual-use system to support both civil & military users, to mesh as seamlessly as possible for the benefit of users, manufacturers and service providers. Any harmonization pact could uncork vast private-sector investments in the so-called Open Service of Europe's planned 30-satellite Galileo system, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2008. USAF deputy dir. for space acquisition Richard McKinney said last month there was no qualitative difference between the 2 modulations at issue. But the European-preferred 1.5 signal was 50% more likely to interfere with the "M Code," he said. U.S. policy is to provide civil GPS signals worldwide free of direct user fees. The EC forecasts that Galileo would spin off more than 100,000 jobs and generate service & equipt contracts worth up to 9 billion euros ($11.2 billion) a year, making it the continent's most lucrative infrastructure project.

Chavez rejects plan for U.S. space port in neighboring Guyana   3.21.00   AP Caracas   Pres. Chavez said Vz could not accept a plan by a U.S.-based company to build a satellite launching site in neighboring Guyana. During his weekly radio program on Sunday, Chavez said the project by Beal Aerospace Technologies of Frisco TX, which would be built in a section of Guyana claimed by Venezuela, must not go forward. "We cannot accept it because that territory is in reclamation," Chavez said, adding Venezuela planned to bring up the issue with U.S. authorities. Guyana's Cabinet, led by Premier Samuel Hinds, last week gave its preliminary approval to Beal's proposal for the space port in the remote northern Waini District of disputed Essequibo County. Hinds said he expects final approval by the end of the month. Chavez said Sunday that Venezuela is willing to reach "a peaceful accord" with Guyana over Essequibo, a mineral- rich area claimed by Venezuela since the 1940s. Since taking office a year ago, Chavez has brought the Essequibo issue to forefront, saying Sunday "we were stripped of the territory", 83k sq.mi w/ gold, diamond & timber investments by US & Asian companies by 1899 intl arbitration court in Paris. UN been mediating boundary dispute between Venezuela & Guyana during the last decade. Beal cancels plans for St. Croix facility 7.7.00   press release Beal Aerospace announced it is canceling plans to build rocket-assembly facility on St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is evaluating its long-term options. Neither of the Company's other development sites, Sombrero Island, Anguilla nor Guyana, South America, are affected by this decision. Concerns mount over aerospace satellite port 12.15.99   ACO Guyanese govt is looking to sell 26k acres of land to Beal Aerospace Technologies for a satellite space port in Guyana. Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) opposes the project, concerned about potential impacts it might have for the Amerindian communities of Santa Rosa, Assakata, Kwebanna, Barama Mouth (Kanuballi), Warapoka, Waramuri, Hobo, Hotoquai, Koriabo and the lower Aruka. These communities hunt, fish and collect raw materials from the area being considered; their rights to the land & resources upon which they depend may be threatened. Since a brief meeting with Beal officials some time ago, the residents have not been informed of the negotiations or consulted. The govt plans to sign contract 12.31.99. per Beale, "…sale, not giveaway, of 25k acres of completely unproductive land where the spaceport will be built and rental of another 75k acres as Buffer Zone. 1st multimillion dollar privately owned spaceport in world. There are 2 other spaceports in South America, both state-owned. French Guiana has Kourou which cost the French govt billions of dollars. Brazil has just built Alcantara, costing Brazil some US$5M. Beal spaceport is intended to launch as many as 20 space rockets with their satellites on board each year. When that happens, Guyana will receive more than US$2M a year in direct revenue and without having spent a single dollar. If project fails. Guyana loses nothing. The land, drained, cleared and developed, returns to GY for the US$75,000 paid for it." "Our project is based on a very simple premise," Mr. Beal told the audience 5.10.99. "We believe that private-sector, non-govt launch vehicle based on simplicity, robustness and minimum cost designs will be the least expensive and most reliable on the market." Beal's general concept, other than changing oxidizer from LOX to H2O2, remains the design concept today. Beal Aerospace is leading the rediscovery of hydrogen peroxide, one of the most environmentally friendly rocket propellants. When released to the atmosphere, hydrogen peroxide H2O2 degrades rapidly into water H2O & oxygen O2. Hydrogen peroxide was used extensively in rockets through 1950s but was eventually replaced by more exotic, more toxic alternatives.   [ Chavez needs to do his homework. A less imperialistic foreign development opportunity than this project is not possible. He should be falling all over himself to make certain he is included as signatory in the next contract. ] Rescue mission for Europe's rockets 5.25.03   Jonathan Amos BBC Russian Soyuz rockets could soon be launching from the European spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. The proposal is part of a package of measures designed to restructure the European launch business and rescue it from its current parlous financial state. Tue. European Space Agency's (ESA) member states' ministers must consider plans and decide whether they are worth the requested extra investment from taxpayers & industry of about one billion euros ($1.18bn). Soyuz vehicles would have their own pad built at Kourou, with the first flight likely to lift off in 2006. "Soyuz would give us full range of vehicles to get into orbit," ESA dir.general Antonio Rodota told BBC. "Smaller payloads will eventually travel on the Vega rocket; larger satellites will be lifted by the Ariane 5. Low-cost Soyuz can lift medium payloads into low-Earth orbit & geostationary obit. It would also give Europe a manned spaceflight option." It's imperative space ministers first put in place measures to strengthen the market position of Europe's main launch vehicle, Ariane 5. A beefed up version of the rocket, 10 ton Ariane 5, exploded 4 minutes into its maiden flight in Dec. 02, dumping 2 satellites worth 600 million euros ($709m) in the Atlantic. The cooling system on the rocket's new Vulcain 2 engine failed and it must be redesigned and flown on 2 qualification flights before payload opportunities can again be offered to customers. This recovery pgm alone will cost Europe a quarter of a billion euros ($295m). It is envisaged the first qualification flight would be March 2004; it would carry a dummy payload. Second flight Sept. 2004 would launch first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), new "cargo truck" is intended to ferry supplies to astronauts living on the Intl Space Station. There is a shake-up also for the way the whole launch operation is managed. Arianespace, co. charged under a convention with ESA to operate Europe's rockets, is being asked to concentrate its efforts more on the marketing side of the business. In future, development & manufacture will be sole responsibility of aerospace giant EADS. Arianespace would essentially just purchase rockets, Ariane 5s, Vegas, and Soyuz vehicles from Russian co. Starsem and launch them for customers. All the changes, together with substantial new funds for Arianespace after co. recapitalisation, are intended to carry the European launch industry through its current slump. Worldwide, there are too many rockets chasing a small pool of satellite contracts. Currently 2 major U.S. players, Boeing & Lockheed Martin, discussed joint venture. Commenting on the upcoming ministerial meeting, French Aeronautic & Space Industries Assn (GIFAS) pres. Philippe Camus said: "Space industry expects France & all other European states to take measures & decisions that safeguard public & private investments that have been made over the past 40 years." Camus told La Tribune that industry was prepared to do its bit to safeguard the future of Europe's independent launch capability but that the member states of ESA had to share the burden. Comet chaser costs rise 5.20.03   Jonathan Amos BBC Postponement of audacious Rosetta mission to chase & land on a comet has put a 70-million-euro (£50m) hole in the European space budget for this year. Officials must now juggle funds to pay for a new flight for the probe early in 2004. Rosetta is currently being stored in a "clean" facility at the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. Scientists have confirmed they want to send the spacecraft to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko now that the original target, Comet Wirtanen, is no longer reachable in the desired timeframe. The opportunity to go to Wirtanen was lost when all European rockets were grounded following an accident at Kourou Dec. 2002. New quarry requires slight modifications to lander craft and the plan to get it on to the icy body's surface. European space science flagship mission Rosetta, 10+ years in development, already cost in the region of a billion euros (£700m). European Space Agency's (ESA) science dir. Prof. David Southwood says he has the headache of finding extra funds to prepare Rosetta for a second launch attempt. "I have a small funding crisis right now, nothing serious," he told BBC. "I will have to sign the contracts soon to prepare the spacecraft and I will need to borrow forward some money from succeeding years. But we're in pretty good shape. We have all the technical clearances we need, we have a new target, everybody believes it's a safe target and everybody thinks it is scientifically worth doing." Rosetta is a remarkable mission. The probe will pursue the comet at breakneck speed and then attempt to put a lander on its surface, a first. The complex series of space manoeuvres required in getting the probe in the right place and with a high enough speed to tag the comet means the outward part of the journey will take the best part of a decade. Detailed assessment of Churyumov-Gerasimenko has been undertaken by researchers to determine whether the body is a suitable target for Rosetta. Last week, based on that assessment, senior ESA scientists formally approved the proposal to modify the mission to go after the new comet. Its greater mass than Wirtanen, just under 2km wide compared with Wirtanen's 0.6 km dia., will mean the lander's legs will need to be stiffened to withstand impact. Scientists think they can also change the way they approach the comet to reduce the speed with which the lander has to touch down. Lander scientist UK's Open Univ. Dr Ian Wright, said: "I think people have now convinced themselves that it's all entirely doable, provided the density of the target is not above a certain amount. "There is still some nervousness about the exact measurement, but it's a bit of a Catch-22; one of the reasons we're going to a comet is to understand what the density of these objects is. This comet is also more active than Wirtanen and scientifically that's more interesting. From a mission risk point of view, that does give you more to worry about, but I'm confident we'll get down and do some good science." Mission problems began when Europe's new super rocket, a beefed-up version of the Ariane 5, exploded Dec. 2002 over the Atlantic on its maiden flight. Although Rosetta was scheduled to fly on a standard version of the launcher, the post-accident investigation ordered a thorough review of systems on all the rocket variants, the delay beyond necessary Wirtanen launch window.

Preparation for Feb. 2004 launch from Kourou will probably begin around Sept./Oct 2003. Most of Rosetta spacecraft is still in its launch-ready state, it still has its fuel on board. "Corrosion takes place when you expose something to oxygen so it may be the fuel is best left in the spacecraft, that's our view at the moment," Professor Southwood said. "Americans defuelled Galileo spacecraft and ended up having to purchase a new tank because of corrosion."

Colombia   govt   D.C. embassy   practical timeline

kid soldier slaves in Plan Colombia
Gunmen take kids from center
7.18.01   AP

Drug War Seeps Into Colombia's Neighbors
10.8.00   A.Faiola WashPost

Lawmakers Criticize Anti-Drug Plan in Colombia
3.2.01   Sue Pleming Reuters

Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-NY, called Colombia, world's biggest coca producer, a "basket case,'' adding that U.S. policy reflected hopeless confusion on the role of the police versus the Colombian army in fighting the drugs war. "This is not a pretty picture & our nation's policy lacks any clarity that is sadly needed. As we learned in Vietnam, that can mean real trouble,'' Gilman told the Govt Reform Committee's subcommittee on criminal justice. Gilman said resources were being diverted to the Colombian Army and away from the anti-drug police meant to do the job. Gilman was backed up by fellow Rep. John Mica R-FL who called U.S. policy on Colombia a "shambles. If we don't have this together, I will not support another penny (for the plan),'' Mica said.''

Gilman charged that cheap, Korean War-era ammunition ''forced by the U.S. embassy'' onto the Colombian police was ''jamming'' guns, an allegation Beers said was not true. In addition, he said three of the six new Black Hawk helicopters given so far by the U.S. to the Colombian police were grounded for lack of spare parts while a fourth was being stripped to repair others. Gilman said he was told by the military during a recent visit to Colombia that the problem of getting proper supply aircraft was the "Achilles heel'' of "Plan Colombia.'' "If the Defense Dept & State Dept witnesses here can't tell us today that they will make it a priority to get the … police the kind of supply aircraft they need then I will not support one more dollar for the Colombian Army,'' Gilman said. Giving details of U.S. military involvement in the plan, U.S. Gen. Peter Pace, commander in chief of the U.S. Southern Command, said his forces had trained up two Colombian anti-drug battalions and a third would be trained by late May. He said all 14 Black Hawk helicopters, essential for anti- drugs operations, promised by the U.S. should arrive by the end of the year. Plan Colombia U.S. meddling or necessary support?" 9.14.00   issue focus Foreign Media Reaction US State Dept Off. of Research Clinton's Aug.30 stopover in Cartagena to inaugurate U.S. backing of Plan Colombia inspired another round of U.S. policy-critiquing among Latin American & European media opponents of American involvement in Colombia's counter-narcotics war. Reaction in the Colombian press was mixed. Plan Colombia coverage also gathered momentum via the S.Am Leaders Summit in Brasilia on Aug.31 and at UN Millennium Summit in New York last week, where few voices supporting the U.S.-backed initiative emerged from under otherwise alarmist reviews.

Terror trainers or eco-tourists? 5.7.02   Fergal Keane BBC … 3 Irish Republican prisoners in high-security prison suspected to have trained Colombian FARC rebel group in terrorism techniques. This week, congressional report released in Wash.D.C. alleged links between FARC & Irish Republican Army. IRA quickly denied that any of its operatives had been sent to Colombia to carry out training. … Under unique arrangement, govt allowed Marxist FARC guerrillas to control a vast swath of territory, on condition that they talked ceasefire. They did talk. They also kidnapped & killed, and continued to raise millions taxing cocaine. FARC are the world's richest Marxists. U.S. govt believes they earn as much as US$300m a year from the drugs trade. At big FARC base in the hills outside San Vicente, until recently capital of guerrilla safe haven, one of the group's leaders had agreed to an interview. The guerrilla camp was a muddle. The commandant would be with us in a few minutes, a young guerrilla guard had announced; we should be patient. The teenage fighter was polite, but she was preoccupied. We had interrupted her morning needlework session. She had been busy stitching a holster for her pistol. Commandant Raoul Rais turned out to be a very dreary man, plump, and dressed in immaculate fatigues, he sat with an armalite in his lap throughout the interview. The FARC is the people, so any American threat to us is a threat to the people, he droned. But the commandant was very cautious when I brought up the question of the 3 detained Irishmen. They came here for one reason only, to share political views. They wanted to study the peace process in Colombia, and to share with us about the peace process in Ireland. U.S. State Dept believes otherwise. One of its officials told congress the three had traces of explosives on their clothes. They had also been travelling on false passports. FARC had of late been using bombing tactics familiar to anybody who had studied the IRA in Northern Ireland. White House seems disinclined to accept that the men were on a mission of peace. It believes they were training a group which threatened American lives, and which is now a target of the war on terror. There may indeed be a simple explanation. They might have been there as eco-tourists, the first explanation offered, or to study the Colombian peace process, subsequent explanation. Convicted terrorists James Monaghan & Martin McCauley chasing butterflies in the jungle or listening to warbling parrots. There is no proof that the party or IRA, sent the men to Colombia. …

Colombia per State Dept Press Review Negative refrains associated with U.S. "undue interventionism" ranged from fears of "Vietnamization" and an escalation of the conflict outside of Colombia's borders, to predictions of environmental destruction in Amazon and a "massive exodus of peasants" due to the Plan's coca eradication program. A thread of support for Plan Colombia also was evident among some who saw the drug trade, not US, as "common enemy," and who viewed "deterioration of Colombian society" as well as "indifference & carelessness" in dealing with "drug trafficking machine & its allies" as the greater threats. Displaying a rare nod to the U.S., Rio's independent Jornal da Tarde asserted that "U.S. assistance was given following a request from a govt trying to clean house without the means." Regional views follow:

8.29.00   Sunshine Project   UN Drug Control Pgm UNDCP administers US-funded work in Uzbekistan & promoting Fusarium testing in Colombia. … With aid no longer conditional on acceptance of Agent Green and with US publicly admitting that it is uncertain about bioweapons links, is no reason why the Colombia Govt has to proceed with US- inspired biological eradication idea. Colombia may now heal regional unease with plan & publicly withdraw from negotiations with UNDCP, halting any planned research on Fusarium and other biological agents. 7.27.00   State Dept 1999 Military Expenditures annual report re Colombia
7.26.99   " 'a couple hundred' US troops in Colombia training elite battalions to sever ties between coca & opium farmers and revolutionary forces."

Marxist revolutionaries FARC Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia & ELN Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional)

10.19.99   "Phoney War"   J.Pilger
Guardian   … Colombia receives more US arms & equipt than any country in the world, apart from Israel & Egypt.

Aug. 99   "War Clouds Over Colombia" M.C.Ruppert
FTW   Colombia is 3rd most populous country in all Lat.Am & almost directly due south of NYC. It has sole land border of S.America with Panama hence N.America. Line from capitol Bogota north to NY passes through a mid point (convenient for refueling & cargo sorting) which can be roughly defined as the Bahamas & Dominican Republic/Haiti. … Largest of leftist rebels groups FARC holds an area roughly the size of Switzerland. … Conservatively, drug money laundered through U.S. economy, banking system & Wall St as result of Colombian controlled operations = $50 billion+ a year. Last month, as reported by Catherine Austin Fitts, Richard Grasso, chief of the N.Y. Stock Exchange, made a cold call on the FARC leadership in the Colombian mountains seeking to guarantee drug cash flow into U.S. the markets as the rebels grew in strength.
… After Israel & Egypt, Colombia is 3rd largest recipient of US aid , currently $289million/yr. US anti-drug aid in Lat.Am primarily "anti-drug" training, advisers & equipt get used to kill civilians opposing military dictatorships instead.
Venezuela has denied U.S. overflight privileges for military & "anti-drug" flights. US military in Colombia staged in Pto Rico. Direct line flight from Pto Rico into Colombia passes right over Venezuela.

7.30.99   "Ankle Deep in the Big Muddy"   R.Jacobs
on McCafferty's $billion aid for war on drugs & leftist rebels   Peasants have 2 basic choices in today's Colombia, go to big cities & become beggars & prostitutes or farm land. They till the land & plant crops such as corn or plantains. These areas were never developed, there are no transportation routes. Only rivers & crossing hundreds of miles overland can crop reach Bogota or other markets. By time it gets there, crop is unsaleable or become so costly profit is lost. Only one alternative open to peasant farmer who wishes to subsist : growing coca leaves and, more recently, opium plants. Transportation costs for these provided by drug lords, who move incredible amounts of these products with consent of high placed govt leaders & armed protection of Colombian military & paramilitary forces funded by large landowners & drug lords.
FARC & ELN guerrilla forces operate in the coca and opium growing regions. Indeed, they literally administer these regions. Like NLF controlled parts of S.Vietnam, region residents consider revolutionary forces as their govt & support their administration. To pay cost of running schools, health care centers, police forces, & infrastructure, FARC & ELN tax drug trafficking operations: farmers & those involved in transportation & refinement. Although their preference is not to support farmer dependency on drug production, reality is money in rural Colombia. Most drugs shipped to US.

Oil is most important Colombia commodity, representing over 1/4 of country's 1996 exports & 5% of GNP. In comparison, coffee represented 15% & 3.4%. Few private Colombian citizens have any significant investment in the oil industry. Instead, majority of exploration & refinement interests controlled by state co. Ecopetrol serving as conduit for foreign oil companies, primarily British Petroleum, recently merged with Amoco to form the world largest oil co.
During 30yr war, revolutionary support expanded into cities due to ever-widening disparity between wealthy & rest of population and harsh military repression of those who organize the workers & unemployed. Literally hundreds of labor organizers, social justice workers (clerics and laypersons) & student activists murdered since late 1980s which pushes supporters to conclusion armed struggle is only workable strategy social change.
Recent election & popular mandate for V^z Pres. H.Chavez makes US nervous.

Chavez bittersweet on guerrillas
2.15.99     J.Zambrano IPS

In a vigorous tone, Chavez warned that ''the president of the republic of Venezuela and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces demands that the Colombian guerrillas do not make one more single operation in our territory.'' The rebels are to stop ''charging 'vaccine' (a payment demanded of members of the business community) or carrying out kidnappings, not to mention armed actions, because we are obligated to respond.'' The warning coincided with a new meeting, hosted by Caracas, between Antonio Garcia, the National Liberation Army (ELN) of Colombia's second in command, and Colombian President Andres Pastrana's peace commissioner, Victor Ricardo. Garcia and Ricardo met here last Tuesday and Wednesday in what was described by ELN chief Nicolas Rodriguez, alias Gabino, as a ''total failure.'' The only agreement to come out of the first Garcia-Ricardo meeting was that the talks were to continue in Venezuela.
During presidencies of Rafael Caldera (1994-99) in Venezuela and Ernesto Samper in Colombia (1994-98), two countries' foreign & defence ministers signed several documents declaring Colombia's guerrillas the ''common enemy'' of Bogota and Caracas. Venezuela has been targetted in attacks, mainly by the ELN. The most painful was a Feb 26, 1995 incursion into a river surveillance post, in which Colombian insurgents killed eight marines. After a sort of ''hot pursuit'' of rebels in Colombian territory, Caracas opted for deploying troops along the border, based in two Theatres of Operations. Chavez, on the other hand, shortly after his election on Dec 6, visited Bogota, where he offered ''to go whereever I have to go and speak with whoever I have to'' in order to contribute to peace in Colombia.

The then-president-elect sent 2 commissioners to San Vicente del Caguan in southern Colombia for the Jan. 7 launch of the peace talks between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), that country's main rebel organisation, and President Andres Pastrana. A few days later, Chavez met with Pastrana & Cuban President Fidel Castro in Havana, where all 3 promised to foster the peace process in Colombia. Pastrana responded to those gestures by making a pause in his work in the disaster area caused by an earthquake that hit the country's coffee-growing region, to attend Chavez' Feb 2 inauguration ceremony. Francisco Arias, one of the lieutenant- colonels who accompanied Chavez in the bloody 1992 attempted coup, and now governor of the western state of Zulia (along the border with Colombia), facilitated the Garcia-Ricardo meeting in Venezuela. But the most substantial contribution to the detente with the guerrillas was Chavez' declaration of Venezuela's ''neutrality'', major modification of the previous stance that Caracas was only a friend of the Colombian govt, and an enemy of the insurgent groups.
That neutrality could constitute the first step toward extending the status of ''belligerent force'' to Colombia's guerrillas, according to analysts like Fernando Ochoa, former foreign & defence minister of Venezuela, and Enrique Santos, an editor of the Colombian daily 'El Tiempo'. Chavez' neutrality breaks with what could be, in Santos' view, the first step toward a continent-wide strategy of contention, the militarisation of the borders by Colombia's neighbours. ''The US is not going to sit with its arms crossed indefinitely'' to watch the Colombian conflict, which is disturbing the entire region, he maintained. Ochoa, today a senator of the opposition Proyecto Venezuela party, said the policy of neutrality was ''the right approach.'' But he criticised Chavez for declaring neutrality, ''rather than previously negotiating with the guerrillas a commitment to respect our territory as a sanctuary.''

Brazil   govt   D.C. embassy   practical timeline

Chavez Frias obtains $84million as banks continue to freeze credits
5.18.99   P.J.O'Donoghue VHeadlines

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