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Venezuela: news review

By Aleksander Boyd

London 11.12.04 | It is a fine day when one learns that irrespective of economic and ‘diplomatic’ status, crooks, such as former Vice Minister of Finance Jesus Bermudez, are held to account somewhere. It is a true pleasure to learn that he walks around with an electronic bracelet, as the criminal he is. Reading the affidavit of the case made my day: i.e. a top regime’s official accused of “smuggling and failing to report cash”. Ahhh, the bliss. However this case comports few issues that need be considered in some detail.

The regime, via its second master speaker, is trying to put some distance between them and the ‘fell in disgrace’ revolutionary. A string of comments made by VP Rangel point out clearly at the urgent necessity of implementing a policy of denial regarding whatever comment the cash smuggler has made thus far, but the issue remains: how come can a Vice Minister afford such a Xmas expenditure ($37.533) in the much hated USA? How about the plane, which allegedly belongs to him? Taking into account the salary that the cash smuggler could have earned throughout his professional life (he is only 34 years old), where does all this money come from?

Sources report that another crook of the revolution, Electoral Director Jorge Rodriguez, also took a trip to New York to do some ‘shopping’. He was seen carrying lots of bags from very fancy stores. The revolutionary thugs seem to have a weak spot when it comes to spend the stolen monies for quite a lot of them head north, to the very heart of the Empire, so loathed by the neofascist leader. One must wonder why Cuba is not favoured by them as a shopping destination.

In the meanwhile two new pieces of legislation have been approved this week: the law to gag the media and amendments to the Penal Code. The regime is, without a doubt, naked before the international community. Be it Europe, Russia, China, the Middle East or America, everyone has a pretty good understanding of the character running our nation and acts accordingly. Should one were to interpret stances from China or Russia, these nations perceive Chavez in quite the same measure as Fidel Castro does: i.e. “here comes the Venezuelan clown, let us see what sort of advantageous deals we can get out of him for the sake of a ‘multi-polar world’…” Middle Eastern perspective must be along the terrorist line: i.e. “how good could it be to have a launching pad for our Jihad, only a stone throw away from our enemy?” Finally Europeans and Americans ought to be thinking “well Chavez can violate all the human rights he wishes and can destabilize the region in the ways his Cuban master sees fit, as long as that oil keeps flowing. Moreover, the sooner he destroys PDVSA the better for then, the activities and funds generated by our oil conglomerates will be needed to maintain his ‘revolution' and we will be calling the shots”.

On November 20, 2004 Hugo Chavez decreed, in clear violation to the constitution and PDVSA bylaws, to appoint Rafael Ramirez as president of PDVSA. Coupsters have never had any respect for constitutional precepts, why would they start now? The decree No 3.264 published in the Official Gazette (Gaceta Oficial) on Monday November 22, is unconstitutional and illegal. Chavez cites the attributions conferred to him in section 16 of article 236 of the constitution, which reads:

(16) To designate and remove those officials whose appointment is made subject to his discretion by this Constitution or the applicable law.

However section 1 of the very same article (236) establishes as attributions and duties of the President:

(1) To comply with and enforce this Constitution and the law.

PDVSA bylaws had explicit prohibition for such an appointment. Furthermore Clause 29 of PDVSA’s bylaws, in force at the time of the decree, forbade for members of the Executive Cabinet to be appointed to the presidency of PDVSA. How did the revolutionaries solve the problem? Easy, they amended PDVSA bylaws introducing "with the exception of the Energy and Mines Minister, no other ministers, members of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and the solicitor general may be members of (Pdvsa) board of directors." Said amendment was made only on December 7 and it remains to be published in the Official Gazette.

In such manner these corrupt and amoral idiots pretend to govern our country and make “the great leap forward”… To conclude, I must say that regime's officials appear to be paying close attention to the things reported in this blog. Not long ago I learned that Martin Sanchez, webmaster of Aporrea.org and Venezuelanalysis.com, was appointed as Venezuela's General Consul to the USA in Chicago. After posting about it I realised that the 'new management' at Venezuelanalysis tried to cover the tracks. The same happened a couple of days ago when I had an exchange with some callous new recruit of the Venezuelan Embassy in DC, who after being informed by myself that the wording of article 7 of the media law posted on the Ministry of Information website was different from the one posted on the National Assembly website, quickly informed his boss and changes were made. Fortunately I have saved a screenshot of the original page, although it can still be seen in Google. Years ago there was a soap opera character called "Eudomar Santos" who immortalised the phrase "como vaya viniendo vamos viendo" which translates into "we'll solve things as they come". Such governmental immediacy has characterised Venezuela for quite some time, alas the Chavez regime excels at it. As hunger, poverty, unemployment, crime, misery are not issues that just pop up, imagine when these will be tackled in appropriate, sustainable and rational fashion...



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