www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, February 28, 2003 By: Gustavo Coronel

VHeadline commentarist Gustavo Coronel writes:

In a recent letter from Daniel Burnett, comments on my editorial: "President's Chavez Bedside Manners."  Mr. Burnett and I have exchanged some messages before, and I find him very articulate and persuasive. However, we are not watching the same "ball game," he from New York and I from Venezuela.

Mr. Burnett finds Chavez "very funny" ("he had me rolling in laughter"). I consider him a clown. And so do the people of Maracaibo, where he went to give a speech and tried to talk in the regional accent of the locals. Not well accepted since presidential humor should not be at the expense of others. Presidents are Statesmen, not clowns. Mr, Burnett adds that he rather listens to Chavez than to Ortega. I say that the tasks of government are no oratorical tournaments. In fact, the less blah-blah the better.

Mr. Burnett makes two claims I strongly disagree with. One, that the "cadenas" on TV imposed by Chavez have been the result of the anti-Chavez propaganda in the commercial media. Two, that Chavez would be truly governing if it was not because of the opposition efforts to "overthrow" him. The truth is exactly the opposite. Chavez is a charlatan and he can not be stopped from talking. When he started his term he had the support of most sectors, including the media.

• The first Information Director of his government was Mrs. Otero, the wife of the Editor of "El Nacional". Otero was with him. Pena, the director of "El Nacional" was his Secretary to the Presidency. Gustavo Cisneros and VENEVISION were with him. TELEVEN likewise.

As Chavez started to abandon plural democracy and became intent in leading Venezuela the Cuban way, these people and many others who had supported him broke ranks. Chavez, Mr. Burnett, can not govern because he is an incompetent. Picking a fight with all sectors is the way to build up the excuse that you concede to him so generously.

Mr. Burnett rightly criticizes Chavez's vocabulary, except for the word "coupster," as applied to the opposition. The only real coupster we have had in Venezuela during the last 10 years has been Chavez, who led a bloody coup in 1992 against a democratic government, causing more than 100 innocent deaths.

This coup failed because he was a coward then.

Today, millions of Venezuelans want him out democratically ... not "overthrown" ... by means of an election which he has refused to accept. Gaviria and Carter have recommended this solution to him and he has rejected them as well. He says that "even if 99% of the people vote against me, I will not resign." How is this for democracy, Mr. Burnett?

For Mr. Burnett "Chavez is generally quite calm, composed and soft spoken during his speeches." Obviously we are not watching the same man. His words are invariable mordant, his manner vulgar, his way to deal with dissenters inconsiderate. He is no President but a person intent on promoting hate and resentment.

Mr. Burnett says that "the same people who made economic policy during the last half century are now leading the opposition". This is inaccurate.

Economists like Ochoa, Vivancos, Guerrero, Gustavo Garcia, Francisco Rodriguez, the leading current critics of the "Mickey Mouse" economic policies of Chavez are young people, not connected with past politics. On the other hand, Chavez' economic advisers are members of the pliocene generation: Maza Zavala, Mieres, Castellanos, Parra, Giordani, Bastidas, Vallenilla.

I must say that I respect Daniel Burnett's commentaries and opinions. He is sharp and very civilized. If he comes to Venezuela soon I would like to meet him personally and show him my version of the country.

Gustavo Coronel is the founder and president of Agrupacion Pro Calidad de Vida (The Pro-Quality of Life Alliance), a Caracas-based organization devoted to fighting corruption and the promotion of civic education in Latin America, primarily Venezuela. A member of the first board of directors (1975-1979) of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), following nationalization of Venezuela's oil industry, Coronel has worked in the oil industry for 28 years in the United States, Holland, Indonesia, Algiers and in Venezuela. He is a Distinguished alumnus of the University of Tulsa (USA) where he was a Trustee from 1987 to 1999. Coronel led the Hydrocarbons Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in Washington DC for 5 years. The author of three books and many articles on Venezuela ("Curbing Corruption in Venezuela." Journal of Democracy, Vol. 7, No. 3, July, 1996, pp. 157-163), he is a fellow of Harvard University and a member of the Harvard faculty from 1981 to 1983.  In 1998, he was presidential election campaign manager for Henrique Salas Romer and now lives in retirement on the Caribbean island of Margarita where he runs a leading Hotel-Resort.  You may contact Gustavo Coronel at email ppcvicep@telcel.net.ve

www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, February 28, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Caracas Police (Policaracas) operations chief, Antonio Pujol says his officers have arrested 30 alleged juvenile troublemakers charged with vandalizing 6 Caracas educational institutions.

“We captured them in the surrounds of Fermin Toro and Rafael Vega colleges, Technical College del Oeste, Caracas Teacher Training College (Pedagogico), Aplicacion and Miguel Antonio Caro high schools.”

Pujol claims that former urban guerrilla group Bandera Roja (BR) has infiltrated militants to exploit discontent in high schools and to attack other student groups and schools that are pro-government.

Other schools, such as Gustavo Herrera (Chacao) and Fray Pedro de Agreda (El Valle), complain that vandalism is a continuing problem caused by political groups.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, February 28, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazabal Ugueto (91) has died of a heart attack.  He was an important figure in the transition between the dictatorship of General Marcos Perez Jimenez and the democratic era and was leader of the Junta between January 23 and November 14, 1958.

The Rear Admiral was born in Carupano (Sucre), studied in Maracaibo, entering the Naval School (1928-1932) ... commanding  several Navy ships until he was appointed commander of the Puerto Cabello Navy base.

• In 1947, Larrazabal became Navy Supreme Commander and Military Attache at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington in 1979.

Commentators say it was the Admiral’s unpretentious style that made the transition to democracy smooth, despite several coup attempts against the Accion Democratica (AD) government.

El Universal was the first mainstream broadsheet to announce the Rear Admiral's death. It will be interesting to see government and opposition "body language" during the wake and funeral. 

www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, February 28, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Armed Force (FAN)  has staged a military parade in Los Proceres (Caracas) to mark the four anniversary of President Hugo Chavez Frias’ pet project, Bolivar 2000.

Small Italian tractors led the parade, dump trucks, railroad installing machines, road-making machines, while Army Engineer Corps and Navy (Armada) Engineer Brigade vehicles completed the march past.

The Military High Command and Cabinet Ministers joined the President on the podium and news agencies reported the presence of 300 civilians came at the parade.

• Chavez Frias recalled the reason for founding Bolivar 2000 to counter a social emergency and to get the Armed Force actively involved in national development.

“It’s the most important humanitarian operation in Venezuela’s history and villages that have benefited should speak out about the Plan.”

The plan, the President told assembled soldiers, is the fruit of February 27, 1898 (27F) known as the “Caracazo” when he says the Armed Force (FAN) was used to repress the people.

Referring to the remark his detractors have harping upon since April 11, Chavez Frias repeated Simon Bolivar's famous quotation, “Damn the soldier who fires on his own people!”

"The FAN was cursed on that day … it was Bolivar’s curse.”

The opposition and rebel soldiers, the President insists, have used the phrase to defend their bastard anti-Republican interests.

Defense Minister Jose Luis Prieto says 6 million people have benefited from Bolivar 2000 health program and the next projects will be to asphalt Avenida Baralt in Caracas and open a tourist complex in Puerto Cruz.

www.pal-item.com Friday, February 28, 2003 By Don Fasnacht Staff writer

Farmers have to predict the future based on the unpredictable -- the weather, the price of oil and natural gas, the size of the soybean crop in South America.

Throw in the possibility of war, and predictions become all but impossible.

But Purdue University economist Chris Hurt does the best he can to see the agriculture markets for the year ahead. He was here Thursday to give his forecast to local farmers at a Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District workshop.

"All markets are 'anticipatory markets,'" Hurt said. "Right now, the markets are anticipating bad things."

The major bad thing is war with Iraq. The anticipation is the problem, Hurt said.

"Once the decision is made to invade, we'll know a lot more within about 36 hours," Hurt said.

"There will be a lot of human tragedy, but the markets will stabilize," Hurt said.

War won't affect the weather, but it may have a profound impact on petroleum and gas prices.

Hurt pointed out that the day before the 1991 Gulf War began, crude oil was selling for $30 per barrel. The day after that invasion, it dropped to $20 per barrel. The price of unleaded gasoline dropped 27 cents per gallon in 12 hours, Hurt said.

Currently, the volatility of natural gas is the ringer in predicting corn profits for the coming season. An increase in natural gas prices last weekend increased the price of anhydrous ammonia as much as $150 a ton this week, effectively doubling the price. Anhydrous ammonia and other fertilizers are produced with natural gas.

Crude oil prices, directly affected by war and peace in the Middle East and labor conditions in Venezuela, have been inching up in recent weeks and months. They will affect the cost of gasoline and fuel for planting and harvesting.

Making predictions about war and petrochemicals is simple compared to predicting the weather for the next six or eight months.

"The western Corn Belt (which includes Iowa) has fallen under low levels of drought," Hurt said.

Reduced crops there would drive corn prices up, which would be good for Indiana farmers. But Indiana had the drought last year.

In 2002, a wet spring delayed planting and a bone-dry summer and fall stunted the seed that got into the ground. Hurt said fields in east central Indiana were expected to yield 144 bushels per acres. They averaged 95 bushels per acre.

But good crops in the west kept per-bushel prices down. "The western corn belt was in good shape last year. It saved the national market," Hurt said.

"We don't have a huge inventory coming into this year," Hurt said. "Weather problems (in the west) could force prices up."

Hurt said a million acres in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois that didn't get planted in corn last year will probably be planted this year.

The Corn Belt centered on Indiana should have a good crop. Ground moisture is back to normal. Long-range forecasts call for a dry spring, meaning early planting. If the summer is arid, there should be enough corn that Hurt said $2 per bushel prices for corn are possible at harvest.

The concern for soybean farmers isn't Iowa weather; it's South American weather.

Hurt said summer in the Southern Hemisphere has been "perfect" this year and the South American soybean crop should be 15 percent greater than last year.

"The world is shifting over to South America for soybeans," Hurt said. "The market is at the tipping point."

"We're in a period of great uncertainty," Hurt said.