www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Following the recent spate of explosions in Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez Frias has decided to step up security at petroleum facilities and has ordered more soldiers to protect them from potential acts of sabotage or from terrorism. 

The President has ordered anti-terrorism squads to be set up and they will be responsible for ensuring that recent terrorist acts are not repeated and that the petroleum industry is not effected by any such act.

President Chavez Frias' comments came during a visit to the Paraguana refinery complex in Falcon State, where he was present to supervise the reactivation of operations.

The complex is currently producing 510,000 barrels per day, but by the end of this week production levels are expected to rise to 620,000 barrels per day.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

The government has prepared a draft bill that will soon be put in front of the National Assembly for discussion that will impose a maximum jail term of 14 years on anyone found to be using foreign currency that was legally purchased for purposes other than those permitted by the legislation.

According to the bill, anyone caught purchasing foreign currency on the black market will also face 10-14 years in jail, and fines of 5-10 times the amount purchased.

The government hopes this will deter people from breaking the law and that the measure, if approved, will allow it to protect the most vulnerable sectors of the economy as well as international reserves."

Anyone discovered to be using foreign currency for purposes other than those permitted will face fines of 1-2 times the amount and jail terms of 4-10 years, while those buying dollars legally, but under false pretences, will be subject to 5-10 years in prison and fines of 3-5 times the amount of the transaction.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Following last week's drop in oil production by 500,000 barrels per day due to a build up in storage tankers caused by a reduction in exports, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) has almost completely recovered the 500,000 drop as exports begin to normalize.

Storage tanks were partially emptied on Tuesday following the loading of around three million barrels of oil at the Jose terminal, after the company contracted extra tankers to speed up the export process.

With this recovery in production the government now estimates that production is back to just over two million barrels per day, however, rebel PDVSA executives claim only 1.6 million barrels a day are currently being produced.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 06, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Senior Venezuelan Armed Forces (FAN) leader General Raul Baduel has denied that there are members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's (FARC) leadership currently on Venezuelan soil as has recently been claimed in newspaper reports.

Baduel insists that the Venezuelan army always takes all the action necessary to prevent violent groups from Colombia entering into Venezuela and that the units currently guarding the border have not reported any incursions of the kind being reported.

However, the general also said that every day there is a large flow of people coming into Venezuela from Colombia and that they are permitted to do so providing their documentation is in order.

The policy of the Venezuelan government is not to allow guerilla groups into Venezuela, because he said, it is a Colombian problem that should be dealt with by them.

www.dailybruin.ucla.edu By Brad Greenberg DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR bgreenberg@media.ucla.edu Stationed at the bottom of Kerckhoff steps, Grant Rabenn was one of the first pro-war activists students saw as they walked down Bruin Walk Wednesday. Rabenn, a fourth-year political science and history student, was protesting a protest. "Is the world better after you support these socialist causes?" he asked. Rabenn was backed by other war supporters, including Democrats, Republicans, Independents and members of other political parties. Jon English, a member of the Bruin Democrats and first-year political science student, said calling for "education not devastation" was hypocritical. "When they walk out of class, that pisses me off," he said. English could be seen shouldering a boom box playing the Pledge of Allegiance. CATHERINE JUN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Graduate student Garth Meckler (left) and high school student Aaron Laran (right) debate the issues of the war in Iraq. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Other students held signs reading, "Saddam loves walkouts," and some handed out fliers reading, "Love Hitler? Then you'll love Saddam." The "Love Hitler?" flier went on to show similarities between Hussein and Adolf Hitler in the areas of genocide, conquest of neighbors and nuclear weapon production attempts. "They (anti-war protesters) don't know what they are fighting for. All they care about is blaming America first, they know nothing of the Kurdish people," Rabenn declared. Rabenn said it is the United States' responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Owen Paun, a fifth-year European studies student, agreed with Rabenn. "America is the only country with the military capabilities to defend the Iraqi people," Paun said. Paun, who said his father received two bronze medals and two purple hearts in Vietnam, said Americans' involvement in that war was wrong. "Iraq is different. The Iraqi people are not going to fight for Saddam like the Viet Cong did (in the Vietnam war)," Paun said. When asked about an anti-war sign that read, "Stop fuhrer Bush," Rabenn said the protesters' hyperbole was a testament of their ignorance. "You would never see a protest like this in Iraq," he said. Emily Currin, a fourth-year political science student, said signs declaring President Bush as incompetent were unfounded and she put her faith in him. "God knows I'd rather listen to someone who got Cs at Yale, than a bunch of spoiled, liberal UCLA brats who skip class to go to some stupid rally," Currin said. Rabenn's brother, Chase, a first-year undeclared student, said anti-war protesters had no arguments and were just spewing rhetoric. "All I hear is no blood for oil. If this were a war for oil we would be attacking Venezuela," Chase said. Chase added that claims for peace seemed contradictory, coming from protesters who tore down a pro-war sign and who Chase said were trying to pick fights with some war supporters. "They say they want peace, peace for who? Peace for themselves so they can sleep at night, or peace for the Iraqi people who are dying every day?" Chase asked. Currin said it was important for someone to represent the United States' interests. "Everyone seems to be just supporting the interest of countries that want to kill us," she said. As the protest moved from Westwood Plaza to Murphy Hall, the pro-war activists could be seen leading the line of anti-war protesters behind them. "We felt that we would make a bigger impact in the front," said fourth-year physics and math student Jeremy Werner. "It's important Americans know that some college students still love their country," he said.