www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

The government has decided to lift the maximum price controls imposed several weeks ago on some basic goods as shortages have resulted from the policy as reduced profit margins have made producing the goods unprofitable for many manufacturers.

Following the decision prices of some basic goods have been increased by as much as 40%, including imported goods like pastas and cheeses.

The change in the government's position sees 34 goods removed from the previous list of 169, and now only 135 products remain subject to maximum price controls.

The decision was apparently taken following talks between manufacturing sector representatives and government officials.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 By: Charles Hardy

VHeadline.com commentarist Charles Hardy writes: While returning recently from a trip to Mexico, I started to think about Mexico's role as one of the "friends" that is meeting this week in Brazil to discuss Venezuela's inner workings.

In 1968, there was a massacre of university students in Mexico City that was neatly covered up by the government because the Olympics were going to be held there. During his campaign, President Fox promised that his government would finally investigate the matter. In 2001, a year after his election, he reneged.

44 years have now passed since the massacre, and Mexico still hasn't been able to confront what happened.

While in a small town, I visited some women who are working in one of Mexico's maquiladoras ... they work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no breaks and only half-an-hour for lunch ... they earn less than $40 a week.  I've also been reading about women who are disappearing along the US-Mexico border, many who have been working in this type of factory.

My question: will Mexico advise Venezuela on human rights, labor rights and truth commissions?

I was also given a free newspaper on the airplane in which I read that the Spanish government had just closed a Basque newspaper, and that President Azner was walking hand in hand with the US toward a war in Iraq.

Will Spain give Venezuela advice on freedom of the press and reconciliation?

In the United States, the Supreme Court elected President Bush, while Al Gore had more votes from the people. The biggest problem centered on Florida where his own brother is Governor. Did Mr. Bush ever think of calling for new elections in Florida so as to clarify who really won in that state? Would the US have accepted help from some foreign governments to help solve the problem?

Will the United States recommend to Venezuela how it should conduct its elections?

Yesterday, I watched a Portuguese immigrant throw an empty beer bottle into an open field. I asked him if he would do the same in Portugal ... he just shrugged his shoulders. Many of his Venezuelan construction workers earn less than $150 a month ... he lives in a three-story house.

Will Portugal talk to Venezuela about the great contribution that foreigners are making to this country?

Chile tolerated the dictator Pinochet from 1973 to 1988 and then left him in charge of the military until 1998.

Will Chile try to give Venezuela some lessons on democracy?

With "friends" like these, who needs enemies?

And the last time I was in Rio de Janeiro, thugs tried to attack me two times. There were people sleeping on the streets at night and death squads were exterminating homeless children. The landless people of the Movimiento Sem Terra were struggling for a little bit of dignity and recognition of their rights to work and to live. Has the situation changed?

President Lula may be a nice person, but doesn't Brazil have sufficient problems of its own to confront?

If a group of "friends" would have come to my parents to tell them that they were going to help our family solve its internal difficulties, I know what their reaction would have been. My parents would have responded as most English-speaking people would: "They can go to hell before they are going to enter our house."

When they had calmed down, they would have said, "Why don't they take care of their own homes first?"

My parents were never involved in foreign diplomacy ... they were honest and forthright.

That probably would have disqualified them automatically in the world of international diplomacy, that wonderful imaginary world of "friends."

Charlie A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming (USA), VHeadline.com columnist Charles Hardy has many years experience  as an international correspondent in Venezuela. You may email him at: hardyce2@yahoo.com

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Venezuela's Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS) Jorge Valero has called for the current Friends of Venezuela group to be expanded to include, France, Russia and a number of Caribbean nations.

The group, currently made up of Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States, met in Brasilia to renew their discussions and Valero made the call during his address to the representatives.

In January President Hugo Chavez Frias also called for the group's expansion, but this appeal fell on deaf ears.

Foreign Minister's from the six countries also held closed door meetings to discuss how best to end the current political unrest in Venezuela.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Banco Provincial, a subsidiary of Spain's Banco Bilbao Viacaya Argentaria, is estimating that Venezuela's first quarter GDP contraction will be in the region of 42.4%, largely as a result of the two month opposition work stoppage which crippled the all important oil sector.

The sector is estimated to have contracted by 69.3% over the same period, and all other sectors are forecast to shrink by 32.5%.

Banco Provincial's estimate is similar to one made by Banco Santander, which put their forecast at 40% for the quarter. Last year the economy contracted by 9%, compares with positive growth in the two previous years.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

A delegation of Coordinadora Democratica representatives is set to travel to Europe on March 16 to seek support for the opposition in Venezuela's political stalemate.

• The group will be led by Americo Martin, an opposition negotiator in the Organization of American States (OAS) led peace negotiations.

Also taking part in the trip will be Marco Angeli, a former manager at Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), Haydee Deutsch, a founder of the Liberal Party, and lawyer Gustavo Reyna.

This is the latest of several opposition visits abroad, as it seeks to build support for the removal of President Hugo Chavez Frias from office.