<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic news Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

US Ambassador Charles Shapiro has met Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel and Anti-Drugs Czaress, Mildred Camero to discuss the eradication of poppy feels in Venezuela's western Perija mountain range (Zulia). 

Shapiro says Camero has brought him about cultivation in the area and he praised the judge's work in the  war on drugs. 

Camero reports that her office (Conacuid)  is undertaking intelligence work in the region to assess the situation in the poppy fields. 

Crop-dusting was discontinued last year due to Venezuela's political situation and government precaution to pre-empt any use of Venezuelan Air Force planes for coup attempts and other subversive activities. 

Camero insists that Conacuid had concerted the meeting with the US Ambassador to coordinate joint activities in the war on drugs in border areas.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The government has launched a counter-attack on Venezuelan ranchers, agricultural producers and agribusiness leaders, accusing them of deliberately creating an artificial scarcity of products to undermine price controls and exchange rates.  The attack comes after the discovery of 100,000 kilos of chicken allegedly hoarded at the Souto Brothers industry in Bejuma (Carabobo). 

Industry Minister, Victor Alvarez says the agribusiness offensive is part of a plan to blow a hole in the government's economic policies. "There is no reason from an economical point of view that justifies outbreaks of speculation or scarcities." 

Alvarez claims that agribusiness sector is fishing for too much profit but has promised to review customer prices and alleged low profits.

However, newspaper reports indicate that people are finding it difficult to obtain maize bread powder (harina pan), white cheese, chicken and other basic products at local  markets and supermarkets. 

Federation of Chambers of Industry & Commerce (Fedecamaras) deputy president, Albis Munoz says the government wants to eliminate the private sector and its policies are distorting the market. 

Venmaiz executive president, Gisela Serrano argues that the industry has enough to cover demand till  September and blames the distortion on  scarcity. "The price of regulated maize bread powder is far too low  ... it's being produced at a loss ... industrialists are covering the surplus demand generated by the low price compared to other basic foods. 

Serrano says the product costs double in Colombia and what should go to the domestic market is being smuggled into Colombia ... "then there is the problem of getting hold of government dollars!"

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Controversial Argentinean sociologist, Norberto Ceresole, has died in Argentina after suffering a heart attack. Born in 1943, Ceresole studied in Germany, France and Italy and has written 30 books on geo-political strategy and military sociology. His work led him to be appointed to the Soviet Union's (USSR) Science Academy at the Latin American Institute and professor at the USSR High School of War. 

In Argentina,  Ceresole joined the Montoneros' breakaway urban guerrilla group ERP, which was virtually wiped out by the military dictatorship in the 70s ... Norberto sought exile in Spain. 

Before that he acted as an adviser to Peruvian nationalist President, General Juan Velazco Alvarado towards the end of 60s and is said to have been close to President Salvador Allende in the early 70s even though his political ideology at the time would have placed him closer to the revolutionary left (MIR) . 

The sociologist met Hugo Chavez Frias in 1994 and is believed to have influenced his political thought as regarding making the army the spearhead of change in Venezuela. It is thought that the Peronist experience in Argentina forged Ceresole's now famous political triangle: warlord (caudillo), the military and the People (pueblo). 

Ceresole suggested that in Latin America and Venezuela only a military political party could overcome the fierce opposition from international and domestic reactionary forces. However, his consultancy work in Venezuela was cut short by rivalries inside Chavez Frias' Movimiento Quinta Republica (MVR) . Civilian MVR kingpins, Luis Miquilena and Jose Vicente Rangel maneuvered Ceresole out of the country. 

Ceresole became a dedicated supporter of the Palestine cause and became an avid anti-Zionist causing scandal for his position on the Holocaust. Before he died, Ceresole returned to Argentina to act as political adviser to presidential candidate, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa and to former military rebel, Lt. Colonel Aldo Rico running for the State Governorship of Buenos Aires.

Whatever can be said about Ceresole, his thinking on Latin America has a touch of originality and will not cease with his physical demise.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Brazil's Six-nation Group of Friends representative and general sub-secretary of the Brazil-Venezuela bi-lateral relations policy, Gilberto Saboia says the undertaking of the recall referendum depends on the will of the Venezuelan people. 

Speaking after meeting Venezuelan Executive Vice President, Jose Vicente Rangel, Saboia has made the comment that from the very start it was understood by all members of the Group of Friends that it was a process Venezuelans have to pursue themselves. 

• Saboia says he believes that the way forward depends on the sovereign will of Venezuelan People in compliance with the Constitution and the response must be democratic. 

"The Group of Friends are ready to help wherever necessary and that is why we are meeting here in Caracas for two days to see how we can help."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Colombian Air Force has  intercepted a Venezuelan plane, as it flew over the Colombian island of San Andres off the Panamanian coast ... Colombian Air Force commander, General Hector Fabio Velasco reports that the plane left Venezuela at 8.25 p.m. and was picked up on radar at 10.25. 

Three Colombian citizens were aboard the Russian-made light plane YV-1052-CP, which Velasco says, was flown on a provisional license by an unauthorized pilot. 

A Colombian Air Force jet forced the plane to return with it and land at the Ernesto Cortez Air Force Base in Barranquilla. The three men are being interrogated in connection with narco-trafficking and drug runs.