De: "Jessica Rosenberg" jessica@obraweb.com Fecha: Mie, 9 de Abril de 2003, 7:09 pm Para: jessica@obraweb.com

VENEZOLANOS EN EL EXTERIOR...

Esta nota es para informar a todos los venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero sobre el proceso para registrrse/actualizar datos en el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP). Debemos registrarnos con anticipación para votar (ya sea para el referéndum como para elecciones presidenciales) pero hay que ACTUAR de inmediato!! (Si conoces a venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero por favor envíales esta nota).

El proceso para el registro electoral es muy sencillo: Presentarse (en el consulado correspondiente) con cédula y algún comprobante de su actual dirección (como prueba de jurisdicción). El mayor inconveniente es que hay que presentarse personalmente de lunes a viernes en horas de oficina (que varían según el consulado).

Sin embargo, necesitamos HACER PRESION DESDE AHORA. En los últimos días he estado llamando al consulado de Houston, mi juridisccion, para verificar que está abierto y funcionando el REP y dicen no tener el material necesario (o planillas) para la inscripción electoral, que les llegara en dos semanas y que les prohibieron sacar fotocopias. En vista de que esta misma respuesta nos la vienen dando desde el mes de Enero, decidí comunicarme con las autoridades respectivas en Venezuela para pedir su colaboración al respecto.

Primero me comuniqué con la Dirección General de Registro del CNE, me informaron que el REP se encuentra abierto y que los consulados deben inscribir a los venezolanos utilizando fotocopias de las planillas, tal como se indica en la circular de la cual se extrajo el texto a continuación. Dicha circular se originó en el CNE y fue enviada a las representaciones diplomáticas por la Dirección General de Relaciones Consulares del MRE

19 de diciembre del 2002 Circular Informativa Nº DGRC-36 1.La actualización del registro electoral de los venezolanos residentes en el exterior, permite inscribirse o actualizar su inscripción en el Registro Electoral en cualquier momento,..." 4.1.En caso de que alguna Representación Diplomática o Consular no cuente con las Planillas de Actualización de Venezolanos residentes en el Exterior (se sugiere revisar exhaustivamente los archivos) deberá utilizar copia del formulario cuyo modelo se envía como Anexo III. .......... 5. El requisito único e insustituible para que un ciudadano venezolano pueda inscribirse o actualizar su inscripción en el Registro Electoral, es la presentación de su cedula de identidad laminada, aun cuando este vencida. El pasaporte no constituye un documento aceptado para los fines del Registro Electoral.........Se recomienda mantener la actualización del registro de manera permanente,..."""

La dirección del CNE también me informo de que ellos no tenían ninguna solicitud formal de material por parte del consulado de Houston. Esta falta de material es una excusa artificial. En vista de esta situación me comunique directamente con la Directora General de Relaciones Consulares del MRE Embajadora Jocelyn Henríquez. Muy amablemente la Embajadora me respondió que el REP debe de permanecer abierto permanentemente y que deben inscribir a todos los venezolanos sacando fotocopias a las planillas. Que no se ha girado ninguna comunicación prohibiendo el uso de las fotocopias como afirman en Houston. La Embajadora se comprometió a hacerle seguimiento al problema y conseguirle pronta solución.

Como preparación y apoyo al movimiento que sucede en Venezuela debemos estar listos para influir en el futuro de nuestro país a través del voto. Esta nota es preventiva pero requiere ACCION IMMEDIATA por parte de los venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero, para que se comuniquen urgentemente con el consulado de su jurisdicción para verificar que el REP está abierto y en funcionamiento. En caso de que reciban una excusa oficial, mucho les agradecería que me mantuvieran informada al respecto, ya que la embajadora Henríquez me pidió que la mantenga informada de estas situaciones. Por favor, anoten el día y hora llamado y el nombre de la persona con que hablaron.

Hay que inscribirse en el consulado respectivo con anterioridad suficiente para poder votar y es mejor estar preparados en caso de no poder viajar a Venezuela para hacerlo.

Si queremos influir democráticamente en el futuro de Venezuela a través del voto, por favor pongan su granito de arena y llamen al consulado de su jurisdicción para hacer presión o asiste a registrarte durante las próximas semanas. Aquí les copio los números de contacto de los consulados en USA, el resto del mundo lo pueden buscar en el Internet.

Saludos Marisabel Olivares Mary_olivares@yahoo.com

For any further consultations in regards to the voting process in Venezuela we suggest you visit the web page www.cne.gov.ve www.cne.gov.ve

WASHINGTON D.C. Embassy of Venezuela www.embavenez-us.org (Sección Consular) 1099, 30th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20007 Telephone: (202) 342 2214 Fax: (202) 342-6820 Office hours: 9:00am-1:00pm / 2:00pm-4:00pm Monday to Friday www.embavenez-us.org www.embavenez-us.org

BOSTON, MASACHUSETTS venezuela.mit.edu Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Boston 545 Boylston Street 6th floor, suite 603 Boston, MA 02116 Telephone: (617) 266-9368/ 266-9475; Fax: (617) 266-2350 Office hours: 9:00am-1:00pm (consular service hours) Monday to Friday Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, Maine y New Hampshire.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Chicago 20 N Wacker Drive, Suite # 1925 Chicago, IL 60606, USA Telephone: (312) 236-9659 / 236-9655 Fax: (312) 580-1010 Telex: 234-4330235 CONVE VI Jurisdiction: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota y Wisconsin.

HOUSTON, TEXAS Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Houston www.consulvenhou.org

2925 Briarpark Dr., #900 Houston, TX 77042, USA Telephone: (713) 974-0028 Fax: (713) 974-1413 Jurisdiction: Kansas, Nuevo Mexico, Oklahoma y Texas.

MIAMI, FLORIDA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Miami www.consuve.com 1101 Brickell Avenue, Suite 901 Miami, Fl 33131 Telephone: (305) 5774214;Fax: (305) 372-5167 Jurisdiction: Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in New Orleans 1908 World Trade Center, 2 Canal Street New Orleans, LA 70130, USA Telephone: (504) 522-3284 / 524-6700 Fax: (504) 522-7092 Jurisdiction: Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama y Tenessee.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 7 east 51st street New York, NY 10022 212.826.1660 Phone: 212.826.1660 fax: 212.644.7471 hours open to the public: 9:15am to 12:45pm office hours: 9am to 4pm Jurisdiction: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in San Francisco www.consuladovenezuelasfo.org 311 California Street, Suite 620 San Francisco, CA 94104, USA Telephone: (415) 955-1982/ 1987 / 1989; Fax: (415) 955-1970 Office hours: 9:30am-2:30pm (consular service hours) Monday to Friday Jurisdiction: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington y Wyoming.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO Consulate General of <www.tld.net the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in San Juan, PR www.tld.net Avenida Ponce de León Edificio Mercantil Plaza, Suite 601 Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, 00918 Telephone: (787) 766-4250 / 766-4251 Fax: (787) 766-4255 Jurisdiction: Puerto Rico y Virgin Islands

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.467 / Virus Database: 266 - Release Date: 01/04/2003

De: "Jessica Rosenberg" jessica@obraweb.com Fecha: Mie, 9 de Abril de 2003, 7:44 pm Para: jessica@obraweb.com

Copio dos excelentes cartas escritas a la BBC con respecto al documental "Chavez: Inside the Coup" o "The Revolution will not be Televised".

Este documental tendrá un efecto muy negativo sobre la imagen que se tiene de la oposición en el exterior. ¿Por qué es importante la opinión pública internacional? Una oposición legítima es un sustento a las potenciales acciones de la OEA, del Grupo de Amigos, de los tribunales internacionales y de los organismos y personalidades en general. Es un pilar fundamental de nuestra lucha... Mientras no surja un documental justo que le haga contrapeso a éste, debemos al menos tratar de expresar nuestro desacuerdo masivamente para que entiendan que no es una élite contra el "pobre" Chávez sino un país entero manifestando su descontento. Jessica Rosenberg

Pueden escribirle a los productores directamente a chavezthefilm@hotmail.com. Si prefieren contactar a la BBC, pueden hacerlo a este mail: storyville@bbc.co.uk o en: www.bbc.co.uk

Dear Mr. Fraser,

Have you ever been to Venezuela?

In your review of "Chavez: Inside the Coup", you write: "On one side stand the Versace wearing classes, rich from many decades of oil revenues, and on the other the poor in their barrios and those within the armed forces who support Chavez." Are you aware, Sir, that all polls indicate that between 70% and 80% want Chavez out of power? At the same time, are you aware that 70% of our country is poor? (and that number is increasing.) So how do those numbers jive to you? Could it be that plenty of the poor want Chavez out too?

I'm going to assume that even if you've been to Venezuela, since many British people can afford to travel and wear Versace (and from the looks of your photo, so can you), you haven't attended a protest against the government. If you had, you would have noticed the middle class and poor marching side by side. What, no mention of rich? Oh, I forgot to say that only a tiny fraction of the country is rich. Do you think that Chavez would have come to power if the majority were rich? Who are the millions that march against him on a day's notice, by the way? Who are the millions who left their house to sign petitions asking for a recall referendum? Are those millions the Versace-wearing bunch? Because if they are, then the world's economists have focused on the wrong countries to emulate. Even the United Nations should take notice.

Do you understand our economic structure? How is it that a tiny class can get rich from our oil revenues, when our oil industry is nationalized? Nationalized means that the state, not a small group, owns the oil industry. Those who grow wealthy from it are either corrupt bureaucrats, politicians, or hardworking contractors. Upper and middle level managers also make a nice living, as anyone who is educated and works hard should. Don't you agree? However, I've yet to see a PDVSA professional in a Donatella design. Have you?

The events of April 11 are lamentable, because people died. However, a president is always responsible for what happens in his country. It's an issue of governability, and no one has the right to blame anyone else when governability disappears, especially the media. (I'm shocked I have to point this out to someone who writes on a BBC site!) The opposition made some mistakes that day, but it was precisely because no one was expecting something so horrible and despicable to happen. Everyone acted in desperation, because the military removed Chavez from power when people started dropping like flies. What would you do if someone handed you reign of an entire country? Wouldn't you make mistakes? Or are you a icon of British perfection?

This video that you rave about will cleverly try to pin the April 11 deaths on the opposition, saying that the victims were government supporters. Have you heard of Mohammed Merhi? His son was shot in the head. Mr. Merhi has camped in front of the Supreme Court on hunger strike, demanding justice for his son, who was protesting against the government on April 11. Are you aware that the families of the victims are suing Chavez, that a Spanish Court recently referred the cases to an International Court, since it deemed his actions too severe to be tried in Spain? Have you seen any of the footage of that day, or the days that followed, or are you basing your slick opinions of a country's pain on a documentary by "some young Irish filmmakers?"

An Internet posting is serious business these days, Mr. Frazier. Over time, the world will know what truly happened in Venezuela on April 11-13. You make your living from people like me, who read your stuff. Your credibility is all you have. Without it, you are like background noise or a Pop-up that people click out. I'm certain you wouldn't want to reduce yourself to that level, by basing your opinions solely on one documentary.

I would encourage you to visit Venezuela. Even London has a healthy opposition, so why not sit down with Alek Boyd, president of Proveo.org, and discuss this issue? Unless you have an agenda, which I'm sure you don't.

Remember, Mr. Fraser, that one documentary does not history make. The last thing that you'd ever want is for Storyville to be perceived as Liesville.

Alexandra Beech

Dear BBC and Mr.Nick Fraser,

I saw your program about Venezuela last night, and with great disbelief I saw how you too wasted the opportunity of a lifetime. We, the civil society of Venezuela missed the chance to rid ourselves of an authoritarian man who advocates destruction in order to accumulate personal power. You lost the opportunity to be praised for serious journalism. It's sad to see the strength of the division and polarisation in Venezuela, but sadder to see how it can permeate to outsiders who, like us can no longer see any good in the other side.

It was very weak journalism to try to build a case against the Venezuelan opposition and the local private media for being biased against the president by simply being biased against them. I really expected better from the BBC. If you are going to criticise one-sidedness you can't be one sided yourself, so don't expect any respect from your viewers when using that logic.

I believe BBC owes Venezuelans an apology for interfering in a conflict rather than reporting about it, for leaving more than half of the facts out, for promoting more hatred and division in a conflict that it is not yours. I don't expect you to understand what Venezuela is going through, but I do expect respect and journalistic integrity, so if you are going to tell the story, at least have the courage to present both sides of it. If not, I would really appreciate it if you just stayed out of it. We have enough poison amongst ourselves, we really do not need you fuelling it.

I agree that your journalists had a once in a lifetime opportunity to be at the presidential palace the night of April 11th 2002. It was a pity they didn't have the chance to be outside to see over a million people marching for democracy, something never before seen in Venezuela. It's a pity they weren't there long enough to see how in the four years since Mr. Chavez took office, oil income was at an all-time high, poverty and unemployment levels increased to levels unknown before and corruption multiply a hundred fold.

It's unfortunate that as your journalists were trapped in the presidential palace with all the chaos, they didn't have the chance to hear the head of the military at the time, Mr Lucas Rincon,a very close ally and friend of the president, read a statement informing the nation that the president had resigned.

Unfortunately your journalists missed so much of the story that they wasted their opportunity of a lifetime, and their version lacks credibility and deserves no praise. They are simply two more Chavistas telling their story, no more no less.

If the BBC was ever serious about doing a documentary about the situation of Venezuela please feel free to contact me and I would be glad to help so you can have first hand accounts for both sides. You can make history by choosing to share both sides of the story, therefore you still have an opportunity of a lifetime.

Kindest Regards,

Cristina Granier London

De: ProVeO info@proveo.org Fecha: Mie, 9 de Abril de 2003, 4:31 pm Para: ProVeO Members members@proveo.org

Estimados, Caigamosle ahora a CBC y la universidad de Calgary. Aleksander Boyd

Just a reminder that if you have been putting off registering for our luncheon on Venezuela, now is the time to act. The event is a week away and once the full media coverage starts, the few remaining tickets will be gone in a flash. CHECK THE END OF THIS MESSAGE FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORMS

Also, here are the details on the upcoming CBC documentary on Chavez and the Coup.

Please note THE PASSIONATE EYE documentary Venezuela: Anatomy of a Coup, originally scheduled for Sunday, April 13 at 10 p.m. ET (10 p.m. PT), is being replaced by Chavez - Inside the Coup, an extraordinary access-oriented film that examines the role the media played in orchestrating last year's attempted coup in Venezuela, shot by the only crew inside the palace at the time. It's a timely lesson about media manipulation and how NOT to attempt a "regime change" in one of the world's largest oil-producing countries.

A year ago, on April 11, 2002, the world awoke to the news that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had been removed from office and had been replaced by a new self-appointed "interim" government. News report after news report carried stories of the mayhem in Caracas, where 11 people had been killed in what were alleged to have been bloody street battles between Chavez supporters and an opposition march. Viewers all over the world were led to believe that Chavez had ordered the killings, and had therefore been forced to resign. What in fact took place was the first coup of the 21st century, and probably the world's first media coup. Private media had manipulated the story and the images they were broadcasting on TV to create support and justification for the coup.

Venezuela is the world's fourth largest exporter of oil, and the third highest supplier to the United States. In 1999, a landslide majority had democratically elected Hugo Chavez president, promising to end corruption and redistribute the oil revenue to the 80 per cent of the population who lived in poverty. But from his first day in office Chavez faced powerful enemies both inside and outside Venezuela.

Just over 12 months ago, two Irish documentary-makers, Kim Bartley and Donnacha O Briain, travelled to Venezuela to make a film about this charismatic and unorthodox world leader. They met with Chavez and secured his permission to have full access to film what was to be an up-close and personal profile. It turned out to be something completely different. Chavez - Inside The Coup is a thrilling insight into Chavez, charting the last seven months in the run up to the coup and his dramatic return to power some 48 hours later.

Chavez - Inside the Coup is nominated for a 2003 Rocky Award for Best Documentary at the Banff Television Festival.

Chavez - Inside the Coup is a Power Pictures production. It was produced by David Power and directed by Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain. Catherine Olsen is the series producer for THE PASSIONATE EYE.

ON THE LUNCHEON

Latin American Research Centre at the University of Calgary

Sponsored by: CBC – Radio Canada Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade MAGIC TOURS and TRAVEL Calgary Herald Editorial Board

Latin American Research Centre Proudly Presents SPOTLIGHT ON VENEZUELA Award-Winning Venezuelan Writer Margarita López-Maya At a Luncheon, Wednesday, April 16, 2003 Alberta Room, Fairmont Palliser Hotel

Registration 11.30 a.m. Lunch 12.00 noon Presentation 12.30 p.m. Discussion 1.15 p.m.

The current political situation in Venezuela is at best, fragile. This state of affairs should concern us all. Through its oil company and its subsidiaries, Venezuela has a considerable stronghold on the US energy supply. In several sub-sectors, such as exports of petroleum products to the US and the production of heavy crude, the country is a direct competitor of Canada. At the same time, the intense demand for specialized personnel and equipment in Venezuela creates a unique opportunity for Alberta companies – that of doing abroad what they do best at home.

Political observer Margarita Lopez-Maya will give luncheon guests a privileged insider’s overview of the current situation. Her insightful comments are guaranteed to provide a perspective that Calgarians have seldom, if ever, been exposed to. This is a rare opportunity not to be missed by anyone with an interest in South America.

Information or Sponsorship Opportunities: Contact Annette Hester, ahester@ucalgary.ca or Patricia Ongpin 220-7203, pongpin@ucalgary.ca

EVENT REGISTRATION

Name(s):

Name(s):

Company Name:
Member:

Total Number Attending: __ ___ x $_ ____ + ( 7% gst) = $ _____ _ ___

Phone: ________________ Fax: _________________ E-mail:

Method of Payment: O Cheque O VISA

VISA Number: ___ _ _____ __ Exp: ___ _ ___

Cardholder Name: __________________ __________Signature: __________

Text Box: Price: LARC sponsors, CERI, Economics Society of Calgary, ESAA, CIPNG, Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta, and the Venezuelan Canadian Association of Calgary members, and students, $35.00 + gst = $37.45 all others $50.00 + gst = $53.50 tables of 8 are availabe at $500 + gst = 535.00 Registration: Fax your registration to (403) 282-8606 Or Email: Patricia Ongpin pongpin@ucalgary.ca MAKE CHEQUE PAYABLE TO: University of Calgary, SS 554, 2500 University Drive NW, CALGARY T2N 1N4

I look forward to seeing you there!

Annette Hester Director Latin American Research Centre University of Calgary phone: (403) 220 8636 fax: (403) 282 8606

Do you want a website like this one? Then you must work a lot

De: "Jessica Rosenberg" jessica@obraweb.com Fecha: Mar, 8 de Abril de 2003, 5:29 pm

Desde comienzos de este año está circulando en Estados Unidos y Europa un documental de 75 minutos acerca de Chavez, el 11 de abril, etc. Estuvo en el Festival de Cine de Texas, hoy será puesto al aire por la BBC y ha sido adquirido por otros canales y distribuidoras en Estados Unidos y Europa.

No lo he visto, pero he sabido que es muy favorable al régimen; si entran al website de los productores (www.sxsw.com), se entiende inmediatamente su ideología cuando citan como referencias de internet a Narco News y The Nation.

Pueden escribirle a los productores directamente a chavezthefilm@hotmail.com. Si prefieren contactar a la BBC, pueden hacerlo en: www.bbc.co.uk.

Por mi lado, le escribí a la BBC la nota anexa al final. Anexo el sitio web de la BBC donde anuncian el programa y el sitio web con el review del festival en Texas. Jessica Rosenberg

BBCi

CHAVEZ: INSIDE THE COUP Kim Bartley & Donnacha O'Briain, Ireland, 2002 Tuesday 8 April 2003 9pm-10.05pm; rpt 12.05am-1.10am; Friday 11 April 12.10am-1.20am

An intimate profile of the charismatic and unconventional Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the coup attempt against him and his dramatic return to power some 48 hours later.

Commissioner's Comment Nick Fraser Storyville Series Editor

When a coup was launched in April 2002 against Hugo Chavez, the elected President of Venezuela, some young Irish filmmakers were lucky enough to be on hand to witness the events.

They were actually inside the Presidential Palace - a filmmakers' dream - when the soldiers came to take Chavez away. But they were also there 48 hours later when the same soldiers switched sides reinstalling the president.

The result is a brilliant piece of journalism but it is also an astonishing portrait of the balance of forces in Venezuela. On one side stand the Versace wearing classes, rich from many decades of oil revenues, and on the other the poor in their barrios and those within the armed forces who support Chavez.

The media, who ought to be merely reporting the conflict splitting the country down the middle, are in fact adjuncts of the coup-makers.

Watch this film and you may truly for the first time in your life understand the term media bias. www.bbc.co.uk

South by Sothwest 2003 Film Festival Screening, Austin Texas, March 7-12

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Documentary Feature Screening in Special Screenings US Premiere

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a feature length documentary on Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela. Over the course of 7 months, from January to July 2002, the filmmakers secured unprecedented access to film Chavez in his daily life. During this time, there was a coup and the filmmakers were the only crew inside the presidential palace at the time.

They were also the first there for his triumphant return some 48 hours later.On the 11th April 2002, the world awoke to the news that President Hugo Chavez had been removed from office and had been replaced by a new self-appointed "interim" government. News report after news report carried stories of the mayhem in Caracas, where 11 people had been killed in what were alleged to have been bloody street battles between Chavez supporters and an opposition march.Viewers all over the world were led to believe that Chavez had ordered the killings, and had therefore been forced to resign.What had in fact took place was the first coup of the twenty first century, and the world's first media coup."The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a thrilling insight into President Chavez and the power of globalized media. www.sxsw.com

Dear Sirs, Considering the BBC to be an example of impartial and balanced media, I believe you should include in your Further Links section, sites that give a different point of view to visitors about the situation in Venezuela such as www.vcrisis.com and www.analitica.com. Or a less biased article such as the one by your own correspondent Nick Higham titled “TV Battle in Latin America” (news.bbc.co.uk).

“Chavez: Inside the Coup” is a highly biased documentary whose producers cannot see beyond their leftist anti-globalization dreams to contemplate the harsh truth of an inefficient and corrupt populist government that has done nothing to solve the pressing social and economic needs of our country.

Furthermore, I find derogatory comments such as “the Versace wearing classes” by Mr Nick Fraser a sure sign of total ignorance of the political situation in Venezuela. People who march by the thousands to protest against the Chavez government and demand elections are not frivolous individuals, they are citizens of all social classes fighting for their lives and their belief in a more just political and economic system. Jessica Rosenberg